Darren Moore insists Sheffield Wednesday 'left it all out there' as they are relegated to League One

The Owls manager was only passed fit to return after pneumonia on Thursday, and the game he was put through was hardly for the faint-hearted.

For a brief moment when the Owls were leading 3-2 and Rotherham United were drawing 1-1 at Cardiff City, Wednesday were staying in the Championship but within seconds they conceded a penalty which consigned them to a 3-3 draw and relegation.

Over the course of the season fans have questioned the commitment of some players and one way or another a large section of Saturday's team will not be at the club when they kick off their League One campaign in August but Moore exonerated them from any accusations of not giving their all on the final day.

"I'm disappointed and it's really hard to take now," reflected the former defender.

"The players feel a little bit low but I asked them to leave everything on the pitch and they did.

"The game ebbed and flowed either way and credit to the layers because you've got to feel the emotion out there.

"They gave everything but they just weren't good enough and we've got to face the reality.

"I leave the stadium looking at the performance and the players gave it everything. That's all I can ask for.

"We'll all have different opinions but I hope the viewers on TV saw they've given everything today.

"Yes there were moments where you wanted a little bit of composure but it was a pulsating game and the emotions have a huge part in the decision-making. That's why we love the game so much.

"Today we just looked at the 90 minutes but it's over the course of the season."

On the mood in the dressing room at full-time, Moore said: "It's an upset because there's a care in there. There's nothing you can say to them that's going to console you.

"When they get back home they will replay the game in their heads but it was small moments (that decided the game).

"When we went 2-1 down, the spirit and endeavour by the boys to come back and go 3-2 up was impeccable and we had it in our hands. The pendulum swung and they had to throw bodies forward but they got a goal (Martyn Waghorn's penalty) and they managed to hold on."

Moore confirmed he will be at the club next season and tomorrow the job of resetting a club which has been on a downward trajectory since back-to-back play-offs in 2016 and 2017 starts in earnest.

Moore missed three matches at the start of April through Covid-19 and in the game he returned from, at home to Swansea City, he felt the effects of what was pneumonia and a blood clot on the lungs.

"I wanted to be in the dugout and I was grateful to be back but I've got one head on me today and tomorrow morning I'll have another one in terms of moving this club forward," he said.

"Yeah, you can look at the six points being a huge factor because without them we ain't talking like this but it is what it is."

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