There is little like the anticipation of a new season, not knowing what will come, optimistic this could be your club’s year. Sheffield Wednesday fans have sold out the away end at Leicester on Sunday to watch their team take on a club recently mixing it with Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City in the Premier League. The excitement should be building at Hillsborough but instead there is only worry and anger.
It has been a summer of discontent at Wednesday, although the problems began years ago, and the only thing for supporters to cling to is that it may end Dejphon Chansiri’s reign. Those at the King Power Stadium are due to show their disdain for the ownership by leaving their seats empty for the first five minutes and covering the area with a large anti-Chansiri banner. A plane is scheduled to fly overhead with a further message aimed at the owner.
“The attitude among the fans at the minute is despair,” says Ian Bennett, the chair of the supporters’ trust. “In the short term, surviving is the biggest thing and I think it’s going to be a problem. We’re not going to be competitive at all. I think it’s just going to be an absolute nightmare and we’re very concerned about the future of the club.”
It is not the first protest against Chansiri and the reasons for complaints are so plentiful it would take a book to explain. To concentrate on some of the most recent elements, employees did not receive their full wages in June and July, leading Josh Windass and Michael Smith to hand in their notice and depart for nothing; the prized asset Djeidi Gassama was sold to Rangers for £2.2m – far below his market value – to belatedly fund June’s salary shortfall; there are 16 first-team players on the books, including a solitary goalkeeper; the club are under a transfer embargo until 2027, which stipulates they cannot pay fees; and Danny Röhl, the highly rated head coach, has departed.
Players took a stand by backing out of a friendly against Burnley and released a statement demanding a resolution. A strike has been mooted but the focus is to prepare as best they can for competitive fixtures for the sake of supporters under a head coach, Henrik Pedersen, who is aiming to bring tranquility amid the chaos. He took time to watch a staff member play padel this week. Even Pedersen, however, was uncertain on Thursday whether the captain, Barry Bannan, could be registered to feature on Sunday after signing a new contract. Money received this week via Premier League solidarity payments allowed wages to be paid on Friday, lifting certain embargo restrictions and enabling the club to sign players on free transfers and register Bannan, but the long-term picture is beyond precarious.
Players have been on trial, experienced unattached players such as Ben Mee and Liam Cooper have been offered to the Owls, and the club are scouring the loan market to strengthen depth. One player who has trained and was wanted by Pedersen did not meet work permit requirements.
The supporters’ trust created a fund for club employees to access if facing financial struggles. In a further sign of Wednesday’s problems the North Stand, which is emblazoned with Chansiri’s name and holds 9,000 supporters, many of whom are season-ticket holders, has been closed by the council. Work needs to be carried out on the roof to make it safe and the club say they “remain hopeful” of having it open for Stoke’s visit next Saturday in the first home match.
Chansiri says he is willing to sell, but has dismissed at least two bids because was seeking £100m, regarded by many interested parties as a hefty price given the circumstances. Optimism – or possibly desperation – abounds that the tuna magnate will lower his demands. “There’s a massive opportunity for somebody to take this club by the scruff of the neck and make a lot of money,” says Bennett.
One potential bidder is John Textor but his recent off-field record at Lyon, including substantial debts and a Uefa fine for a breach of financial sustainability requirements, makes many supporters uneasy. The American has been open about his desire to buy an English club and is keeping an eye on Wednesday after selling his shares in Crystal Palace.
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It is likely the fans’ pressure on Chansiri will be ramped up at the first home game. More protests will take place as supporters aim to get the widest audience to highlight their plight. Chansiri will not be present, wisely keeping his distance. “The fans are determined to keep following the club and the motto is: ‘Support the team, not the regime,’” says Bennett.
The EFL eventually found reason to disqualify Dai Yongge from owning Reading, forcing him to sell. There are no such circumstances or wrongdoing in relation to Chansiri, so supporters are reliant on his leaving willingly.
There is fear among fans that 158 years of history could be about to go up in smoke and the message from Bennett to Chansiri is clear: “Please – with some dignity – leave and don’t be forced out, and just give the supporters a chance to support a competitive football club. You say you are all about family. We are a big family, show us some respect for that.”
