SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY have begun ripping out seats featuring the name of ex-owner Dejphon Chansiri after being placed into administration.
The Owls are enduring one of the most turbulent spells in their 158-year history amid a crippling financial crisis.
Players and staff have not been paid in five of the last seven months and the situation finally escalated on Friday.
Wednesday entered administration and were deducted 12 points by the EFL, with the team now sitting on -6 points in the Championship.
The club owe around £1million to HMRC and administrator Begbies Traynor will attempt to recoup those debts by selling their assets – in addition to Chansiri’s separate company that owns Hillborough.
And with huge changes underway, the club have already started the process of tearing out white seats that spell out the name of Chansiri in their stadium’s North Stand.
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A video circulating on social media show workers ripping out the bottom of the ‘C’ in Chansiri.
It comes less than 24 hours before Wednesday face Oxford United at home, so they will have to work quickly to replace them with new blue seats.
There was some concern from fans online as one said: “Where are the fans sitting tomorrow? No way they’ll have them replaced in time.”
Another jokingly asked: “I sit on a [Chansiri] white seat, will I be allowed in tomorrow with my fold up camping chair?”
A third wrote: “Brilliant to see. Hopefully a new start for the Wednesday supporters and in getting their club back.”
The club now enters a dark period and are all but condemned to League One next season.
SunSport reported that administrators Begbies Traynor feel a takeover could happen by Christmas – with FOUR parties already showing firm interest — and several others are expected to come forward in the coming weeks.
Wednesday fans are now expected to get behind the team for the remainder of what promises to be a tough season with Chansiri exiting.
Sheffield Wednesday Supporters Trust chairman Ian Bennett told SunSport: “He’s finally gone, thank goodness for that.
“The club can now move forward and get sold to someone more competent. It’s a great day for Sheffield Wednesday. We’d written off this season anyway so relegation will be taken on the chin.
“But today is a win-win, Chansiri is gone, we take a 12-points deduction now, get the club sold and rebuild in League One next season.”
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