'We will play a key role in football's future' - football oversight chief the regulator's chair
The Championship club's persistent issues represent a a "major concern" and the football regulator is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, the recently named head David Kogan has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations representing the South Yorkshire club this week.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for the English game and this week we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they require examination and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the football authorities in summer, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Official's Viewpoint
The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has existed throughout their lifetimes in multiple situations.
"I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
When asked if the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the regulator answered: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we assemble the facts and know what's going on, we will."
But Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an specific team, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," Kogan said.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish swiftly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment entering the sport and has been invested for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an commercial operation of the top division.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in 2020.
The 68-year-old donated money to Culture Secretary the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the government leader.
"I have fully disclosed my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
