What next, Mr. Chansiri? - One crazy year as a Wednesdayite Sheffield Wednesday writer: Joe Crann

But since packing my bags and leaving South Africa for sunny South Yorkshire, I’ve seen more legal PDFs than wins, spent more time looking through accounts than watching goals being scored, and – like every single one of you – am now staring League One in the face.

In one of our previous conversations with Dejphon Chansiri, he was asked about concerns that Wednesday were in a worse position then than when he arrived in 2015 – he said he didn’t think it was.

But when we’re on a train to Gillingham and Plymouth Argyle next season, there can be no denying that the club is in a worse position. In the very literal sense.

The third tier’s looking likely now, almost inevitable. And the uncertainty surrounding everything is crippling.

As things stand, Wednesdayites don’t know which division their team will be in, the players who’ll be playing, the manager who’ll be in charge, or what the roadmap for the future looks like.

I know it’s not Chansiri policy to announce contract lengths, but maybe Darren Moore should be the exception to that rule.

I’ve spoken before about my thoughts on Moore… I think it’s a superb appointment regardless of where we’re playing next season, but with so much up in the air – even plenty of the club’s youngsters don’t know if they’ve got a club next season – even the best appointment doesn’t help if there are worries he’ll be out of the door in July.

If he’s being tasked with rebuilding this club, and lessons can been learned from the multitude of mistakes that have been made, then great.

But without clarity, how can anybody get behind the ‘project’?

I came home because I was granted an opportunity to mix my job with my passion, and because it was a job that 14-year-old Joe would’ve killed for.

But since then I’ve written article upon article on accounts, combed through numerous appeal documents and Googled legal jargon – that I never thought I’d need – as a point deduction went from being a fear to a reality.

14-year-old Joe wanted to write about football. About players, and transfers, and the way this club connects with this wonderful city. He didn’t want this.

I was one of the last out of Hillsborough after the Huddersfield Town draw, and I had a moment as the lights went out - on the game and, in many ways, the season.

That beautiful hallowed ground of ours has seen League One before, and will likely see it again soon, but that doesn’t make it right.

This club deserves better. That stadium deserves better. We all deserve better.

Mr. Chansiri will still be here next season, but that’s pretty much the only certainty Wednesdayites have right now. And that’s not enough. It’s not enough to allay the many fears that this battered and bruised fanbase has.

League One looms, but what happens next?

More Owls news

Joost van Aken to leave Sheffield Wednesday? Latest as interest grows…

“For the first time, I wanted to leave…” - Westwood breaks silence on his future

Owls make Danny Simpson decision - new face confirmed

Thank you for reading this article, one of dozens we publish every single day to provide you with the best, most up-to-date and most informative coverage of YOUR club. This depth of coverage costs, so to help us maintain the high-quality reporting that you are used to from the football team at The Star, please consider taking out a subscription to our new discounted sports-only package. You'll find all the details at www.thestar.co.uk/subscriptions/sports.

Your support is much appreciated.