Peterborough United manager Luke Williams has dismissed any lingering impact from the club's famous 2023 play-off collapse ahead of Saturday's League One fixture against Sheffield Wednesday. The Posh boss, speaking to the Peterborough Telegraph, stressed that his current squad carries no memory of that dramatic semi-final defeat as they focus on the present challenge.
Williams's side head into the match sitting 17th in League One, having taken four points from their opening four games with a record of one win, one draw, and two losses. Their recent form reads DLWL, and they have scored just two goals while conceding seven, leaving them with a -5 goal difference. They face a Sheffield Wednesday team currently second in the table, a side Williams believes will be among the favourites for automatic promotion this season.
The manager was clear that the historic 4-0 first-leg lead surrendered in a 5-1 extra-time defeat at Hillsborough on May 18 2023, holds no relevance for his group. "We don't have anyone still involved from that day so for that reason, it won’t have so much as an impact," Williams stated. He recalled watching the incredible comeback from afar, describing it as "bizarre and crazy," but emphasised that his current players are insulated from that experience.
This fresh start is partly due to player turnover. While Sheffield Wednesday could still field Barry Bannan, Liam Palmer, and Reece James from that night, Peterborough's squad has been rebuilt. Youngsters like Harley Mills and James Dornelly were in the youth ranks at the time and didn't make senior debuts until the following campaign.
Williams acknowledged the scale of the task, noting the special atmosphere at Hillsborough and the quality within the Owls' squad. "They have some very good players, I have worked with a few of them," he said. He also praised their tactical sophistication, saying they cause problems by evolving their shape in both defence and attack.
Despite the challenge, Williams welcomes the occasion. A crowd close to 4,000 travelling fans is expected, adding to a big home turnout. "We couldn't be happier because it’s a great game for us and a big club coming to play us," he added.
The visitors have injury concerns affecting their attack and defence. Forward Louie Barry, who scored in their recent 2-1 win at Wycombe and netted a hat-trick against Stockport in April, is ruled out with ankle ligament damage. In defence, former Peterborough centre-back Ricardo Santos, who joined Wednesday in the summer, missed the Wycombe game and is now in a race against time to be fit for this reunion.
For Peterborough, the focus is purely on their own performance. Williams outlined his intention for the game: "We will be doing our very best to make sure we first give our fans something to cheer and quieten the travelling fans and then that we are in the game and looking like we are there to win and attack. It’s easier said than done, but that will be the intention." The team's current defensive record can be examined in more detail on our stats hub.
Peterborough United find themselves six points behind early leaders Huddersfield Town. Saturday's match against the second-placed Owls represents a significant early test. A positive result could provide a platform to climb the standings, while a defeat would see them fall further behind the pace. The manager's belief that Wednesday are promotion contenders only heightens the importance of the fixture.
Kick-off at London Road is set for Saturday, September 5, with both teams looking to make an early statement in the League One campaign.
