Where Chris Waddle wants to see crisis club Sheffield Wednesday catch up with England's other big clubs

The Owls are currently under a transfer embargo as they and their chairman/owner Dejphon Chansiri face Football League charges for failing to pay their players on time and in full in March and May.

Even when the outstanding wages are settled, the Owls are likely to be under “fee restrictions” for the next three transfer windows – preventing them from paying transfer, compensation and loan fees for players.

Manager Danny Rohl has been touting his services around for a new job since before the latest chapter of non-payments.

It is all a depressingly far cry from Waddle's time as one of the club's greats, representing the side in the Premier League, FA and League Cup finals after joining from Marseille in 1992.

“It’s frustrating to see a big club like Wednesday adrift in this situation, looking at free transfers,” said the former England international.

“This is a club that should really be in the Premier League, and instead it’s one of the last big clubs who haven’t been taken over.”

The 157-year-old club, four-times champions in the first 30 years of the last century, have not played Premier League football since 2000. Since then they have had three spells in the third tier but are currently in the Championship.

Waddle is hoping reported interest from an American consortium comes to pass.

“I’m concerned about the situation there,” he told online-casinos.com.

“I think Dejphon Chansiri is in negotiations with some American guys about a takeover.

“Chansiri has had his time and it’s time for him to sell up and get out. Someone else needs to have their turn and take the club forward.

“I have a lot of affection for Wednesday and it’s a crying shame that people aren’t getting their wages and to see them struggling. You imagine Danny Rohl isn’t coming back.

“They’re in a mess. The sooner this gets solved, the better. They need new owners to come in and get on top of the situation. They need to pay the debts, pay the players, make new signings and kick on.”

“It would be utterly heartbreaking if they go down again. Horrendous.”