Sheffield Wednesday’s season has plunged further after the EFL imposed another point penalty for unpaid wages and taxes.
The English Football League (EFL) has deducted a further six points from Sheffield Wednesday, leaving the Championship club on -10 points at the bottom of the table.
The penalty comes after the club failed to pay players, staff and HM Revenue & Customs earlier this year. Wednesday had already lost 12 points in October following the club’s administration filing.
The EFL confirmed the decision follows an agreement between both parties on the appropriate sanction, which was subsequently approved by the chair of the independent disciplinary commission.
Former owner Dejphon Chansiri has also been banned from being an owner or director of any EFL club for three years, following his role in the financial breaches which led to administration.
“Sheffield Wednesday FC are to be deducted six points with immediate effect for multiple breaches of EFL regulations relating to payment obligations, with the club’s former owner, Mr Dejphon Chansiri, prohibited from being an owner or director of any EFL club for a period of three years,” read an EFL statement.
“The sanctions on both the club and Mr Chansiri can be confirmed after the parties reached an agreement on the appropriate sanction which was subsequently ratified by the chair of the appointed independent disciplinary commission.”
Insider Sport has contacted Sheffield Wednesday for comment.
First piece of certainty in a grim six months
In what has been an exceptionally uncertain period for Sheffield Wednesday, the latest six-point deduction makes it almost certain the club will be relegated at the end of the 2025/26 season.
Before the season even started, manager Danny Röhl left by mutual consent in July 2025, and Hillsborough’s North Stand was closed following a Prohibition Notice. Concerns grew over whether the club would even be able to field a full team.
Then in August the EFL warned Wednesday’s survival depended on funding or a sale, prompting a protest outside Thailand’s Embassy in London, one of several demonstrations in recent months.
By late October, the inevitable occurred and the club filed for administration, triggering a 12-point deduction. In the following weeks, sporadic payments and temporary operational measures provided little relief.
With relegation seemingly certain, the focus remains on finding a buyer. Former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley is among several parties reportedly in the running, having placed an initial £20m offer.
Administrators Begbies Traynor required all potential purchasers to show £50m proof of funds, with up to 12 suitors gaining access to club financial data. Three bidders, including Ashley, are understood to be serious contenders, with a preferred party expected to be chosen by December 5.
One of the more extraordinary proposals came from across the city, with Sheffield United owners COH Sports exploring a takeover which would lead to a merger, an idea so unthinkable that, even in Wednesday’s desperate situation, it could never be that desperate.
