Sheffield Wednesday takeover: Why Friday 6th March is so important | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday's prospective buyers are facing a vital day this Friday

Sheffield Wednesday's administrators are keen to select a preferred bidder as soon as possible following the collapse of the James Bord bid.

Bord was previously Wednesday's preferred bidder, but his consortium ended their takeover efforts, deeming that the price of their prospective purchase was too much.

Amid point deductions, the Owls were finally relegated to League One when they were beaten 2-1 by cross-city rivals Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Meanwhile, former Sunderland co-owner Charlie Methven has emerged as a candidate to complete a Wednesday takeover, having previously served as Charlton Athletic's CEO more recently than his Black Cats involvement.

Sheffield Wednesday takeover timeline emerges - March 6th is key

Wednesday are yet to win in the Championship since their victory over Portsmouth back in September, and will hope to restore some pride when they face Derby County this Saturday.

Meanwhile, new bids to buy Wednesday are expected to land this Friday - March 6th, with David Storch and Mike Ashley the two front-runners at this stage.

Ashley is willing to splash £100million if he completes his takeover of the South Yorkshire club, which is indicative of his serious intent.

Storch also released a statement of intent before Bord's deal collapsed: "We remain incredibly passionate about the opportunity at Sheffield Wednesday and seeing the club return to its former glory. We wish the preferred bidder well through the process, but are ready to step in should the opportunity present itself again.

"We know all are disappointed by relegation yet wish the team well as they finish the current season."

Meanwhile, Wednesday's joint administrators made an official statement on 25 February, which said: "Our focus is to progress the revised process swiftly and responsibly.

"We have set a clear deadline for new indicative offers and will move forward without unnecessary delay."

The administrators' desire to move with haste, combined with the news that fresh offers are expected by Friday, shows that the end of the week is vital for prospective owners.

Sheffield Wednesday should benefit from the fact there are multiple interested parties

Wednesday's testing experiences this season have proven how much damage one bad owner can inflict on a proud football club, as failed owner Dejphon Chansiri was responsible for the fact that several non-playing staff and players weren't paid their wages on time before the South Yorkshire outfit were in administration.

It was also Chansiri's wrongdoings that saw Wednesday handed point deductions.

Therefore, it is clear to see why the takeover process is a lengthy one, with several checks and balances required from the administrators, the EFL, and the Independent Football Regulator, who will have the power to ratify club sales come May.

However, that doesn't make the current state of limbo the Owls are in any easier for loyal supporters to take.

Meanwhile, the recent collapse of Bord's takeover proved that even when there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel for Wednesday, further disappointment could still be on the horizon.

But the fact that several other interested parties remain on the scene is good news for the South Yorkshire outfit, who need to start next season's League One campaign in good shape.

Even if another deal falls through, the number of parties in waiting shows that the Owls are currently headed towards a sale and a brighter future, rather than liquidation.