The future of Sheffield Wednesday is in the hands of their arch-rivals Sheffield United this Sunday at Bramall Lane.
The two clubs face off in the Steel City derby that could see Wednesday officially relegated to League One after a nightmare campaign.
Former owner Dejphon Chansiri’s torrid reign over the club ended after he placed the club into administration in October 2025.
This led to an initial 12-point deduction, with a further six-point deduction applied due to the failure to pay players and staff on time.
The Owls seemed doomed from the start of the season due to an inexperienced squad and the inability to sign new players. These sanctions only intensified fears over relegation to the third tier of English football.
Chansiri placed the club into administration due to a lack of funds available to him to sustain the day-to-day running of the club, but the issues began long before then.
The Thai businessman bought Wednesday for £30m in 2015 and has since caused a disconnect between him and the fanbase.
Whether this was through raising ticket prices, covering an entire stand with his name or failing to control the finances of the club, he became one of the most disliked figures in Sheffield.
This was further compounded when, this summer, the club received five sanctions, three of which were concerned with unpaid taxes, wages and transfer fees.
This left The Owls with a transfer embargo over the next three transfer windows, hindering any recruitment progress possible.
While the staff, players and fans have suffered from this miserable campaign, it could see local businesses hit the hardest after their relegation to League One is confirmed.
Relegation will mean an unavoidable drop in season ticket purchases, as fans are less invested in following the team in the third tier.
This, in turn, will see a decrease in footfall on matchdays and around the stadium, a worrying prospect for local business owners who rely on the Wednesday fanbase.