'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles are seen as a "major concern" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards supporters of the Owls.
The regulator engaged with four fan organizations representing the Championship side in recent days.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for football in England and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the current owner suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at Hillsborough, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Missed wage deadlines on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in summer, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The regulator explained: "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 multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the fans themselves."
When asked if the authority might compel 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 reply is once we collect the information and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to work with them.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an individual club, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against the current proprietor during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the authority recently and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the football community fails, the remarkable development accomplished might evaporate rapidly," the regulator warned.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has come into football for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an financial organization of the Premier League.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of the nation. But simultaneously, if you engage with division representatives after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in 2020.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I am presently disconnected from any form of political activity."
