Sheffield Wednesday now under five transfer embargoes after latest EFL punishments
Sheffield Wednesday are now under five transfer embargoes after three were added to their crimesheet in the space of 24 hours.
Having been punished for a default to HMRFC on Thursday, two more embargoes were added on Friday for failing to pay others in the game on time. And there are fears that next week's payroll might not be met in full and on time either as the financial crisis around the Championship club shows no sign of abating.
The latest embargoes are for money due to another club, and another simply to "football creditors", which pretty much covers the entire football family.
As they were already under two embargoes, the latest punishments make little practical difference in the here and now, but it makes the job of getting into a position where they are again allowed to sign players even more difficult.
Even if they were to, the Owls are restricted to free transfer signings and loans not carrying a fee until the summer of 2027, although they are appealing against this punishment.
During the summer Wednesday were put under four other embargoes, which they were able to get lifted by settling the debts involved.
The Football League is trying to exert as much pressure as it can on chairman/owner Dejphon Chansiri to sell the club he bought a decade ago.
Fan groups are doing likewise, with protests at games, marches outside of them, boycotts of all club merchandise including matchday refreshments, and of targeted matches, which have so far all been in the League Cup.
Many rival fanbases have shown solidarity, some encouraging their fans to wear "black and gold until the club is sold" as some Owls fans are doing.
Chansiri and his club are both facing Football league charges for failing to meet their financial obligations, and the Owls – one from bottom in the early table – seem certain to be hit with a points deduction.
Thai businessman Chansiri has long said he is willing to sell the club, and reiterated it early in this latest crisis, but there seem to be few if any indications that he is prepared to do so at the "fair market price" the Football League called for in August.