'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator David Kogan
The Championship club's current difficulties are seen as a "significant problem" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in such situations, the recently named head the regulator has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four fan organizations associated with the football team recently.
The Championship side have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained.
"Wednesday stands as one of the historic institutions for English football and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take the club and similar situations referred to us if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman the current owner stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Missed wage deadlines on time in spring months led to sanctions by the football authorities in June, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has represented their community in numerous instances.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for causes separate from the supporters."
When asked if the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are judged inappropriate, the chairman responded: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an particular organization, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the issues that the club's facing and the proprietor's dealing with," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Owls fans have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the authority recently and maintained it represented a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear incredibly quickly," the chairman stated.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"Considerable investment coming into football and has come into football for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an financial organization of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of England. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in the past.
The official donated money to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have fully disclosed my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
