'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 independent regulator is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, its new chair David Kogan has announced.
During an extensive discussion, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The regulator engaged with four supporter groups representing the Championship side in recent days.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on several different times, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"Wednesday stands as one of the historic institutions for English football and in recent days we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and acted upon."
Monetary Issues and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines 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 subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in late summer.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the Owls followers, Bury or any football club where people are committed to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I completely understand 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 causes separate from the followers."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the regulator answered: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the authority would rather to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an specific team, 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," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you examine the past of the game, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated their clubs and ultimately decline to assume obligation for the coming years."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "progressive gathering" 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 football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources flowing into the game and has been channeled for the recent generations, because there are no assurances it will keep flowing into the sport, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I fully support the success and growth as an financial organization of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of England. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials 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
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in the past.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have fully disclosed my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
