Sheffield Wednesday face winding-up petition over £1m tax bill

Sheffield Wednesday face an imminent winding-up petition over an unpaid tax bill of about £1 million, a move that could force the embattled Championship club into administration or prompt a sale of the club, according to reports. The petition, which is a formal court step that can lead to compulsory liquidation if the debt is not settled, comes amid a prolonged financial crisis at Hillsborough that has seen players paid late on multiple occasions and the club placed under several embargoes by the English Football League.

Club finances have deteriorated over months, with players reportedly unpaid on time in five of the past seven months and the EFL imposing multiple restrictions as a result. The alleged HMRC debt relates to PAYE and VAT liabilities. If the winding-up petition is issued and the bill remains unpaid, the club’s owner and sole director, Dejphon Chansiri, could face pressure to put the club into administration. Administration would likely carry a points deduction under EFL rules but would also open a formal sales process that could transfer ownership and address outstanding liabilities.

Supporters have mounted repeated protests against Chansiri’s stewardship, staging...