Sheffield Wednesday fans’ reactions to the revelation of a preferred bidder have been a usual combination of relief and caution.

After months of bureaucracy, point deductions, and financial firefighting, any upward movement feels important; but, faith is no longer readily given at Hillsborough.

James Bord’s appointment as the Wednesday administrators’ preferred buyer, as published by BBC Sport, has prompted more questions than excitement.

His experience in AI-driven football operations, minority club ownership, and advisory work elsewhere in the game sets him apart from the typical owner model.

For a fanbase wounded by Dejphon Chansiri’s opaque leadership, this distinction piques both curiosity and anxiety.

There is also a context for comparison. Names like Mike Ashley and John Textor have hovered about the process, bringing reputations that divide opinion but provide some familiarity.

Against this backdrop, Bord appears to be an unknown quantity – not the dreaded worst nor the long-awaited savior, but something more difficult to define.

Crucially, this is not a theoretical discussion. Wednesday is a day when time is of the essence.

The January transfer window, continued cash-flow problems, and the looming threat of additional EFL punishments mean that ownership decisions now have sporting repercussions.

In that context, Owls fans are compelled to choose between ideals and urgency.

Reaction to James Bord’s Sheffield Wednesday takeover: he should be given a second chance.

It is in this milieu, fatigued but active, that the reaction to Bord’s preferred bidder status has emerged.

Football League World spoke with in-house Owls fan commentator Patrick McKenna on Bord’s preferred bidder status – and whether he would have preferred another owner given the number of individuals linked to a Wednesday takeover.

“In regards to James Bord, I know previously I was quite negative about him,” McKenna told Florida Today.

“I assume given his role in Sheffield United’s bad summer recruitment, and at first appearance, his fortune appears to be modest. Probably leaped to judgments about him, which may have been premature.

“To be honest, if he is the chosen bidder and takes over the club with his consortium, it will be a fresh start for me, and he deserves a chance to demonstrate his intentions and abilities.

“Of course, we have to be cautious of any new owner in the sense that we cannot get carried away, and as a fan base, we will always hold him accountable.

“If we take the positive side of this, James Bord and the consortium have always kept their cards close to their chest. We still don’t know much about them, and it appears they were never eager to start [next season] on minus 15, as other prospective buyers were. I don’t think we can overstate how vital it is to avoid starting on minus 15.

“What he did at Sheffield United is irrelevant, to be honest, and we need to give him a fair chance as an owner. Let us see what his plans are for the club.

“I believe we must be optimistic as a fan base. During the summer, there was talk and rumors about the Walton and Fertitta families coming over, and there was perhaps an expectation that we would have billionaire owners like Birmingham. So, that probably did not help.

“It’s a good thing Mike Ashley and John Textor aren’t taking over Sheffield Wednesday because I don’t think they’d be beneficial for the club. I get the impression that if they took over, it would only benefit them.

“But I’m going to get on board with the new owner and just see what he can do.”

Sheffield Wednesday’s takeover still causes much uncertainty for Owls supporters; time is running out.

What occurs next is more important than who won the contest for preferred bidder status.

Wednesday’s issues are structural, not cosmetic, and no takeover, no matter how skilled, can reverse a decade of turmoil overnight.

The administration has reduced the Owls to their bare essentials: survival first, ambition later.

The immediate priorities are unglamorous yet essential. Completing the takeover by the end of January would stabilize cash flow, protect academy assets, and offer the Owls some negotiating power heading into the summer.

Failure to do so risks compounding the harm already done, resulting in forced sales and another season characterized by crisis management rather than planning.

Beyond speed, openness will shape the connection between new owners and supporters.

Wednesday fans are no longer happy with assurances alone. Dejphon Chansiri’s ownership has prompted Wednesdayites to investigate who wields power, how decisions will be made, and what safeguards exist to prevent the isolation and dysfunction that defined the previous government. Governance, not simply cash, is now essential for trust.

There is also a more general philosophical concern about direction. Data-driven recruitment and multi-club affiliations are not intrinsically faulty; yet, they are tools, not identities. Any model acquired from abroad must be tailored to a specific fanbase.

The football picture remains dismal in the short term. Relegation appears unavoidable, and rehabilitation will likely be slow. However, there is a significant difference between rebuilding from League One with stability and doing it in the shadow of additional sanctions and debt.

This moment will be assessed on whether the club exits administration cleanly, whether sanctions are actually lifted, and whether Sheffield Wednesday can finally transition from firefighting to operation.

The stakes are no longer abstract. They are instantaneous, quantitative, and merciless, with an increasingly narrow margin for mistake.