The English Football Thread

[Vesper 30,088]

Lucas Paqueta betting charges ‘found to be not proven’, commission says

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6515053/2025/07/31/lucas-paqueta-betting-case-west-ham/

Lucas Paqueta will not face punishment for alleged breaches of the Football Association’s betting rules after an independent regulatory commission found the charges against the West Ham United midfielder could not be proven.

The Brazil international, who denied all charges against him, was facing a potential lifetime ban from football if found guilty.

However, the regulatory commission found the most serious charges of spot fixing “to be not proven” following a hearing, it said in a statement released by the English FA on Thursday.

The commission did find that two further rule breaches, effectively relating to Paqueta’s co-operation with the FA’s investigation, could be proven and “will decide an appropriate sanction for these breaches at the earliest opportunity”. These two breaches of FA Rule F3 are in relation to the Brazilian’s alleged failures to comply with his obligations to answer questions and provide information to the investigation.

 

Paqueta has featured for West Ham in pre-season (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

In a post on Instagram, following the announcement of the commission’s ruling on Thursday, Paqueta wrote: “The enemy will come against us one way, but they will flee seven ways.

“Since the first day of this investigation, I have maintained my innocence against these extremely serious accusations.

“I can’t say anything more now, but I also can’t express how grateful I am to God and how eager I am to return to playing football with a smile on my face.

“To my wife who never let go of my hand, to West Ham, to the fans who always cheered me on, to Fernando Malta and my legal team at Level (Alastair Campbell, Jonathan Hyman, Dan Lowen), Nick De Marco KC, and Kendrah Potts — thank you for everything.”

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The commission’s ruling brings to an end a lengthy process, which started in August 2023 and has been beset by delays.

An initial hearing into the case began in March but was put on hold because lawyers on both sides had other commitments. It eventually concluded in May, with former West Ham manager David Moyes among the witnesses for Paqueta’s defence.

Paqueta was charged by the Football Association with misconduct in May 2024 over four alleged breaches of the governing body’s betting rules following a 10-month investigation that began in August of the previous year.

Paqueta was accused of deliberately getting yellow cards in four Premier League matches between November 2022 and August 2023. The four bookings came in games against Leicester City on November 12, 2022, Aston Villa on March 12, 2023, Leeds United on May 21, 2023, and Bournemouth on August 12, 2023.

The FA alleged that Paqueta ‘directly sought to influence…these matches by intentionally seeking to receive a card from the referee, for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market in order for one or more persons to profit from betting’.

He was also charged with two further rule breaches, effectively relating to his cooperation with the FA’s investigation.

Paqueta denied any wrongdoing and West Ham have backed him throughout the process. He previously called on the FA to undertake a “thorough investigation” into what he called “false and misleading” reporting on the case, claiming information had been leaked by “an individual close to the case”.

West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady said on Thursday: “We are pleased Lucas has been cleared. He has maintained his innocence from the outset, and as a club we have resolutely stood by him and supported him throughout the process.

“Despite the incredible pressure on him, Lucas has performed week in and week out for the club, always giving everything.

“It has been a difficult time for Lucas and his family, but he has remained absolutely professional throughout and he is now looking forward to drawing a line under this episode, as is everyone at West Ham United.”

Manchester City were interested in signing Paqueta, who has a contract until summer 2027 with the option of a further year, two summers ago but the FA’s investigation ended the then-Premier League champions pursuit of the player.

In May, West Ham head coach Graham Potter revealed the investigation had taken its toll on Paqueta mentally and physically.

He was left in tears after being booked against Tottenham Hotspur on May 4, and Paqueta’s wife, Maria Fournier, later posted on Instagram that they had “been living this nightmare for two years”.

 

Paqueta, after being booked in the 1-1 draw with Tottenham at London Stadium on May 4 (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Paqueta’s case is the latest involving breaches of football’s gambling regulations in recent years.

England international Ivan Toney — then of Brentford — was banned from football for eight months in May 2023, while Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali was suspended from all football activity for 10 months following a similar case in Italy. The English FA later handed him a further suspended two-month ban.

Paqueta joined West Ham in August 2022 from French side Lyon and quickly became a key player for the east London club.

He has made 120 appearances for the club in total, including 36 last season after he was cleared to play while the case against him was decided upon.

