'We will play a key role in football's future' - newly appointed regulator David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles constitute a "serious issue" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman the regulator has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards the club's followers.
The regulator engaged with four fan organizations associated with the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on multiple instances, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for football in England and this week we have met fan representatives.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations referred to us if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
The team's struggling chairman the current owner stated during the off-season he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Delayed salary payments on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in August.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.
"I completely understand 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 supporters."
When asked if the regulator could force an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, the regulator answered: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we gather the evidence and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to work with them.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an specific team, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the proprietor's dealing with," the regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of football, over the past few decades there have been some owners, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Wednesday followers have been protesting against the current proprietor this season
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The regulator engaged delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because should mistakes occur, if the football community fails, the significant advances achieved might evaporate swiftly," the regulator warned.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has been channeled for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to take a really clear view on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an financial organization of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of England. But simultaneously, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in 2020.
The chairman contributed funds to Culture Secretary the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any sort of politics."
