'We are going to be a part of football's future' - football oversight chief the regulator's chair
The Championship club's ongoing struggles constitute a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in such situations, the newly appointed chairman the regulator has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was recently selected, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations associated with the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The Championship side have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a major challenge for the sport," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for English football and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Ownership Situation
The team's struggling chairman the current owner indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the football authorities in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where people are committed to a local institution that has represented their community in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for causes separate from the supporters."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an individual club, an particular chairman, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"In actuality, when you review the record of the sport, over the recent generations there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated their clubs and ultimately decline to assume obligation for the future."
Owls fans have been protesting against the team's chairman in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" from the National League to the Premier League.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear rapidly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources flowing into the game and has been invested for the recent generations, because there are no assurances it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the division as a high-quality offering of England. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group 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 have been entirely transparent regarding my past party membership [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
