'We will play a key role in football's future' - newly appointed regulator David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties are seen as a "serious issue" and the new football authority is seeking powers to investigate clubs in such situations, the newly appointed chairman the regulator has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards the club's followers.
The chairman convened with four supporter groups associated with the Championship side recently.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for the English game and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they require examination and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor the current owner stated during the off-season he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May caused limitations by the English Football League (EFL) in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in August.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "The position was created for the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a community organization that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I completely understand the team's plight, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for factors unrelated to the fans themselves."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an individual club, 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.
"But the truth is, when you look back over the history of the game, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the long-term prospects."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished might evaporate swiftly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Considerable investment coming into football and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "full inquiry" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in the past.
The official donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the government leader.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
