Meet the opposition | Sheffield Wednesday
As Swansea City prepare to face Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough, we take a closer look at the men from South Yorkshire.
What’s their story?
The Owls remain the last team outside the top tier to win one of English football’s major trophies, having claimed League Cup glory in 1991 with victory over Manchester United thanks to a John Sheridan goal.
They have spent most of their league history in the top flight, but have not played at that level since being relegated in 2000.
They are in their eighth consecutive Championship season since being promoted to the second tier following a second-place finish in League One in 2012.
They came close to returning to the Premier League twice under former Swansea City boss Carlos Carvahal as they lost in the play-off final against Hull City at Wembley in 2016, and to Huddersfield in the semi-finals exactly 12 months later.
They have four league titles, three FA Cups, one League Cup - their last major honour - and one FA Community Shield in their trophy cabinet.
How’s their form?
Solid, if a little inconsistent. Wednesday sit seventh in the table but only one team in the top 10 has lost more than their tally of five defeats from 15 games.
They started the season under the charge of Lee Bullens, but former Swans boss Garry Monk took over at the start of September.
Just two of their quintet of losses have come from Monk's nine games in charge, while there have been four wins - including an emphatic triumph at Middlesbrough.
But they have struggled to string victories together, having last won back-to-back games from their first two matches of the season.
Who’s the boss?
Garry Monk. A familiar face, Monk needs no introduction to Swans fans given he gave the club more than a decade of service as player and manager.
The Bedford-born defender made over 250 appearances and played in all four divisions after making the move to Swansea from Southampton.
He captained the Swans to a place in the Premier League in the play-off final against Reading at Wembley in 2011, making one vital block to deny a determined Royals' fightback.
He went on to lift the first major trophy in the club's history following the League Cup victory over Bradford in 2013.
Following the departure of Michael Laudrup in February 2014, he took over as an interim manager and led the Swans to a memorable 3-0 derby victory over Cardiff in his first game under the lights of the Liberty.
His appointment became permanent at the end of the season and he led the club to their best Premier League finish of eighth in 2015, but left the Swans after a disappointing start to the following season.
He has since had spells with Leeds, Middlesbrough and Birmingham, before replacing Steve Bruce at Sheffield Wednesday in September.
Who are the key men?
The experienced Republic of Ireland international keeper Kieren Westwood has started in 12 games in the Championship this season - missing the other three games through suspension after a red card against Millwall - and kept four clean sheets.
In defence, German centre-half Julian Borner joined the Owls from Arminia in July and has been a regular starter in the second tier, helping them to five clean sheets and netting a goal too.
The pacy ex-Cardiff pacy winger Kadeem Harris has made an immediate impact for the Owls with two goals and two assists since his move in the summer, and is a dangerous attacking threat.
Scotland international Steven Fletcher is Wednesday’s top scorer with five goals and an assist for this campaign, and Swans fans will need no reminding of his stunning strike in this fixture last season.
Midfielder Adam Reach, meanwhile, has an eye for goal and is always capable of producing something spectacular.
