The Football League (EFL) says it is open to conversations about the future of Sheffield Wednesday, although there appears little chance new owners will be granted the clean slate some would like to see.
Because, while the league claims to be flexible with the business plan it imposes on them next season, a 15-point deduction appears unavoidable if, as expected, the new owner fails to pay 25p in the pound to all unsecured creditors. So, despite the euphoria generated by David Storch’s emergence as the possible new owner this week, an immediate return to the Championship appears to be a difficult assignment.
The Owls were demoted in February and are on track to smash a number of undesirable records. Their squad will have to be rebuilt in the summer within the parameters set by the next owner and the League.
On Tuesday, it was revealed that American billionaire Storch, along with his son Michael and private investment specialist Tom Costin, had won the contest to become the new preferred bidder to take the crisis-hit club out of administration.
The YP FootballTalk Podcast discusses rising problems at Huddersfield and Rotherham, as well as Leeds United’s unusual FA Cup promise. The Football League (EFL) says it is still open to conversations about Sheffield Wednesday’s future, although it appears unlikely that new owners will be given a clean slate, as some would prefer. Sign up for our Sports Editor’s Team Talk newsletter to receive the most recent sporting news. Enter your email address. This website is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Notice and Terms of Service apply. Because, while the league claims to be flexible with the business plan it imposes on them next season, a 15-point deduction appears unavoidable if, as expected, the new owner fails to pay 25p in the pound to all unsecured creditors. So, despite the euphoria generated by David Storch’s emergence as the possible new owner this week, an immediate return to the Championship appears to be a difficult assignment. Advertisement Hide Ad The Owls were demoted in February and are on track to smash a number of undesirable records. Their squad will have to be rebuilt in the summer within the parameters set by the next owner and the League. Sponsored Links: Spin the Wheel at MSport. Join MSport and receive an additional ₦500,000 in cash back within 2 minutes. MSport by Taboola. On Tuesday, it was revealed that American billionaire Storch, along with his son Michael and private investment specialist Tom Costin, had won the contest to become the new preferred bidder to take the crisis-hit club out of administration. There can be no guarantees after the last consortium to hold that status pulled out of a deal last month, especially with a £41.5 million 2024 legal settlement having to go before the League’s owners and directors test – or, if a deal is not completed by May 1, as Storch hopes, by the more powerful football regulator. The bodies will be required to review the case in which Storch’s AAR Corporation reached an agreement with the US Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission after executives pleaded guilty to bribing government officials in Nepal and South Africa. It will either be the last significant test of the League’s ownership screening, or the first of the regulator’s, and will be closely scrutinized.
However, whoever eventually takes over Hillsborough, the shadow of previous owner Dejphon Chansiri is probably guaranteed to stay.
Nothing has been verified, but the Owls would be the first Football League team to fail to meet the league’s requirement that unsecured creditors must be paid 25p in the pound when a club goes bankrupt. Paying that would add an additional £17.4 million to the £10.5 million in debt that must be settled in order for Wednesday to compete in League One next season, with Chansiri owing £15.75 million. An alternative is to commit to paying 35p over three years. This week, Sheffield Wednesday Supporters Trust vice-chairman James Silverwood believed the League’s 15-point rule was discretionary, and Storch hinted he would try to dispute it, but the League is not for changing
