'We are going to be a part of football's future' - football oversight chief the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties represent a a "major concern" and the independent regulator is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, the newly appointed chairman David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was recently selected, voiced concern towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The chairman convened with four supporter groups connected to the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for English football and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri 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 interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months led to sanctions by the league officials in June, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Authority's Position
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a community organization that has represented their community in many cases.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or been close to going to the wall, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
Inquired if the authority might compel an proprietor to divest a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we gather the evidence and know what's going on, we will."
But the regulator clarified that forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an particular organization, an particular chairman, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"In actuality, when you examine the past of the game, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "progressive gathering" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment entering the sport and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, 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 potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the achievement and development as an financial organization of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But simultaneously, if you engage with division representatives after this week's discussion, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in recent years.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have fully disclosed my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
