Contradictions and questions - Breaking down Dejphon Chansiri’s latest bizarre Sheffield Wednesday statement

The explosive statement, which arrived on the day of a vital Championship clash with Sunderland during which protests are planned both on the terraces and post-match, has been roundly condemned by the club’s fan base.

The Star and other local media outlets have made formal requests to interview Chansiri in the last fortnight. These were not permitted and The Star have been asked to resubmit a request when the Thai businessman is back in the country.

Here The Star take a look at some of the contradictions and questions raised by the statement.

Fans can complain, criticise, give strong opinions, balanced opinions, say anything you like. But no one has the right to cross the line or the right to try and cause damage, throw insults, or go to my family which has happened again, which I cannot accept. Right now, this is too much. I have always welcomed constructive debate and thought, which is fine, but to the people who have contacted me directly with insults, and to my family, I can tell you that I will never accept this.

Chansiri has been the subject of racial and personal abuse in recent years, which has always vehemently condemned by the vast majority of the club’s fan base and by the outside media.

No personal abuse is acceptable.

The Star has seen email back-and-forths between Chansiri and individual Sheffield Wednesday supporters in recent weeks in which he has launched back at criticism of his stewardship of the club.

The club has found ways to improve and make things better and develop as much as we can, in all areas. However, it is not possible for the club to do things alone. For example, some fans have said the ticket price is too high. I have explained this many times in forums. For example, the prices can be lower if we have enough guaranteed volume and that is a win-win situation, for the club and the fans. It is the same for the price of the shirts, exactly the same principle. The price can be lower if the sale volume is higher. We must look for solutions – it is no use thinking of just one side, we must think of and help each other. I lose a lot of money each year and we must try and balance as much as we can.

Several football clubs have achieved success without having to raise ticket prices to the extent of Sheffield Wednesday.

The failure to raise money in other ways, through outside investment, player sales and through alternative revenue streams seems to have led to a need to support the club financially through the pockets of supporters.

At his most recent fan forum, Chansiri was asked how other clubs - the example given being Ipswich Town - have managed to thrive on and off the pitch without leaning on a price hike for supporters.

Chansiri evaded the question and instead invited supporters to ask Ipswich Town.

As for the club ‘trying to make things better and developing as much as they can in all areas’?

There is no doubt there have been efforts made - the grievance from a growing number of supporters is whether, in several areas, these efforts have been at all successful.

Some fans say I am the custodian, not the owner. Who say they were born here and will die here. I may not have been born here and I will probably not die here but one thing I can say is that I will always try and do my best for Wednesday. Even though I have been involved for less than 10 years, that does not make my love for our club any higher or lower than anyone else. To those who are trying to create trouble damaging the club, I ask, what have you done that is good for your club, why are you trying to harm it? If I am such a bad owner, what are you doing on your side? We all love Sheffield Wednesday and I am a supporter as well as the owner who must love and care for the club more than anyone else because of the position I am in as chairman.

Chansiri has spoken on numerous occasions on supporters and media ‘trying to damage the club’.

The question here is how repeat inflammatory statements about former players, former managers and now a thinly-veiled threat to withdraw his funding for the club is not damaging to the club’s image and performance?

As has been made clear by both supporters and media for several years, Chansiri’s financial commitment to Sheffield Wednesday is admirable and vital to the running of the club.

But there can be little doubt his PR activity in recent months has been detrimental to the success.

This latest statement arrives on the morning of a matchday on which supporter protests are planned and less than 24 hours after the club’s manager and captain pleaded for the focus of support to be placed on the pitch while the club seeks to achieve its first win of the season.

It seems from the outside that Chansiri has put the airing of personal grievances before the harmony and success of Sheffield Wednesday FC.

I must take responsibility for everything at the club, including the financial support which is something I always do. But from now, I will not put additional money into the club. If you say you are the owner and I am the custodian, then show me how to be the good owner and help save your club. You want me to leave but you want me to spend money? If you want me to leave, then show me how to run the club and invest the money before I do that. You have no right to ask me to leave. I am the one who saved the club and spent the money for the club, I am the one who needs to pay around £2m on average every month. Some fans need to have more respect for owners of clubs and not be so selfish, thinking of their own benefit without doing anything good to the club. This is not acceptable and as a result I am not willing to inject more money while I am being treated unfairly by those fans.

We’ll get to the threat of withdrawal of financial support later - it is not entirely clear what this means.

Asking a fan base to show its club owner ‘how to run the club’ is something Chansiri has touched upon before at fan forums and that has left fans scratching their heads as to whose responsibility it is to run their football club. Put politely, it’s a confusing approach.

It is well-known that Chansiri has the final say on all matters pertaining to the running of Sheffield Wednesday. The question has long since been how much credence he gives to the opinions of professionals put in place to run sections of the club - and on big decisions.

The Star has reason to believe advice is not always taken - or received positively.

I think at the moment, it is too much, with some people crossing the line. For example, as a club we have made many statements about the conduct of supporters, and those who have broken the regulations could lead to us receiving fines from the FA. Some clubs have been fined up to £100,000 for breaking the regulations and of course this is something we do not wish to see at Sheffield Wednesday. Coming onto the pitch at the end of the game against Peterborough, throwing objects onto the pitch against Middlesbrough, these situations can cost clubs a lot of money which again is my responsibility.

