Sheff Wed Faces a 'Significant Problem', Says Football Regulator
'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
The Championship club's persistent issues are seen as a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to examine team situations in similar circumstances, the recently named head the regulator has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations associated with the football team recently.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for English football and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will enable us to take the club and similar situations referred to us if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where people are committed 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 each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the followers."
Inquired if the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is 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 regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an specific team, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of the sport, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear incredibly quickly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"Substantial financial resources flowing into the game and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on risk and of course, of the coming seasons."
Elite Division Worries
Elite division representatives objected to the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of the nation. But simultaneously, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in 2020.
The official donated money to government minister the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."