EFL stands firm on Sheffield Wednesday’s 15-point deduction, but open to future talks (Stuart Rayner, Chief Football Writer). Published 13th March 2026, 18:16 GMT. Updated March 13, 2026, 18:19 GMT. Luke Wright’s Later Life Letter Tour The Football League (EFL) says it is still open to conversations about Sheffield Wednesday’s future, although it appears unlikely that new owners will be given a clean slate, as some would prefer. Sign up for our Sports Editor’s Team Talk newsletter to receive the most recent sporting news. Enter your email address. This website is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Notice and Terms of Service apply. Because, while the league claims to be flexible with the business plan it imposes on them next season, a 15-point deduction appears unavoidable if, as expected, the new owner fails to pay 25p in the pound to all unsecured creditors. So, despite the euphoria generated by David Storch’s emergence as the possible new owner this week, an immediate return to the Championship appears to be a difficult assignment. Advertisement Hide Ad The Owls were demoted in February and are on track to smash a number of undesirable records. Their squad will have to be rebuilt in the summer within the parameters set by the next owner and the League. Sponsored Links: Spin the Wheel at MSport. Join MSport and receive an additional ₦500,000 in cash back within 2 minutes. MSport by Taboola. On Tuesday, it was revealed that American billionaire Storch, along with his son Michael and private investment specialist Tom Costin, had won the contest to become the new preferred bidder to take the crisis-hit club out of administration. There can be no guarantees after the last consortium to hold that status pulled out of a deal last month, especially with a £41.5 million 2024 legal settlement having to go before the League’s owners and directors test – or, if a deal is not completed by May 1, as Storch hopes, by the more powerful football regulator. The bodies will be required to review the case in which Storch’s AAR Corporation reached an agreement with the US Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission after executives pleaded guilty to bribing government officials in Nepal and South Africa. It will either be the League’s final significant test of ownership screening, or the regulator’s first, and will be closely watched. Advertisement Hide Ad However, whoever eventually takes over Hillsborough, the shadow of previous owner Dejphon Chansiri is probably guaranteed to stay. RULES: The Football League is not likely to make an exception for Sheffield Wednesday. RULES: The Football League is not likely to make an exception for Sheffield Wednesday. Nothing has been verified, but the Owls would be the first Football League team to fail to meet the league’s requirement that unsecured creditors must be paid 25p in the pound when a club goes bankrupt. Paying that would add an additional £17.4 million to the £10.5 million in debt that must be settled in order for Wednesday to compete in League One next season, with Chansiri owing £15.75 million. An alternative is to commit to paying 35p over three years. This week, Sheffield Wednesday Supporters Trust vice-chairman James Silverwood said that the League’s 15-point rule was discretionary, while Storch stated that he would dispute it, but the League will not back down. Advertisement Hide Ad TRANSGRESSIONS: Dejphon Chansiri’s mishandling got Sheffield Wednesday into trouble. TRANSGRESSIONS: Dejphon Chansiri’s mishandling landed Sheffield Wednesday in danger. “The League wants Sheffield Wednesday to remain a member of the EFL, but we must also follow the terms of the League’s insolvency policy,” said Chief Operating Officer Nick Craig. “The policy, which has been agreed upon by clubs and is intended to serve as guidance for all clubs and insolvency practitioners, seeks to balance the interests of not only Sheffield Wednesday but also the other 71 clubs in the EFL.” “We remain open to continuing the conversations with the preferred bidders and the administrators to try and find a solution that can see Sheffield Wednesday continue as a member of the League.” Those conversations would focus on the club’s future financial restraints, as it entered into administration in October with debts of more than £80 million for itself and the separate company that owned its stadium, both of which Storch would acquire.