He was part of the side that won the UEFA Conference League in 2023, starting and playing the full match in the win over Fiorentina in the final.

Paqueta came through the youth ranks at Flamengo in his homeland and made 95 senior appearances before a move to European football with Lyon in 2020. He has won 55 caps for Brazil, scoring 11 goals, and was part of the Copa America-winning squad in 2019.

[Fulham Broadway 17,299]

19 minutes ago, Vesper said:

Lucas Paqueta betting charges ‘found to be not proven’, commission says

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6515053/2025/07/31/lucas-paqueta-betting-case-west-ham/

Lucas Paqueta will not face punishment for alleged breaches of the Football Association’s betting rules after an independent regulatory commission found the charges against the West Ham United midfielder could not be proven.

The Brazil international, who denied all charges against him, was facing a potential lifetime ban from football if found guilty.

However, the regulatory commission found the most serious charges of spot fixing “to be not proven” following a hearing, it said in a statement released by the English FA on Thursday.

The commission did find that two further rule breaches, effectively relating to Paqueta’s co-operation with the FA’s investigation, could be proven and “will decide an appropriate sanction for these breaches at the earliest opportunity”. These two breaches of FA Rule F3 are in relation to the Brazilian’s alleged failures to comply with his obligations to answer questions and provide information to the investigation.

 

Paqueta has featured for West Ham in pre-season (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

In a post on Instagram, following the announcement of the commission’s ruling on Thursday, Paqueta wrote: “The enemy will come against us one way, but they will flee seven ways.

“Since the first day of this investigation, I have maintained my innocence against these extremely serious accusations.

“I can’t say anything more now, but I also can’t express how grateful I am to God and how eager I am to return to playing football with a smile on my face.

“To my wife who never let go of my hand, to West Ham, to the fans who always cheered me on, to Fernando Malta and my legal team at Level (Alastair Campbell, Jonathan Hyman, Dan Lowen), Nick De Marco KC, and Kendrah Potts — thank you for everything.”

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Betting in football: what are the rules for players and supporters?

The UK's betting laws are widely considered to be the most liberal in the world - so what are the rules for players and fans?

The commission’s ruling brings to an end a lengthy process, which started in August 2023 and has been beset by delays.

An initial hearing into the case began in March but was put on hold because lawyers on both sides had other commitments. It eventually concluded in May, with former West Ham manager David Moyes among the witnesses for Paqueta’s defence.

Paqueta was charged by the Football Association with misconduct in May 2024 over four alleged breaches of the governing body’s betting rules following a 10-month investigation that began in August of the previous year.

Paqueta was accused of deliberately getting yellow cards in four Premier League matches between November 2022 and August 2023. The four bookings came in games against Leicester City on November 12, 2022, Aston Villa on March 12, 2023, Leeds United on May 21, 2023, and Bournemouth on August 12, 2023.

The FA alleged that Paqueta ‘directly sought to influence…these matches by intentionally seeking to receive a card from the referee, for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market in order for one or more persons to profit from betting’.

He was also charged with two further rule breaches, effectively relating to his cooperation with the FA’s investigation.

Paqueta denied any wrongdoing and West Ham have backed him throughout the process. He previously called on the FA to undertake a “thorough investigation” into what he called “false and misleading” reporting on the case, claiming information had been leaked by “an individual close to the case”.

West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady said on Thursday: “We are pleased Lucas has been cleared. He has maintained his innocence from the outset, and as a club we have resolutely stood by him and supported him throughout the process.

“Despite the incredible pressure on him, Lucas has performed week in and week out for the club, always giving everything.

“It has been a difficult time for Lucas and his family, but he has remained absolutely professional throughout and he is now looking forward to drawing a line under this episode, as is everyone at West Ham United.”

Manchester City were interested in signing Paqueta, who has a contract until summer 2027 with the option of a further year, two summers ago but the FA’s investigation ended the then-Premier League champions pursuit of the player.

In May, West Ham head coach Graham Potter revealed the investigation had taken its toll on Paqueta mentally and physically.

He was left in tears after being booked against Tottenham Hotspur on May 4, and Paqueta’s wife, Maria Fournier, later posted on Instagram that they had “been living this nightmare for two years”.

 

Paqueta, after being booked in the 1-1 draw with Tottenham at London Stadium on May 4 (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Paqueta’s case is the latest involving breaches of football’s gambling regulations in recent years.

