Sheffield Wednesday fans will fear relegation in 2025/26 as key duo depart and Danny Rohl set for exit

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Although Sheffield Wednesday finished 12th in the Championship last season, their turbulent post-season summer could lead to their demise next term.

Sheffield Wednesday have been the talk of the Championship so far this summer, for all the wrong reasons, with seemingly no light at the end of the tunnel.

The Owls have had three EFL embargoes hanging over the club this summer, casting a cloud of angst and doubt over Hillsborough, but thanks to payments from Dejphon Chansiri finally being made to staff and HMRC, two Sheffield Wednesday embargoes have been removed.

Aside from the boardroom level, there is chaos among the playing squad and the dugout as well. EFL Analysis revealed this week that Owls boss Danny Rohl will leave Sheffield Wednesday soon.

With his departure imminent following the contract terminations of two high-profile Owls stars, the Sheffield Wednesday fanbase will be surely fearing the worst ahead of the 2025/26 Championship campaign.

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Sheffield Wednesday set for relegation fight as Josh Windass and Michael Smith leave

Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been fearing an exodus within the summer transfer window, given the turmoil occurring at the club, and some of the fans’ worst fears are beginning to become reality.

Club captain Barry Bannan still needs a new contract at the club, and it would be a monumental blow for the Owls fanbase to see the fan favourite depart.

Earlier in July, Owls legend Callum Patterson left Sheffield Wednesday to become a free agent after 186 games for the club.

However, Sheffield Wednesday are in talks to re-sign Patterson shortly after his departure.

With further departures in the playing squad, and highly-rated head coach Rohl poised to leave, a further blow for the Owls fanbase came with the news that Josh Windass and Michael Smith have left Hillsborough.

Sheffield Wednesday’s website read: “The Owls can confirm that the current contracts of Michael Smith and Josh Windass have been terminated by mutual consent.

“Both players leave Hillsborough with immediate effect.”

Now, amid the ongoing financial crisis, Chansiri and the Owls hierarchy have the thankless task of replacing the goals of Smith and Windass.

The forward duo notched 30 direct goal contributions between themselves last season, totaling half of the Owls’ overall goals scored in 2024/25.

If the financial turmoil at Hillsborough bleeds into next season, and the club does not adequately replace the departing high-profile figures this summer, then the Owls could very feasibly be relegated next season, given that 2025/26 could be the best Championship season yet.

• READ MORE: How Sheffield Wednesday players feel about the man expected to replace Danny Rohl in 25/26

When Sheffield Wednesday were last relegated from the Championship

Sheffield Wednesday were last in the top flight over two decades ago, but unfortunately for the Owls fanbase, relegation is far more of a realistic prospect than promotion in the 2025/26 Championship season.

In the 2020/21 season, the Owls were relegated to League One after a disastrous campaign, with a dramatic 3-3 final day draw to Derby County consigning Sheffield Wednesday to the third tier.

Wednesday began the campaign with a perilous task, after the club started the season with a 12-point deduction for breaching Profit and Sustainability rules, which was later reduced to six points.

Owls owner Chansiri took responsibility for Sheffield Wednesday’s relegation in 2021. If the plethora of pressing matters in the boardroom, dugout, and dressing room at Hillsborough aren’t remedied rapidly, then history could very well repeat itself next season for the Owls.