"Embarrassing" - Sheffield Wednesday fans fume as new Chansiri issue emerges | OneFootball

Another missed payday heaps pressure on Owls amid ownership turmoil and looming EFL sanctions

Sheffield Wednesday face renewed scrutiny and the risk of a long-term transfer embargo following another delay in the payment of player wages - the second such incident in a matter of months.

Rob Staton of BBC Radio Sheffield revealed on Friday that sources close to the situation confirmed May’s wage payments have not been processed on time, echoing issues in March that were only resolved weeks later.

The Owls are now flirting dangerously with breaching the EFL’s 30-day rule for the second time this year - and with it, the threat of a three-window embargo looms larger than ever.

Unpaid wages leave Sheffield Wednesday at risk of three window transfer embargo

In April, it was revealed that the Owls had until a specific Monday deadline to settle unpaid wages dating back to March or face automatic EFL sanctions.

At the time, club owner Dejphon Chansiri admitted to The Star that he could not guarantee payment by that date, citing delayed personal business transactions.

Although it is understood that backroom and non-footballing staff were eventually paid, and that player wages were covered in early April, this fresh delay revives fears over the club’s short-term financial viability.

If the unpaid wages from May cross the 30-day threshold without resolution, Wednesday could find themselves automatically embargoed - potentially without appeal - under the EFL’s revised regulations.

The rule stipulates that clubs must not accumulate 30 days of missed HMRC or wage payments across any 12-month period beginning July 1. With this being the second known instance since October 2024, the Owls’ margin for error is now perilously thin.

Sheffield Wednesday supporters furious with silence from the top

Frustration among the Owls fanbase continues to mount.

Communication from the club has been sparse, and with the summer transfer window and a potential managerial search on the horizon, supporters are demanding clarity on what the immediate future holds.

Social media has been awash with concern, with many pointing to long-standing issues under Chansiri’s stewardship and questioning whether a change in ownership is the only viable path forward.

The latest wage delay comes at a time when pressure on Chansiri's ownership has reached fever pitch, with supporters increasingly vocal in their demands for change.

The club's Supporters Trust has organised protests at the end of the 24/25 season, highlighting widespread dissatisfaction with the current regime's handling of Wednesday's affairs.

Two takeover bids from a Florida-based consortium have been rejected by Chansiri this year, while Saudi interest has cooled with Turki Al-Sheikh now targeting southern clubs instead.

For supporters already frustrated by years of uncertainty under Chansiri's ownership, the latest wage delay is another damaging blow.