Why fresh Barry Bannan heartbreak is better for Sheffield Wednesday than Sheffield United nightmare | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday could be relegated against Barry Bannan's Millwall or Steel City rivals Sheffield United in their next two games.

After a nightmare season, Sheffield Wednesday's relegation from the Championship could potentially be confirmed in the next few weeks.

This season was always likely to be an uphill battle for Wednesday after a mass exodus during the summer, but their task of avoiding relegation became almost impossible after they were hit with a 12-point deduction for entering administration in October, followed by a further six-point penalty imposed in December for multiple late wage payments under former owner Dejphon Chansiri.

With the Owls' on-field plight continuing to worsen over the course of the season, they are bottom of the Championship table on minus seven points, a staggering 39 points from safety with just 15 games remaining.

Wednesday are currently on a club record 25-game winless run, with their last victory coming at Portsmouth all the way back in mid-September, while they have also failed to score a single goal in their last 10 matches in all competitions.

After such a torrid period, the Owls could be set for fresh humiliation if their relegation is sealed before the end of February, which would make it one of the earliest in English football history, and the two potential opponents it could happen against will only add insult to injury.

Barry Bannan could relegate Sheffield Wednesday on Hillsborough return after Millwall move

The first possible date that Wednesday's relegation could be confirmed is this Saturday when they host Millwall at Hillsborough, although they would also need other results to go against them.

For the Owls to go down this weekend, they would need to lose against the Lions, while Blackburn Rovers would also have to avoid defeat at Queens Park Rangers in what could be their first game under Gary Rowett if his appointment is confirmed over the coming days.

Given that Wednesday have not won for almost five months and Millwall are currently fifth in the table and firmly in the automatic promotion race, it would be a surprise to see anything other than a victory for Alex Neil's side on Saturday.

However, while they have long accepted their fate, it would no doubt be painful for Owls supporters to have the final blow inflicted by the Lions after former long-serving captain Barry Bannan made the move to The Den last month.

Bannan scored 37 goals and provided 75 assists in 477 appearances for Wednesday during more than a decade at the club prior to his January departure, and he had previously stated his desire to remain in S6 for the rest of his career.

However, with the likes of Stoke City, Preston North End, Motherwell and Hibernian also chasing his signature, Bannan made the decision to call time on his Owls career to join Millwall last month, and while it will no doubt be an emotional return to Hillsborough for the Scot on Saturday, he could also help to send his former employers into League One.

Sheffield Wednesday would prefer Barry Bannan, Millwall blow to Sheffield United embarrassment

It would certainly sting Wednesday supporters if they were to be relegated by Bannan's Millwall, but it would surely be even more agonising to go down at the hands of bitter rivals Sheffield United the following weekend.

If the Owls somehow manage to avoid the drop this weekend, their relegation could be rubber-stamped against the Blades when they make the short trip to Bramall Lane next Sunday.

United came out on top in the first Steel City derby of the season when they won 3-0 at Hillsborough in November, and with Chris Wilder's side in need of points as they look to continue their play-off push, they will be strong favourites to secure another victory in the reverse fixture.

However, while Blades supporters would love to see their team condemn their neighbours to League One, it would be the latest devastating blow in what has been a horror season for the Owls.

Having launched an infamous rant after victory at Hillsborough in March, in which he took great pleasure in claiming he had ended Wednesday's season, as well as highlighting the increasing gap between the two clubs, Wilder is unlikely to miss the opportunity to stick the boot into the blue half of Sheffield once again if he is the man to send them down.

In fact, Wilder may relish the occasion even more than usual given that, pending EFL approval, the Owls are set to be taken over by the Blades' former advisor James Bord, who played an instrumental role in the controversial decision to replace him with Ruben Selles in the summer.

As Wednesday supporters brace themselves for relegation, they may feel there is no good outcome from the next two games, but most would prefer to have their fate sealed by Millwall on Bannan's return, rather than experience a Bramall Lane nightmare next weekend.