Dejphon Chansiri confident Sheffield Wednesday will defend EFL charge

Wednesday could be hit with a range of sanctions including a points deduction after being charged for breaking spending rules following the club’s controversial sale of their Hillsborough home to Chansiri in the 2017/18 season. The Owls sold their ground for about £60m, helping them record a pre-tax profit of £2.5m for 2017-18.

The charges relate to “how and when” it was sold and its inclusion in the 2018 accounts when it was sold a year later, with Wednesday vigorously defending themselves against the charges.

Chansiri said: “Of course, if we were not confident, then we would not be challenging and defending these allegations.

“I am afraid I cannot go into any detail at this moment. All I can ask of our fans is to be patient, I understand all the questions and the uncertainties, but we have to follow the process, there is no other way.

“I believe with any situation like this, and because it has not happened to our club before, we have always had to be prepared for an indefinite period of time.

“Right from the start, there have never been any time-scales or deadlines set as this is an independent process.

“The situation is ongoing, which is all we are permitted to say for legal reasons. This is the same for the EFL.”

National reports have stated this week that the Owls’ legal battle with the EFL will still be resolved this year despite the coronavirus pandemic and Chansiri does not believe that the crisis will prevent a final outcome.

The Wednesday chief said: “This is not something we would anticipate, but the EFL, with input from its member clubs, are now working through the consequences of COVID-19.”

Meanwhile, Chansiri has stressed manager Garry Monk still has his full support, despite a fraught run since Christmas.

Chansiri added: “Today Garry Monk is the manager of our club and he has my 100 per cent support.

“We have had conversations on everything to do with the players and the results and those conversations will remain private as they should be.”