THIS month marks the 30th anniversary of one of football's most infamous bits of punditry: "You can't win anything with kids."
If Alan Hansen had only added the word "just", he might not have had to spend three decades having it parroted back to him.
The Class of 92 did not win the double for Manchester United on their own in 1996, just as Sheffield Wednesday's youngsters needed adult supervision to reach the third round of the League Cup.
But amidst all the gloom engulfing the Championship club, the Owlets have been a shining ray of light. Against Leeds United on Tuesday they came to the fore again.
HEROES: Sheffield Wednesday's Barry Bannan (right) celebrates with goalkeeper Ethan Horvath (centre) after winning the penalty shoot out against Leeds at Hillsborough on Tuesday night. Picture: Danny Lawson/PAplaceholder image
HEROES: Sheffield Wednesday's Barry Bannan (right) celebrates with goalkeeper Ethan Horvath (centre) after winning the penalty shoot out against Leeds at Hillsborough on Tuesday night. Picture: Danny Lawson/PA
The callowness of their squad is not to be under-estimated. They need reinforcements and the fact the Football League have only signed one off all summer - two if you count Barry Bannan re-signing - is almost sadistic. But they are trying to be cruel to be kind by forcing Dejphon Chansiri out of football.
And on one-off nights like Tuesday, age need not count for all that much. The Leeds villains were Karl Darlow and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who have 409 league starts and 21 international caps.
Starters Gabriel Otegbayo (six), Sean Fusire (one), Rio Shipston, Gui Siqueira, Reece Johsnon, Ernie Weaver, Jarvis Thornton and debutants Cole McGhee and George Brown have kicked off just seven league games between them, and Otegbayo went off injured to be replaced by Joe Emery (none) before half-time. Sixteen-year-old debutant Will Grainger replaced Brown in the second half.
But 31-year-old captain Jamal Lowe put the Owls in front at an incredulous Hillsborough, and when Jayden Bogle's equaliser took the tie to penalties, 30-year-old Ethan Horvath saved from Joel Piroe and Sean Longstaff, whilst experienced substitutes Bannan, Ike Ugbo and Liam Palmer all scored.
WINNERS: Sheffield Wednesday's Rio Shipston (centre) celebrates with his team mates after they beat Leeds in Tuesday night's League Cup second round shoot-out at Hillsborough. Picture: Danny Lawson/PAplaceholder image
WINNERS: Sheffield Wednesday's Rio Shipston (centre) celebrates with his team mates after they beat Leeds in Tuesday night's League Cup second round shoot-out at Hillsborough. Picture: Danny Lawson/PA
With Calvert-Lewin almost sending his kick into orbit just around the corner from where he grew up, Wednesday had won their second tie in this competition on penalties, this time 3-0.
The kids were excellent and, dare one say it in the wrong part of Sheffield, united.
They ought to have lost but Leeds' shortcomings and their spirit ensured they did not.
The visitors had 80 per cent of the ball and 25 of the game's 31 shots. They needed Darlow to let Lowe's weak effort from a tight angle squirm through, and for substitute Calvert-Lewin to forget his shooting boots, missing a gilt-edged chance in stoppage time.
HERO: Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Ethan Horvath with his third penalty save against Leeds on Tuesday night. Picture: Steve Ellis.placeholder image
HERO: Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Ethan Horvath with his third penalty save against Leeds on Tuesday night. Picture: Steve Ellis.
It only made the Owlets' resilience and stamina even more impressive but as he has done all season, manager Henrik Pedersen was careful not to ignore the help they got.
"How big the passion was, how big the discipline was, how much belief they played this defensive game was amazing," he gushed.
"Our goalkeeper was amazing. He had a difficult first game in Wrexham (after signing on loan from Cardiff City the previous day), but he made a big step.
"When they started to be tired they keep on going and supported and helped each other."
TOUGH NIGHT: Leeds United's Dominic Calvert-Lewin (right) reacts after missing a chance at Hillsborough on Tuesday night. Picture: Danny Lawson/PAplaceholder image
TOUGH NIGHT: Leeds United's Dominic Calvert-Lewin (right) reacts after missing a chance at Hillsborough on Tuesday night. Picture: Danny Lawson/PA
Too pedestrian in the first half, Leeds upped their intensity in the second. Italy international Willy Gnonto, whose brilliant reverse pass allowed Bogle to thump home, coming on in the 58th minute knocked it up another notch.
But the Owlets stood strong.
"They were absolutely on the limit, but they keep on going," said Pedersen.
"(They) have the skills to be in the moment. These performances (come) when you open your heart and you have the courage to show who you are."
And they had help. Only around 4,100 home fans defied a boycott to attend and whilst there was barely a murmur against Chansiri, they did at least match those at previous games in getting right behind the players, vigorously applauding them off at half-time.
Where Leicester City and Wrexham fans showed solidarity, the 3,700 from Leeds' first song of the game was "There's only one Chansiri".
But the kids had help from their more experienced team-mates too.
“It was amazing to see how happy the players were after the game," said Pedersen. "It was also amazing to see the reaction from the senior players who were not in the squad - how they were before the game, during the game, after the game and how happy they were for the young boys.”
For Leeds, the lack of cutting edge was alarming and a reminder why even 10 signings into this transfer window, Farke wants more at the sharp end of the pitch. Largie Ramazani was not involved, Jack Harrison played left-back. Lukas Nmecha looked sharp at centre-forward without scoring.
"We should have put four or five chances to bed," admitted Farke.
But youngsters are not the only players who need protecting sometimes, and he sprang to the defence of Darlow and Calvert-Lewin.
"It was a difficult for a goalkeeper because Karl was more or less not involved until that one situation," he argued.
"Karl was so important last season in winning the league. He's such a reliable and solid servant and such a top character.
"Dominic needs minutes desperately and when he's back to full fitness, he had three great chances and on a normal day I would say at least two he scores."
The night, though, was about Sheffield Wednesday and their youngsters.
"Everything is not perfect but it's not about being perfect, it's about being in the moment," explained Pedersen.
"This proudness, this willingness, this togetherness is the basis for something if you have a strong culture.”
Meanwhile, United midfielder Sam Greenwood has joined Polish Ekstraklasa outfit Pogon Szczecin on a permanent deal.