Conflating the post-Peterborough pitch invasion with a supporter protest during the Middlesbrough match is a bold step for a club owner to take.

Given the context of planned protests, it reads to be a directive and serves as a suggestion that at a time of great unrest, the protests of increasingly concerned supporters would serve only to damage the club financially.

Regarding protests, I do not believe this can help our club. The people who are trying to organise these protests are not prepared to identify themselves, while they are happy to encourage other fans to show themselves, how can this help? Protests are a waste of time. I would like these fans to show me how much you love your club, do not damage it. I do not want to fight with anyone but to use your words - ‘enough is enough’. Please do not damage our own club, otherwise those fans need to take all responsibilities and liabilities.

There can be little doubt that ‘Protests are a waste of time’ seems an inflammatory phrase to make public at a time when protests are planned and taking place.

‘I do not want to fight with anyone but..’ reads to be a little more concerning.

I know there are people who wish for me to leave. I personally have never said a single word on my valuation of Sheffield Wednesday or how much I would want to sell Sheffield Wednesday for, because I have never considered selling. It is easy – someone come forward, and if I am satisfied that the club will better prosper, then we can talk. Some fans say there are many people wanting to buy football clubs but it is not just about money, it is about the right person or organisation who will take good care of the club.

Chansiri has repeatedly rejected media and supporter requests for clarity on what valuation he holds on the club, in which he has put in a great deal of unreturned investment. It’s important to remember he also owns Hillsborough Stadium.

Recent examples make clear that football governance is so often a murky world and no Sheffield Wednesday figure would want the club to be placed in the hands of a more unsuitable owner - the sentiment is admirable.

‘If I am satisfied the club will better prosper’ is subjective to Chansiri himself and comes at a time when it is clear he is more satisfied with his governance of the club than a growing percentage of its fan base.

There was speculation recently from an interested party but it was said I refused to talk about the sale of the club. This is not correct. It is simple, if you want to buy the club, show me the proof of funds and submit an offer in the professional way. I met this person as a sponsor and I did not know who he was representing but the same applies, show me the proof of funds and submit an offer. Neither of these two things happened and as a sponsor, his business was yet to pay the full amount for the sponsorship so how could I sell the club like this anyway?

The assumption is that this section of the statement is related to Adam Shaw, a Sheffield-born, US-based businessman who made clear his intention to enter into discussions over the potential purchase of Sheffield Wednesday from Chansiri.

Shaw maintains he has a group of US-based investors that would assist with the funding and management of the club.

The Star has had contact with Shaw with regard to the possibility of an interview. This was initially granted in principle but after subsequent attempts of contact Shaw has not responded to messages from The Star.

Should an interest in acquiring Sheffield Wednesday remain, The Star would welcome the opportunity to speak to Shaw at a time of his earliest convenience.

If anyone wants to buy the club, they should act professionally and follow the correct process. All the information required is published in the accounts every year, there is nothing to hide. When I bought Sheffield Wednesday, would Milan have sold it to me if he was not satisfied with my offer? All I want and all I have ever wanted is the best for Sheffield Wednesday and if anyone wishes to invest and come and do a better job, then we can talk. Until that happens I will continue to try my best and focus on trying to help us move up the Championship table.

Accounts published by the club as per Companies House rules are not live and are published retrospectively - for any individual or body to garner a thorough understanding of Sheffield Wednesday’s live financial position then information would need to be handed over.

Any prospective buyer would need to see the club’s internal accounts as live in order to make a full and thorough judgement on the potential purchase of the club.

The Star is not aware of any formal processes having taken place as to the potential sale of Sheffield Wednesday to any party during Chansiri’s time at the club.

The suggestion here is that Chansiri will listen to credible offers to buy the club if they are put forward in the right way.

But from now, I will not put additional money into the club. If you say you are the owner and I am the custodian, then show me how to be the good owner and help save your club. You want me to leave but you want me to spend money? If you want me to leave, then show me how to run the club and invest the money before I do that. You have no right to ask me to leave. I am the one who saved the club and spent the money for the club, I am the one who needs to pay around £2m on average every month. Some fans need to have more respect for owners of clubs and not be so selfish, thinking of their own benefit without doing anything good to the club. This is not acceptable and as a result I am not willing to inject more money while I am being treated unfairly by those fans...

... As I mentioned, I will not inject any more money into the club if I am being treated unfairly. Those fans who create trouble to the club and myself and believe that they are the real owner of the club need to be responsible for the financial matters of the club from now on. If they can take such financial responsibility to save the club and they believe that I am not the right owner, they may propose any buyer who I believe can operate the club for the benefit of all stakeholders going forward.

These sections of the statement are surely the most concerning.

It has been interpreted as a threat against further protest action by Sheffield Wednesday supporters - suggesting he will withdraw funding should these continue.

What is unclear is what the statement lays out in terms of his commitment to continuing to fund the club. When does finding become ‘additional funding’? If Chansiri is ‘treated unfairly’, does this statement stand to suggest he will withdraw all funding to the club, which would land Sheffield Wednesday in dire financial territory?

Again, no personal abuse is appropriate, but the notion of ‘being treated unfairly’ is subjective to Chansiri himself.

Again, it reads like a threat.