Fresh Sheffield Wednesday revelation on failed James Bord takeover bid emerges | OneFootball

The Owls' search for new investment has continued amid a fresh major twist

It has been a week of unwanted events at Sheffield Wednesday, with the biggest of those coming off the pitch.

The Owls' recent plight has been well-documented, with the club's mismanagement throughout the second half of Dejphon Chansiri's 10-year stint as chairman at Hillsborough between January 2015 and October 2025 culminating in a flirtation with extinction throughout the past 12 months.

Indeed, the Thailand-based businessman's dramatic spell in the boardroom came to an end four months ago when the Steel City club were placed into administration, as they are now under the joint-control of Paul Stanley, Julian Pitts and Kris Wigfield of Begbies Traynor.

On the pitch, Henrik Pedersen and his threadbare squad have now had their fate - which was sealed for some time - confirmed, as they suffered the EFL's earliest-ever relegation after a 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United in the Steel City derby on February 22nd, and a subsequent 2-0 defeat to Norwich City at Carrow Road on Wednesday night has left the Dane's side still on minus-seven points with 12 games to go, meaning the highest points total they could accrue now stands at 29.

Wednesday will now have all eyes on rebuilding from the start of next season in League One, and it seemed as though that would be done under the ownership of former professional poker player, James Bord.

However, prior to the midweek encounter against Norwich, it was confirmed that the consortium fronted by himself, Felix Roemer and Alsharif Faisal Bin Jamil had withdrawn from the takeover process despite being granted exclusivity and preferred bidder status on Christmas Eve.

And, it has now been revealed how much cash the trio had put on the table, as the administrators now look to strike a deal with one of the other interested parties.

How much money James Bord offered to buy Sheffield Wednesday revealed as takeover deal collapses

It had been claimed that two of the major issues that led to the stalemate between the consortium led by Bord and those currently responsible for the day-to-day running of the Owls were differences in valuations between the parties, as well as the unknown costs needed to upgrade Hillsborough, although it has also been stated that the sourcing of funds and the bid's overall complexity had also caused problems.

Indeed, it was reported last month that the EFL had concerns over Bord's links to the gambling and crypto-gambling sectors as they began conducting their Owners' and Directors' Test on the consortium.

Prior to the Dunfermline Athletic co-owner being granted preferred bidder status, it was widely reported that Begbies Traynor were demanding a £30m fee to take over the club. However, the aforementioned Stanley, Pitts and Wigfield, revealed in an official club statement on Wednesday evening, just how much the consortium had put on the table.

"The Joint Administrators of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club can confirm that the preferred bidder has informed us of its intention to withdraw from the acquisition process," the statement began.

"The offer from the preferred bidder was valued at £47.8 million and represented the highest and best proposal received during the structured sales process. It would have delivered a full exit from administration, enabling the Club to commence the 2026/27 season without any points deduction, and the strongest available outcome for creditors, including many local businesses owed money by the Club.

"During the period of exclusivity, the preferred bidder provided in excess of £4 million to fund the trading of the Club. Those funds were used to support operations and ensure staff and players were paid on time," the statement continued.

As the aforementioned statement also read, the withdrawal of Bord's bid doesn't mean that the Owls will be returning to stage one of the takeover process.

Earlier in the month, it was reported that the Storch family and ex-Newcastle United chairman, Mike Ashley, remained interested in a takeover of their own if Bord's pursuit was to be unsuccessful.

That still remains the case, with David Storch expressing his confidence when it comes to striking a deal, whilst Ashley - who saw a £20m bid rejected in November - is back in contact with the administrators whilst facing competition from two other parties.