Fresh reaction given to Sheffield Wednesday takeover news ft Mike Ashley - 'looking to get it on the cheap' | OneFootball

FLW's Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit has given his verdict on Mike Ashley and the Storch family waiting in the wings to buy the club

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…

Mike Ashley and the Storch family are reportedly waiting in the wings if James Bord’s bid to buy Sheffield Wednesday collapses.

The Owls passed the 100-day mark in administration earlier this week, which raised further questions regarding how long it is taking the EFL to ratify the takeover of the club.

Bord’s consortium emerged as a the preferred bidder on 24 December, but the January transfer window has come and passed without a decision from the EFL.

It has been reported by The Times that both Ashley and the Storches, who were both involved in the negotiating process that saw Bord come out on top, are waiting to pounce if things change.

It’s believed that the former poker player is subject to the Owners and Directors’ Test, and it remains unclear whether he will pass.

Mike Ashley and the Storch family are not Sheffield Wednesday’s concern yet

When asked about these previous bidders still waiting in the wings, FLW’s Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit Patrick McKenna claimed that he’s not interested in thinking about them until a time comes when they may be able to re-enter the negotiating process.

He believes that Bord’s bid should be supporters’ main focus as they are the ones that have stumped up the most cash, and they have followed the same processes that Ashley and the Storch family followed.

“I’m not really going to put my energy into thinking about them,” McKenna told Football League World.

“I’m just going to get behind, at this stage, the preferred bidder.

“At the end of the day, these are the guys that put in the biggest bid, they outbid Ashley and Storch, so they have got the right to get further in the process.

“So, as fans we’re waiting to see how this James Bord consortium goes, and I’m hoping it does go through and that we get to see their plans and we get some closure on the process.

“Because I know that there are checks to go through, but it’s just a situation where I just want the administration process to be over.

“At the end of the day, for Ashley and Storch to say we’re in the same bidding process, rules were the same, but they were unwilling to pay enough to avoid a 15-point deduction.

“I think that is quite telling, so we all know what Ashley is like.

“Of course he’s going to be hanging about, looking to get it on the cheap, and for some reason fans seem to be backing this approach.”

McKenna believes that Ashley and the Storches are just a distraction at this point, and that they can come back into the frame if the bidding process is ever re-opened.

“But no, my energy and focus is on the current preferred bidders and I think, as a fanbase, that’s where our focus should be,” he continued.

“We shouldn’t be distracted by those at the minute waiting in the wings.

“If this bid doesn’t go through, and the bidding process opens up again, yeah certainly we can give them attention if they do re-enter the process.

“But, for now, I’m not really worried about it.”

Sheffield Wednesday are bottom of the Championship table, and are all but guaranteed to be relegated, even with 16 games still to play.

James Bord’s bid is still the best option for now

Bord’s consortium, which also involves Felix Roemer and Alsharif Faisal Bin Jamil, is still the preferred bidder and we don’t know one way or the other if their takeover will be ratified by the EFL.

Until a decision is arrived at, then Sheffield Wednesday’s sole focus should be on what their prospective takeover will mean.

If the EFL fail to ratify Bord’s bid, then Ashley or the Storch family could re-enter the frame to buy the club, but it’s a moot point for now.

While their Championship season is already all but over, the sooner this takeover situation is resolved the quicker the club can start preparing for life in League One.