SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY’S final pre-season match has been cancelled after players refused to play, according to reports.
The Owls are in crisis just 10 days before their scheduled Championship opener, with manager Danny Rohl having walked out amid the club’s huge financial issues.
Players were informed this week that they would not be paid their July wages in time, with payments originally scheduled to have been made today.
This is the fourth time in the last five months that this has occurred, with the Sheffield Star reporting that the news was met with “angry” reactions from members of the squad.
Wednesday were due to play a behind-closed-doors friendly against Burnley at the Clarets’ training ground on Saturday morning.
But amid wages not being paid, the Mail’s Mike Keegan claims that Owls stars decided to cancel the game.
According to the Burnley Express, Scott Parker’s Premier League new-boys offered to pay for crisis-hit Wednesday to stay at a hotel on Friday night ahead of the match.
But the training ground contest will now not take place.
Sheffield Wednesday are scheduled to face Leicester at the King Power Stadium on August 10.
Rohl’s former assistant Henrik Pedersen is set to be in the dugout, having been named the German’s successor – despite public interest from Neil Warnock.
Wednesday are currently under a transfer embargo.
While their Hillsborough home’s North Stand was shut by the local council due to safety concerns.
The closure of the North Stand – which bears the name of much-maligned owner Chansiri – will leave up to 9,000 supporters in disarray.
Just hours before the North Stand announcement on Tuesday, highly-rated Rohl had finally left the club after agreeing a deal with chiefs to exit.
SunSport revealed last week that controversial owner Dejphon Chansiri is refusing to budge on his £100million price tag for the crisis club – despite owing more than £4million in football debts.
Wednesday have lost several key players since the end of last season.
In the last 10 days, Michael Smith has signed for Preston, Josh Windass for Wrexham and Callum Paterson for MK Dons.
While stalwart Barry Bannan‘s future remains in doubt, with the Scot having still been training with the Owls despite his contract expiring last month.
Henrik Pedersen’s message to fans
The new Owls boss addressed supporters on the club’s website
I am incredibly, INCREDIBLY proud to become manager of this wonderful football club.
Since arriving in Sheffield with my family, the city immediately felt like our home.
The people are what makes a city special, and the fans are what makes a football club special.
So to be now staying in Sheffield, and managing this club with its incredible supporters makes me very happy.
This club has a fantastic history, one of the giants of English football and it is now my job to help get us back to the position we should be in.
Is this going to be easy? No! We are maybe in ‘rough waters’ at the moment but as a proud Dane I can tell you that like our Viking ancestors, stormy seas don’t bother us too much. You have to get used to it, to weather the storm to get to calmer waters.
This is a really great club, with great fans and I will do anything and everything to help us thrive and grow. We will have to fight and battle for everything but with the right mentality we can achieve great things as a team.
To the fans, I ask that we stick together. At times we may need to be a little patient as we strive to grow. We all care deeply and will do all we can to bring the great times back to Hillsborough.
I only ask that you get behind your team.
Sheffield Wednesday is a massive club! I now look forward to the hard work of preparing the team.
From the youngest kids in our academy, right through to the first team up.
I look forward to seeing you all for the new season.
See you all soon.
Henrik
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