Concerned Sheffield Wednesday Supporters’ Trust publish 10-page vision for “A Better Wednesday” at a fans forum on Wednesday night.
Key points included a successful club with a clear vision for the future, a club where everyone feels welcome, a club that engages meaningfully with fans, a club that has a distinct identity that reflects our rich heritage.
They also want to see it led by knowledgeable leaders, supported by a sustainable business model that funds its strategy, collaborates effectively with local businesses, and boasts a well-utilised stadium that fans can be proud of.
PFA STATEMENT:
“As the professional players’ union, we have now been speaking to members at Sheffield Wednesday over many months regarding repeated delays in the payment of salaries.
“Ultimately, players and staff are like any other group of employees – they should be able to expect their wages to be paid on time and for the terms of their contracts to be met by their employers.
“When that does not happen, it has a significant impact on the professional and personal lives of players, staff and their families. The uncertainty it causes is made worse when there appears to be a lack of clear communication regarding the reason these issues are occurring, and when payments can be expected.
“Continued and ongoing delays to player and staff wages are unacceptable and need to be addressed without further delay. We will be continuing to support our members at Sheffield Wednesday until this situation is properly resolved.”
The SWFC Trust Fans Forum https://t.co/3GNHFvBUma
— The Wednesday Week (@TWWcast) June 11, 2025
10 PAGE VISION FOR ‘A BETTER WEDNESDAY’
A Message from the Chair: ‘This document has a history. It was created in May/June 2024 when there was a push to align all the Wednesday fans groups under one umbrella organisation. For many reasons, which we do not need to revisit, that dream didn’t come true.
While the umbrella group didn’t happen, the ‘manifesto’ that was created remains a great starting point for what we still think fans would see as ‘A Better Wednesday’.
There seems no point re-inventing the wheel. We are happy to build on the great work that was done previously and adopt this model as the blueprint for what we think fans would want under any owner. We would welcome all fan groups adopting the model if they felt it was the right approach.
We all agreed at the time that it is our ambition to support the ownership to meet the vision that we as fans have for our club. We are unapologetic that we will provide challenge if these goals are not met.
We firmly believe that an engaged and empowered fanbase can serve as a catalyst for reinvigorating the club, improving the culture of the club and fans, and fostering success.
This is just a starting point. We want your views on the document and make it by the fans for the fans.
Let’s make ‘A Better Wednesday’.
Ian Bennett Chair of Sheffield Wednesday Supporters Trust
A Better Wednesday
– A successful club with a clear vision for the future
– A club where everyone feels welcome.
– A club that engages meaningfully with fans.
– A club that has a distinct identity that reflects our rich heritage.
– A club that is well led by knowledgeable people.
– An ownership that has a sustainable business model, generating the money to meets the clubs strategy.
– A club that works properly with local businesses.
– A well utilsed stadium that we can be proud of.
A Better Wednesday Strategy
We want a club with a clear vision for the future, supported by longterm strategic plans to deliver our collective goals.
What does this mean?
We have clear financial and sporting ambitions for the next 5-10 years.
We balance financial sustainability with sporting ambition How will we measure this?
The club publishes medium and long term strategies backed by annual business plans
The investment needed to deliver this strategy is available We are building a first-team squad to deliver our longterm ambition.
The squad is developed independently of people with conflicts of interest
We have an executive with oversight of football strategy from the youngest academy side to the first team
Our academy status and its funding matches our longterm ambition
Our transfer window and youth development strategies clearly align with our long-term plans
A Better Wednesday Fans and Engagement
We want a club where that meaningfully engages with the widest possible representation of our fanbase. The club is proactive in compliance with the incoming engagement rules.
What does this mean?
The club consults with fans on business priorities, matchday experience, and club heritage.
A club that welcomes constructive criticism.
The club communicates transparently about club affairs and the decision-making processes.
Fans have a greater say in the running of the club’s affairs
How will we measure this?
