'We will play a key role in football's future' - newly appointed regulator the regulator's chair
The team's ongoing struggles are seen as a "serious issue" and the football regulator is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, the newly appointed chairman David Kogan has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporter groups 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 missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for the English game and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman the current owner stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the football authorities in June, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "The position was created for the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has existed throughout their lifetimes in numerous instances.
"I fully appreciate the club's situation, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the oversight body would choose to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an individual club, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately decline to assume obligation for the long-term prospects."
Wednesday followers have been demonstrating against the team's chairman this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The regulator engaged delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"This position carries substantial significance, because should mistakes occur, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish swiftly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we need to continue the progress.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has been channeled for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an financial organization of the top division.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he revealed he contributed money to the political party in 2020.
The 68-year-old donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have fully disclosed my past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the select committee approved my appointment," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
