'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles are seen as a "major concern" and the new football authority is seeking powers to examine team situations in comparable cases, its new chair the regulator has stated.
During an extensive discussion, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards the club's followers.
The regulator engaged with four fan organizations connected to the Championship side in recent days.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the great brands for the English game and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they require examination and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
The team's struggling chairman the current owner stated during the off-season he would be willing to sell up at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in spring months led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a local institution that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or been close to going to the wall, for factors unrelated to the followers."
When asked if the oversight body could require an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern '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 chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an individual club, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of football, over the recent generations there have been particular chairmen, few in number, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the manner they have operated their teams and eventually refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because should mistakes occur, if the football community fails, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear rapidly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been invested 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 maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of fears of a negative impact on the Premier League's sporting equality, but Kogan said: "I'm absolutely committed to the achievement and development as an financial organization of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But at the same time, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in the past.
The chairman contributed funds to Culture Secretary the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my past party membership [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."