The Local Lowdown: Sheffield Wednesday

It’s always exciting going into a new league on the back of a promotion. What’s the mood around the club ahead of the new season?

The mood has picked up but it's been a strange summer to say the least. All the positivity that built up after that epic promotion last season seemed to disappear when the news of Darren Moore's exit broke. Add into the mix the well-documented ticket price rises and Wednesdayites were understandably down in the dumps. There was then a lengthy wait before Moore's successor was named but now the new man has been in the building a good few weeks, the fans are only looking forward to what will hopefully be a positive campaign back at this level.

It was a shock to see a change of manager even after the play-off win. What was the story behind Darren Moore’s departure and how have the fans responded to Xisco Muñoz’s appointment?

The chairman, Dejphon Chansiri, held a fans' forum 24 hours after Moore's departure and despite keeping his counsel over the decision at the time, he would later release a statement claiming Moore left after demanding a four-fold salary increase. It all got a bit messy but to his credit Moore has stayed silent on the matter. Fans were keen for it to move on and the fanbase is now firmly behind Xisco Muñoz, who of course is known in English football after leading Watford to promotion a few years back.

How is the squad shaping up for the new season, and how busy has Muñoz been in the transfer market?

There were seven players allowed to leave in the summer, leaving Wednesday with a threadbare squad. Reece James returned on a permanent basis after a productive loan spell, which was a sensible bit of business. After a stand-off in the market, last week saw three further arrivals but at least another three are needed – perhaps as many as five or six, to really give the squad the depth it requires in what is likely to be a testing campaign in the second tier. 

What’s the expectation from the fanbase for the season ahead?

After all the disruption in the summer, most fans would probably be content with survival. Establishing themselves back at this level under a new coach and with a totally different playing style would be some achievement given the hectic summer. 

How are Wednesday fans viewing this opening game, and what is the perception of Southampton?

This game appears to have come round particularly quick, but the party line from Muñoz and his players is that they're ready for the talking to stop and for the real action to finally get underway. On paper the difference between the two clubs’ resources is vast, as is to be expected given Saints' long time at the top table. I think many would expect Southampton to be there or thereabouts in the promotion mix-up this term and it'll be interesting to see how many of the 'big guns' play in this season opener.