There was mixed reaction as Sheffield Wednesday decided to stage a tennis ball protest against owner Dejphon Chansiri on Tuesday night.
Talk over this kind of protest took place in the run up to the game against Middlesbrough, but it turns out that it rather flopped with it also labelled as ’embarrassing’ and ‘laughable’.
It struggled to have the impact the protesting fans would’ve wanted, with a few tennis balls being picked up and cleared by stewards as can be seen below.
Owls fans have grown frustrated with the ownership of Chansiri, so chucked on the balls, while some chants could be heard as well.
Banners were also on display, but fans were told to take it down or have it removed…
FFS #SWFC pic.twitter.com/scQQv3iQdr
— Jude 🌊 🧜🏼♀️ (@HeyJude5t8) September 19, 2023
Tennis balls thrown on the pitch at Hillsborough to boos from elsewhere at the ground – they’re promptly removed by staff. #SWFC pic.twitter.com/n5tIqT7pxu
— Joe Crann (@YesWeCrann) September 19, 2023
SWFC 1-1 Boro – 22,975
Game delayed for just over a minute in 15th min for a sprinkling of tennis balls thrown on pitch as a few fans vented their frustration at the ownership. #swfc #fans #soccerspecial pic.twitter.com/rNiyMYIlAs— Neil Mellor (@NeilMellor33) September 19, 2023
As if the stewards kicked fans out for having a chansiri out flag??? Not everyone may dislike chansiri’s ownership, but surely there’s not wrong with expressing an opinion. #swfc pic.twitter.com/nC1RoLdnvl
— Luciano Di Luca-Hunter (@DiLucaHunter) September 19, 2023
Wow, after just 1 point from 6 games, Sheffield Wednesday fans are booing their players, abusing them and launching tennis balls at them. Disgraceful ‘support’ if you ask me 😡#SWFC #RUFC @footballheaven @BBCSport @SkySportsNews @FIFAcom pic.twitter.com/NFZ18tzpS7
— The_RUFC (@The_RUFC) September 19, 2023
The protest, which was mentioned by supporter group going by ‘1867 Group’ on social media, saw a small number of tennis balls thrown onto the field of play in the 15th minute, but after the game, claimed ‘hundreds’ of balls had been confiscated from supporters on their way into the ground.
The 1867 Group tweeted:
Hundreds of balls confiscated.
A flag confiscated.
A spontaneous protest only announced on the weekend.
Yet still mentioned on Sky Sports.
“We said, it didn’t matter if it was one ball or a thousand. It was about peaceful protest that brought attention to our clubs ownership.
“Those who participated, you can hold your heads high and say you tried. Those who booed, we really don’t understand you. You’re allowing this to continue.
“We’re genuinely intrigued to know what it will take for you to get on board.
“Only positive, the booing was quickly drowned out by loud chanting for the chairman to leave. ‘
“It wasn’t too distracting for us,” said Sheffield Wednesday’s Anthony Musaba when asked post-match over the reaction of the players. “It can happen.
“I think we tried to focus on our game when that happened. We used it to recharge ourself, quick drink or quick treatment.
“In every moment or every situation you have to take the positive. It don’t think it distracted us.”
Xisco said: “In that moment I felt we had a good moment in the game and after we lost that situation. The coach changes the pressure after this moment.
“Not only me, the stadium enjoyed the first half and this is me, I will try to put my focus on the future. What happened before 10 years, nothing matters. I am trying to think about today, tomorrow, after tomorrow.”
Questioned if the protests represented another indication that unrest at Wednesday is making his task ‘the impossible job’, he reacted.
“I know I can do it,” he said. “I know what I can do to improve this team. The most important is that I believe in my players. It doesn’t matter what other people tell me, I believe in the guys.
“I give my life for them. Every day I break my head to give them better things. This is my job and this are the values I want here.”
This is what Twitter users said after a mixed reaction at Hillsborough as Sheffield Wednesday stage a tennis ball protest against the owner Dejphon Chansiri…
@J_swfc1867: All those people booing the protest last night must be happy Mr Chansiri is charging £51 to watch championship football #swfc
@dan11priest: Was that the only pack of tennis balls available in Sheffield
@aaron1867: I took a ball in, no hassle. But chose not to throw after so few balls. If I’m honest, you had 100k+ views on this tweet and 60 balls on the pitch. Fair play for trying – but we have a lot of gutless fans and I include myself.
@livelaughluv006: The fan group that has set this up to throw tennis balls onto pitch is absolutely ridiculous! Disrupts our game, takes momentum away and disrupts/frustrates our players! Protest or not we don’t want this kind of behaviour by our fans!! #swfc #SHWMID #SWFC
@yh05pwy: Just not cut out for protesting are we? Too many happy clappers.
@83nickyd: About 30 tennis balls…bet Chansiri is with his lawyers right now readying the paperwork….🤣 for context I had a good chat with a spurs fan on the north concours (he’s up with work so went to the game) & he tried justifying to me that being a Spurs fan is horrendous….🤣🤣🤣
@wellbeaten1977: That’s what living in a twitter bubble gets you thinking everyone agrees with you
@Investment4Adam: I counted 37 balls….it was great that 10 if not 100 times more than that were booing you (much the loudest boos of the night) – stopping the game & our momentum to allow Boro to have a team talk & press 10 yards higher. The only thing tonight did was potentially cost us 2 points
@SmithSwfc: Said it before and I’ll say it again, not all but the vast majority of the Wednesday fan base is soft as pudding and will settle for anything. In 20 years time I’ll be sayin the same.
@tommyuto: Whether you support the protest or not, it’s going to pick up momentum now. Personally think tennis balls is odd, but did the job of calling attention. Need a display of intent next, people outside the ground. #swfc
@scottcain1312: The same people that boo’d the protest where the ones that sarcastically cheered when we had a shot on target now to me that’s more taking the piss out the players than owt make it make sense 🤦♂️ #swfc
@TomDoncaster: Why am I seeing people saying the protest killed momentum, we scored after the protest, we still played well first half after the protest… the problem came second half when no one was protesting… excuses #swfc
@benswfc15: Worst thing about tonight wasn’t even the performance, it was ‘fans’ booing the protest. #swfc
@jamieswfc3: It took the stewards approximately 25 seconds to clear the pitch tonight. Has to be up there with one of the worst protests in football history. 😂 #swfc
@adamswfc: As usual, damp squib protest. Wednesday fans are wet farts #swfc
@WaddlesMullet: Chansiri is already writing 2,000 words on this, statement out 2am 😂
@KivoLee: Hats off to those that did 👍
I somewhat agree with the protest though personally I think this massively took away the slight momentum we had built.
We struggled to pick the tempo back up from the restart.
I don’t know what to say, it’s going to be a long season.
Captured from the north by myself. pic.twitter.com/sFTpB1gaTF
— Declan Maile (@DeclanMaile) September 19, 2023
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