'We are going to be a part of football's future' - newly appointed regulator the regulator's chair
The team's persistent issues are seen as a "serious issue" and the new football authority is seeking powers to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, its new chair the regulator has announced.
During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four supporters' associations representing the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in this season, with the club failing to pay players on time on several different times, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for English football and in recent days we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take the club and similar situations referred to us if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in June, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the followers."
When asked if the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the regulator answered: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we assemble the facts and know what's going on, 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 start getting involved with an particular organization, an particular chairman, without being able to work 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 the sport, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the coming years."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been demonstrating against the current proprietor this season
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged officials from numerous teams to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear rapidly," the chairman stated.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going.
"Substantial financial resources coming into football and has been channeled for the recent generations, because there's no guarantee it will persist in entering the game, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on potential dangers and naturally, of the coming seasons."
Premier League Concerns
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an commercial operation of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the division as a high-quality offering of England. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in the past.
The official donated money to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
