'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles constitute a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to examine team situations in comparable cases, its new chair David Kogan has announced.
During an extensive discussion, the regulator, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The regulator engaged with four supporters' associations representing the South Yorkshire club recently.
The Championship side have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the iconic names for English football and this week we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the current owner suggested earlier this year he would be prepared to relinquish control at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in spring months caused limitations by the football authorities in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where people are committed to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
When asked 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 reply is once we collect the information and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to work with them.
"Our least desirable course of action is commence engagement with an individual club, an individual owner, without being able to work 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 look back over the history of football, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, few in number, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if errors are made, if the football community fails, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish swiftly," the regulator warned.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football and has been invested for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body 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 financial organization of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But simultaneously, if you engage with division representatives after this week's discussion, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance."
Political Connections
The chairman continues to confront a "full inquiry" by the public appointments commissioner after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in 2020.
The 68-year-old donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
