Fresh turmoil has engulfed Sheffield Wednesday following the publication of an interim report by the administrators of Sheffield 3 Ltd, the company set up by club owner Dejphon “Delboy” Chansiri to acquire Hillsborough Stadium.
In revelations that have stunned large sections of the Wednesday fanbase, the report confirms that Chansiri has submitted a formal claim of £53.3 million, money he says is owed to him by the company that owns the stadium. The move has been described by many supporters as deeply troubling, particularly given the club’s ongoing financial struggles and uncertainty surrounding its future.
According to the administrators’ findings, Chansiri is by far the largest creditor, dwarfing all other claims. The only other significant creditors listed include:
New Avenue Projects, which is owed approximately £7.3 million in loans
HMRC, which is owed around £1.5 million in unpaid taxes
The scale of Chansiri’s claim has sparked fierce debate, especially when compared to similar situations elsewhere in English football. At Derby County, former owner Mel Morris was reportedly owed close to £200 million, yet he chose not to pursue repayment, allowing the club a clearer path toward stability. Chansiri’s decision to do the opposite has inevitably intensified criticism.
The report also confirms that the administrators’ preferred strategy is to sell Hillsborough Stadium as part of a package deal alongside Sheffield Wednesday Football Club. While no timescale has been provided, a separate and more detailed report on the football club itself is expected in due course.
This approach suggests that any potential buyer will need to take on not just the club, but also the complexities surrounding stadium ownership, outstanding debts, and creditor claims — factors that may significantly reduce the pool of interested investors.
Adding further frustration, the report discloses the substantial costs of the administration process itself. The administrators, Begbies Traynor, have billed their services at an average hourly rate of £542, with total costs estimated to exceed £300,000.
For supporters already alarmed by the club’s financial health, these figures have only added to the sense that money continues to drain away while the future of Sheffield Wednesday remains unresolved.
Reaction among Wednesday supporters has been swift and angry. Many fans believe that Chansiri’s decision to claim £53 million back from a club-related company epitomises the mismanagement that has led to years of decline, transfer embargoes, unpaid wages, and repeated points deductions.
On social media, some supporters have accused the owner of prioritising personal financial recovery over the survival and stability of the football club, while others fear the claim could seriously complicate any takeover process.
Sheffield Wednesday now finds itself at a critical juncture. With administration costs rising, creditor claims piling up, and uncertainty surrounding ownership, the future of one of English football’s most historic clubs hangs in the balance.
As fans wait anxiously for the forthcoming report on the football club itself, one thing is clear: the £53 million claim has deepened the crisis, raised serious questions about governance, and further eroded trust between the ownership and the supporters.
What happens next could define Sheffield Wednesday’s fate for decades to come.
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