Mike Ashley Explores Sheffield Wednesday Takeover After Bord Bid Collapses

Former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley is exploring a potential takeover of Sheffield Wednesday after a £47.8 million bid from a consortium led by James Bord collapsed.

According to the Press Association, the club’s administrators are due to meet a representative of Ashley on Thursday, following the withdrawal of Bord’s group from the proposed deal.

The consortium, headed by former professional poker player James Bord, had been granted exclusivity by administrators Begbies Traynor on Christmas Eve. However, after spending more than £4 million on running costs over the past two months, the group announced it was pulling out, stating that the scale of its original binding offer was no longer justifiable and could not be renegotiated.

Fresh Interest After Withdrawal

Administrators confirmed that two parties have now expressed renewed interest in acquiring the club, including Ashley.

In a statement, Begbies Traynor said Bord’s offer would have enabled a full exit from administration, allowing Wednesday to begin the 2026–27 season without a points deduction. Nevertheless, they stressed that the sale process would not have to restart from scratch.

“We have already been contacted by other parties who previously participated in the sales process and who have reiterated their interest in acquiring the club,” the statement read.

“We are therefore moving immediately to re-engage with those bidders under a new expedited timetable.”

Relegation and Financial Pressures

The latest development comes just three days after Wednesday’s relegation from the EFL Championship was officially confirmed.

The club entered administration in October and were subsequently deducted 12 points, before receiving an additional six-point penalty in December for the late payment of wages.

Administrators have stated that sufficient funds remain in place to complete the club’s 13 remaining fixtures, beginning with an away match at Norwich. They reiterated their commitment to securing the best possible outcome for creditors, safeguarding the club’s long-term future and ensuring a responsible exit from administration.

Consortium Cites ‘Historic Mishandling’

In an open letter to supporters, the Bord consortium attributed the breakdown of the deal to what it described as “historic mishandling” under previous owner Dejphon Chansiri.

“It is a club whose glory has been diminished over the years by poor owners who forgot or intentionally disregarded your passion, your history and your value,” a spokesperson said.

“Tragically, the historic mishandling of the club and pattern of catastrophic under-investment means our sizeable binding bid can no longer be justified.”

The group added that it had hoped to play a “positive long-term role as custodians” of the club but departed the process with regret.

Supporters Demand Swift Resolution

The Sheffield Wednesday Supporters' Trust has urged both administrators and the English Football League to ensure that a suitable new owner is installed before the start of next season.

“The minimum expectation of Wednesday fans is that we can put out a team that is competitive in League One next season,” the Trust said in a statement.

“We need our future ownership in place as quickly as possible if we are to have any chance of delivering that.”

With relegation confirmed and financial uncertainty lingering, attention now turns to whether Ashley — or another interested party — can provide the stability required to steer Sheffield Wednesday towards recovery and rebuild confidence at Hillsborough.