Why Sheffield Wednesday are 'disappointed' not to be in Carabao Cup action against financially-troubled Bury this week

Wednesday were scheduled to take on the Shakers in the first round of the competition at Hillsborough tomorrow night.

But the tie was called off last week because of Bury's ongoing financial problems.

The Shakers, who won promotion from League Two last season, face expulsion from the EFL on August 23 unless they provide a plan to pay off outstanding creditors.

Bury's opening two league matches of the season against MK Dons and Accrington Stanley have also been postponed because they have so far not provided "the clarity required" on their financial situation.

The Lancashire club have already been given a 12-point deduction for the season after entering into a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) - which is classed as an insolvency event by the EFL - to try to clear some of their debts.

Bury also had a winding-up petition against them dismissed by the High Court at the end of July.

Bullen, the Owls interim manager, told The Star: "I am really, really disappointed it will not go ahead and I really hope that the EFL can get this sorted out as soon as possible.

"Bury are a fantastic, historical club in English football. I think anyway we can they (the EFL) can help is a bonus for everybody. The last thing we want to see is any football club going under, especially because I know one or two of the lads involved there like Paul Wilkinson and Dave Jones. You never want to see that."

It is highly likely that Bullen, now the bookmakers' favourite to become the Owls manager on a permanent basis after guiding the club to back-to-back victories over Reading and Barnsley, would have rotated his squad in the cup.

"We really needed the game," stressed Bullen. "We have got so many lads that need game time at the moment.

"Keiren [Westwood] missed the game against Barnsley and Dominic Iorfa is now back after a two-game suspension and we have got two or three new players that maybe needs minutes and there are two or three lads that haven't played for a couple of games.

"We are really disappointed. One for Bury as a football club; it would have been great for them from a financial point of view but selfishly for ourselves just to get to players on the pitch. It is really disappointing."