Sheffield Wednesday have been deducted 12 points by the English Football League after the Championship club was placed into administration by owner Dejphon Chansiri. The penalty leaves the Owls on minus six points, 15 points adrift of safety, making relegation almost certain.
The club's financial troubles have been mounting for months, with players and staff not paid on time in five of the past seven months. Administrator Begbies Traynor will now seek to sell the club's assets, including Hillsborough stadium, to recover debts that include an estimated £1 million owed to HMRC.
Manager Henrik Pedersen described the move as necessary for a fresh start. 'We knew from the last five, six, seven, eight months it cannot continue,' he said. 'Now there is a belief, a hope, there is a feeling of looking towards better days.' Pedersen said he was hopeful that job losses could be avoided.
The Sheffield Wednesday Supporters Trust welcomed the end of Chansiri's ownership, calling administration 'the inevitable outcome of years of financial mismanagement'. The trust urged fans to reengage with the club after boycotts of matches and merchandise this season.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the situation highlighted the need for an independent football regulator, which is expected to be operational by the 2027-28 season. The EFL had expressed deep concern about Wednesday's finances in August, and the club started the season with only 15 first-team players.
