'Our role is integral to football's future' - newly appointed regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues constitute a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman David Kogan has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four fan organizations representing the Championship side in recent days.
The football club have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the great brands for football in England and this week we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they require examination and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the English Football League (EFL) in June, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "The position was created for the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has represented their community in numerous instances.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "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 Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an specific team, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you review the record of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished necessary will vanish rapidly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we need to continue the progress.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has come into football for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But at the same time, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in the past.
The chairman contributed funds to Culture Secretary the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
