'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday'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, its new chair David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
The chairman convened with four supporter groups representing the Championship side recently.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for English football and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the English Football League (EFL) in June, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Official's Viewpoint
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a local institution that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, 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 supporters."
Inquired if the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, the chairman responded: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and know what's going on, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an particular organization, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, not many, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Owls fans have been protesting against the current proprietor in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The regulator engaged officials from numerous teams to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the terms of English football is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going.
"Substantial financial resources flowing into the game and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on challenges and obviously, of the coming seasons."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the achievement and development as an economic entity of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of England. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after the recent gathering, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in recent years.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any sort of politics."
