When Blades chief Wilson was a hero with super Wednesday

Snapped 20 years ago at Hillsborough, it shows Wednesday players celebrating on the pitch after finishing third in the First Division table.

Kneeling down on the front row is, of course, Danny Wilson – now manager of the Blades!

Jump forward to the current season and the two Sheffield clubs are locked in a high-pressure duel for promotion to the Championship from League One.

If the Owls finish third this time around, however, they will be far from happy.

Wilson, on the other hand, might well be jumping for joy if it means the Blades have won the race for second spot.

Times have changed in the Steel City since May 2, 1992, when both clubs were playing top-flight football.

The Owls suffered relegation in 2000 and, until the arrival of new owner Milan Mandaric last season, had been hampered by massive debts.

The Blades have spent all but one of the last 18 seasons outside the Premier League and dropped into the third tier after a 21-year absence last season.

With Charlton Athletic currently holding a firm grip on top spot, it is unlikely that both United and Wednesday will go up automatically this season. Promotion via the play-offs is the next best option.

When the Blades appointed former Owls midfield player Wilson as manager last summer, it sent shock waves across the city.

It was the first time either club had appointed a former manager of their rivals and there was even a car-park protest at Bramall Lane.

Slowly but surely, Wilson, 52, won over his doubters and the former Owls hero is now accepted as a ‘Blade’.

As a player, Wilson enjoyed the best days of his career at Hillsborough.

Although he stayed only three years, he was part of a team that reached both the FA Cup and League Cup finals and qualified for the UEFA Cup.

He also won 24 caps for Northern Ireland.

When the Owls finished third in the top flight under Trevor Francis in 1992, it was their highest league finish for over three decades.

A crowd of nearly 35,000 packed into Hillsborough for the final game of the season, a goalless draw against Liverpool.

At one stage, they had even been locked in a three-way challenge for the title with Manchester United and Leeds United.

Leeds, under the guidance of former Owls manager Howard Wilkinson, lifted the trophy on 82 points, Manchester United finished second on 78 and the Owls had to settle for third with 75 points.

Francis built on the momentum created by the League Cup success under Ron Atkinson and put together one of the best teams in the country.

The players pictured are all now regarded as Wednesday ‘legends’.

On the bottom row are goalkeeper Chris Woods, striker David Hirst, Wilson, Paul Warhurst and John Sheridan.

Across the back are Phil King (partially obscured), Nigel Pearson, Francis, Nigel Worthington, Roland Nilsson, assistant manager Richie Barker, Peter Shirtliff, and ‘Flash’ Gordon Watson. In the background are midfielders Chris Bart-Williams and Carlton Palmer.

Looking back, it was a golden era in the club’s history. The Owls finished seventh two years in succession buoyed by the arrival of further big name signings including Chris Waddle, Des Walker and Andy Sinton.

However, Francis was sacked – after finishing 13th in 1995 – and the rot set in.

Supporters of both Sheffield clubs will hope this season marks the start of a bright new era.