What Dejphon Chansiri has said about selling Sheffield Wednesday – Mike Ashley and John Textor linked
Sheffield Wednesday remain mired in a deepening crisis, with fans growing increasingly anxious about both the immediate and long-term stability of their beloved football club. What was once a proud institution of English football has, under the ownership of Dejphon Chansiri, become a symbol of financial mismanagement, off-field chaos, and unfulfilled promises.
The Thai businessman’s decade-long reign at Hillsborough has been anything but calm. Chansiri took charge of Sheffield Wednesday in 2015 after purchasing the club for around £30 million, promising to guide them back to the Premier League after 15 years in the wilderness. At that time, the Owls had spent years languishing in the lower tiers of English football, even enduring four seasons in League One before stabilizing in the Championship. Initially, there were glimmers of hope. Under Carlos Carvalhal, Wednesday reached the play-offs in consecutive seasons in 2016 and 2017, narrowly missing out on promotion. However, those moments of optimism have long since faded, replaced by disillusionment, division, and despair.
In the years since those near-misses, Chansiri has found himself under relentless pressure from supporters to sell the club. Many have accused him of mismanagement, overspending, and poor communication — all of which have contributed to Wednesday’s slide back into turmoil. Despite repeated fan protests and calls for change, the situation has continued to deteriorate, with the club now facing a series of alarming financial and operational issues.
The past six months have been particularly chaotic. Although reports suggest that several groups have expressed interest in buying Sheffield Wednesday, no agreement has been reached. Matters took a darker turn this week when an investigation by BBC Radio Sheffield and the Sheffield Star revealed that the club could be just days away from administration and a potential winding-up order, due to an outstanding £1 million tax bill owed to HMRC. This revelation has sent shockwaves through the fanbase and intensified the sense of crisis surrounding Hillsborough.
Chansiri’s Stubborn Grip on Power
Back in 2018, Chansiri famously declared, “If the fans want me to leave and they want to buy me out, then I will sell for them. If they want me to leave, I don’t mind. I know what I am doing.” Seven years on, those words ring hollow. The 57-year-old remains firmly in control, even as the club continues to struggle both on and off the field.
Since Sheffield Wednesday’s relegation to League One in 2021 — which followed a 12-point deduction for breaching spending rules — the club has lurched from one crisis to another. Although they managed to claw their way back into the Championship, off-pitch problems have continued to overshadow any progress on it. In April, it was revealed that players and staff had not received their wages on time, a pattern that has reportedly repeated itself in five of the last six months.
These financial irregularities are expected to trigger yet another points deduction, compounding the club’s on-field struggles. Meanwhile, a series of transfer embargoes and registration restrictions have left manager Henrik Pedersen with a depleted squad following a mass exodus of senior players, coaching staff, and even former boss Danny Röhl.
Despite repeatedly stating that he is open to selling the club, Chansiri’s valuation remains a major stumbling block. Reports suggest he rejected offers in the region of £30 million and £40 million earlier this year, insisting that he would not part ways with the Owls for less than £100 million — a figure that many view as wildly unrealistic given the club’s current state.
Takeover Links and Mounting Tensions
Recent reports have linked two prominent figures to potential takeovers: former Crystal Palace stakeholder John Textor and ex-Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley. Both are seasoned investors with controversial pasts, and both have been monitoring the situation closely.
It has been claimed that Chansiri might be willing to lower his asking price to around £70 million amid ongoing talks with Textor. However, negotiations appear to have stalled, with the American businessman highlighting the complexity of the situation.
“It’s really complicated,” Textor told journalist Alan Myers. “Wednesday are one of the clubs we are looking at. It’s not like I wouldn’t love to come in tomorrow, but they’re in a very difficult situation. There’s a lot to figure out with the owner and with the league itself. There’s not a lot of time to figure it out. It seems like half to two-thirds of that squad is under the age of 21. By the time we can even get in and address things, if we were to reach a deal with the club, I hope it’s not too late.”
His words reflect a growing concern that Sheffield Wednesday’s problems might be spiraling beyond repair. Club captain Barry Bannan and talkSPORT presenter Jim White have both spoken publicly about the difficulties of communicating with Chansiri, suggesting that even those within the club are being left in the dark about key decisions.
Could the Independent Football Regulator Step In?
With the financial situation worsening and Chansiri showing no sign of relinquishing control, some have begun calling for intervention from the newly formed Independent Football Regulator (IFR). The regulator’s chair, David Kogan, has already acknowledged the potential role of the IFR in addressing ownership and governance issues across English football. However, pundits such as Simon Jordan and financial expert Stefan Borson have questioned whether the regulator would have the authority or appetite to force an owner out.
For now, Sheffield Wednesday fans are left clinging to hope that a resolution can be found before the club’s financial problems push them past the point of no return. After ten turbulent years under Dejphon Chansiri, what was once seen as a promising new era has instead become a cautionary tale — a stark reminder of how quickly ambition can curdle into crisis when mismanagement takes hold.
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