'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties are seen as a "significant problem" and the new football authority is seeking powers to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, the newly appointed chairman David Kogan has announced.
During an extensive discussion, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations connected to the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The Championship side have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the iconic names for football in England and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Monetary Issues and Proprietorship Status
Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May caused limitations by the football authorities in June, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in August.
Official's Viewpoint
Kogan said: "The position was created for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where fans are dedicated to a community organization that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "If your question is '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 Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the regulator would prefer to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an particular organization, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you review the record of the sport, over the recent generations there have been some owners, few in number, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because should mistakes occur, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved could disappear rapidly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been invested for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of the nation. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the opposition group in the past.
The chairman contributed funds to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I am presently disconnected from any type of partisan engagement."
