Darren Moore was reluctant to join the festivities. With two games to play, three if things go to plan against Sunderland, the business is unfinished. But he gave in eventually and strode out of the tunnel to join his Sheffield Wednesday players and drink in the decibels.
‘There’s a transformation happening here and it continues with moments like that,’ said Moore, once the din had subsided and more than 30,000 happy Owls fans drifted out of Hillsborough, still singing in the sunshine with their inflatable palm trees, bananas and crocodiles tucked under arms.
Almost a year ago, they watched their team relegated on the final day of the Championship season, a 3-3 draw at Derby insufficient to rescue a campaign doomed by a 12-point deduction for breaking spending rules.