Fresh Sheffield Wednesday reaction given to big Dejphon Chansiri update - 'lifetime ban' claim made | OneFootball

FLW's Owls fan pundit feels that Dejphon Chansiri's punishment was too light

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Sheffield Wednesday have been docked a further six points, taking their total points deductions to 18 for the season. But alongside that, former owner Dejphon Chansiri has been given an ownership ban.

The latest points deduction comes as a result of Chansiri's failure to pay players, non-playing staff and HMRC in March, May and June. On top of this, the Thai businessman will not be allowed to be an owner or a director at an EFL club for three years.

This has all but confirmed the Owls' relegation from the Championship at the end of this season, with Henrik Pedersen's side now sitting 27 points from safety on -10 points.

Whilst investigations are still ongoing, the BBC understand that no further points are set to be deducted, and the current fee restriction that Wednesday is under is set to run out in January, which will give whoever the new owner is a fresh slate to work from next summer.

However, for the damage that Chansiri did during his final months as Wednesday's owner, Patrick McKenna, FLW's Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit, doesn't believe that a three-year ban is harsh enough.

Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit reacts to Dejphon Chansiri's three-year ownership ban

Whilst the likelihood of Dejphon Chansiri ever being involved in an EFL club again is incredibly slim, given the reputation he built during his decade at Hillsborough, a three-year ban does leave the door open for the Thai businessman to return in the future.

McKenna doesn't feel that this should even be an option, as he believes that Chansiri should have been given a lifetime ban from owning a football club in England.

"Dejphon Chansiri has not gotten the punishment he deserves. Three years is much too light," he said.

"He should be banned from football forever, simple as that.

"What he did to Sheffield Wednesday, its fans and its staff, was utterly reprehensible, and it should mean that he's never allowed near football again.

"Now, I know he's never going to pass a fit and proper test in England again, but it should be a lifetime ban, and that would really hammer home his horrific ownership of Sheffield Wednesday."

McKenna also feels that three years isn't enough of a punishment for Chansiri himself, as it wouldn't register as much of one in the former owner's mind.

It may tarnish his reputation in Thailand, but it opens the door for it to possibly be repaired, and the Wednesday fan pundit doesn't believe that he should be given that opportunity.

"It will wash over him and won't have an effect on him, as in his mind, he's done nothing wrong, and everyone else is at fault," McKenna continued.

"I would have loved to see the ban be a lifetime one, as the punishment has probably washed over his head. Yes, it will be bad publicity in Thailand, but he ultimately isn't the one who has suffered."

Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit welcomes points deductions this season — "we were down anyway."

On the field, Sheffield Wednesday were doomed from the off. Contract breaches due to the failure to pay players led to a whole host of senior talent walking for free, leaving the squad threadbare ahead of the new Championship campaign.

As it happens, it's those who chose to stay and fight at the club who are being punished with points deductions, which McKenna sympathises wholly with.

"The players who have put in a really good shift this season have had points deducted and are on -10, 27 points from safety, and it's not their fault.

"It doesn't reflect the effort they have put in this season."

However, despite the effort the Owls players have put in on the field, it was always going to be an uphill struggle to stay in the division regardless. Having 18 points deducted now makes it an impossible task.

"Of course, I'm glad that the points deductions came this season and not next season, as this year they don't make much of a difference, as we were down anyway," McKenna concluded.

"But it's annoying that, because of Chansiri's incompetence, the club still has to suffer."

Hopefully, those days of suffering are set to be over soon. With no further points deductions to come, a fee restriction which lifts soon, and new owners hopefully through the door in the new year, Wednesday will be able to go again from zero next season, albeit in League One.

There'll be frustration among Wednesdayites that their former owner hasn't gotten the punishment that they feel he deserved, given what they went through during the final months of his time at the club, but day by day, his time at Hillsborough is starting to become a distant memory.