Relegation from the Championship is “almost certain” for Sheffield Wednesday after a 12-point administration penalty opened up a 15-point gap to safety. The club now sits on -6 points after owner Dejphon Chansiri appointed administrators.
The club’s financial collapse is rooted in “years of financial mismanagement,” according to the Supporters Trust. This includes $pounds{}$1 million in unpaid taxes and a failure to pay staff and players on time in five of the last seven months.
The news was met with a mix of relief and despair by fans, who called it a “bittersweet” day. They are “overjoyed” to see Chansiri leave but devastated by the penalty. Seats spelling his name at Hillsborough were promptly removed.
Administrator Begbies Traynor is now in charge, tasked with finding a new owner “as swiftly as possible.” They will sell the club and the stadium as a combined entity.
Manager Henrik Pedersen, however, is not conceding defeat. He told his squad they must be “a new Sheffield Wednesday with an old heart” and that he has “a big belief we can survive.”