Sheffield Wednesday have entered a new chapter following David Storch’s takeover, but the unfortunate influence of former owner Dejphon Chansiri is still lingering for now.
Chansiri plunged the Owls into administration this term, which saw the South Yorkshire club handed an 18-point deduction and fast-tracked their relegation to League One.
Additionally, the Thai businessman’s persistent failure to pay staff and player wages on time before he was disqualified prompted the likes of former boss Danny Rohl and ex-star men Josh Windass and Djeidi Gassama to leave S6 last summer.
Following Chansiri’s reckless actions, Wednesday managed to earn just two Championship victories all season, albeit Saturday’s 2-1 triumph over West Bromwich Albion was a particularly memorable occasion.
By the time Wednesday took on West Brom for their final game of the season on Saturday, Storch’s Arise consortium had completed their takeover and travelled to Hillsborough Stadium to celebrate the news alongside a sell-out crowd.
Meanwhile, ahead of kick-off, everyone associated with the Owls learned that the South Yorkshire outfit will not be facing a further 15-point deduction next term, with many supporters finding out via the big screens at Hillsborough.
The South Yorkshire outfit were set for a 15-point penalty because Storch’s bid fell below the amount required to pay creditors 25p in the pound, and Chansiri is the main creditor.
In somewhat of a new twist though, Sky Sports News revealed on Monday that an offer worth several million pounds remains on the table for Chansiri, which was a crucial part in the EFL’s decision to remove the aforementioned deduction.
Storch refused to pay Chansiri 25 per cent of the £64million he’d given the South Yorkshire club in loans, because of the sorry state the disqualified owner left the Hillsborough Stadium outfit in – and Chansiri himself was refusing to co-operate.
If the new owner had paid the Thai businessman what he was owed, it would have more than doubled the amount he paid to buy Wednesday.
Sky’s report added that the amount Storch has offered Chansiri would be paid if the Owls seal an immediate Championship return following their relegation to League One next season.
The offer has a short shelf-life, with Chansiri needing to accept it before the end of the month, when the deal expires, and it appears to be his last hope of claiming some money back for the club he plundered into administration last year.
Chansiri has inflicted plenty of damage on Wednesday in recent months, placing a proud club and a founding member of the Premier League into existential threat.
Therefore, Owls supporters will eagerly await the day when his name is no longer relevant to their club, while Storch’s ownership has already supplied the Hillsborough Stadium faithful with plenty of fresh hope.
However, Chansiri’s name has once again become subject to a major news story regarding the S6 club, which is a sight that supporters have grown bored with.
Meanwhile, the EFL deserve credit for the fact that they have wiped the 15-point penalty, as it will help the Owls build towards a better future in League One.
In his latest X post, Storch praised the EFL as he wrote: “I’d like to further highlight how grateful I am to the EFL for their diligence and approach in working with us to ratify all issues and achieve our target of closing by 1 May.”
That sentiment will likely be echoed by supporters.
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