'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties are seen as a "serious issue" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in comparable cases, its new chair David Kogan has announced.
During an extensive discussion, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
The regulator engaged with four supporter groups associated with the Championship side in recent days.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for the English game and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take the club and similar situations referred to us if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a community organization that has represented their community in numerous instances.
"I fully appreciate the club's situation, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the fans themselves."
When asked if the authority might compel an proprietor to divest a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we assemble the facts and know what's going on, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an particular organization, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you review the record of football, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, not many, 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."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The regulator engaged delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "progressive gathering" with a "significant participation" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished might evaporate incredibly quickly," the regulator warned.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources coming into football and has been channeled for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an economic entity of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the opposition group in the past.
The chairman contributed funds to government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