EFL stands firm on Sheffield Wednesday’s 15-point deduction, but open to future talks (Stuart Rayner, Chief Football Writer). Published 13th March 2026, 18:16 GMT. Updated March 13, 2026, 18:19 GMT. The YP Rugby League Talk Podcast reviews the fourth round of the Challenge Cup. The Football League (EFL) says it is still open to conversations about Sheffield Wednesday’s future, although it appears unlikely that new owners will be given a clean slate, as some would prefer. Sign up for our Sports Editor’s Team Talk newsletter to receive the most recent sporting news. Enter your email address. This website is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Notice and Terms of Service apply. Because, while the league claims to be flexible with the business plan it imposes on them next season, a 15-point deduction appears unavoidable if, as expected, the new owner fails to pay 25p in the pound to all unsecured creditors. So, despite the euphoria generated by David Storch’s emergence as the possible new owner this week, an immediate return to the Championship appears to be a difficult assignment. Advertisement Hide Ad The Owls were demoted in February and are on track to smash a number of undesirable records. Their squad will have to be rebuilt in the summer within the parameters set by the next owner and the League. Sponsored Links: Spin the Wheel at MSport. Join MSport and receive an additional ₦500,000 in cash back within 2 minutes. MSport by Taboola. On Tuesday, it was revealed that American billionaire Storch, along with his son Michael and private investment specialist Tom Costin, had won the contest to become the new preferred bidder to take the crisis-hit club out of administration. There can be no guarantees after the last consortium to hold that status pulled out of a deal last month, especially with a £41.5 million 2024 legal settlement having to go before the League’s owners and directors test – or, if a deal is not completed by May 1, as Storch hopes, by the more powerful football regulator. The bodies will be required to review the case in which Storch’s AAR Corporation reached an agreement with the US Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission after executives pleaded guilty to bribing government officials in Nepal and South Africa. It will either be the League’s final significant test of ownership screening, or the regulator’s first, and will be closely watched. Advertisement Hide Ad However, whoever eventually takes over Hillsborough, the shadow of previous owner Dejphon Chansiri is probably guaranteed to stay. RULES: The Football League is not likely to make an exception for Sheffield Wednesday. RULES: The Football League is not likely to make an exception for Sheffield Wednesday. Nothing has been verified, but the Owls would be the first Football League team to fail to meet the league’s requirement that unsecured creditors must be paid 25p in the pound when a club goes bankrupt. Paying that would add an additional £17.4 million to the £10.5 million in debt that must be settled in order for Wednesday to compete in League One next season, with Chansiri owing £15.75 million. An alternative is to commit to paying 35p over three years. This week, Sheffield Wednesday Supporters Trust vice-chairman James Silverwood said that the League’s 15-point rule was discretionary, while Storch stated that he would dispute it, but the League will not back down. Advertisement Hide Ad TRANSGRESSIONS: Dejphon Chansiri’s mishandling got Sheffield Wednesday into trouble. TRANSGRESSIONS: Dejphon Chansiri’s mishandling landed Sheffield Wednesday in danger. “The League wants Sheffield Wednesday to remain a member of the EFL, but we must also follow the terms of the League’s insolvency policy,” said Chief Operating Officer Nick Craig. “The policy, which has been agreed upon by clubs and is intended to serve as guidance for all clubs and insolvency practitioners, seeks to balance the interests of not only Sheffield Wednesday but also the other 71 clubs in the EFL.” “We remain open to continuing the conversations with the preferred bidders and the administrators to try and find a solution that can see Sheffield Wednesday continue as a member of the League.” Those conversations would focus on the club’s future financial restraints, as it entered into administration in October with debts of more than £80 million for itself and the separate company that owned its stadium, both of which Storch would acquire. Advertisement Hide Ad HISTORIC CLUB: Sheffield Wednesday (Image: Richard Sellers/PA Wire HISTORIC CLUB: Sheffield Wednesday (Image: Richard Sellers/PA Wire The guidelines specify that when Wednesday comes out of administration, they must agree to follow a business plan. The League is thought to have begun negotiations by suggesting a maximum salary cost of £7 million for next season, with no player earning more than £7,000 per week. The Owls were already subject to transfer limitations, which limited them to free transfers and no-fee loans for the next two windows, albeit these can be contested. The League has a difficult path to follow. After approving Chansiri’s ownership and with the regulator able to assess their homework, the reputational damage of signing off on an unfit owner would be severe. It would be even worse to see a 158-year-old institution close down. Punishing fans and establishing a new regime for Chansiri’s transgressions would not go down well with Owls fans, nor would permitting Wednesday to become the most likely debt-free club in League One and earn promotion next season with no points deduction among rival clubs that followed the rules. Although no one will be saddened if Chansiri is left out of pocket, it was disclosed this week that he is one of 195 “non-football creditors” who own money by Wednesday.
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