A group of Sheffield Wednesday fans plan protest against owner Dejphon Chansiri during the game against Coventry.
The group, called Owls On The Pitch, are encouraging Owls fans to take part in a pitch invasion at Sheffield Wednesday’s upcoming game against the Sky Blues at Hillsborough. The game will be shown live on Sky Sports.
Owls On The Pitch recently set up an account on X, and posted this message:
The group plan to reveal more details about the protest in due course. The fact that this action is even being considered shows just how upset supporters are about Chansiri’s running of the club.
Sheffield Wednesday Fans Plan Protest – Wednesday’s financial troubles
The plans for a potential pitch invasion come as Sheffield Wednesday were hit by two new transfer embargoes, as reported by the Sheffield Star. These involve regulations 16.21.8 – ‘Future Financial Information’ and P&S Rule 2.10.3 – ‘Secure Funding’.
Although the EFL cannot reveal any further details due to confidentiality rules, it is believed that there are concerns about Chansiri’s ability to fund the club in the long term. This follows a summer of financial turmoil, with the club failing to pay their staff on time three months in a row.
The embargoes rule out Wednesday making any new signings for their paper-thin squad. They had been linked with free agent Duncan Watmore, but league rules stipulate that clubs under embargo cannot sign free agents if they have more than 16 ‘permitted players’ – that is, 16 players with three or more league starts. As Wednesday have that permitted number in their squad already, it leaves any move for former Middlesbrough and Sunderland midfielder Watmore dead in the water.
Wednesday’s perilous situation does not look likely to ease any time soon. Chansiri seems reluctant to sell the club, despite interest from businessman John Textor, who recently sold his stake in Crystal Palace.
It was reported that Textor was trying to arrange a meeting with Chansiri to discuss a potential sale, but so far nothing has come to fruition.
Chansiri has also put a £100m valuation on the club, which may also be putting off any prospective buyers. The concerns about his ability to continue to fund the club has thrown Wednesday’s future into doubt again, prompting anger from Owls fans, who have stepped up their campaign against him.
Sheffield Wednesday Fans Plan Protest – The ‘Ins and outs’
Protests have broken out against Chansiri this season. At their opening game, away at Leicester City, fans unfurled anti-Chansiri banners, while a plane flew over the stadium with the message ‘Dejphon Chansiri Out’ trailing behind it.
Fans boycotted the Owls Carabao Cup ties against Leeds and Grimsby, with less 10,000 home fans at Hillsborough to see their loss to the Mariners.
The London Owls, a fan group based in the capital, organised a protest outside the Thai embassy in London in early September. They delivered a letter to Thailand’s Ambassador to the UK, asking him to intervene with Chansiri:
A pitch invasion would be a step up from these previous protests, and while it would gain attention, it also risks further punishment for Wednesday. Penalties for pitch invasions can vary, as other clubs have found out in the past.
In January 2023, Reading received a suspended three-point penalty after their fans invaded the pitch in a protest against Royals owner Dai Yongge during a match against Port Vale. In September 2024, Mansfield received £10,000 fine for a pitch invasion during a match the previous season, when they were celebrating promotion.
Whatever the consequences, Sheffield Wednesday fans feel that they have no choice but to try and force Chansiri’s hand, but will a pitch invasion work or just make things worse for the beleaguered club?
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