Sheffield Wednesday face agonising takeover wait amid Mike Ashley, Storch family development | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday fans will be increasingly anxious as the wait to discover whether James Bord has been given approval by the EFL continues.

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

After months of financial and off-field turmoil, Chansiri placed Wednesday into administration back in October, bringing to an end his turbulent decade-long tenure at Hillsborough.

There was no shortage of suitors for the Owls after the club was put on the market, and after whittling down the interested parties, a consortium led by James Bord was chosen as the preferred bidder on Christmas Eve.

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.

However, despite Bord already owning three football clubs across Europe, there is no guarantee that he will be receive approval from the EFL to complete his purchase of Wednesday, and Owls supporters are becoming increasingly anxious as the delay continues.

Sheffield Wednesday supporter frustration is increasing amid ongoing James Bord wait

It is fair to say that it has been a year to forget for Wednesday supporters, many of whom are desperate for positive news regarding their club's future.

The Owls are bottom of the Championship table on minus seven points, and as they are a huge 39 points from safety with just 15 games remaining, their relegation could be confirmed as early as this weekend if they are beaten by Millwall and results elsewhere go against them.

Wednesday are currently on a 25-game winless run, with their last victory coming all the way back in mid-September at Portsmouth, while they have also failed to score a single goal in their last 10 matches in all competitions.

However, while the on-field situation is incredibly bleak, the Owls fanbase have long accepted their fate, and the off-field will be occupying much of their focus at present as doubts continue to grow about whether Bord will be given the green light by the EFL.

It was always known that the approval process would be a lengthy one, and according to The Guardian, the EFL are working to "establish whether the purchase would be largely funded by the proceeds of gambling and crypto-gambling operations".

While it is a positive that the EFL are determined to closely examine the source of funding behind Bord's consortium before making a final decision, particularly given the turmoil Wednesday have experienced in recent times, there is a fear that the club could soon be back to square one in their search for new ownership.

Sheffield Wednesday fans will have big James Bord concern after Mike Ashley, Storch family reveal

Bord recently had an ill-fated spell as a recruitment advisor to Sheffield United, so he was never the most popular choice as the preferred bidder among Wednesda supporters, and they have seen little to ease their worries since.

The administrators have stressed the need for confidentiality at this crucial stage of the takeover process, but the lack of information being shared has understandably increased the nerves among Owls fans, leading to widespread social media speculation about events behind the scenes.

The new Independent Football Regulator released a statement on Tuesday confirming that Bord's consortium would need to pass its tests if the transaction is not completed by the time it comes into effect in May, but the prospect of the saga dragging on for another three months is unthinkable for Wednesday, particularly as that is when planning for the new season would typically start.

The Times claimed last week that two of the previously interested parties, former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley and the Storch family, are waiting in the wings to pounce should Bord's deal collapse, highlighting the growing uncertainty over whether he will be granted approval.

There is a feeling among some Owls fans that Ashley could be the best option for the club, even though his takeover could see them hit with a 15-point deduction in League One next season if he does not improve his offer of less than £30 million.

It remains to be seen whether the race will reopen and Ashley and the Storch family will come back into the fold, but as Wednesday pass the 100-day mark in administration, their long-suffering supporters are no closer to answers about what the future holds.