Sheffield Wednesday icon weighs in on ‘disappointing’ Owls situation as the fans pay ‘heavy price’

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Anger, disappointment and frustration have been the three common themes at Sheffield Wednesday this summer.

The club have updated supporters on the situation involving the North Stand, after Sheffield City Council ordered the Owls to close that part of Hillsborough last month due to safety concerns.

Meanwhile, the EFL have stopped the South Yorkshire outfit from registering players who have signed new contracts, leading to confusion surrounding Barry Bannan’s situation.

Fans are hoping that John Textor will rescue Sheffield Wednesday, but with just days to go until they debut their ‘awful’ new away shirt at Leicester City, Andy Hinchcliffe is concerned.

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Andy Hinchcliffe aims blame at Dejphon Chansiri as Sheffield Wednesday issues continue

There had been fears of strike action in recent weeks, and after the Owls’ friendly against Burnley was cancelled at the weekend, concerns over their ability to field a team against Leicester started to grow.

However, the players are not boycotting the clash and ahead of the game, former Sheffield Wednesday player, Andy Hinchcliffe, has spoken out on the situation.

He said: “I wouldn’t wish this on any club, certainly not on Sheffield Wednesday. In my time there, we got relegated, it’s my only relegation and stuff and I still feel that today.

“It’s just an amazing club. But if you consider what Danny Rohl and the players have done over the last two seasons, staying in the Championship in his first season was a miracle. Finishing, I think it was around mid-table last season. There were times when they were pushing for the play-offs. It’s just extraordinary what Danny and the players were doing despite Chansiri and how he was running the club.

“He fell out with the fans but it’s amazing that on the pitch that they managed to get the results that they did considering what was going on behind the scenes.

“There’s talk of Chansiri selling the club. The money he’s asking for the club is just ludicrous. So, I think we’re getting to a point, and as a former player, I’m sure the fans are saying, to the owner, look, do the right thing here.”

“You might not be happy. It might be a bit of a blow to your ego, but you need to step away from this club. Do it in a sensible way so that someone can come in, because the amount of investment they need. The ground has fallen to bits as well, they’ve had to close a section of the ground. So, everything at Wednesday is wrong.

“But when you consider the strides they’ve made for now, so quickly to be in this position where players didn’t play against Burnley in a pre-season game. I think they said, we’re not playing that. We’re kind of striking if we don’t know what’s going on. Wages aren’t being paid.

“It’s just an absolutely disastrous situation, which did people say, well, maybe it was always going to happen with Chansiri in charge. I don’t think they would have expected it to be this bad and I was worried about them actually being able to start the season and having enough players, players wanting to even play for the club because they’re not being paid.

“I understand that completely. This has to stop. It has to change and the only way is change of ownership, ask for a sensible amount of money, do what’s right for the club and sell and allow someone else to come in and that club to move on.

“But they’ve lost some key players, they’ve lost Danny Rohl, who I was amazed he stayed last season. He’s a really talented coach. So, it won’t be the same Sheffield Wednesday even if the club is sold.

“But it’s just so disappointing to see a club, in essence, being run into the ground like this because that’s what’s happening. It seems to be on the back of the owner’s ego. It seems to be him against the club, him against the fans, and the fans and the club are paying a really heavy price here.”

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The Owls will be watched by many this weekend

After everything that has gone on behind the scenes this summer, the players themselves will be keen to get back out on the pitch and forget about the off-field troubles for 90 minutes.

However, it will be a very tough match against a Leicester side who have impressed in pre-season under new manager Marti Cifuentes.

The Foxes have had problems of their own, but they do have a much stronger squad and it would be a surprise to see anything other than a win for the home side.

Nevertheless, it is an opportunity for Sheffield Wednesday fans to show their support to the players who are pushing on despite everything that has happened since last season ended.