'Our role is integral to football's future' - newly appointed regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's persistent issues constitute a "significant problem" and the football regulator is aiming to acquire authority to investigate clubs in such situations, its new chair David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The regulator engaged with four supporters' associations connected to the football team in recent days.
The Championship side have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on multiple instances, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for English football and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"We are seeking authority... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
The team's struggling chairman the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the football authorities in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a community organization that has represented their community in many cases.
"I completely understand the team's plight, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
Inquired if the regulator could force an owner to sell a club if they are judged inappropriate, the regulator answered: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an specific team, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you examine the past of football, over the past few decades there have been some owners, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Wednesday followers have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"The role holds considerable importance, because should mistakes occur, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish rapidly," the chairman stated.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"Substantial financial resources coming into football and has been invested for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
Elite division representatives objected to the creation of a regulator because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the success and growth as an commercial operation of the top division.
"I of all people understand the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in 2020.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
