Co-owner Michael Storch sees no reason why Sheffield Wednesday cannot return to the top of the English game, but insisted: “There aren’t going to be any short cuts.”

Exactly one year ago Dejphon Chansiri’s deeply unpopular ownership of the club formally ended when the Owls entered administration, the Thai’s ambition to propel the club to the Premier League ultimately collapsing with players and staff chasing unpaid pages, a stadium crumbling and fans boycotting games.

Twelve months on and the club are in the hands of Arise Capital Partners, whose principals are David Storch, his son Michael, and Tom Costin.

Michael Storch is a keen student of Wednesday’s heritage and history and wants to guide the club back to the Premier League.

LOOKING AHEAD: Sheffield Wednesday co-owner Michael Storch.

placeholder image — LOOKING AHEAD: Sheffield Wednesday co-owner Michael Storch.

In a week where Bournemouth – who entered administration themselves and were relegated to League Two back in 2008 – beat seven-time European champions AC Milan 3-0 having established themselves in the Premier League since 2022, Storch sees there is the potential for Wednesday to do the same, but insisted there is no magic wand that can be waved.

He said: “(Bournemouth) shows us what we could go on and achieve. In the case of that club, it’s been a lot of very good decisions over a long period of time that results in success.

“We look at clubs like that as aspirational, these are clubs that have done incredible things. We talk about football clubs having their rightful place in the English pyramid. Wednesday has shown that it’s been at the heights of the game, and we believe that’s the potential of this club.

“We think the potential is great. It’s really about just building the blocks and the foundations over a period of time. There aren’t going to be any short cuts.”

WELCOME: New Sheffield Wednesday owner David Storch takes his place in the directors box at Hillsborough for the final game of last season against West Brom. Picture: Steve Ellis.

To emphasise that point, chief executive David Bruce, brought in by Arise after its takeover of the club was completed in May, says around £11m has already been spent on stadium and training ground upgrades, including making sure hot water was available throughout Hillsborough and completing necessary work to prevent the closure of the North Stand on safety grounds.

Storch admits the club are now well and truly under his and his father’s skin, and asked if the family’s ownership of Wednesday could span generations, he replied: “That would be incredible. We have a lot that we have to get right. It’s a tough business.

“Hopefully the fans and the community in Sheffield want us to be around. But yeah, if they do, we’d love to be here with them for a long time.”

The family engaged with the club’s Supporters’ Trust well before the takeover was sealed, and last week the Trust’s interim chairman James Silverwood was invited to join the club’s board.

BIG PLANS: Sheffield Wednesday owner David Storch. Picture: Steve Ellis.

“A key precept for us is working closely with the supporters,” Storch added.

“The club has rolled out our FAB (Fan Advisory Board) to meet and take input from various fan groups. It’s central to what we’re doing.

“We want to be with the supporters, we want to build relationships with them. My dad, myself and Tom all want to spend a lot of time here in Sheffield. We want to be present and get involved in community initiatives, outside as well as inside the club.”

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