Consortium Eyes Owls Investment

A consortium involving Owls fan and boxing promoter Dennis Hobson has revealed its interest in investing in Wednesday and wants to begin talks with club chairman Dave Allen as soon as possible.

The group, believed to include a number of high-profile businessmen from Jersey, revealed their plans to buy out Dave Allen's shareholding in the club on BBC Radio Sheffield after the Owls victory over Plymouth Argyle on Saturday.

And Hobson, who promotes Ricky Hatton and a host of other high-profile boxers, wants to sit down and discuss the consortium's proposition as soon as possible with chairman Dave Allen - or warned things could get hostile.

The consortium called for Dave Allen to work with them for the good of the club or take the way out offered. They also insisted they are Wednesday fans who genuinley want to take the club forward and carry 'no hidden agenda'.

The last time an approach was made to the Owls board was through now-Leeds United chairman Ken Bates - who offered to buy Dave Allen's shares in the club two years ago. Allen saw Bates as 'incompatible' with the current board and dismissed the former Chelsea chairman's offer.

Since the discussions with Bates, the Owls have moved forward on the pitch, with the appointment of Paul Sturrock resulting in immediate promotion to the Championships via the League One play-offs. Some saw promotion as a year too early for the club, but the Owls boss managed to equal his achievements last term by keeping the club in the Championship.

Some fans are still unsure about matters off the pitch though, and Allen's handling of club affair's. The club's current poor relationship with independant fans group 'Wednesdayite' isn't helping relations between the club and the fans, although bridges are being built.

But Wednesdayite have already issued a statement regarding the proposed investment distancing themselves from the consortium, although they have revealed they have been pro-active in discussions with the group recently.

Details of the proposed takeover are very sketchy at the moment. Any further developments (and we expect a few!) will be reported on Vital Sheffield Wednesday.

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