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Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues constitute a "serious issue" and the new football authority is seeking powers to investigate clubs in such situations, its new chair David Kogan has announced.

During an extensive discussion, the regulator, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.

Kogan met with four supporters' associations associated with the Championship side in recent days.

The team have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.

"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," the chairman stated.

"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for English football and in recent days 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 referred to us if they need to be investigated and dealt with."

Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns

The team's struggling chairman the current owner suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.

Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May led to sanctions by the football authorities in summer, 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.

Official's Viewpoint

The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, teams facing challenges where people are committed to a regional establishment that has represented their community in many cases.

"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the followers."

Questioned about whether the regulator could force an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the regulator answered: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we gather the evidence and know what's going on, we will."

But Kogan stressed that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to cooperate with proprietors.

"Our least desirable course of action is begin intervening in an individual club, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.

"But the truth is, when you examine the past of football, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the future."

'Mistakes could erase significant advances'

Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.

"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish rapidly," the chairman stated.

"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we need to continue the progress.

"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."

Top Flight Apprehensions

Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I fully support 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 consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a high level of reassurance."

Ideological Links

The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in recent years.

The official contributed funds to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.

"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."