Sheffield Wednesday takeover twist as fresh James Bord concern fuels Mike Ashley rethink | OneFootball

News of a court case involving preferred bidder James Bord may have some Sheffield Wednesday fans longing for Mike Ashley.

Almost four months on from the exit of former owner Dejphon Chansiri, Sheffield Wednesday remain in administration.

Chansiri's controversial decade-long tenure at Hillsborough came to an end in October when he put the club into administration, but a takeover deal for Wednesday has yet to be completed.

After narrowing down the interested parties, a consortium led by James Bord was chosen as the preferred bidder by the club's administrators on Christmas Eve, but it remains unclear whether they will be given approval by the EFL.

Bord, who is the founder of sports analytics business Short Circuit Science, currently holds stakes in Scottish side Dunfermline Athletic, Spanish club Córdoba and Bulgarian outfit Septemvri Sofia, while his group also includes German-born entrepreneur Felix Roemer and Jordanian Royal Family member Alsharif Faisal Bin Jamil.

As the wait continues to discover whether Bord's group will get the green light, anxiety is building among Owls supporters, and the latest news of a court case involving the former poker player has done little to ease their nerves.

Latest James Bord red flag raises fresh Sheffield Wednesday takeover doubts

It is fair to say that Bord was not the most popular choice as the preferred bidder for Wednesday from the outset, particularly given his links with Wednesday's Steel City rivals Sheffield United.

Bord had an ill-fated spell as an advisor to the Blades last summer, during which he played an instrumental role in the controversial decision to replace manager Chris Wilder with Ruben Selles, as well as recommending a number of signings that proved to be major transfer flops at Bramall Lane.

However, Bord's connections with United have not been the only cause for concern for Owls fans, and it seems the EFL may also be unconvinced, with The Guardian claiming that they are assessing "whether the purchase would be largely funded by the proceeds of gambling and crypto-gambling operations".

The latest red flag regarding Bord emerged this week when The Times revealed that he is being sued by friend and business partner Jonathan Cohen over his investment in Córdoba.

In documents lodged with a court in Nevada, Cohen alleges that Bord deceived him into believing that Córdoba were debt-free, when in reality they had debts of around $23 million (£16.9 million), while among his other claims, he accuses Bord of taking his bitcoin account worth around $6 million (£4.4 million) hostage.

A spokesperson described the situation as "a deeply upsetting matter" for Bord, and although he has not yet been found to have committed any wrongdoing, the saga undoubtedly raises further question marks over whether he is the right man to take Wednesday forward.

Sheffield Wednesday fans may have Mike Ashley wish amid James Bord uncertainty

Bord may have won the race to be chosen as Wednesday's preferred bidder, but he was not the only candidate in the frame, with former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley among those who expressed an interest in buying the club.

Ashley had an initial £20 million bid for the Owls rejected in November, and while it is unclear whether he returned with an improved proposal, Bord's offer of £32.5 million was significantly higher than his rivals.

The 61-year-old has a mixed reputation within football after Newcastle supporters regularly protested against him due to what they perceived as his lack of ambition in the transfer market, but he is viewed somewhat differently outside of St James' Park.

The Magpies spent 12 of Ashley's 14 years in charge in the Premier League, winning the Championship title in the other two seasons, and although he was not known for investing heavily, he brought strong financial stability to the North East outfit, which is certainly something Wednesday have lacked in recent times.

While there are concerns about Bord's source of funding, there would certainly be no such doubt over Ashley's wealth, with the Sports Direct founder possessing an eye-watering net worth of $5.7 billion (£4.2 billion).

It was claimed in December that the Owls would be hit with a 15-point deduction next season in League One if Ashley took over the club as his bid was below £30 million, but amid growing fears over Bord, some supporters would be willing to accept that penalty in order to have the experienced businessman at the helm.

As the approval process continues to drag on, Ashley is said to be waiting in the wings to reignite his interest in Wednesday if Bord's takeover bid fails, and an increasing number of fans believe he may be the best option.