Sheffield Wednesday appoint Dave Challinor as manager after Pedersen sacking

Sheffield Wednesday have appointed Dave Challinor as their new manager, replacing Henrik Pedersen. The club confirmed the appointment on 1 November 2026, with Pedersen sacked after one win in six League One games. League One is the third tier of English football, and Wednesday are ninth in the table.

Wednesday's official club statement says Challinor's title is First-Team Manager, the role of picking the team and running the day-to-day training. The two sides reached agreement the night before the announcement. The club has not said how long the deal runs.

The side's form has been poor since. Wednesday are on a run of three league matches without a win, with one draw and two defeats. Pedersen's dismissal came after a run of results that left the club well short of the promotion places.

Challinor, who is 51, began his managerial career at Colwyn Bay in 2010. His best-known spell came at Stockport County. According to the BBC, he took Stockport from the National League, the fifth tier, to the League Two title within three seasons. He also twice led them into the League One play-offs, the end-of-season knockout games for a place in the division above.

His time at Stockport ended at the close of the 2025-26 season. He left by mutual consent, a term meaning both the club and the manager agreed to part, after losing the play-off final to Bolton Wanderers.

Wednesday's next match is away at Blackpool, and Challinor will not be in the dugout for it. Matt Hamshaw will take charge on an interim basis, a temporary role, while Challinor watches from the stands.

For Wednesday fans, the next few weeks will show whether a change in the dugout can change the results. The club has a new voice in charge, and a table that needs points.