Sheffield Wednesday on brink of collapse as desperate owner tells fans to raise £2M to save team from major sanctions
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY owner Dejphon Chansiri has asked supporters to raise £2MILLION in the next few days to save the club. The Owls could face a multi-window transfer embargo if they do not pay an outstanding HMRC debt which was due on Monday October 23.
Dejphon Chansiri has asked Sheffield Wednesday fans to help raise £2MILLION to save the clubCredit: Getty
Wednesday were hit with a registration embargo last week as a result of the late payment which Chansiri claims he was unable to pay due to cashflow issues.
While a lack of tangible funds also means that players and staff at the club could go without pay this month if things stay the same.
And now the Thai businessman has called on fans of the club to fork out the cash to save their beloved team from collapse.
Speaking to The SheffieldStar, he said: “With HMRC, if we don’t pay until, say, the fifth of November, then that means it’s been 14 days, but if we don’t pay wages as well then that’s five days – that means a total of 19 days. Each issue counts separately.
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“If 20,000 people gave £100 then it’s £2m, and it’d be clear – so we can finish it. That would cover everything, HMRC and the wages.
“That would need to be done before November 10th if they don’t want to pass the 30 days, but that means that there can be no next time.
“It’d need to be before to make it safe – if it was on the fifth then there would be 10 days left… If we were to hit 30 days then we’ll get a ban for three windows.”
The longer Wednesday go without paying HMRC, the closer they edge to being slapped with a transfer embargo.
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Chansiri has been in charge at the historic club since 2015Credit: Getty
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The ban would mean the club would be unable to pay transfer fees, loan fees or any compensation for new players – and they could face a three-window ban at this rate.
Despite Chansiri’s outrageous call for help from the fans, he has said he will pay those who invest back with interest.
However Owls supporters may not feel inspired to help out after he launched an attack on them during his interview.
He said: “They [negative fans] want to protest and for me to leave, but nobody comes to save the club. The more positive ones, who backs me up? Then show me, back me up.
“We don’t have money. The first thing you need to do is save the club. If we don’t pay in 30 days we have a big issue. If you want to save your club, this is your chance.
“Do not protest, save your club. If not, we will get a transfer ban over three windows, there’s a possibility we will go to League Two or the National League.
“Maybe the negative fans would be happy, they wouldn’t be able to moan that things are too expensive. So now you have the right. If the positive fans want me to stay, then this is their chance to save their club.”
Some fans have been labelled as ‘negative’ by ChansiriCredit: PA
Chansiri continued his call for help from the fans and even claimed that they have no right to ask him to leave their club unless they front up the money to try and help.
He added: “If you don’t want to save your club, then don’t call yourselves the owners and me the custodian. If you save your club, then you have the right to ask me to leave.
“There is no need to make it complicated. I could leave no issue. That is the easy way.
“I have tried my best for almost nine years, I try everything even in the Covid situation with no revenue. If I wanted to make it bad, I would have already left. I don’t need to be here.”
Some fans have already tried to help their beloved club by offering their hard earned money to the owner, but they can’t seem to help out even if they try.
One supporter took to X (formerly Twitter) to explain their experience, they wrote: “Just rung Sheffield Wednesday [and] asked the lady who answered the phone where do we pay our £100 to save the club.
“She didn’t know [and] told me to ring back later when the manager is in. She also said a lot of fans had rung up asking the same question.”
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It’s not the first time that Sheffield Wednesday have had financial troubles under Chansiri’s nine year reign with the club given both immediate and suspended points deductions for non-payment of players’ wages in the past.
Things are looking just as gloomy on the pitch too for the Yorkshire outfit with Danny Rohl’s side sat rock bottom of the Championship with just six points.
Sheffield Wednesday have won just one game in the league this seasonCredit: PA More
