Government take action on Sheffield Wednesday crisis as Owls fans plan ‘funeral march’

Sheffield Wednesday fans will step up protests against owner Dejphon Chansiri this weekend while the government has responded to concerns over the club’s future

The government is fast-tracking the introduction of the independent football regulator (IFR) amid the continued crisis at Sheffield Wednesday. The Labour Party are said to be pushing through secondary legislation which will see the IFR in place by November.

Wednesday are in a mess under the ownership of Thai tuna magnate Dejphon Chansiri, starting the season with only 16 registered first-team players after a raft of exits.

Chansiri failed to pay players and staff on time in four of the last five months, though monies owed are now up to date while an embargo on the club has been lifted after outstanding transfer fees were also satisfied.

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The Owls are, however, unable to spend fees on players until the summer of 2027 and look set to face a certain points deduction in the Championship.

Sheffield MP Clive Betts is a huge Wednesday fan and has urged the government to speed up the process of getting the IFR in place. The Athletic report Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is now leading the push which could help Wednesday and other crisis clubs, such as Morecambe.

Under a new bill, the IFR will have the power to strip unfit owners of their right to run clubs and could sanction takeovers at a price of their choice.

“The ongoing challenges at Morecambe, Sheffield Wednesday and many other clubs before them show exactly why the Football Governance Act was needed and why we acted to push the legislation forward in the face of opposition,” a spokesperson for the Department for Media, Culture and Sport said.

“The launch of the IFR is a priority. We recognise the need to move forward as quickly as possible whether that be implementing the required secondary legislation or appointing the regulator’s board.”

The Shrimps are on the brink of extinction having been suspended by the National League due to concerns over their financial stability while owner Jason Whittingham stalls on selling the club to Panjab Warriors.

Owls fans took part in a protest against Chansiri in their Championship opener at Leicester on Saturday, leaving the away end empty for the first five minutes of the fixture. A plane also flew over the stadium urging him to sell up.

The club’s supporters trust has now confirmed further protests for their first home game of the season against Stoke after a crowdfunding page raised over £13,000 to fund such action.

Fans will walk through Hillsborough Park on a ‘funeral march’ carrying a coffin to the stadium. Betts will be among the speakers at the protest with ex-Wednesday players also set to address fans.

Supporters opting not to attend the match will continue to protest while the fixture is ongoing, while fans inside the ground have been urged to limit any disruption to the game to the first five minutes so it is not abandoned.

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