Unofficial Champions of England: Sheffield Wednesday 2-3 Huddersfield Town, 19/08/2000

Kevin Gallen extends Huddersfield's lead

Sheffield Wednesday were the first team to be relegated as English Champions. Life in Division One started relatively well with a draw away at Wolverhampton Wanderers but their second game was a Yorkshire derby against Huddersfield Town.

While Wednesday had struggled the previous season, by contrast Huddersfield had just missed out on the Division One play-offs. The moods around the two clubs couldn't have been more contrasting.

Huddersfield started like a house on fire and raced into a three goal lead by forty minutes thanks to two goals from Martin Smith sandwiching Kevin Gallen's effort.
Wednesday weren't going down easy though and came back with goals from Andy Booth and Andy Hinchcliffe but too little, too late.

A third English Championship for Huddersfield.

Unofficial Champions of England: Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 Leicester City, 14/05/2000

Alan Quinn scores Wednesday's first.

Leicester City were likely already on their summer holidays when they turned up at Hillsborough for the final game of the 1999-2000 season.

Sheffield Wednesday were already relegated, so it was a bizarre time for them to turn in one of their best performances of the season. Four goals from Alan Quinn (an excellent solo goal), Andy Booth, Niclas Alexandersson and Gilles De Bilde gave the rampant Owls the win.

So, it was some unwanted history for Wednesday as they became the first side to be relegated as England's Unofficial Champions.