'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
The Championship club's current difficulties represent a a "major concern" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to investigate clubs in comparable cases, the recently named head David Kogan has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The chairman convened with four supporter groups representing the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for English football and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We are seeking authority... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner stated during the off-season he would be open to selling the club at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May caused limitations by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in August.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I completely understand the club's situation, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the fans themselves."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an owner to sell a club if they are judged inappropriate, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we assemble the facts and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is commence engagement with an particular organization, an specific proprietor, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the issues that the club's facing and the proprietor's dealing with," the regulator explained.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of the game, over the recent generations there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been protesting against the current proprietor this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the regulator on Wednesday and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear rapidly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has been channeled for the recent generations, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Elite Division Worries
Top flight officials resisted the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the regulator stated: "I fully support the achievement and development as an economic entity of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But at the same time, if you talk to the Premier League after the recent gathering, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the political party in recent years.
The official donated money to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the chairman stated.
"I am presently disconnected from any form of political activity."
