Brighton winner 'illustrated our current woes'
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Powys County Times
42 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
Concern within EFL over whether Sheffield Wednesday can play opening fixture
The financial crisis at Sheffield Wednesday is causing growing concern within the English Football League over whether the club will be able to play their opening game of the Sky Bet Championship season, the PA news agency understands. It is understood Wednesday players have refused to feature in a scheduled behind-closed-doors friendly against Burnley on Saturday after the club failed to pay their wages on time. The Owls are currently under an EFL embargo for unpaid transfer fees and owner Dejphon Chansiri is trying to sell the cash-strapped club. Wednesday appointed Henrik Pedersen as their new head coach on Thursday following the departure of Danny Rohl and, just hours later, Saturday's friendly was cancelled as players and coaching staff decided to boycott the match after not receiving July's monthly salary on time. Rohl left Hillsborough on Tuesday amid a chaotic summer which has seen the club placed under a number of embargoes because of financial issues. Players were paid late in May and June, while this is the fourth time in the last five months that salaries have been delayed. PA understands there is increasing concern within the EFL over the escalating crisis at the club and that extends to whether Wednesday will be able to fulfil their opening Championship fixture at Leicester on August 10. Thai businessman Chansiri completed his takeover from previous owner Milan Mandaric in January 2015 for a reported £30million and the club twice went close to promotion to the Premier League when losing out in the 2016 and 2017 play-offs. We are delighted to announce the appointment of Henrik Pedersen as our new manager. The Dane takes the S6 reins with immediate effect #swfc — Sheffield Wednesday (@swfc) July 31, 2025 Since then Wednesday have lurched from one financial crisis to another. They were first placed under an EFL embargo in 2017 over profitability and sustainability rules and were docked 12 points – reduced to six on appeal – at the start of the 2020-21 season for further financial breaches. The Owls were placed under embargo for late salary payments to players and staff in 2024, while a player registration embargo is also in place for unpaid transfer fees. New boss Pedersen admitted the club were in 'rough waters' following his appointment, with registration restrictions and the departure of several key players leaving him with a threadbare squad. Djeidi Gassama and Anthony Musaba have been sold this summer to Rangers and Samsunspor respectively, while Josh Windass and Michael Smith had their contracts terminated by mutual consent to allow them to join Wrexham and Preston. The latest missed payments to players and staff heaps further pressure on Chansiri, who insists he is willing to sell the club for the right price. He recently revealed he had rejected one consortium's £40million bid, while talks with various other interested parties have stalled.
Powys County Times
42 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
Surrey boost Championship title hopes with five-wicket win over Durham
Surrey boosted their Rothesay County Championship Division One title hopes with a five-wicket win over Durham. Durham were dismissed for 344 in their second innings at Chester le Street – Indian left-armer Sai Kishore taking five for 72 from 41.4 overs – to leave leaders Surrey needing 176 for victory. Surrey were briefly held up by bad light but reached their target in 38.2 overs. It was a joint effort with the top five batters all going past 20 and Sam Curran top scoring with 40. Brilliant win in the North East! 📈 🤎 | #SurreyCricket — Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) July 31, 2025 Yorkshire also seemed to be heading for a win inside three days at Scarborough after building on their impressive 545 for nine. Matthew Revis struck a brilliant unbeaten 152 and George Hill 75 as the pair put on 140 for the eighth wicket. Sussex, 323 behind on first innings, stumbled to 20 for three before Daniel Hughes (56 not out) and Danial Ibrahim (50 not out) engineered a recovery for the visitors to reach 115 for three. Warwickshire reached 465 for nine – 137 adrift of Essex – as Ethan Bamber compiled 107 for a maiden first-class century. Dan Mousley reached 75 along with Bamber's ton and Ed Barnard remains unbeaten on 90 at close alongside Oliver Hannon-Dalby on one. A maiden first-class century to savour for Ethan Bamber! 