Dejphon Cansiri and family in for long haul with Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday owner, Dejphon Chansiri. Picture: Steve Ellis | Steve Ellis Photography.Barnsley. All rights reserved

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY owner Dejphon Chansiri has announced his intention to pass on the running of the club to his son at some point in the future, while reaffirming his commitment to the club.

The Thai businessman’s reign at Hillsborough has been a tumultuous one since acquiring a 100 per cent stake in the club from Milan Mandaric for £37.5m in January 2015.

Chansiri was tantalisingly close to seeing Wednesday achieve their declared target of promotion to the Premier League by 2017, with the club being losing finalists in the Championship play-off final of 2016 and bowing out at the semi-final stage in the play-offs at the end of 2016-17.

Since then, Wednesday - and Chansiri - have endured a more turbulent time, with the club placed under a soft transfer embargo between April and August 2019 under the English Football League’s Profitability and Sustainability rules.

Chansiri put the club up for sale last December but subsequently said that leaving would “break his heart”.

Wednesday are embroiled in an ongoing legal case with the EFL following a misconduct charge.

The club could also be hit with a range of sanctions including a hefty points deduction after being charged by the EFL for breaking spending rules following the club’s controversial sale of their Hillsborough home to Chansiri in the 2017-18 season.

But despite a tough last few seasons, Chansiri intends to remain at the helm.

Chansiri, who revealed he has turned down ‘substantial bids’ for the club in the past, told Yorkshire Live: “Today that is my intention.

“Everything in life can change very quickly, you only have to see what is happening around the world right now but today I am happy and I wish to pass our club to my son.

“I said from the start that while I am here I will try my best to help Wednesday succeed and I am thinking the same today.

“There are no guarantees but now I am the owner and chairman and I will give 100 per cent until the day arrives when that situation may change.

“Many people have wanted to buy the club and I have said no to substantial bids in the past. The future is the future, nobody knows what will happen in football.

“Right now I focus on today and my 100 per cent desire is to lead Wednesday the best I possibly can towards the best place we can possibly be.”