Sheffield Wednesday have been priced up at 10/1 to be promoted from the Championship next season after their dramatic play-off final win over Barnsley.

There's doing things the hard way, and there's doing them the Sheffield Wednesday way. 

Favourites for promotion in pre-season, the Owls found themselves firmly embroiled in a three-horse race for the automatic promotion spots, with Ipswich's Kieran McKenna making waves in his first managerial job, and Steven Schumacher upsetting the odds with Plymouth.

The new year coincided with Wednesday's best run of form, finally cracking the top two and looking like running away with things from there.

But Ipswich and Plymouth stuck with Darren Moore's side, who suffered an almighty collapse throughout the run-in, going on a six-game winless streak that saw them pick up just four points. They'd fight from 2-0 down only to lose 4-2 to Barnsley, they'd lose to relegated Forest Green Rovers, as well as throwing leads away against Bolton, Oxford and Burton.

It meant Wednesday would need to navigate the play-offs, but having finished a mere 19 points above Peterborough, they'd have nothing to worry about in the semi-finals, right?

Wrong. Moore's men even closed the season with four consecutive wins, but come the first leg of the play-offs, they'd lose 4-0 at London Road, to all but consign them to another year in England's third tier.

But in one of the most dramatic play-off games of all time, Wednesday overturned a 4-0 deficit to take the game to extra-time. As if they hadn't put their fans through enough, they'd even go behind once again, before equalising to make it 5-1 on the night and take the game to penalties.

The hard part having made the final of course was refocusing from a truly historic night at Hillsborough to compose themselves and go again - against a side who'd done the double over them in the regular season, no less.

A goalless 90 minutes ensued at Wembley - the most dramatic moment in normal time arriving in the 53rd minute when Barnsley's Adam Phillips was sent off for a foul on Lee Gregory.

Barnsley goalkeeper Harry Isted was in inspired form and pulled off a number of great saves as the Owls desperately tried to make their numerical advantage count. 

At the other end, Luca Connell missed a golden opportunity to give Duff’s side the lead in extra time.

Will Vaulks thought he had broken the deadlock for Wednesday with a magnificent strike, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.

With just seconds left on the clock and the final heading to penalties, up stepped Josh Windass...

15 years after his father Dean scored for Hull, it was another Windass winner at Wembley as the 29-year-old headed home to send the Wednesday fans wild.

After two seasons - two seasons too many - in League One, Wednesday are back in the second tier. They're 10/1 to go up again, 33/1 to win the Championship, and are 4/1 to go down.

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Liam Williams

• Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
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