Owls to keep reserve team

Manager Terry Yorath will something in reserve

Sheffield Wednesday have given a reprieve to their reserve team.

The cash-strapped Owls were planning to run without their second string as a cost-cutting measure in the wake of ITV Digital's collapse.

But Wednesday felt their amibition to return to the Premiership could have been compromised by scrapping their reserve team.

The board has made a positive decision

Owls' chief executive Alan Sykes

A board meeting decided to keep the Owls' reserve team going in the FA Premier Reserve League despite the costs incurred.

Owls chief executive Alan Sykes said: "It was a very difficult decision as the club does incur considerable costs through running the reserves.

"But the board has made a positive decision that saving money should not be at the expense of doing our utmost to ensure we can produce a successful team."

Wednesday will continue in the FA Premier Reserve League due to a rule change last summer that enabled relegated sides to remain in the competition as long as their youth system kept both its Academy and First Division status.