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Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues constitute a "major concern" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, its new chair David Kogan has stated.

During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.

The regulator engaged with four supporters' associations connected to the South Yorkshire club this week.

The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in this season, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in September.

"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.

"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for football in England and this week we have met supporters' organizations.

"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and acted upon."

Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status

The club's controversial proprietor the current owner stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at the stadium, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with prospective buyers.

Delayed salary payments on time in spring months led to sanctions by the league officials in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.

Authority's Position

Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the Owls followers, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a local institution that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.

"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for all the clubs that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the fans themselves."

When asked if the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the regulator answered: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we assemble the facts and know what's going on, we will."

But the chairman emphasized that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.

"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an specific team, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," the chairman stated.

"In actuality, when you review the record of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, not many, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the future."

'Errors may undo substantial development'

The regulator engaged delegates from multiple organizations to detail the scope of the authority recently and maintained it represented a "progressive gathering" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.

"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate incredibly quickly," the regulator warned.

"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.

"Substantial financial resources flowing into the game and has come into football for the recent generations, because there are no assurances it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the coming seasons."

Top Flight Apprehensions

Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an commercial operation of the elite league.

"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a considerable comfort."

Partisan Associations

Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the public appointments commissioner after he acknowledged providing funds to the opposition group in recent years.

The 68-year-old contributed funds to government minister the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the government leader.

"I have been entirely transparent regarding my past party membership [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.

"I am presently disconnected from any type of partisan engagement."