Sheffield Wednesday fans organized a humorous protest against Dejphon Chansiri’s ownership at the Steel City Derby before he pushed the club into administration.
Before the Thai businessman was forced to relinquish control of the Owls, fans protested his rule in a variety of ways, including boycotting matches, marching outside Hillsborough, and refusing to buy club merchandise and confectionery.
Despite failing to pay players on time for five of the last seven months of his reign and being repeatedly warned that putting Wednesday into administration was the best way ahead, Chansiri appeared adamant about being the Steel City club’s owner.
With the end seemingly not in sight, the Owls’ fans began to prepare a massive protest for their November match against rivals Sheffield United, which would have taken a hilarious turn.
Sheffield Wednesday fans were to fly the Dejphon Chansiri blimp at the Steel City Derby.
While the Owls had previously used more traditional forms of protest in the early stages of the season, things were about to get even more heated as the Steel City derby approached.
According to the Sheffield Star, preparations were hatched to float a 15-foot blimp with Chansiri disguised as a clown-haired baby. This is reported to be inspired by the ‘Donald Trump baby balloon’ that was displayed in London’s Parliament Square in 2018.
Quotes were apparently sought, and an image was prepared by a specialist business, with the Sheffield Wednesday Supporters Trust willing to spend a four-figure sum to pull the hoax out.
However, because Chansiri placed the Owls in administration in late October, these plans did not come to fruition, and the blimp depicting the humorously dressed Thai businessman will no longer be hovering over Hillsborough.
Sheffield Wednesday’s demonstration highlights the effort that went into disposing of Dejphon Chansiri.
Now, with potential new owners like Mike Ashley and John McEvoy still interested in purchasing Wednesday, the days of challenging Chansiri’s reign appear to be over.
However, if Wednesday’s supporters hadn’t taken action, the Thai businessman could still have been in command of the Steel City Derby.
Ultimately, Chansiri was obliged to put the club into administration after failing to pay a £1 million HMRC bill, a process that would have been accelerated by the money he was losing by fans not attending games and spending money at the stadium.
Their continual protest heightened global awareness of the problem and contributed to Chansiri’s departure from the club. Although the blimp never came to life, it demonstrates how far the Owls fans were willing to go to achieve a better future for their club.
xz
