Christopher Mann

Wednesday 🦉 England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Rangers 🇬🇧

[Joe Crann @YesWeCrann]

'Twas the night before kickoff, and all through the land, not a striker was sleeping, no fans in the stands.

Shirts were hung up in the bedroom with care,
trophy dreams for July were most certainly there.

The children were nestled all snug on the couch, while parents explained all the rule changes now.

Mum's fantasy football, and Dad with his picks, they both settle in for some footballing tricks.

When out on the pitch there arose such a noise, they sprang from their seats and abandoned all poise.

Their eyes to the screen, they flew in a flash,
drinks were knocked over - as was the snack stash.

The lights on the stadiums, all shiny and bright, and a video game lighting rose into the night.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but FIFA executives in luxury tiers...

With marketing slogans so lively and slick, plastered all over - are they taking the mick?

More rapid than wingers the adverts they came, and they whistled and shouted and called them by name: "Now streaming! Now betting! Now crypto once more!

"On soft drinks! On burgers! On products galore! To the top of the broadcast! To the end of the wall!

"Now monetize! Monetize! Just monetize all!"

As fans who buy tickets, then check airfare rates, discovering bankruptcy thereafter awaits.

So up to the stadium the supporters all flew,
with wallets much lighter, big hotel bills too.

And then, in a moment, they saw on their feed, the pundits predicting each possible deed.

They both rubbed their eyes, and while turning around, comes a new hot-take merchant with opinions inbound.

He was dressed in a blazer, which was quite clearly new, and his stats were all cherry-picked, misleading and few.

A bundle of narratives he'd flung on his back,
and he looked like a salesman unpacking his sack.

His eyes, how they sparkled! His certainty scary! Though three weeks from now he'll reverse it, contrary.

His mouth was drawn up in a confident grin,
explaining why others could get in the bin.

The group stage unfolded with drama and flair, some giants looked mighty, some forgot they were there.

One underdog nation caught fire and ran, while favourites were memed by the internet clan.

The referees they checked every angle they could - VAR did examine, it was all just no good.

One player sneezed lightly while entering the box, and 22 cameras reviewed it in blocks.

The managers muttered, the commentators yelled, the fans wrote their essays on how they'd do things themselves.

Each nation declared that the cup was their fate, except after losing - then the pitch was a state.

The semifinals arrived, and the tension grew thick, every touch felt enormous, each loose pass made fans sick.

Then at last came the final, the grandest of nights, with 'water break' adverts to FIFA's delight.

The trophy stood gleaming, a beautiful view, an old glimmer of joy - of what we once knew.

One captain would lift it, one dream would come true, while the rest would say, "Four years? That will just have to do..."

You heard the crowd roar as the champions took flight, "Happy World Cup to all, and to all a good night!"

[Christopher Mann @MannChristopher]

@YesWeCrann Brilliant! 👏 Bring it home 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[Christopher Mann @MannChristopher]

Crap decision! Has never let his country down, huge experience, has to be on the plane! #england #threelions #worldcup

[Harry Maguire @HarryMaguire93]

I was confident I could of played a major part this summer for my country after the season I’ve had. I’ve been left shocked and gutted by the decision.

I’ve loved nothing more than putting that shirt on and representing my country over the years.

I wish the players, all the best this summer 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[Sheffield Wednesday @swfc]

A phenomenal effort!

Launched less than a week ago... 15,000 already! 👏

[Christopher Mann @MannChristopher]

@Awaydays23 @crowder_matt

[Christopher Mann @MannChristopher]

Completed it mate #swfc

[EFL @EFL]

40 years, countless memories. 🏆

As we celebrate 40 years of the Play-Offs, it’s over to you to crown the GREATEST Play-Off match of all time 😮‍💨

Have your say for a chance to win Championship Play-Off Final tickets: https://t.co/PuzQ4StT4G

#EFL | #EFLPlayOffs

[Christopher Mann @MannChristopher]

