'We are going to be a part of football's future' - newly appointed regulator David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues constitute a "significant problem" and the football regulator is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, its new chair David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
The regulator engaged with four supporters' associations associated with the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on multiple instances, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for the English game and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in summer, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in August.
Official's Viewpoint
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, teams facing challenges where people are committed to a community organization that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the fans themselves."
When asked if the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest 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 assemble the facts and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"Our least desirable course of action is commence engagement with an individual club, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of the sport, over the recent generations there have been some owners, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against the current proprietor during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because should mistakes occur, if the sport makes errors, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate swiftly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been channeled for the recent generations, because certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
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 Kogan said: "I fully support the achievement and development 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 concurrently, 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 informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" 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 political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
