What Is Happening At Sheffield Wednesday?

Sheffield Wednesday should be preparing for a new Championship campaign with ambition. Instead, the club is lurching from one crisis to the next — hit by unpaid wages, a manager on the verge of walking away, a transfer embargo until 2027, and ownership that appears to be battling fans more than backing the team. One of England’s oldest clubs finds itself trapped in a storm of its own making, with no clear way out.

So, what on earth is happening at Hillsborough?

👉 Players still not fully paid 3 weeks after payday

👉 Players allowed to walk away from their contracts if not paid at next payday

👉 Banned from paying transfer fees until January 2027

👉 No word on what next for expiring contracts

Sheffield Wednesday are in deep trouble. pic.twitter.com/VPer3vyQqn

— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) June 19, 2025

Unrest at Every Level

Things looked bleak early in the 2023/24 season, but the arrival of Danny Röhl injected hope. The German coach inspired a resurgence that saved the club from relegation, turning around performances on the pitch and briefly rekindling the bond between team and supporters.

But while the points were improving, off-field cracks were already showing. Owner Dejphon Chansiri issued an extraordinary statement in October 2023, claiming he would no longer financially support the club and calling on fans to raise £2 million themselves to help with running costs. It wasn’t just a PR disaster — it was a symbolic moment that underlined just how broken things had become behind the scenes.

Since then, the situation has only deteriorated further.

🗣️ "I'm going to tell him that he's going to destroy the club if he doesn't let new people get involved"

Former Sheffield Wednesday owner Milan Mandarić is flying back to the UK to try and speak to Dejphon Chansiri about selling the club.

Listen: https://t.co/ziEbIPdFzg#SWFC pic.twitter.com/6g1ksXBgYK

— Football Heaven (@footballheaven) June 17, 2025

Wages Unpaid and Sanctions Mounting

Perhaps the most damaging problem has been the club’s failure to pay its players and staff on time. In March 2025, wage payments were delayed, triggering concerns internally. Then, in May, it happened again. The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) confirmed its involvement, criticising what it described as a lack of communication from the club during the chaos. It later emerged that even in July, some players were still awaiting their June salaries, raising questions about the financial solvency of the organisation.

Because two wage failures occurred within a 12-month period, Sheffield Wednesday breached EFL rules. As a result, the league imposed disciplinary charges — not only on the club but also on Chansiri personally. Those proceedings are now in the hands of an independent commission.

A Hammer Blow: Transfer Ban Until 2027

The fallout escalated in mid-June 2025 when the EFL imposed a sweeping three-window embargo. Sheffield Wednesday are now banned from paying transfer fees, compensation, or loan fees until January 2027. This punishment is one of the harshest of its kind seen in recent years and reflects the seriousness of the financial mismanagement behind the scenes.

While the club can still sign free agents and bring in players on loan (as long as no fees are involved), its flexibility in the market has been all but removed. That’s a major issue for a squad that desperately needs strengthening and already faces losing a string of key players to expiring contracts.

BREAKING: The EFL confirm Sheffield Wednesday is now subject to a three-window fee restriction 🚨

The club have released a statement announcing their intention to appeal 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/rbPW7Dxb3z

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) June 18, 2025

Managerial Uncertainty

Danny Röhl, the architect of last season’s survival, is now widely expected to leave. Though he hasn’t officially resigned, Röhl has refused to commit his future and has publicly stated that he hopes to manage in the Bundesliga "as soon as possible." Behind the scenes, it’s believed his frustration with the club’s off-field chaos has reached boiling point.

He won plaudits for getting the best out of a struggling squad, but like many before him, it appears the lack of structure and support from above has taken its toll. His potential exit would be a devastating blow — not just tactically, but symbolically. If the man who saved the season won’t stick around, why should anyone else?

Sheffield Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri wants Danny Rohl to return to work NOW.

He wants the manager to cut short his summer break.

If he refuses, he could be fined which is ironic as most at the club have not been paid their salaries.

(Via: @reluctantnicko)#SWFC pic.twitter.com/WkIH7ePdmf

— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) June 15, 2025

A Growing Rift With Fans

The unrest isn’t just in the boardroom and the dressing room — it’s also spilling out onto the terraces. Fans have protested at home games, voicing their frustration through banners, chants, and organised demonstrations. Many have called for Chansiri to sell the club, with trust between ownership and supporters at an all-time low.

Rather than defuse tensions, Chansiri has regularly poured fuel on the fire. Through long, confrontational statements released on official club channels, he has painted himself as a victim of unfair criticism. In one particularly divisive message, he suggested that some fans were acting as “enemies” of the club. The result has been even more alienation, with many supporters feeling the club is being driven further away from its core values.

It’s not just fans who are frustrated. Local politicians have weighed in too. Sheffield MP Clive Betts publicly criticised Chansiri in Parliament, accusing him of “holding the club hostage” and questioning whether he has the means or intent to lead the club forward.

Players on the Brink

Adding to the instability is the looming departure of several key first-team players. Club captain Barry Bannan — a symbol of loyalty and consistency over recent years — is out of contract at the end of June 2025. He is reportedly attracting interest from Wrexham, who are themselves on the rise and able to offer better financial security.

Alongside Bannan, players such as Callum Paterson and Akin Famewo also face uncertain futures, with contract talks clouded by the club’s financial limitations. The longer the situation drags on, the more likely it becomes that Wednesday will lose influential dressing room figures — not because they want to leave, but because the club can’t offer them guarantees.

What Next for Wednesday?

The problems now facing Sheffield Wednesday are not minor — they are existential. A transfer ban until 2027 limits any meaningful rebuilding. Wage issues threaten to drive players and staff away. The manager is likely to leave, and fan trust in the ownership is near zero.

Without immediate and drastic change, there’s a very real danger that Wednesday could slip backwards. While relegation was avoided last season, repeating that feat with a weakened squad, no recruitment budget, and instability in the dugout will be an enormous challenge.

Unless Chansiri steps aside or secures new investment, the situation will likely get worse before it gets better.