To Dejphon Chansiri - Sheffield Wednesday is ailing, please don’t let it go from serious to critical

“I’d take two relegations just to be rid of HIM!”

This from a former Sheffield Wednesday player, having just asked the ever recurring “what the hell’s happening?” question.

That’s when you know things are bad, really bad. And I’ve heard the same verdict from some fans. As of now, no-one can dare imagine it can’t happen.

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“Then we can start again,” is the follow up in all cases. And how to start again was the theme of the fans forum staged by the Sheffield Wednesday Supporters Trust this week.

That’s why it has to become less about HIM and more about the CLUB. I think we can understand, even sympathise with, the financial pressures, although not the way it’s been run.

All supporters really want is a club they can be proud to support. Attendances at Hillsborough, averaging 26,000 last season, show that being in the Premier League is not the be-all and end-all.

Spending a quarter of a century out of it is an irritation but not a deterrent to the hordes who still flock to the stadium.

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Not that they don’t deserve better. They do. But they’ve carried on supporting anyway, regardless of an owner’s unpopularity, regardless of high pricing, regardless of anything. Until now perhaps.

As things stand, the way I see it, that most precious of commodities - sheer loyalty - can no longer be taken for granted. And if many would take a relegation or two in return for an owner leaving, that shows the depth of feeling about what is most precious about their club. Namely its pride and their pride in it.

The vision document “A better Wednesday”, launched by the SWFC Trust, has this at its heart.

Expectations of any new owner include simply having a plan, short and long term, and willingness to engage with fans; installing a team of professionals with the delegated authority to run the club day to day and to operate it sustainably.

“A club that is well led by knowledgeable people,” says the document. Has “a clear vision for the future” and “where everyone feels welcome.”

A message to Dejphon Chansiri

Meantime, Mr. Chansiri, here’s a few urgings from this column.

If you love Sheffield Wednesday, as you profess, please don’t let it come to the worst of the current doomsday scenarios.

Please get the best offer you can, by all means, but don’t drag it out at the club’s expense and yours.

Please don’t let your own pride go before an even deeper fall. Be pragmatic. Prioritise paying your staff, sell a player or two if you can. Better late than never.

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Please don’t reject any consortium out of hand just because (as in the case of the Florida-led one) they’ve spoken out to declare their bid publicly. Leave any personal prejudices aside - they don’t matter.

And please look out for your own health and well-being. No-one can deny that you have been fully committed, in your own way, to help the club progress.

In conclusion, there’s no doubt either that the general well-being of many football fans runs in tandem with the fortunes of their team.

Sheffield Wednesday is ailing. Please don’t let it go from serious to critical.

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