England international Ivan Toney — then of Brentford — was banned from football for eight months in May 2023, while Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali was suspended from all football activity for 10 months following a similar case in Italy. The English FA later handed him a further suspended two-month ban.

Paqueta joined West Ham in August 2022 from French side Lyon and quickly became a key player for the east London club.

He has made 120 appearances for the club in total, including 36 last season after he was cleared to play while the case against him was decided upon.

He was part of the side that won the UEFA Conference League in 2023, starting and playing the full match in the win over Fiorentina in the final.

Paqueta came through the youth ranks at Flamengo in his homeland and made 95 senior appearances before a move to European football with Lyon in 2020. He has won 55 caps for Brazil, scoring 11 goals, and was part of the Copa America-winning squad in 2019.

Well thats ok then. Nothing to see here, move along now....

Its a warning shot by the FA. Basically saying ''we know a lot of players are at it, and we're watching you''

[Vesper 30,088]

Guardiola wanted a smaller squad. Instead it’s grown. How can Man City trim it?

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6526978/2025/08/01/manchester-city-squad-guardiola-trim/

It has been 73 days since Pep Guardiola said he would quit Manchester City if he did not have a smaller squad next season.

That was in May, after a comfortable win at home against Bournemouth, when his lip quivered after committing what he views as the heinous act of leaving four senior players festering at home.

Joking or not, he might have to leave a dozen at home for the opening match against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Two weeks out from the start of the new Premier League season, the mission to condense the squad still needs work. Rather than trim, City have made a net addition of two first-team players this summer.

Sometimes, taking two steps forward and one step back is the way to progress. That is certainly how City will view it, having acted rapidly to acquire their main targets before the Club World Cup.

Buying before selling has the benefit that other clubs cannot hold them to ransom, knowing there is money burning a hole in their pocket.

But signing James Trafford, Marcus Bettinelli, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki means Guardiola has 31 players.

While there has been a conscious effort to reduce the squad’s average age and wage bill, it is an expensive squad to run, with several players surplus to requirements and others seemingly having little chance of regular minutes.

Here is The Athletic’s assessment of the situation…

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What needs to be done?

City had the luxury of two leading men for part of this summer. New sporting director Hugo Viana, almost four months into his role since joining from Sporting CP, was being supported by director of football Txiki Begiristain as part of a transition, but he ended his 13-year spell this week.

Viana will continue to be aided by Carlos Raphael Moersen, who is director of football transactions at City Football Group (CFG, the club’s overarching owner) and has been helping lead some negotiations with prospective buyers this summer.

City have brought in some money — Kyle Walker has moved to Burnley for a fee that could reach £5million ($6.6m), Maximo Perrone’s switch to Como is worth €15million (£13m; $17m) and €24m has arrived after Yan Couto’s loan deal at Borussia Dortmund was made permanent.

But to get numbers down, established players will have to leave soon.

Finding permanent takers for Kalvin Phillips, given the financial package of a fee plus wages, has been tricky. Jack Grealish and James McAtee are expected to leave too.

 

Kalvin Phillips was on loan at relegated Ipswich Town last season (Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

The fourth expected exit is goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, as City now have four senior goalkeepers following Trafford’s arrival.

City want Ederson to stay until the end of his contract next year and are open to selling Ortega, who also has a year left on his deal and wants to play regularly as he looks to break into Germany’s squad for the World Cup next summer.

Then there is the possibility of allowing younger players to go out on loan. Sverre Nypan, the 18-year-old who joined from Rosenborg for £12.5million, will go out on loan as part of a development plan but a prospective move to Ajax is thought to no longer be on the cards.

La Liga club Girona, part of the CFG network, are keen on loaning Vitor Reis and Claudio Echeverri.

A year in Spain represents a good development opportunity for Reis, who is 19 and joined the club in January from Palmeiras for £29.5million. He is highly rated internally but showed in his second start for City against Wydad at the Club World Cup that there are parts of his game that need work.

Echeverri is also 19 but represents a different case. Guardiola is a huge admirer and saw fit to bring Echeverri on for his debut in the FA Cup final just months after arriving from Argentina.

Girona would love to have him, while Roma have made a case for a year in Italy, but City are deliberating whether it would be better to keep him in-house to learn from the manager and other forwards such as Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush.