@Champagneblade @RobDorsettSky @KieranMaguire 🤣

[Christopher Mann @MannChristopher]

@kr62209 @added_on_time Thank you and well done 👏

[Christopher Mann @MannChristopher]

@AlexJPMiller Chocolate Croissants my friend. Chocolate croissants. 🥐 🦉

[Sheffield Wednesday @swfc]

😮‍💨 @daltonsmith08 🦉

[Wondering Wednesday...🦉🍌🍌🍌🍌 @AllPieEye]

@storchyowl #fairdealforwednesday #swfc

[Grant Roberts @GrantR_1867]

The EFL has sanctioned Sheffield Wednesday consistently since 2018.

Over that period, the club has been hit with multiple transfer embargoes spanning nearly a decade. By October 2025, Wednesday were under six simultaneous embargoes — the most any club has ever faced.

On top of that, the club has suffered repeated points deductions. A -12 deduction in 2020/21 severely damaged recruitment and momentum going into that season. Although it was later reduced to -6 on appeal, the damage had already been done — those points ultimately proved the difference between survival and relegation to League One.

In 2025, the situation worsened further. The club received:
•-12 points for entering administration, after the former owner failed to meet basic financial obligations such as paying wages and bills on time
•A further -6 point deduction, again due to the owner’s failure to uphold his responsibilities

This is not a case of a club gaining an unfair advantage — quite the opposite. The club has been placed at a significant competitive disadvantage for years due to sustained mismanagement.

Sheffield Wednesday has endured one of the most damaging ownership periods a club of its size is likely to experience. The former owner’s approach has not only harmed the club financially but also created a toxic environment for staff and supporters alike.

And yet, despite this, there is now an expectation that the same owner should be repaid — while the club continues to face further punishment.

How can that be justified?

The new ownership group should not be penalised for the failures of the previous regime. They should be given the opportunity to restore stability to a club that has lacked it for nearly 26 years.

Imposing further sanctions — such as another -15 point deduction, spending caps, business plan restrictions, and transfer limitations — would only deepen the damage. It risks condemning the club to yet another relegation and prolonging the cycle of instability.

At some point, there has to be recognition that continued punishment is no longer corrective — it is excessive.

The club, its staff, and its supporters deserve the chance to move forward.

#FairDealForWednesday

@storchyowl

[Christopher Mann @MannChristopher]

@HallamFC1860

[Leni Hob @LeniHob]

@KieranMaguire Chelsea - dodgy payments for world class players who go on to win loads. A fine they can easily pay and no transfer ban.

Sheff Weds - idiot owner, screwed fans over, wages not paid. No one, even Chansiri, benefited a thing. Huge points deductions, transfer bans and wage caps.
🤔

[Christopher Mann @MannChristopher]

Sheffield Seahawks! Let’s go 12s! 🇬🇧💚💙💚 #Seahawks #12s #SuperBowlLX

[Free Lions @WeAreFreeLions]

Free Lions / @WeAreTheFSA statement on ludicrous prices and unsold World Cup ticket allocations.

[Christopher Mann @MannChristopher]

@henrywinter It’s an absolute farce @henrywinter. And whilst “oversubscribed” group games we’re talking about paltry allocations of 4k with the reality being 1k of the Cat 1s nobody actually wants! Total shambles

[Next Gen Stats @NextGenStats]

The Seahawks' win probability was as low as 2.7% with 9:04 left trailing 30-14 in their comeback win over the Rams.

Seattle's chances of earning the #1 seed in the NFC are now 52% (LA now at 21%). Seattle's odds dropped to 4% when they trailed by 16 points.

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[England Football Fans @EnglidsAway]

Absolutely scandalous @FIFAcom.

$46.50 PER MINUTE for the final.

[The FSA @WeAreTheFSA]

We await confirmation from our FA, but we back this statement by @FansEurope - shocking prices above and beyond the already high costs we suspected. This can't be allowed to happen.

Matchgoers across the world deserve protection from these rip-off prices.