'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles are seen as a "significant problem" and the new football authority is seeking powers to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, its new chair David Kogan has declared.
During an extensive discussion, Kogan, who was recently selected, voiced concern towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporter groups representing the Championship side in recent days.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in the autumn.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the iconic names for English football and in recent days we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a local institution that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.
"I completely understand the team's plight, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or been close to going to the wall, for causes separate from the followers."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the regulator answered: "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 regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is commence engagement with an particular organization, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the proprietor's dealing with," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been some owners, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Wednesday followers have been demonstrating against the current proprietor this season
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the authority recently and insisted it was 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 football community fails, the significant advances achieved might evaporate rapidly," the regulator warned.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment entering the sport and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there are no assurances it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the Premier League.
"I of all people understand the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But concurrently, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in the past.
The chairman contributed funds to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