Oscar Bobb is very likely to stay, with the 22-year-old winger impressing Guardiola last summer before a fractured leg ruined his season.

Nico O’Reilly faces a fight for minutes due to the arrival of Ait-Nouri at left-back, where he impressed last season. The plan is for O’Reilly, 20, to stay, as he can also operate in his more natural midfielder role.

McAtee is more established but his role last season was largely restricted to substitute cameos. Nottingham Forest have been discussing a fee of around £25million for him but Viana wants more. Eintracht Frankfurt, who McAtee visited last month, view these sums as out of their league.

In defence, City are overstocked, with 10 players across the back four, leading to speculation that one or two could depart. John Stones was not given a single minute at the Club World Cup despite fully recovering from an injury-ravaged season. The England centre-back, who has a year left on his deal, said during the Club World Cup that he did not want to leave and there is no prospect of him departing this summer.

Manuel Akanji and Abdukodir Khusanov are two others with a point to prove. Khusanov, 21, barely featured in the final few months of the season after joining from Nice in January, but no approaches have been made.

In midfield, there is an argument that City are also overstocked. It remains to be seen how quickly Rodri can regain form after his anterior cruciate ligament injury, so the cover provided by Nico Gonzalez and Mateo Kovacic could be important. Tijjani Reijnders can also drop back to play as the deeper No 6.

 

Tijjani Reijnders was one of City’s summer additions (Kevin C Cox/Getty Images)

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Could City face an issue registering players?

Premier League clubs will have to register their official 25-man squad after the transfer window closes on September 1.

They can only name a maximum of 17 non-homegrown senior players, with the rest of the squad comprising ‘homegrown players’ — those who have trained at an English club for three seasons (or 36) months between the ages of 15 and 21, regardless of nationality.

City have 17 non-homegrown players above the age of 21 and nine homegrown players above the age of 21.

That is only one too many, a situation aided by the Premier League rule that dictates under-21 players, those born after January 1, 2004, do not take up spaces in the 25-man squad.

Rico Lewis, Khusanov, Reis, O’Reilly, Savinho and Echeverri all fall into that category, although 22-year-old Bobb becomes a senior homegrown player for the first time.

There are different rules in the Champions League, so if City do not loan or sell anyone else, they would have to leave four non-homegrown players out in the cold.

UEFA’s ‘A list’ does not offer the same blanket exclusion for under-21 players. They have to be under-21 and homegrown, which means Khusanov, Reis, Savinho and Echeverri all require a space, unlike in the Premier League.

Eight spaces are exclusively reserved for locally trained players, with no more than four of that total made up of association-trained players reared at other English clubs.

Even if Grealish, Phillips and McAtee all leave, that will not be an issue for City, with Trafford, O’Reilly, Lewis, Bobb and Foden all club-trained, and Betinelli, Stones and Ake all association-trained. It is another reason the two goalkeepers were recruited this summer.

The risk of carrying such a bloated squad is not just regulatory, however. It is a matter of identity and contentment, too. Players at this level possess egos and pride. They want to contribute and feel like a valued member of the squad but it is difficult to achieve across an entire squad, with so many players being reduced to a spectator role.

City were quick out of the blocks this window but they need to start getting a shift on if they are to satisfy Guardiola’s demand for an optimised squad.

[NikkiCFC 8,285]

Not impressed with City squad rebuilding. I see them behind Liverpool, Arsenal and us next season. 

[Vesper 30,088]

Missed wages, closed stand, quitting players: Why Sheffield Wednesday could go bust

https://www.espn.co.uk/football/story/_/id/45898609/why-sheffield-wednesday-danger-going-existence

In April 1991, John Sheridan scored the winner for Sheffield Wednesday against Manchester United in the League Cup final, and that 1-0 victory was an even bigger shock than you might think: to this day it's the last time a club playing outside the top division of English football won a major trophy.

Wednesday, who finished third in the second tier to gain promotion, beat a United side who finished sixth in the old First Division. And while the club have enjoyed some remarkable stories in recent years -- including pulling off the greatest comeback in EFL playoff history, and avoiding relegation from a seemingly impossible position two seasons ago -- it's that day at Wembley that remains etched in history.

