Exclusive:Headhunters and unpaid bills circle on Sheffield Wednesday as cash crisis deepens
Recruitment agencies are targeting behind-the-scenes Sheffield Wednesday staff as the club’s financial situation continues, with some businesses waiting on small outstanding payments, The Star understands.
Employees of the club were warned ahead of today’s scheduled payday that they were not to expect prompt payment for the month of July, which would mean non-football staff at the club have not been paid in full on the scheduled day of payment for the third consecutive month.
Deeply apologetic correspondence sent to staff from colleague within the club made no reference to an initial holding payment of £700 made in previous months, though an emergency funding process will once again be put in place. Employees were assured that payments will be fulfilled, though late.
It’s understood that recruitment agencies have and continue to target Wednesday employees, who have been praised for their continued commitment and dedication to the club in what has been a hugely challenging summer. A headhunter at a Yorkshire-based recruitment firm has told The Star that news of the club’s situation has seen Wednesday identified as a ‘distressed employer’ and has alerted them to potentially motivated job-movers, with contact believed to have been made with some staff.
The Star has also been told of a handful of non-football businesses that claim they are waiting on payments owed to them by the club. Wednesday are still under an EFL embargo for the non-payment of transfer fees to clubs for transfer dealings and while it is not known which clubs have had their debts settled by the Owls, two of the outstanding fees at the time of the sanction are understood to have been for a five-figure fee.
At least one of the debts owed to a non-footballing company is believed to be smaller than that and attempts to contact the club to recoup the money have so far been unsuccessful. Some monies owed have been settled to companies in recent weeks, though late, as the club continues to work through its current issues.
It all comes at a hugely challenging time for employees of the club at all levels, with work ongoing behind the scenes amid frustration at a lack of communication and leadership from owner Dejphon Chansiri with regard to the ongoing crisis. The vast majority of staff have maintained their commitment to work despite the complexities of the situation.
As per communication to staff from club officials, this month’s prompt payment failure is once again expected to hit employees at all levels of the clubs from players to backroom staff and non-football employees. Playing staff are believed to be considering an option to tender their notice to terminate their contracts if payments are not made today.