Sheffield Wednesday in League Two? Brutal Sheffield United reaction to takeover news - ‘I don’t care’ | OneFootball

David Storch becoming preferred bidder at Hillsborough isn't being celebrated in all corners of Sheffield...

Sheffield Wednesday could be closing in on being saved from their administration nightmare, with David Storch and Tom Costin combining to become the preferred bidders.

After the Owls were sent back to square one in late February thanks to James Bord pulling out of his £47.8 million takeover bid, having found the finances at the club much worse than he anticipated, there has been somewhat of a rush to find the most credible new bidder so that a deal can be thrashed out as we approach the end of the 2025-26 Championship season.

It is already known that Wednesday will spend next season in League One, having already been relegated due to their negative points total thanks to various deductions, but with the Storch and Costin bid failing to meet the '25p in the £1' threshold to pay back the club's creditors, namely maligned former owner Dejphon Chansiri, there is set to be a further 15-point deduction for 2026-27.

There's been plenty of sympathy for Wednesday's plight in recent months, but one place there won't be many tears is on the other side of Sheffield at Bramall Lane - the home of bitter rivals Sheffield United.

Brutal Sheffield United verdict issued over Sheffield Wednesday, David Storch news

It was in the Steel City Derby back in February where Wednesday's relegation was confirmed, where a 2-1 win for Chris Wilder's side sent the Owls back to the third tier.

There's no love lost in that particular rivalry, and speaking to Football League World about Storch and Costin looking primed to take over at Hillsborough, our Blades fan pundit Jimmy, of The Blades Ramble YouTube channel, is actually hoping Wednesday drop further down the footballing pyramid.

"Am I pleased for Sheffield Wednesday? I don’t care enough, if I’m honest," Jimmy told FLW.

"I'm happy people will be paid, but that's as far as it goes in terms of being pleased for people - there's no excuse for not paying your bills, we've said this time and time again.

"But in terms of where they go on the pitch, they're going to be on minus 15 points in League One, miles away from us, and I’d be quite happy if they stayed down there and even a little bit further down if they want to drop down to League Two.

"Irrelevant, to be honest, and full focus on Sheffield United."

It may be a while before Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday clash in league action again

With the 15-point deduction set to arrive next season at Sheffield Wednesday's door, they already face an uphill battle to win promotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking.

It's not impossible by any stretch of the imagination - Leeds United started with the same punishment in 2007-08, only to finish fifth in the standings with 76 points (91 earned after the deduction), so there will be much inspiration taken from their Yorkshire rivals.

A reported weekly wage cap of £7,000 for new players next season though, with a maximum annual wage bill of £7 million, is another challenge that they'll have to overcome though, as it may not stand up to some of the other big hitters that will be in League One next season.

As for Sheffield United, with their Championship play-off hopes fading, they will be wanting to launch an automatic promotion challenge on the second tier next season, with their horrid start under Ruben Selles this season really costing them dearly.

Should they be up there next season though and Wednesday not immediately flourish under new ownership, then we may have to wait a while to see the Steel City Derby up close and personal again.