Today, with the club in desperate financial trouble, such heights seem further away than ever. Such is the dire situation at Hillsborough that there's no certainty they will take to the field for their season opener against Leicester City on Sunday. And if they do, a supporters' protest is planned against controversial owner Dejphon Chansiri.

So, why are Wednesday in trouble, how bad is it, and why does it matter?

Why is Sheffield Wednesday's plight such a big story?

With Wednesday formed in 1867, only four league clubs -- Notts County, Stoke City, Wrexham and Nottingham Forest -- have been around for longer.

Wednesday, nicknamed the Owls, have been out of the Premier League for 25 years, so it would be no surprise if their name doesn't resonate globally -- other than for the odd quirk of being named after the day the founding cricket club used to play its games. Yet they were one of the biggest clubs in the early 1900s, and only 12 teams have won more than their 10 major trophies in the history of English football. It's just that the 1991 League Cup is the only silverware they've won since 1935.

Even though the club have been outside of the top flight for all but a few months of this century, they still rank 15th for total points earned and played in the opening eight seasons of the Premier League.

While many other clubs have come close to going out of business, or actually gone bust, Wednesday are by far the biggest to get to this stage. They were near to administration in 2010 too, but the club was sold to Milan Mandaric for just £1. That kind of deal isn't remotely on the table this time.

Who is Dejphon Chansiri?

Chansiri is the Thai businessman who is the owner of Sheffield Wednesday, yet next to nothing is known about how he funds the club or his background. He is part of the family that owns Thai Union Group, the world's largest producer of tuna and seafood, yet he has no role on the board of the company.

TUG branding was present for a brief period when Chansiri bought the club from Mandaric in 2015, but it quickly disappeared.

Wednesday enjoyed two years of success at the start of Chansiri's reign, coming close to a Premier League return when they lost in the 2016 playoff final to Hull City. But those years also saw huge overspending, and a failure to transfer players on for a profit, which would eventually come back to bite Chansiri hard.

Chansiri's autocratic style of ownership means he takes every decision -- there is no director of football, no chief executive, no one in the U.K. who takes ultimate responsibility for the day-to-day running of the club, which has added to the perception of a rudderless ship.

Dejphon Chansiri bought Sheffield Wednesday from Milan Mandaric in 2015. Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images

So what is the problem at Sheffield Wednesday?

How long have you got? There's a book to be written, and a long one at that, about what has gone on behind the scenes at Hillsborough.

The first sign of real issues came in July 2020 when the club were deducted 12 points for breaching profit and sustainability rules (PSR). The written reasons showed that Chansiri had failed to sign a vital document on time to sanction the sale of Hillsborough, the club's ground, to another company in his name, and that caused the PSR breach. The deduction was reduced to six points on appeal, but Wednesday were relegated to League One on goal difference.

Since then have been a few times when the club have been late making key payments, but this year it has come to a head and the club's very existence is now under threat. And this isn't even the complete list:

- Chansiri has failed to pay players and staff (including those who work in departments like the club shop and the ticket office) on time and in full in March, May, June and July.

- In June, the EFL placed a triple transfer embargo on the club for a failure to pay the players. After this, further embargoes followed after Chansiri was late paying the tax bill, and there remain outstanding transfer fees to other clubs.

- The multiple late wages meant that under FIFA rules key players were able to serve notice to rip up their contracts and leave on a free transfer. Josh Windass, who scored 13 goals in the Championship last season (only four players scored more), walked away to join Wrexham, while Michael Smith, scorer of eight goals, quit for Preston North End.

- Wednesday had to transfer other key players to pay the outstanding bills. This included 21-year-old winger Djeidi Gassama to Rangers for a reported £2.2 million -- way below his true transfer value. Gassama scored in his first two appearances for Rangers -- both legs of the Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos.

- Highly rated coach Danny Röhl, who was in dispute with Chansiri throughout 2025, left by "mutual consent" on July 29. The German wanted to move to a new club, but Chansiri reportedly wouldn't negotiate on the compensation clause in his contract. Most of Röhl's staff left at the same time -- other than assistant Henrik Pedersen, who was named the new coach.

- The club's North Stand, which holds 9,000 supporters (many of them season-ticket holders who have paid for a seat for every league game) and carries Chansiri's name, has been closed by the local council. Chansiri had failed to carry out crucial safety work on the roof of the stand, meaning it has been deemed unsafe and cannot be used.