🤩 🐻 #YouBears — Bears (@WarwickshireCCC) July 31, 2025 Corey Rocchiccioli was caught and bowled by Matt Critchley towards the end of the day as the Essex bowler reached stumps with five wickets for 156 runs. Nottinghamshire went past Somerset's 438 as Haseeb Hameed, the leading run-scorer in the Championship, reached another milestone with a double century. Hameed, resuming on 103, had made 208 from 388 balls before being run out by Tom Lammonby. 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣🆙 Another milestone moment for the leading run-scorer in the County Championship. #NOTvSOM — Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) July 31, 2025 Lyndon James (72) and Jack Haynes (70) added valuable contributions as Nottinghamshire closed on 511 for six – a lead of 73. Hampshire lead Worcestershire by 183 runs heading into the final day at New Road. Worcestershire were dismissed for 249 – 44 behind Hampshire's first-innings total – as opener Jack Libby carried his bat with 100. Sonny Baker took five for 72 for Hampshire, who finished the day on 139 for two with Nick Gubbins and Tilak Varma unbeaten on 55 and 33, respectively. In Division Two, Northamptonshire were pressing for victory against Derbyshire after making 550 for nine to take a first-innings lead of 173. 24 | Stumps. 🔚 A brilliant day with bat and ball ends with Derbyshire 52/4. 💪 Chahal with two wickets while Procter and Keogh took one each. — Northamptonshire CCC (@NorthantsCCC) July 31, 2025 Justin Broad (171) and Rob Keogh (125 not out) put on 208 for the seventh wicket, and Derbyshire were in trouble at 52 for four at the close as leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal bagged two wickets. Glamorgan set Lancashire 473 to win at Emirates Old Trafford after declaring their second innings on 348 for seven. Sam Northeast (132) and Kiran Carlson (108) both reached three figures in a third-wicket partnership worth 215. Lancashire's response saw Luke Wells smash 102 from 117 balls before falling to James Harris and Matty Hurst was bowled by Ben Kellaway as the hosts slipped to 226 for five at close, needing 247 runs to win. Kent added only 14 runs to reach 217 for three in reply to Leicestershire's 471 before rain ended the action in Canterbury. No play was possible at Cheltenham due to the soggy conditions, with Gloucestershire 54 for one in reply to Middlesex's 445.
Times
an hour ago
- Times
EFL fears Wednesday won't start season as players force cancelled friendly
The EFL is increasingly concerned that Sheffield Wednesday's opening fixture of the new Sky Bet Championship season is under threat after the Yorkshire club's players forced the cancellation of a friendly with Burnley this weekend. The Sheffield Wednesday squad were told on Wednesday that the payment of their wages for July would not be made on time, reportedly the third successive month in which this would have happened, and that has led the squad to take a stand. It is understood that the EFL has become increasingly alarmed about developments at the club and remains in close contact with club officials. The friendly against Burnley was due to take place behind closed doors on Saturday and was their final pre-season fixture before the new season, but this has now been cancelled. Sheffield Wednesday are due to travel to Leicester City for their first match of the new season on Sunday, August 10. The scrapped friendly is the latest development after another tumultuous week for Sheffield Wednesday. On Tuesday Sheffield city council issued a prohibition notice to the club, preventing them from hosting spectators in the North Stand at Hillsborough, which can hold up to 9,255 supporters. Councillor Joe Otten said the decision was taken after consulting 'engineering specialists who can no longer reconfirm that the North Stand is safe for spectator use'. The head coach Danny Röhl also left the club by mutual consent on Tuesday, two weeks before the start of the new season. That followed multiple player departures, including the forwards Josh Windass and Michael Smith, who ended their contracts by mutual consent in mid-July, leaving only a small selection of senior players. This is compounded by the fact that the club are currently under an EFL registration embargo owing to unpaid transfer fees, having previously been put under embargo for unpaid player wages and delayed payments to HMRC. Sheffield Wednesday are owned by the Thai businessman Dejphon Chansiri, who is blamed by supporters and local politicians for the club's plight. Clive Betts, the Labour MP for Sheffield South East, told the city's newspaper, The Star, this week after the closure of the North Stand that the owner should sell: 'This is just the most recent issue in a host of problems he has brought and failed to recognise and address. 'Chansiri clearly has no idea what he is doing with the club and should just move on and sell to an owner that will actually care about the club and its fans.' Röhl has since been replaced by his assistant, Henrik Pedersen, whose appointment was confirmed on Thursday.
