Sheffield Wednesday's Administration Process and Fan Support
Sheffield Wednesday's joint administrator has revealed that there are "four or five" serious bidders for the club, with the potential for new ownership by the end of the year.
Kris Wigfield is overseeing the search for new ownership after Dejphon Chansiri placed the Championship club into administration on Friday.
According to Wigfield, the Owls must remain on the market for 28 days in accordance with EFL regulations, and he claims that there has already been significant interest from potential buyers.
In an interview with BBC 5 Live's Wake Up to Money programme, Wigfield expressed optimism that new owners could be in place in time to sign players during the January transfer window.
He stated, "As always, there are many interested parties, some of whom may not meet the necessary criteria. However, among the inquiries we've received, we believe that four or five of them appear to be serious candidates."
Wigfield outlined two key criteria that prospective owners must fulfill to initiate discussions and make an offer. "Firstly, they need to demonstrate to the administrators that they can make the football club financially viable, which means showing they have sufficient funds to support it over the coming years. Secondly, we must be assured that they will pass the EFL fit and proper persons test. If they can meet both conditions, we will engage in serious discussions with them."
Fans Raise £500K Since Friday
Wigfield is hopeful for a swift sale process, anticipating that a group could achieve preferred-bidder status next month, aiming to finalize the purchase before the year's end. "Due to EFL regulations, we must market the club for 28 days. Therefore, it will be at least 28 days before we approach preferred-bidder status. I am optimistic that by the end of November, if all goes well, we may know who will acquire the football club. Ideally, a deal could be concluded within this calendar year, allowing the new owner to participate in the January transfer window, pending EFL approval."
Sheffield Wednesday fans returned in large numbers on Saturday following a previous boycott, with a season-high attendance of 27,261 witnessing the 2-1 defeat to Oxford at Hillsborough. Wigfield reported that supporters have already contributed over £500,000 through ticket purchases and merchandise to support the club during this challenging time.
"We started with no funds, but the fans have already invested more than half a million pounds since Friday through ticket sales and merchandise," he added. "The response has been remarkable, but we need to continue raising funds to meet payroll obligations next Friday. Additional tickets for upcoming home games will be available for sale today, and we urge fans to keep supporting the club. These are challenging circumstances, but we appreciate their continued support."