- Wednesday have 16 senior players remaining (only one goalkeeper, with a defender long-term injured). Of the 16, some have reportedly followed the lead of Smith and Windass and served notice to leave after failing to be paid for July.

- Wednesday have no senior coaching staff and have played no preseason friendlies ahead of Sunday's Championship opener at Leicester.

Sheffield Wednesday's North Stand, adorned with Chansiri's name, has been closed after urgent repairs were not carried out. Scott Llewellyn | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

What is the EFL doing about it?

When Chansiri took charge, there was nothing to suggest the club would be where it is 10 years on; the EFL doesn't have a crystal ball to predict the future when it approves a takeover. But at the same time, Wednesday fans feel like they have been abandoned by the league as the situation grows ever more serious.

The league has made only one statement, on June 18, when it issued charges against the club and Chansiri for the late payments. Since then, while there has been a meeting with the club's supporters' group there has been no official comment to suggest action is being taken.

The EFL has no ability to take control of the club or force Chansiri to sell it, but it can put pressure on to expedite a sale -- often by threatening expulsion from the league. It's the route that finally saw Chinese businessman Dai Yongge sell Reading in May. However, the EFL has no power to make Chansiri sell, and he could just allow the club to fold.

This will change when the new independent regulator for English football begins to operate, but that could be too late for Wednesday.

But could Wednesday really go out of existence?

This is the big question, and a lot will depend on Chansiri's ability to fund the club for the whole season. That he hasn't managed to pay players or staff for three consecutive months points either to serious cashflow issues, or that he has simply removed his funding. The latter would be more concerning, as it would suggest he has no need to sell the club below his reported personal valuation of £100 million -- a figure he has no realistic chance of achieving.

The EFL knows how bad it will look if a club the size of Wednesday go under, so it seems unlikely drastic action will be taken which would see them fail to start the season -- as was the case with Bury (who eventually went out of business) in 2019.

The situation is perhaps more comparable with another former Premier League club, Bolton Wanderers. Also in 2019, Bolton were allowed to start the campaign and played their opening fixtures with a squad largely made up of young players until a sale of the club went through a few weeks later. At least in Bolton's case there appeared to be the prospect of a takeover.

Another the key issue is that Chansiri has separated the ground from the club in that botched attempt to avoid PSR charges, and it seems unlikely a deal will be possible unless both are included.

Could the players go on strike?

After the July wages failed to arrive last Thursday, Wednesday's players refused to play a behind-closed-doors friendly with Premier League club Burnley at the weekend.

Captain Barry Bannan, who signed a new contract last week despite the turmoil, says he expects the troubled club to fulfil their opening Championship fixture away to Leicester.

However, the players issued a joint statement on Monday that said they "stand together in support with all our colleagues" and that action must be taken so that "decisions taken like the one not to play at Burnley are avoided in the future." Striking for a competitive fixture would be a last resort, but it clearly cannot be ruled out.

What has been the fans' response?

Understandably, there is despair that every day appears to bring more bad news. Supporters have been protesting against Chansiri's ownership for several months, but it will now be ramped up as the club lurches close to disaster.

A protest is planned for the Leicester game, which is live on television around the world, when fans won't take their seats until the fifth minute -- leaving an empty away end with an anti-Chansiri banner.

Further protests are planned at home fixtures, when one the biggest stands will remain empty -- and facing the television cameras -- until Chansiri funds repairs. Fans have also removed their funding of club merchandise to starve Chansiri of that revenue stream.

Sheffield Wednesday fans protest during a game against Leeds United last season. George Wood/Getty Images

What happens next at Wednesday?

With Chansiri in Thailand, and failing to engage with players, staff or supporters, there will be an air of inertia until the situation is resolved. The only way out of this appears to be the sale of the club, but that doesn't seem to be close and will require Chansiri lowering his demands.

With a threadbare squad which has had its attacking quality stripped away, only 11 players over the age of 21 and the possibility of a points deduction for the charges laid in June, there is no hope of staying in the Championship.

Regardless of supporter protests, and EFL sanctions, the club's future lies in the hands of one man: Chansiri.

If a takeover does happen, the new owners will have to deal with the embargo, which means Wednesday can't sign players for a transfer fee until 2027. Whatever happens, reaching the Premier League again seems light-years away.