{{Short description|Thai businessman}} {{Infobox person | name = Dejphon Chansiri | image = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing brackets --> | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = | native_name = เดชพล จันศิริ | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|6|3|df=y}} | birth_place = Bangkok, Thailand<ref name="Frostick Slater Taylor">{{cite web | last1=Frostick | first1=Nancy | last2=Slater | first2=Matt | last3=Taylor | first3=Daniel | title=The story of Dejphon Chansiri | website=The Athletic | date=22 November 2019 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1391352/2019/11/22/the-story-of-dejphon-chansiri/ | access-date=16 August 2023}}</ref> | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (DEATH date then BIRTH date) --> | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = Businessman | years_active = | known_for = Owning Sheffield Wednesday | notable_works = | spouse = Tipparut Chansiri<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Alex |date=2020-01-08 |title=Dejphon Chansiri's wife named as director of Sheffield Wednesday parent company in structural shake-up |url=https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-wednesday/dejphon-chansiris-wife-named-as-director-of-sheffield-wednesday-parent-company-in-structural-shake-up-1358564 |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=The Star}}</ref> }} '''Dejphon Chansiri''' ({{langx|th|เดชพล จันศิริ}}, born 3 June 1968) is a Thai businessman who, from 2015 to 2025, owned then EFL Championship club Sheffield Wednesday.
== Career == Chansiri's family controls the Thai Union Group, the world's largest producer of canned tuna.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-01-29 |title=Thai group buys Sheffield Wednesday |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/31040959 |access-date=2023-11-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sky Bet Championship: Thai consortium complete Sheffield Wednesday takeover |url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11703/9686400/sky-bet-championship-thai-consortium-complete-sheffield-wednesday-takeover |accessdate=29 January 2015 |website=Sky Sports}}</ref> The Chansiri family's net worth was estimated by ''Forbes'' to be US$575 million as of 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kraisorn Chansiri & family |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/kraisorn-chansiri/ |access-date=2020-03-02 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>
== Sheffield Wednesday == In January 2015, a consortium led by Chansiri acquired a 100% stake in EFL Championship side Sheffield Wednesday from Milan Mandarić for £37.5m and targeted promotion to the Premier League by 2017.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-03-02 |title=Sheffield Wednesday: Dejphon Chansiri targets Premier League |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/31693775 |access-date=2023-11-24}}</ref> During his first transfer window he brought in Sergiu Buș, Marnick Vermijl, Filipe Melo on deadline day, as well as loans for Will Keane and Lewis McGugan.
During early 2015, Chansiri changed many aspects of the Sheffield Wednesday set-up. He brought in a new transfer committee of manager Stuart Gray, Glenn Roeder and Adam Pearson.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-04-20 |title=Sheffield Wednesday appoint three-man committee to act as sporting director |language=en-GB |work=Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/apr/20/sheffield-wednesday-three-man-committee-sporting-director|access-date=2025-02-04}}</ref> Adam Pearson left within a month to work for Leeds United.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.leedsunited.com/news/article/1r404x3jodxx1saec3nkh6vp4/title/pearson-appointed-executive-director|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150513182538/http://www.leedsunited.com/news/article/1r404x3jodxx1saec3nkh6vp4/title/pearson-appointed-executive-director|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 13, 2015|title=PEARSON APPOINTED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR|date=11 May 2015|work=Leeds United|publisher=Leeds United|accessdate=11 May 2015}}</ref> Gray left the committee at the end of the season, being replaced by new manager Carlos Carvalhal,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-06-30 |title=Sheffield Wednesday name Carlos Carvalhal as new head coach |newspaper=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/33126643 |access-date=2015-11-02}}</ref> whilst Roeder left by the end of 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/glenn-roeder-parts-ways-with-sheffield-wednesday_sto5031806/story.shtml|title=Glenn Roeder parts ways with Sheffield Wednesday|date=17 December 2015|work=Eurosport|publisher=Eurosport|access-date=17 December 2015|archive-date=31 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131222939/http://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/glenn-roeder-parts-ways-with-sheffield-wednesday_sto5031806/story.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>
Chansiri invested heavily that first season, bringing in multiple signings including, Fernando Forestieri, Gary Hooper and Lucas João and the first full season saw Wednesday make the playoff final, eventually losing to Hull City 1–0 in the final.<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/05/27/championship-play-off-final-hull-city-vs-shefffield-wednesday/ | work = The Daily Telegraph | title = Hull City vs Sheffield Wednesday, Championship play-off final: Diame screamer puts Tigers back in the Premier League | date = 27 May 2016 | access-date = 6 May 2020 | first = Rob | last = Bagchi | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170821163559/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/05/27/championship-play-off-final-hull-city-vs-shefffield-wednesday/ | archive-date = 21 August 2017 | url-status = live }}</ref>
The following season, the investment into the first team squad continued, with more big money signings Almen Abdi, Adam Reach and Jordan Rhodes all made. Wednesday again made the playoffs, but this time lost in the semi-final to Huddersfield Town.
