Through the wonder of social networking we've recently made contact with a number of Owls fans all around the globe.  One in particular, Stuart Crawshaw, from Sydney, Australia has been in touch to talk to us with his plans to set up 'The Sydney Owls' supporters' club.

Stu has put together his opening statement on why he set the The Sydney Owls and how you can join them if you are based in Sydney.  So read on and find out how you can join;

 

SYDNEY OWLS GET BEHIND SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

"For years Sheffield Wednesday fans living in Australia have supported their club from a distance. In the early days we were satisfied with looking up the results in the Monday paper. Later we were delighted to see Owls games featured on TV's 'Match of the Day'. We watched as Wednesday achieved the Premier League by the 1990's. In 1991 the England team visited Australia to play a friendly in Sydney. We cheered on David Hirst as he took the park as striker for England. The early nineties gave us exciting cup finals and strong Premier League showings. I visited Hillsborough in 1991 and stood on the Kop as my Dad, his Dad and his Dad had done. I watched Wednesday cruise to victory against Chelsea and then had the privilege of meeting the players including David Hirst after the match.

The heady days of the early 1990's gave way to disappointment. When my first son was born in 1998, I wore a Wednesday jersey to his birth. The doctor present at the birth was keen to talk about the latest controversy with Di Canio. But soon Wednesday slipped into relegation and generally Sydney Siders, obsessed with success, became oblivious to our great club.

Wednesday had come upon hard times. Since relegation Owls fans in Australia became further isolated as the TV coverage dried up. However over time the internet became a lifeline. Later, social media and Wednesday player have brought us closer to the action than ever before. We can stay up late and listen to the games live and interact with other Wednesday fans who are at the games.

But the internet also brought hard times closer too. The disappointing results, relegations, financial troubles and then the unthinkable court case that was to determine our clubs future.

Then stepped in Milan Mandaric, we were delighted to see the debt dealt with and new players joined the team. Under Gary Megson Wednesday have began to turn their fortunes around. Social media has allowed us to talk directly to fans attending the games and we have feel a stronger connection to the club than ever. We have been caught up in the optimism of promotion dreams.

It is a good time to start a new Sydney Owls supporters club. Not only will it give Owls fans in Sydney the opportunity to get behind their club, it will give new fans the opportunity to get behind Wednesday. Sydney Owls is keen to to increase the SWFC supporter base in Australia and do its small part in helping to see the Owls achieve promotion back into the premier league where we feel they belong. Already 21 new fans have joined our club.The Sydney Owls have become a new international chapter to the supporters base of our great club. The world is getting smaller and we hope to become closer to fans of Wednesdayites everywhere as we cheer on the Owls to new heights.

You can find us at sydneyowls.com or @sydneyowls on Twitter.

So here is to the new beginning of the Sydney Owls!"

Stuart Crawshaw
Sydney Owls
Secretary