Tension between Sheffield Wednesday fans and owner Dejphon Chansiri is at an all-time high.
A season of chaos both on and off the field has brought tension between fan and owner to an incredible high, leading to the formation of The 1867 Group.
The 1867 Group is an independent Sheffield Wednesday fan group concerned with the current ownership of the club, determined to bring an end to Chansiri‘s increasingly controversial reign.
And earlier this week, The 1867 Group revealed on X that Chansiri was recently in the UK where he held talks with a consortium regarding a possible sale of the club.
Chansiri though was ‘not acting in good faith’, as per The 1867 Group, and he’s so far failed to provide the consortium with the relevant documents in order to proceed with a takeover.
After that, The 1867 Group then confirmed that the aforementioned information was not provided to them by Adam Shaw; a US-based business and Sheffield Wednesday fan who had held talks with Chansiri regarding a takeover earlier in the year.
‘Further to our statement’
The 1867 Group have since commented further on the statement which revealed said consortium talks.
They’ve reiterated that the information was provided by Shaw and that they’ve since reached out to him, though he’s informed the group that he can’t comment on ‘any conversations that he may have had’ with Chansiri.
Furthermore, The 1867 Group have requested a meeting with Chansiri to have a ‘civilised conversation regarding the content released’ in their statement, and ‘to ask for transparency regarding the club’s short, medium and long term vision’.
The group wants the minutes and dialogue from this meeting to be made public, too.
Is a Sheffield Wednesday takeover brewing?
There certainly seems to be some unrest behind the scenes right now.
After such a chaotic period, this kind of story was bound to come about, and although Chansiri has previously stated that he will sell the club if the fans want him to and if a suitable offer comes along, he’s not been true to his word.
The 1867 Group revealed in their previous statement that the unknown consortium provided Chansiri with relevant documents, proof of funding and what not, so it could be safe to assume that they’re suitable, prospective owners, and that Chansiri is simply not budging on his position.
Chansiri, given the downfall of the club and the downfall of his name, in football anyway, seems keen to reinstate his reputation before considering a sale; either that or he’s not ready to take what is likely a huge financial hit on the club after creating such a mess.
Nevertheless, a midweek draw with Leicester City has instilled some much-needed confidence and optimism within the Owls‘ ranks, with a home game vs Blackburn Rovers on the cards this weekend.