In the 2017–18 season, the investment began to dry up, and injuries meant Wednesday struggled, with manager Carlos Carvalhal losing his job just before Christmas and being replaced by Dutch manager Jos Luhukay.<ref name="BBC Sport">{{cite news|title=Sheffield Wednesday name Jos Luhukay as new manager|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42586860|work=BBC Sport|access-date=5 January 2018}}</ref>
Jos Luhukay was sacked as manager the following Christmas after only being able to bring in Joey Pelupessy and the loan signings of Josh Onomah and Michael Hector during his year in charge. He was replaced by ex-Sheffield United manager Steve Bruce in January but allowed to start the following month.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46660813 |title=Steve Bruce: Sheffield Wednesday appoint new manager |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2 January 2019 |access-date=2 January 2019}}</ref>
Steve Bruce joined Newcastle United the following summer and Chansiri brought in Garry Monk to replace him almost two months later.<ref>{{cite web |title=Garry Monk confirmed as Wednesday boss|url=https://www.swfc.co.uk/news/2019/september/garry-monk-confirmed-as-wednesday-boss/|publisher=Sheffield Wednesday |access-date=6 September 2019}}</ref>
The next summer, the club received a 12-point penalty which was later reduced to six points for breaching the League's Profitability and Sustainability Rules for the three season reporting period ending in 2017–18.<ref>{{cite news |title=EFL Statement: Sheffield Wednesday verdict|url=https://www.efl.com/news/2020/july/efl-statement-sheffield-wednesday-verdict/|access-date=31 July 2020 |publisher=EFL |date=31 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Club Statement|url=https://www.swfc.co.uk/news/2020/november/club-statement/|access-date=4 November 2020 |publisher=Sheffield Wednesday F.C. |date=4 November 2020}}</ref> It was then revealed Chansiri was securing debt against the stadium.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dejphon Chansiri: Sheffield Wednesday owner securing debt against Hillsborough|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54436076|access-date=7 October 2020 |publisher=BBC |date=7 October 2020}}</ref> Monk was then sacked and replaced by Tony Pulis who was later relieved of his duties after ten games in charge, picking up seven points from a possible 30 and just one win.<ref name="Tony Pulis leaves">{{cite news |title=Club statement|url= https://www.swfc.co.uk/news/2020/december/club-statement---tony-pulis/ |access-date=28 December 2020 |publisher=Sheffield Wednesday F.C. |date=28 December 2020}}</ref> In December, it was announced that the players were not paid in full for the month of November, the second time this has happened in 2020.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sheffield Wednesday: Professional Footballers' Association called in over pay issue|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55351588|access-date=17 December 2020 |publisher=BBC |date=17 December 2020}}</ref> In January, it was announced that players were not paid again for January, with news that salaries were capped at £7,000 per month.<ref>{{cite news |title=Six Sheffield Wednesday talking points: Sam Hutchinson, Osaze Urhoghide and unpaid player wages|url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/sheffield-wednesday-talking-points-preston-19733117|access-date=31 January 2021 |publisher=ExaminerLive |date=31 January 2021}}</ref> Darren Moore was appointed the third manager of the season in March, two months after Tony Pulis was dismissed.<ref name="Darren Moore appointed">{{cite news |title=Owls appoint Darren Moore as new manager|url=https://www.swfc.co.uk/news/2021/march/owls-appoint-darren-moore-as-new-manager/|access-date=1 March 2021 |publisher=Sheffield Wednesday F.C. |date=1 March 2021}}</ref> The club was relegated in May to EFL League One after nine years in the Championship.<ref>{{cite news|title=Report: Derby 3-3 Wednesday|url=https://www.swfc.co.uk/news/2021/may/report-derby-3-3-wednesday/|access-date=8 May 2021 |publisher=Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|date=8 May 2021}}</ref> After relegation, it was revealed again that players had still not been paid in full for some months and that some players were considering walking away over ongoing wages issues.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sheffield Wednesday players considering walking away over ongoing wages issues|url=https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-wednesday/exclusive-sheffield-wednesday-players-considering-walking-away-over-ongoing-wages-issues-3256319|access-date=31 May 2021 |publisher=Sheffield Star|date=31 May 2021}}</ref>
More high-profile players left in the summer, with Tom Lees, Adam Reach, Jordan Rhodes and Keiren Westwood all being released. Chansiri bought 18 new players for manager Darren Moore to try and get back to the Championship at the first time of asking, but the side subsequently failed in the playoff semi-finals.
