Dejphon Chansiri: Sheffield Wednesday owner takes 'full responsibility' for relegation
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Dejphon Chansiri took over Sheffield Wednesday in January 2015
Sheffield Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri says he takes "full responsibility" for his side's relegation from the Championship.
A 3-3 draw at Derby County saw the Owls drop into the third tier for the third time since they were relegated from the Premier League in 2000.
The club had a six-point deduction for breaching spending rules after Chansiri bought the stadium from the club.
Wednesday would have stayed up had they not been deducted points.
"As your owner and chairman, I take full responsibility for everything that happens at our club," Chansiri said in a statement on the club website.
"I am the leader and in good times or bad, the responsibility for Sheffield Wednesday lies with me. I am sorry to you all that we have been relegated."
The club sold its Hillsborough home to Chansiri for £60m, and by including it in the accounts for the 2017-18 financial year they posted a £2.5m pre-tax profit.
Without doing so, they would have reported a pre-tax loss of £35.4m, following on from deficits of £9.8m and £20.8m in the previous two seasons.
Under the English Football League's profitability and sustainability rules - which were previously known as Financial Fair Play - Championship clubs are only allowed to lose £39m over a three-year period.
It was for that breach of spending rules that the club were initially docked 12 points in July, a penalty reduced to six on appeal.
'We must now face the reality of what lies ahead'
Sheffield Wednesday have had four managers this season - three of them permanent - and would have finished one place outside the relegation places had they not been deducted six points
Thai businessman Chansiri - who has made his fortune through canned tuna - bought the Owls in 2015.
The club twice reached the play-offs early in his leadership - they were beaten 1-0 by Hull City at Wembley in the 2016 play-off final - but have slipped away since.
Players have repeatedly had their wages delayed and are reportedly still owed money from last month., external
But Chansiri - who says manager Darren Moore will continue next season - stated that he will back the club in an attempt to return to the second tier at the first attempt.
"We must now face the reality of what lies ahead and for next season at least, that is League One," said Chansiri.
"We have had plans for both scenarios, and now our immediate future is clear we can start to put those plans into place.
"I can pledge that as chairman, I will give everything I can and offer as much support as possible to everyone as we try and achieve promotion at the first attempt. There are issues we must address in the short and long term and some things will not happen overnight.
"We will rebuild on the pitch, and off it, the day when fans return cannot come soon enough.
"I say thank you to our fans, it has been soulless without having you following the team home and away and I know all clubs say the same but we have missed your support so much."
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