'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles are seen as a "serious issue" and the football regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in such situations, the newly appointed chairman David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations connected to the football team in recent days.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the great brands for the English game and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in multiple situations.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or nearly ceased operations, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we assemble the facts and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an individual club, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of the game, over the recent generations there have been some owners, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against the current proprietor this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and stated it constituted a "progressive gathering" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been channeled for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an financial organization of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of England. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in 2020.
The official contributed funds to government minister 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 political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
