'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties are seen as a "serious issue" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in such situations, its new chair David Kogan has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations associated with the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the great brands for the English game and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases referred to us if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Economic Challenges and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in spring months led to sanctions by the league officials in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Official's Viewpoint
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a local institution that has existed throughout their lifetimes in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate the club's situation, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
When asked if the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and understand the situation, 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.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an specific team, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the issues that the club's facing and the proprietor's dealing with," the regulator explained.
"But the truth is, when you look back over the history of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the manner they have operated their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with officials from numerous teams to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and maintained it represented a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the football community fails, the significant advances achieved could disappear swiftly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going.
"Substantial financial resources coming into football and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the top division.
"I of all people understand the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of England. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in 2020.
The official provided financial support for government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have fully disclosed my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
