EFL investigation means Sheffield Wednesday must pull further away from relegation zone, says Adam Reach

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY midfielder Adam Reach admits that the possibility of the club potentially being docked points this season if they are found guilty of breaking Financial Fair Play rules represents a motivation for Owls players in their quest to put some further daylight between themselves and the Championship relegation zone.
By Leon Wobschall
Published 17th Jun 2020, 16:28 BST
Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Adam Reach (right). PICTURE: PA.Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Adam Reach (right). PICTURE: PA.
Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Adam Reach (right). PICTURE: PA.

Wednesday return to action following the Coronavirus hiatus with a home game with Nottingham Forest on Saturday and despite their poor form in 2020, they remain nine points clear of the drop zone with nine matches to go.

The Owls have been locked in a dispute with the English Football League since last November after they were charged with breaching Profitability & Sustainability rules and their case could be heard before an independent disciplinary commission later this summer.

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The charges relate to the £60 million sale of Wednesday’s Hillsborough stadium to owner Dejphon Chansiri, which ensured a £38m profit and helped record a pre-tax profit of £2.5m in their 2017-18 accounts.

Derby County also have charges regarding the sale of their own stadium hanging over them.

Wednesday have strenuously denied financial misconduct but could face severe punishment if found guilty, with the possible sanctions ranging from a heavy points deduction to a transfer embargo or fine.

Several sides at the bottom of the Championship - including Barnsley and Luton Town - have publicly stated that any rivals who are found guilty of breaking Profit and Sustainability rules should be punished for the offences this season and not in 2020-21.

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Reach said: "The way we have got to look on it is that we have no control what happens with that.

"What the manager is trying to instil in us and what we need to believe in ourselves is that it is one more motivation to pick up as many points as we can in these remaining nine games just in case something like that happens and we get charged - I don't know. Hopefully not.

"We need to use that as one more reason why we need to win games and pick up as many points as we can.

"I wouldn't say it lingers over us and is something we discuss. But it is something you cannot hide from. People see it on Twitter or in the news.

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"Ideally, we'd all want some finality and clarity on that. But I can't see that coming. The EFL and the club itself have got bigger things to worry about in terms of this Project Restart and getting this season up and running again.

"But on a day to day basis, that does not affect the players or coaching staff or affect how we do our job."

Related topics:EFLDerby CountyDejphon ChansiriSustainability