Sheffield Wednesday ‘silence their own fans’ with an ‘unprecedented stance’ on protest banners according to the Supporters Trust.
The Supporters’ Trust requested permission for fire-rated protest banners at Hillsborough; but the club decided to reject this.
Meanwhile, the teddy bear protest plan for Swansea game has been postponed to Bristol City (Sept 13) due to concerns (pitch chemicals, rain) and delays in club/charity confirmations.
The call going forward is for ongoing protests at every game. James Silverwood from the SWFC Trust states wages have been paid, but Chansiri has gone back on his sale promise, with it looking like Dejphon is trying to retain ownership.
š”ā«ļø Banners at Hillsborough ā«ļøš”
The Sheffield Wednesday Supportersā Trust recently wrote to the club requesting clarity on whether supporters could bring fire rated, none-offensive protest banners into Hillsborough.
Peaceful protest is a legal right. Across the country,ā¦ pic.twitter.com/EoPZhQbHhs
ā Sheffield Wednesday Supporters’ Trust (@SWFCTrust) August 30, 2025
In a new update, regarding banners at Hillsborough, The Sheffield Wednesday Supportersā Trust say they: “…recently wrote to the club requesting clarity on whether supporters could bring fire rated, none-offensive protest banners into Hillsborough.
“Peaceful protest is a legal right. Across the country, supporters of many clubs have displayed banners ā even in the darkest moments of ownership and mismanagement. It is part of football culture, part of fan expression, and part of what makes supporters the lifeblood of their clubs.
“Incredibly, Sheffield Wednesday Football Club has rejected this request.
“This stance is almost unprecedented. Even some of the most notorious football owners in the UK have never gone as far as to attempt to silence their own fans in this way. Hillsborough risks becoming the first stadium in the country where supporters are denied the right to display their opposition.
“Contrast this with Wrexham AFC, who initially blocked our banner request earlier this season. After listening to their fans and recognising how strongly the wider football community feels about the right to protest, they quickly rectified their decision. That is how a club connected to its community behaves.
“This decision is another clear echo of Dejphon Chansiriās style of leadership: an unwillingness to listen, a refusal to engage, and a mindset that more resembles that of a dictator than the custodian of a proud community institution.
“Our club should not be run like a dictatorship. It belongs to the fans and the generations who have built its history. Silencing supporters will not make the problems go away. It only deepens the divide between the terraces and the boardroom.
“We urge all fans to continue to make their voices heard ā inside and outside the stadium ā until Dejphon Chansiri sells the club. #SWFC #EnoughIsEnough”
UPDATE REGARDING TEDDY BEAR PROTEST FOR SWANSEA GAME
The 1867 Group said: “Since announcing our planned protest at tomorrowās match against Swansea, we have been in regular discussions with both the Childrenās Hospital and the club regarding the collection and distribution of the teddies once they were thrown onto the pitch.
“The Childrenās Hospital initially gave us the green light, but unfortunately had to withdraw due to concerns about pitch chemicals and the forecasted rain.
“We have since spoken with another charity that is very eager to be involved and would greatly benefit from receiving the teddies. However, we are not yet in a position to name them, as we are still awaiting confirmation on whether they can accept and collect the donations.
“At the same time, the club has not confirmed whether they would support the collection and distribution of donations to any charity.
“Sadly, the delays in response from the charity and the silence from the club, combined with the busy personal schedules of our volunteer group, have meant that we have been unable to organise this protest in time for tomorrow.
“We will therefore be postponing it until the Bristol City match on 13th September. #SWFC
“In the meantime, we fully support any initiatives announced by the Trust and would like to sincerely apologise for not being able to put everything in place for tomorrowās fixture.
“Finally, we want to thank everyone who has supported this idea from the very beginning – including the Swansea City fans who had planned to join in tomorrow. Your backing means a great deal, and we are determined to make the protest even more impactful next month.
“We would just like to add – that we have just received confirmation from the club that the teddies would be collected and not disposed of.”
Sheffield Wednesday Supporters Trust ā Future Protest Action
The fight for the future of our football club is ongoing, and it requires consistency, visibility, and unity from every supporter.
From this point forward, we call for constant forms of protest at every single game. The black and gold theme remains central to our identity ā a clear and powerful visual message that represents resistance to the current ownership. Please continue to wear it with pride. We are sourcing the Trust scarves in black and gold, which will be released as quickly as possible.
We urge all supporters to bring banners with the appropriate fire certificates to matches. The Trust has submitted applications for approval to the club, and we encourage you to do the same via email. This is your right as a supporter ā and the more visible, the better.
Vocal opposition must also be relentless. We ask supporters to make themselves heard throughout the match, but particularly to stand together in the 10th minute of every fixture. This symbolises 10 years of failed ownership, and it is the perfect moment to make our message impossible to ignore. Rise to your feet, make ourselves heard.
Protest is not confined to matchdays. Every fan can play their part by displaying slogans in cars, shop windows, and homes ā constant reminders that this fight is bigger than 90 minutes of football. The Trust will be providing printable versions and are looking into providing car stickers.
We also politely ask for patience and support. At Hillsborough, protests inside the stadium are not as straightforward as at clubs like Leicester, Bolton, and Wrexham, where supporter voices are facilitated rather than suppressed. That makes unity and creativity even more important.
