Sheffield Wednesday Supporters’ Trust have called for government intervention after the EFL stood by their decision to hand the Owls a 15-point penalty next season.
Sheffield Wednesday takeover: 15-point deduction, Storch issues statement
Wednesday’s prospective new owner, American businessman David Storch, confirmed in a statement on Wednesday evening that the EFL will not waive their ‘minimum dividend’ rule, which demands unsecured creditors – including former chairman Dejphon Chansiri – are paid 25 per cent of what they are owed.
Storch’s bid will represent about 6p in the pound to the unsecured creditors – previous owner Dejphon Chansiri is owed a reported £63.1m.
Storch has been extremely vocal ever since he was granted preferred bidder status last month, and still hopes to complete a takeover by May 1st, the day before the final match of the season against West Bromwich Albion, who could be set to receive a points deduction of their own.
How many points could West Brom be deducted and when is the punishment decided?
West Brom insist they have fully complied with profit and sustainability rules.
Arise Capital Partners are shocked by the decision to upheld the penalty, and Storch says the EFL must recognise the “unique” nature of the Owls’ situation, claiming the facilities at Wednesday’s Hillsborough home were “inadequate” and “the full scale of the serious infrastructure challenges has become apparent” during the due diligence process.
The Owls have been deducted 18 points in total this season for breaching finance rules under Chansiri, and a further 15-point hit next campaign would put them in grave danger of back-to-back relegations.
Sheffield Wednesday Supporters’ Trust said the 15-point deduction was “unacceptable” without “a clear path to an independent hearing or appeal regarding the circumstances involved”.
A Trust statement read: “We are not asking the EFL to abandon its rules. We are asking for independent scrutiny before a sanction of this scale is imposed.
“The prospective owners have stated that they requested independent arbitration, which was refused. This should concern anyone who values integrity, transparency and accountability in football governance.”
The statement added: “The Trust will write to the Independent Football Regulator to ask it to ensure the league’s approach receives external scrutiny.
“If the EFL continues to refuse an independent process, we may take additional steps (to) include formally raising concerns with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), and continuing to work with local MPs to ensure proper examination of this issue.”