Darren Moore got another season, and, after a successful playoff campaign, beating Barnsley at Wembley stadium, Wednesday won promotion back to the EFL Championship.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sheff Wed beat Barnsley with 123rd-minute winner|work=BBC Sport |date=28 May 2023 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65667707|access-date=29 May 2023}}</ref>
Ahead of the first season back in the Championship, Darren Moore was relieved of his duties.<ref name="Club statement">{{cite news |title=Club statement|url=https://www.swfc.co.uk/news/2023/june/club-statement/|access-date=19 June 2023 |publisher=Sheffield Wednesday FC |date=19 June 2023}}</ref> While unveiling new manager Xisco Muñoz ahead of the 2023–24 season, Chansiri ranted about former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Carlton Palmer following criticism of the club on Twitter.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-07-05 |title=Xisco Munoz: Sheffield Wednesday boss delighted to be back in English football |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66111635 |access-date=2023-11-24}}</ref> In September 2023, Chansiri announced that he would invest no further money in the club after protests which included damage being caused, insults aimed at Chansiri and people approaching his family. These had followed poor performances by the club which had left them bottom of the Championship.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-09-29 |title=Sheff Wed owner Chansiri to stop funding club |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66958019 |access-date=2023-11-24}}</ref> In October 2023, the English Football League put the club under a registration embargo due to the club not paying a bill to HM Revenue and Customs.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-10-27 |title=Sheff Wed under embargo because of HMRC debt |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/67245949 |access-date=2023-11-24}}</ref> Chansiri subsequently asked the club's fans for £2m to help pay the debt and cover wages, saying it was a problem with cashflow;<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-10-31 |title=Sheff Wed owner asks fans for £2m to pay debts |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/67268518 |access-date=2023-11-24}}</ref> the following day he confirmed the outstanding debts and salaries had been paid.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-11-01 |title=Dejphon Chansiri: Sheffield Wednesday owner says club has paid HMRC debt |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/67289706 |access-date=2023-11-24}}</ref> Xisco oversaw the club's worst start to a season and was fired in October. His replacement, Danny Röhl, saved the club from immediate relegation on the final day of the season.<ref>{{cite news |title=Danny Rohl's Owls win on Wearside to complete great escape|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13126891/sunderland-0-2-sheffield-wednesday-danny-rohl-s-owls-win-on-wearside-to-complete-great-escape|access-date=4 May 2024 |publisher=Sky Sports|date=4 May 2024}}</ref>
On 1 November 2024, the club was again placed under a registration embargo for failing to pay HMRC for the second year in a row, with the tax bill paid on 14 November.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-11-01 |title=Wednesday placed under registration embargo |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cvg413zjjrro |access-date=2024-11-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Important Sheffield Wednesday embargo update amid fan concern|url=https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-wednesday/important-sheffield-wednesday-embargo-update-amid-fan-concern-4866479|access-date=14 November 2024 |publisher=Sheffield Star |date=14 November 2024}}</ref> Cashflow problems recurred later in the season, with players and club staff not being paid on time in March and May.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sheff Wed players not paid due to Chansiri cashflow issues|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c24q31yl0lvo|access-date=1 April 2025 |publisher=BBC |date=31 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cvgvn58y075o|title=Sheff Wed wage payments delayed again|website=www.bbc.com |date=30 May 2025 }}</ref>
