Eleven Sheff Wed players not paid 'but no strike'

Henrik Pedersen's Sheffield Wednesday are unbeaten in their past three games

Sheffield Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen has said he does not envisage the squad going on strike despite the ongoing issues of late payment of wages.

Player and staff wages were again not paid on time this week by owner Dejphon Chansiri, for a fifth time in the past seven months.

Pedersen said he had been informed by the Thai businessman last Sunday that there would again be a problem with payments but that he has had no further information on the situation since then.

"We have 11 players who have not been paid and a lot of them have played a lot in our team this season," he told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"I have had individual conversations with all of them for how next week will look like (during the international break) and some will have an extra day off but it's not a theme that players don't want to train because they haven't been paid."

There were reports this week that the Owls, who are second bottom of the Championship after eight games, could soon face a points deduction from the EFL.

Pedersen hopes for peaceful protest

Despite the litany of off-field issues, the Owls have put together a run of three games without defeat and only a last-minute equaliser from Birmingham City on Tuesday stopped them from climbing out of the relegation zone.

Protests against the owner are once again planned for Saturday's home match against high-flying Coventry and there have been suggestions that some fans may look to enter the pitch in order to have the game held up or even called off.

City boss Frank Lampard told BBC CWR that although he had "a lot of sympathy with Sheffield Wednesday fans", he wanted clarity about player security.

When asked about the possibility of a pitch invasion, Pedersen said: "We have not spoken about it but I have heard about it.

"Of course we all understand the frustration and that there is a protest but we also really hope that it can be without risk and with safety for the fans."

In January 2024, Reading fans forced the abandonment of their League One game at home to Port Vale after coming on to the pitch to protest against Dai Yongge's ownership.

The game, which had been stopped in the 16th minute, was then replayed in full the following month.