'We are going to be a part of football's future' - newly appointed regulator David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties constitute a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is aiming to acquire authority to examine team situations in similar circumstances, the newly appointed chairman the official has announced.
During an extensive discussion, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations connected to the South Yorkshire club recently.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for English football and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will enable us to take the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at Hillsborough, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months caused limitations by the football authorities in June, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a local institution that has existed throughout their lifetimes in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate the club's situation, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
Inquired if the authority might compel an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an particular organization, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the challenges confronting the team and the proprietor's dealing with," the regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of the sport, over the recent generations there have been particular chairmen, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Wednesday followers have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the authority recently and maintained it represented a "proactive meeting" with a "significant participation" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because should mistakes occur, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished might evaporate incredibly quickly," the regulator warned.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources coming into football and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on challenges and obviously, of the coming seasons."
Elite Division Worries
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an economic entity of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of the nation. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the political party in 2020.
The 68-year-old donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