The club discusses its medium to long term plans with the fans
Any proposals to change the club’s home ground, the club crest, or the colours of the club’s home kit are consulted in good faith with supporters
The club works positively to explain its decision-making in issues of interest to supporters
The club will regularly engage honestly and in good faith with supporters groups, being open with them in all issues that don’t breach commercial or employee confidentiality
A Better Wednesday Inclusivity and Culture
An inclusive and welcoming club with a distinct identity that reflects our rich heritage.
The club plays an active and enhanced role within our community and city.
What does this mean?
The club is inclusive and welcoming to fans from all communities and backgrounds, ensuring an enjoyable fan experience for all.
We want a womens team that is well resourced and successful.
How will we measure this?
The club will engage honestly and in good faith with supporters groups regularly,
Aggregated information will be published on the genders, age bands, and, where possible, other demographic information about our season ticket holders, members, and community programme beneficiaries
The club will undertake regular consultation to understand the matchday experience of all fan groups
The club maintains and invests in a womens team that is commensurate with our place in football.
A Better Wednesday Leadership and Governance
We want a club that is well led by knowledgeable, well-qualified directors, executives, and management staff who professionally and continuously drive the club forward.
What does this mean?
The club has a plural, well-qualified board, including independent directors, adhering to corporate governance best practices. We learn from others.
The club has a transparent organisational structure with delegated authority, efficient decision-making, and fair treatment of all employees.
We want a club ownership that makes decisions in the longterm interests of the club and fans.
How will we measure this?
To operate within all applicable governance rules, such as company law, the football regulator, and the rules of the competitions we play in.
Our Directors have suitable skills and experience and critically challenge the Board to constantly improve.
Our Board benchmarks our club performance against similar clubs of our size and prestige
We have a management structure which is comparable with other clubs of our size.
Staff are rewarded fairly and paid on time.
If the ownership no longer provide the long-term stewardship the club needs, it will proactively seek to find alternative ownership that can.
A Better Wednesday Finance
We want a club with a sustainable business model and ownership which enables adequate and reliable funding to deliver our strategy.
What does this mean?
A responsible and deliverable finance strategy is being pursued.
We operate within relevant football rules for sound finances.
How will we measure this?
Our stadium is under the same ownership as the club.
Our financial obligations are paid on time.
Commercial income published in the annual accounts on a comparable basis to other clubs.
The funding needed to deliver our strategy, on and off the pitch, is available and communicated.
We do not breach applicable financial regulations – HMRC, the football regulator, or any relevant football authorities.
A Better Wednesday Commercial
We want a club that maximises commercial income available, whilst respecting our community and its values
What does this mean?
Non-matchday income is maximised in a way that is consistent with our values as a family institution
We set out long term plans and communicate with and listen to local business leaders
How will we measure this?
Ticket prices are fair and balanced between fulfilling short-term objectives to generate income and the long-term generation of a total supporter base who want and can afford to keep coming back time after time
We benchmark ourselves against other comparable clubs to be consistently high performers in non-matchday income generation
A diverse range of income sources, reducing depedence on ticket sales
A Better Wednesday Infrastructure
We want a stadium which is a home we can be proud of and our training facillities are comensurate with our status and heritage.
What does this mean?
We enjoy a high quality, modern stadium that is utilised to its maximum.
The club infrastructure is developed and maintained to a high standard.
The club employs state-of-the-art training and sports science facilities for our coaches and teams and attract high calibre talent.
How will we measure this?
The stadium is always maintained to a standard that meets our safety certificate and provides an excellent supporter experience
Long term manintenance of the stadium is funded and undertaken appropriately
Our training facilities provide the best possible working environment for players, coaches and medical team and compare favorably to peer clubs of our size, stature and ambition
There is strategic plan to relocate to a training ground offering the facilities required to progress
A Better Wednesday Your ideas
Tell us below how you would like to see your club be better…
Do you want a different name?
Different Categories or Comments?
What’s the Club currently doing that needs to stop?
What’s good about what the Club does now? Anything else?
You must be logged in to post a comment Login