'No deadline' on when Sheffield Wednesday could be slapped with points deduction

It had been suggested that any points sanction would have to be enacted by the end of March, but that ruling is for issues with insolvency and administration only and is not relevant to Wednesday’s ongoing battle with the league.

The club are locked in an arbitration case with the EFL after the authority charged the club and three former and current club officials – including owner Dejphon Chansiri – with misconduct in November.

Wednesday have fiercely denied the charge and launched a counter-claim, claiming the charge is ‘unlawful’. If the club fail in their arbitration claim likely sanctions include a points deduction. The out-of-form Owls are currently nine points from the drop zone.

The arbitration case is being heard by an independent commission. Wednesday’s latest statement read: “The Club will continue to take such steps as it considers necessary to protect and enforce its rights against the EFL and to protect it from unlawful action by the EFL affecting the Club and the performance of its team.”

The EFL charge centres on the sale of Wednesday’s Hillsborough stadium to a third-party company owned by Chansiri. The sale was completed in order to sidestep any breach of the league’s Profit and Sustainability rules, which allow a loss of no more than £39m every three-year cycle.

Last week Birmingham City had a financial misconduct charge from the EFL overturned, the circumstances of which were in no way comparable to that of Wednesday.

Speaking after Wednesday’s humiliating 5-0 defeat at Brentford on Saturday, vice-captain Barry Bannan denied the ongoing saga is affecting matters on the field.

The Scot said: “This wasn't spoken about when we were in third position so we can't turn around now because we are struggling at the minute and say 'oh, with everything that is going on in the background it is affecting us.'

"It has not. It has not affected me.

"I don't think the deduction has ever come into the conversation between the boys.”