What went wrong?

[mikeG]

Since Xmas, I've been watching 6 videos showing highlights of each season's Owls matches 1988/89 thru 1993/94. I have been reminded of the great contributions made by and the on-field skills shown by the likes of Hirst, Warhurst, Nielssen, Harkes, Francis, Worthington, Pearson, Waddle, Pearce, Sheridan, Watson. At the end of the 93/94 tape, Francis, when interviewed said he was disappointed at not having any silverware from the previous season (2 defeats by Arsenal at Wembley), and really hoped to get his hands on a cup this season. Owls finished 7th with an impressive goals scored tally (3rd in the league). He ended by saying 'Next season, we will try and do better'. Between 1994 and 1999, my life took several turns for the worse and I didn't pay attention to the sports pages in newspapers. When I got my act together, January, 2000, I wondered what had happened to the Owls I knew.

Where were the players I mentioned earlier and if they had gone, where were their replacements. How can such an entertaining and talented team go from top six in Premier to lower half of ist div and chalk up a £27mill overdraft on the way. I apologise for not paying attention in the years when things went awry but I would appreciate views on who did the wrong thing and when. Was it selling good players, buying bad ones, bad management? Possibly a combination of things.