'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles constitute a "major concern" and the football regulator is seeking powers to examine team situations in similar circumstances, the newly appointed chairman David Kogan has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations connected to the South Yorkshire club this week.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for the English game and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
The team's struggling chairman the current owner indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in June, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in August.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "The position was created for the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate the club's situation, 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."
When asked if the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we gather the evidence and know what's going on, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an specific team, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"But the truth is, when you examine the past of the game, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against the current proprietor this season
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged officials from numerous teams to explain the responsibilities of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear incredibly quickly," the regulator warned.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has come into football for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the success and growth as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"I of all people understand the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of England. But concurrently, if you engage with division representatives after today's meeting, 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
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in the past.
The 68-year-old donated money to government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
