Fleetwood Town are set to face Sheffield Wednesday for the second time in a week at Hillsborough on Saturday 28 January, and we have all you need to know ahead of the 3pm kick-off in our match preview.
Fixture: Sheffield Wednesday v Fleetwood Town
Competition: Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round
Date: Saturday 28 January 2023
Kick-off: 15:00
Venue: Hillsborough, Leppings Lane, Sheffield, S6 1SW
FLEETWOOD TOWN
Six days after a narrow 1-0 loss and Fleetwood are back in South Yorkshire, to face Darren Moore’s Wednesday again, but this time it’s in the FA Cup. Town’s record in the competition so far has been very good with wins at home against both Oxford City of the Conference South and Queens Park Rangers of the Championship, with a win on the road against another non-league team in Ebbsfleet United.
Since New Year’s Day, the league hasn’t been all too kind to Fleetwood with no win in three games since their 3-0 win over Shrewsbury Town. In midweek, the latest Sky Bet League One fixture came against Portsmouth, who overcame Cods 2-0, so Scott Brown’s side will be looking to not just write some wrongs and get back to winning ways at the weekend.
Fleetwood will receive a boost when defender Shaun Rooney returns from a suspension that he picked up after Fleetwood’s home fixture in the league against Saturday’s opponents. With the additions the club have made over the course of the January transfer window, Town will be hoping to see something from them as they could be in the mix to make an impact on the game.
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
On the contrary to Fleetwood, the Owls are enjoying a great run of form having been unbeaten in 12 games in all competitions, but they haven’t lost since October in the league. Their unbeaten run was extended after their win over Fleetwood last weekend, and it sure seems like Wednesday are on their way to a successful end to the season.
Having beaten Premier League opposition in Newcastle in the last round, the Owls will come into Saturday’s tie full of confidence and it’ll certainly be a completely different dynamic to the game's last meeting between these two, just seven days ago.
With Fleetwood looking to make more FA Cup history by getting to the Fifth Round for the first team in the club’s history, as they did in the Third after beating QPR, they’ll have to overcome a relentless attacking style from Sheffield Wednesday and catch League One’s second-placed team off guard. Cup football is back!
SCOTT BROWN AHEAD OF THE WEDNESDAY CLASH
Head coach Scott Brown spoke to the local media ahead of his side's trip to face Sheffield Wednesday in a historic Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round clash for the club – here’s what he had to say:
“We went to Sheff Wed last week and I thought we were exceptional, and I told the lads that. We played brilliantly against a top team that is on a fantastic run of form as well so I will praise the lads when they do well, but they also need to take the negative side of things as well when they don’t perform.
“I’m sure they will go strong as their game on Tuesday was called off so I’m sure he’ll want his best players getting 60-90 minutes under their belts, and Darren [Moore]’s concentration will be on the league because of the situation they’re in. It’ll be a great occasion for the lads to go out and play and it will be even better for them as you are going back to a great stadium.
“We need to put on a performance that our fans and their fans will remember. We’ve had some great results in the competition so far and, like everyone, we want to make it to the next round. The squad hasn’t been chosen yet, there’s one day left of training, and everyone will have to be out there, and the team will be selected from that.
“Everyone’s number is up at the weekend so it’s all about the performance levels in training, can they go three games in one week, but can they also dig us out of a hole as well because we’ve been beaten three times on the run and I don’t like that, I’m not a person who likes to get beat, the lads don’t want to get beat, we shared our feelings in a meeting, and will move on from that.”
GET YOUR ONWARD CARD TODAY!
Make sure you are in the stands to watch the Cods during the 2022/23 Sky Bet League One season by getting your very own Onward Card. Adult tickets start at just £14.17 a month and Under-16s from just £1.92 a month.
Details on this season's cards are HERE.