Dejphon Chansiri, the Thai businessman and owner of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club, is under increasing scrutiny in the United Kingdom due to concerns over his management of the club.
On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, Clive Betts, Member of Parliament for Sheffield South East, addressed the House of Commons, highlighting the financial instability under Chansiri’s ownership. Betts acknowledged Chansiri’s significant financial contributions but emphasized that the current situation is unsustainable, noting that the owner is “running out of money” and that the club is “not sustainable going forward”.
Chansiri, a member of the prominent Chansiri family that owns Thai Union Group, acquired Sheffield Wednesday in 2015 with ambitions of reaching the Premier League. Despite initial investments, the club has faced financial challenges, including a reported £151.4 million in losses and recent delays in player wage payments due to cash flow issues linked to Chansiri’s personal businesses .
The financial difficulties have sparked significant unrest among the club’s supporters. On April 26, thousands of fans participated in a protest organized by the Sheffield Wednesday Supporters Trust, marching from the city’s historic Adelphi Hotel to Hillsborough Stadium. Chants of “We want our Wednesday back” echoed as fans expressed their dissatisfaction with Chansiri’s leadership, citing unpaid wages, lack of transparency, and a perceived disregard for the club’s heritage .
Local MPs, including Clive Betts, have shown solidarity with the fans, issuing a joint statement supporting their right to protest and expressing concerns about the club’s future under current ownership. The statement emphasized the importance of the club to the city’s culture and heritage and called for improved communication and a long-term solution to the ongoing issues .
Despite the off-field turmoil, Sheffield Wednesday has experienced a degree of stability on the pitch under manager Danny Röhl, who took over in October 2023. The team currently sits mid-table in the Championship, although Röhl is expected to depart in the summer amid interest from other clubs .
As the situation unfolds, the future of Sheffield Wednesday remains uncertain. Calls for Chansiri to sell the club are growing louder, with fans and politicians alike urging a change in ownership to secure the club’s long-term stability and success.
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