Sheffield Wednesday set for POINTS DEDUCTION as Championship crisis club beg stars not to tear up contracts
Several squad members remain unhappy and have the option of ripping up their deals, with some speaking to other clubs.
3
3
Yet senior Owls staff, including new boss Henrik Pedersen, have advised players a new owner will be in soon — and offering new contracts.
American John Textor's name is being mentioned behind the scenes, yet his interest is in the early stages.
The optimistic story is being fed to skipper Barry Bannan and Co as the crisis-hit club kick off their Championship season with a trip to Leicester today.
Yet insiders say owner Dejphon Chansiri has still to find any agreement, despite talking with a couple of interested parties.
And EFL chiefs WILL dock the Owls points for failing to pay their players on time.
The fact this has happened four times means they risk a potentially significant rap.
A disciplinary panel is looking into the case and penalties will soon be announced.
Yet it is significant that the decision has not been made or revealed before their first game — which is televised on Sunday afternoon.
It would have been a bad look for the EFL if Wednesday kicked off on a large minus points total against the Foxes, who are also facing their own punishment.
Elsewhere, young keeper Pierce Charles is for sale at Sheffield Wednesday — but the asking price is about £8million.
Sheffield Wednesday fans show voice their views on the crisis at the club
The Northern Ireland stopper, 20, is fancied by many clubs including Rangers, Leicester and Southampton.
But despite the Championship Owls' financial problems — and the EFL hinting at the need for player sales — the valuation is still sky high.
3
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
12 minutes ago
- The Independent
Bursary student looks to break boundaries in professional cricketing world
A talented cricketer is hoping to make his name in the professional game after signing for one of England's top counties. South African-born student Caleb Falconer, 18, has joined Middlesex on an academy contract and hopes to turn professional. The all-rounder has already appeared for the county's 2nd XI after moving to the UK to study in the sixth form at Millfield School in Somerset with a sports scholarship. Caleb, from Gqeberha, South Africa, has now achieved D* D grades in BTEC sport and a C in his business studies A-level. ' Cricket was in my life from as early as I can remember,' said Caleb, who from the age of two would follow his father Stuart, an elite cricket coach, to sessions at schools and clubs around his hometown. 'Throughout my childhood I tagged along to the sessions my dad would be taking and looked to pick up whatever I could. 'That's where my love of cricket was born and I went from there.' During those formative years Caleb looked up to iconic South African batter AB de Villiers, widely renowned as one of the finest players of his generation. 'For any young cricketer growing up in South Africa at that time, they would all say AB de Villiers is the player that inspires them,' he said. Caleb was the 2024 recipient of the Middlesex CCC youth player of the year award after scoring 1,062 runs for the U18s, including a double century against Sussex. That led to playing for the county 2nd XI and scoring a century against Lancashire before being called up for an England Invitational XI. The teenager moved to England having found his opportunities to play cricket in South Africa were reduced because of the quotas system in place to encourage the development of ethnic minority cricketers. His family based themselves in Berkshire, while Caleb joined the school as a full-time boarder. Mark Garaway, Millfield's director of cricket, said: 'It has been a privilege to work with Caleb over the past two years. 'He is an exceptional talent, as demonstrated through his performances for both Millfield and Middlesex CCC throughout the 2024 and 2025 seasons. 'His time here has been filled with moments that will be long remembered. Beyond his ability on the field, Caleb is a remarkable individual and natural leader. 'He has earned the respect of staff, coaches and fellow students alike, who have all admired his maturity, composure and calmness, especially in high-pressure situations. 'These are the hallmarks of a truly great leader. We are all excited to follow Caleb as he takes the next step in his cricketing journey with Middlesex CCC, and we wish him every success in the professional game.'
Auto Express
12 minutes ago
- Auto Express
Forget Netflix, Volkswagen locks horsepower behind paid subscription
If you thought paying out for Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ was bad, Volkswagen is now forcing owners of the ID.3 to pay extra if they wish their car to deliver the full performance it's capable of. Yes, you read that correctly: Entry-level Volkswagen ID.3 Pure models are listed as producing 170kW (168bhp) on the VW configurator but take a look at the small print and you'll see that the car now comes electronically limited to just 148bhp, unless the owner pays a subscription fee. This subscription currently stands at £16.50 per month. That's almost three times the price of a 'Standard with Ads' Netflix subscription – following a one-month free trial - or a total of £165 per year. Owners can also choose to select a lifetime subscription for the grand total of £649, but Auto Express is awaiting confirmation from VW as to whether this is tied to the user profile or the car. Advertisement - Article continues below If you're thinking about buying an ID.3, you can spec a new one via the Auto Express' Buy A Car service or get a pre-owned model at prices from £9,000 with no subscriptions to pay. Volkswagen says that while selecting the performance upgrade increases net power from 148bhp to 168bhp and the maximum torque from 265Nm to 310Nm, it does not affect range. As the car is registered at 168bhp from the factory, owners won't need to inform their insurance company, either way. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen what would happen if an owner were to hack their car – also known as 'jailbreaking' – in order to manually switch on the extra power for free. This potentially could invalidate the warranty or even lead to legal action from VW, but once again Auto Express is waiting to hear back from the firm on this. To be clear, Volkswagen is not the only car company asking customers to pay in order to get the maximum capability out of their cars; BMW received a lot of criticism a few years ago when it offered up a subscription service to activate features like heated seats. Polestar owners can purchase a similar performance pack to that which Volkswagen now offers, although this is more of a software 'upgrade' to boost power, rather than unlocking power that was already there. Buy a car with Auto Express. Our nationwide dealer network has some fantastic cars on offer right now with new, used and leasing deals to choose from...
The Independent
12 minutes ago
- The Independent
No immediate plans to change ‘unfair' student loan interest, education secretary admits
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has said on Thursday, 11 August, that there are 'no immediate plans' to change interest levels on student loan repayments. BBC Breakfast presenter Charlie Stayt asked Ms Phillipson whether it was fair to make students pay 9 per cent interest on top of existing student loan debt. 'We are looking at the student finance system; it is complicated,' the education secretary said. 'However, I do think that it is right that students make a contribution to their education.' She reiterated that there were more opportunities for young people receiving their A-level results on Thursday to pursue other than university, including apprenticeships.
