Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen says the club “needs a fresh restart” as it begins a new era under administrators. The restart comes at a heavy price: a 12-point deduction for entering administration, which leaves the club on -6 points, 15 points from safety.
Owner Dejphon Chansiri placed the club into administration on Friday amid a mounting financial crisis, including a $pounds{}$1 million tax bill and months of unpaid wages. Pedersen said the turmoil of the “last five, six, seven, eight months” could not continue and that “a sad situation can also still be a good day.”
Fans, who had been protesting Chansiri’s ownership, echoed this “bittersweet” sentiment. The Supporters Trust celebrated his departure but lamented the penalty. The club wasted no time in removing “Chansiri” from the seats in the North Stand.
The club’s future now rests with administrator Begbies Traynor, who will market the club and stadium to new buyers. They met with “emotional” staff, with Pedersen expressing hope that job losses would be avoided.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy pointed to the crisis as “another reminder” of the need for the independent football regulator. Meanwhile, the Supporters Trust is urging fans to end their boycotts and help fund the rebuild, stating, “Now is the time to be Wednesday.”
