Sheffield Wednesday, one of the oldest and most storied football clubs in England, has entered administration, triggering an immediate 12-point deduction and sending shockwaves through the Championship. On Friday morning, October 24, 2025, a notice was filed with the Insolvency and Companies Court at 10:01 AM, confirming the club’s financial crisis and the appointment of joint administrators Julian Pitts, Kris Wigfield, and Paul Stanley of Begbies Traynor.
This dramatic step follows months of mounting turmoil at Hillsborough. The Owls, already rooted to the bottom of the Championship, now find themselves on -6 points, a staggering 15 points adrift of safety, with the daunting prospect of relegation looming larger than ever. The club’s supporters, long frustrated by off-field mismanagement, have been staging boycotts and protests, most recently staying away in large numbers for the home match against Middlesbrough.
"The joint administrators have taken over the running of the club with immediate effect to protect the interests of creditors, and to ensure Sheffield Wednesday can continue operating while we seek a new owner as swiftly as possible," stated Kris Wigfield, managing partner at Begbies Traynor. He emphasized the importance of the club’s loyal fanbase, adding, "Supporters are the backbone of any football club. The money they spend at the gate and in the ground is vital. I've been a season ticket holder since 1984 and know first-hand the passion of this fanbase. Now, more than ever, we need fans back in the ground—buying tickets, merchandise, pies and pints. Every penny spent will go directly to supporting the day-to-day running of this club, not to the former owner or professional costs. This will help stabilise the club while we secure a suitable buyer."
Paul Stanley, another joint administrator, assured supporters and staff, "There should be no interruption to the fixture schedule and we are in close contact with the EFL to ensure the effects of this administration on the employees, supporters, the community and the players are minimised as far as possible. Sheffield Wednesday is a massive, historic club with a loyal fanbase in a city that lives and breathes football. If more fans return to Hillsborough, the club can cover its day-to-day costs and move towards a viable sale to a new ownership capable of restoring long-term stability. With the right ownership structure, we are confident the club has a bright future and will meet all EFL regulatory obligations."
The EFL confirmed receipt of the formal notice and swiftly updated the league table, reflecting the Owls’ new, perilous position. In their statement, the EFL also expressed hope that administration could be a turning point: "This development results in the automatic deduction of 12 points in accordance with regulations agreed by all clubs, it also presents Sheffield Wednesday with the opportunity to move matters towards a successful sale and secure future under new ownership."
The administration marks the end of Dejphon Chansiri’s turbulent decade-long ownership. Chansiri, who took over in March 2015 with ambitions of restoring Premier League football to Hillsborough, failed to deliver on those promises. The club’s closest brush with promotion came in the 2016 Championship play-off final, where they fell to Hull City. Instead, the years since have been marred by financial mismanagement, repeated EFL sanctions, and ultimately relegation to League One in 2021 after a six-point deduction for breaking spending rules.
Chansiri’s tenure was also plagued by wage payment issues, with staff and players going unpaid on multiple occasions. As recently as this year, wages were not paid on time in five of the past seven months, and the club has operated under several EFL embargoes. In June 2025, Chansiri was charged with breaching EFL regulations regarding payment obligations. Later that month, he publicly stated his willingness to sell the club, but attempts to secure a credible buyer stalled, culminating in this week’s administration filing.
The financial woes were compounded by a series of supporter protests. The Sheffield Wednesday Supporters’ Trust (SWST) had called for boycotts of matches, including high-profile games against Leeds United, Grimsby Town, and most recently Middlesbrough. The Trust released a statement reflecting the bittersweet nature of the day: "Today marks one of the most bittersweet days in our club's proud 158-year history. Entering administration was the inevitable outcome of years of financial mismanagement, a lack of accountability, and repeated failures to engage credible buyers. Administration is not something to be celebrated. It needn't have ended this way. But we are overjoyed to have Dejphon Chansiri out of our club for good."
The Trust also expressed optimism for the future, noting, "The appointed administrators are highly experienced professionals, including one who has been a Sheffield Wednesday season ticket holder for decades. The trust has already opened dialogue with them and will play a full part in safeguarding the long-term survival and sustainable future of our club. Now, more than ever, Wednesdayites must stand together, patient, proud, and focused on rebuilding a football club that truly represents Sheffield: honest, sustainable, and ambitious."
Amid the turmoil, the club’s North Stand was closed earlier this year after a prohibition notice from Sheffield City Council, further reducing matchday revenue. Key players, including forwards Josh Windass and Michael Smith, departed by mutual consent. The managerial merry-go-round continued as Danny Rohl, who briefly steadied the ship after promotion back to the Championship in 2023, left for Rangers, and assistant Henrik Pedersen stepped in to take charge of a threadbare squad.
Despite all the chaos, administrators moved quickly to reassure all parties that fixtures would continue as scheduled. The Owls are set to host Oxford United at Hillsborough on Saturday, October 25, 2025, at 15:00 BST. With the Supporters’ Trust ending their boycott and urging fans to return, hopes are high for a bumper crowd to help the club through these darkest days.
The situation has also drawn comment from government officials and the new Independent Football Regulator (IFR), with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy stating, "For the fans, staff and players of Sheffield Wednesday this is an extremely worrying situation... Situations like this are exactly why this government set up the new Independent Football Regulator. Owners should be good custodians who act with their club's best interests in mind and clearly, in this instance, that has not been the case."
As administrators field interest from potential buyers and the EFL maintains close oversight, the future of Sheffield Wednesday now rests on the shoulders of its supporters and the stewardship of its new guardians. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether the club can stabilize, attract new investment, and begin the long, hard climb back to former glories.
For now, the focus turns to Saturday’s match against Oxford United. The Owls, battered but unbowed, will take to the field with the hope that this painful chapter might just herald the fresh start so desperately needed at Hillsborough.