Outside the stadium we donāt believe marching every week is feasible, however demonstrating outside the ground prior to and after games, is important.
Planned Action
ā«ļø Thursday 4pm ā Thai Embassy, London organised by the @londonowls
There will be a demonstration, with a digital advertising van in attendance for wider exposure and media coverage. We understand the difficulty in attending, but please register your interest via hello@swfctrust.co.uk should you wish to attend.
š” Away Fixtures
We have contacted all upcoming away clubs to ensure protest activity can be carried out within their stadiums.
ā«ļø Home Fixtures
We have formally contacted our own club regarding supporter-led protest activity and await their response.
š” Televised Games
We have exciting plans for upcoming televised matches, to make sure our message reaches a national audience.
ā«ļø International Break
With the fast turnaround of fixtures, the break will be a chance to plan big. We want your ideas ā fansā suggestions are vital to shaping future action.
Finally, we want to thank every single Wednesdayite for the unbelievable displays away at Leicester and Wrexham. You showed the world what unity looks like. Tuesday nightās boycott was another vital moment ā and we urge fans to keep this commitment going into the next round of the cup.
This is a long fight, but together we are stronger, louder, and more determined than ever.
Black & Gold. Every game. Every day. Until change comes.
ā«ļøš”
#SWFC #EnoughIsEnough
š£ļø “The information that we have been given is that Dejphon Chansiri is trying to cling on”
James Silverwood from the @SWFCTrust discusses the latest at Sheffield Wednesday, protests, boycotts & an appeal to high-net-worth supporters
Full interview š https://t.co/z7kR9J1xa3 pic.twitter.com/5Np78szbgE
ā Football Heaven (@footballheaven) August 28, 2025
Meanwhile, James Silverwood from the SWFC Trust discusses the latest at Sheffield Wednesday, protests, boycotts and an appeal to high-net-worth supporters.
He said, while on BBC Sheffield: “So first of all, for the playing and non-playing club staff, that’s great news. That’s good. I think what that broader news means aligns with the information that the Trust are getting. And again, I really emphasise we’ve put a lot of work into the Trust in the last year to go out and create those contacts that give us a really good stream of information, quality information from quality placed people, that enable us to make a good judgment of what’s happening within the club at any one given time.
“And what the information that we have been given, which aligns with this, the wages have been paid, is that Chansiri’s theory is trying to cling on. Despite the assurances at the start of the summer that he was willing to sell the club, we believe he’s actually now reneged on that commitment and is looking to try to keep his ownership of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club into the future.
“And I think that that’s important for Sheffield Wednesday fans to know because if we are taking the slogan of enough is enough seriously, if we really believe in that, then we are going to have to start taking really, really difficult decisions, including about how and where we spend our money.
“And that’s why the Sheffield Wednesday Supporters Trust has been taking us on this journey of embargoes and boycotts because we’ve actually been receiving information for a decent time now that Chansiri is not taking his own sales process seriously.
“And he’s actually in some circumstances has been working actively to undermine it.
“So we need to be willing to make difficult decisions. The protest against Leeds in terms of the boycott was great because there were around 7,000 people in the ground.
“Now there is no way that fixture should be any less than an attendance of 25,000 and in normal circumstances it wouldn’t.
“So to have secured and for the Sheffield Wednesday fans to have heeded the call for boycotts in that sufficient number is great, but we need to take that on probably into the Grimsby League Cup game.
“Sheffield Wednesday Trust will be announcing things on that fixture soon, but we need to remind ourselves that there is an ongoing merchandise and retail boycott.
“That is ongoing for the entirety of Chansiri’s regime.
“The reality is if enough is enough, we need to defund his ownership of the club.
“Look, the Sheffield Wednesday supporters trust, we’re never telling people what to do. We’re trying to offer a route out of this crisis.
“Unfortunately, the route out via boycotts and embargoes is a difficult one. I completely understand that. And we’re not judging any supporter that makes any decision on what is the right thing to do for them or their families.
“All we would say is take the level of action that you feel is appropriate to the scale of the crisis. And what we would try to say at the supporters’ trustees, the crisis is really big.
“The reality is that eight out of Chansiri’s 10 seasons at Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield Wednesday have had some form of transfer embargo.
“In certain years, he hasn’t paid the tax bill on time. More latterly, he hasn’t paid non-playing club staff on time well before any thought of boycotts and embargoes.
“So the financial crisis at Sheffield Wednesday is purely Chansiri’s making.
“Unfortunately, the easiest or the quickest route, and it may take several weeks or months yet, but the quickest route for him to leave Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is by withdrawing the amounts of money that you spend.
“Now, for some people, that might well be just not buying your pints and pie at half time. If you feel that is your contribution, then we completely support you on that.
“It might be not buying a pint and pie and not going to League Cup games. It might be in the future not renewing your season ticket.
“Everybody’s got a level of boycott and embargo that they’re comfortable with.
“What I would say to everybody is do one of those things. If everybody does one of those things, then the route to a brighter future for Sheffield Wednesday will be much quicker than if we don’t do any of them at all.”
You must be logged in to post a comment Login