In June 2025, Sheffield Wednesday was charged by the EFL with several breaches of regulations relating to payment obligations. Chansiri was also charged with "causing the club to be in breach of EFL Regulations despite his commitment to fund their cash requirements".<ref>{{cite web | title=Sheffield Wednesday: Championship club charged over breaches of EFL regulations | website=BBC Sport | date=3 June 2025 | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c0k3rnyp4nmo | access-date=3 June 2025}}</ref> On 4 June, the member of parliament for Sheffield South East, Clive Betts accused Chansiri of holding the team "hostage" and urged potential buyers for the club to come forward.<ref>{{cite web | last=Aslett | first=Chloe | title=MP urges Sheffield Wednesday owner Chansiri to sell up | website=BBC News | date=4 June 2025 | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1ld90y36q4o | access-date=4 June 2025}}</ref> The club was also barred from carrying out any transfers or loans involving a fee in the summer 2025 window and the two 2026 transfer windows.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sheff Wed hit with transfer restrictions over wages |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c70xzzy9dpko |access-date=19 June 2025 |work=BBC Sport |date=18 June 2025}}</ref> Players' wages were again unpaid in June 2025; some players handed in their notice, as permitted when players' wages are delayed in two consecutive months.<ref>{{cite web | title=Sheffield Wednesday: What's going on at Championship club as wages go unpaid? | website=BBC Sport | date=4 July 2025 | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c5yplp7gy70o | access-date=4 July 2025}}</ref>
In August 2025, Sheffield Wednesday fans held a large protest against Chansiri before and during the match against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. Fans stayed outside the stadium during kick-off, deliberately leaving empty seats, while a large banner that reads “SWFC for sale – enough is enough” was left on the empty seats.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Unwin |first=Will |date=2025-08-08 |title='The attitude is despair': Sheffield Wednesday fans push for end to Chansiri's reign |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/aug/08/attitude-is-despair-sheffield-wednesday-fans-wish-for-end-to-chansiris-reign |access-date=2025-08-11 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Munday |first=Billy |date=2025-08-10 |title=Faes fires late winner as Leicester sink Sheffield Wednesday amid protests |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/aug/10/leicester-sheffield-wednesday-championship-match-report |access-date=2025-08-11 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> On 4 October 2025, second-bottom Wednesday were humbled 5–0 at Hillsborough by Coventry City in a game interrupted by fans entering the pitch to protest against Chansiri's ownership after wages were not paid on time for the fifth time in seven months.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sheffield Wednesday 0 5 Coventry City |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c8rv43rm5j3t |access-date=4 October 2025 |work=BBC Sport |date=4 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Sheff Wed v Coventry delayed after fan protest on pitch |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cn82n5mdrz4o |access-date=5 October 2025 |work=BBC Sport |date=4 October 2025}}</ref> The Sheffield Wednesday Supporters Trust led a boycott of all sales of merchandise and food and drink sales inside the ground to starve Chansiri of any further funds<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://swfctrust.co.uk/news/merchandise-and-retail-boycott/|title=Merchandise and retail boycott}}</ref> to try and hasten his exit and also urged fans to boycott the sale of "early-bird" season ticket sales.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://swfctrust.co.uk/news/no-early-renewals-no-funding-our-own-decline/|title=No early renewals. No funding our own decline.}}</ref>
The SWFC Supporters Trust called for a full fans boycott of the home game against Middlesbrough on 22 October 2025. With this game being broadcast live on Sky Sports it was a perfect opportunity to highlight the cause and struggles of the fans against Chansiri which was deemed a success, with the majority of the 7,081 crowd being made up of Middlesbrough's travelling support.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thefsa.org.uk/news/swfc-protests-thousands-boycott-hillsborough/|title=SWFC protests: Thousands boycott Hillsborough|first=Liam|last=Thompson|date=October 24, 2025}}</ref> Protest images against Chansiri's ownership were also projected onto the exterior of the stadium.
On 24 October 2025, Sheffield Wednesday announced that it had been placed into administration, being automatically docked 12 points as a result. This effectively ended Chansiri's 10-year ownership of the club. On the same day, seats spelling out his name in the North Stand seats at Hillsborough were in the process of being removed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c1lqmmml533o|title=Sheffield Wednesday: Championship club enters administration|date=October 24, 2025|website=BBC Sport}}</ref> On 1 December 2025, Chansiri was prohibited from being an owner or director of any EFL club for a period of three years.<ref>{{cite news |title=Club statement |url=https://www.swfc.co.uk/news/2025/december/01/club-statement/ |access-date=1 December 2025 |publisher=Sheffield Wednesday FC|date=1 December 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chansiri, Dejphon}} Category:Living people Category:1968 births Dejphon Chansiri Category:Sheffield Wednesday F.C. directors and chairmen Dejphon Chansiri Dejphon Chansiri Dejphon Chansiri