🔗 Share this article Sheffield Wednesday Confronts Major Issues, Declares Independent Regulator 'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair The team's ongoing struggles constitute a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to examine team situations in such situations, its new chair the regulator has stated. In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers. The chairman convened with four supporter groups associated with the Championship side this week. The Championship side have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in this season, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in September. "Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," the chairman stated. "Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for English football and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups. "Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they require examination and addressed." Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties. Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the football authorities in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in August. Authority's Position Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a community organization that has represented their community in numerous instances. "I completely understand the club's situation, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the followers." Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will." But Kogan stressed that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the oversight body would choose to work with them. "The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an specific team, an particular chairman, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that owner to try and resolve the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," the regulator explained. "But the truth is, when you examine the past of the game, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, few in number, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their clubs and ultimately decline to assume obligation for the future." Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months 'Mistakes could erase significant advances' The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to detail the scope of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "high level of engagement" from the National League to the Premier League. "This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved could disappear swiftly," the regulator warned. "Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum. "There's an enormous amount of money flowing into the game and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will continue to come into football, 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 Elite division representatives objected to the establishment of an oversight body because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the Premier League. "As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But at the same time, if you talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance." Partisan Associations The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in recent years. The 68-year-old provided financial support for government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. "I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the chairman stated. "I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."