Bannan confident Wednesday will play league opener against Leicester | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday captain Barry Bannan says he expects the club to play their Championship season opener against Leicester City on Sunday, despite ongoing financial and operational turmoil at Hillsborough.

The Owls have endured a chaotic off-season marked by delayed wage payments to players and staff across May, June, and July, registration embargoes, and the closure of the North Stand due to structural concerns. To compound matters, manager Danny Röhl departed the club in July, leaving the squad without a permanent head coach just days before the new campaign.

In recent weeks, doubts have been raised by the EFL over whether Wednesday would be in a position to fulfil their fixtures. These concerns escalated after the players refused to take part in a behind-closed-doors training match against Burnley last weekend, which was subsequently cancelled.

Speaking to Talksport, Bannan said he does not believe the players will strike ahead of Sunday’s televised match at the King Power Stadium. “No, I don't think so,” he said when asked if they might refuse to play. “We pulled out of the Burnley game at the weekend, that was simply because it's happened too much now and I think it's a lot easier to pull out of a pre-season friendly game than it is a Championship fixture.”

The midfielder, who signed a new contract last week despite the uncertainty surrounding the club, explained that the decision to skip the Burnley match was a collective stand by the players. “We've come into training and just got on with it and made it look to the outside world like we're fine with it, so that was our choice then to say 'enough's enough' really.”

Bannan, 35, is entering his 11th season at Hillsborough and has made 447 appearances for the club. He revealed that he had received interest from other clubs but chose to stay, reaffirming his commitment to the team in the midst of its struggles.

Sheffield Wednesday's problems extend beyond the dressing room. The club has reportedly missed payments to HMRC and continues to battle rising debts. With only 15 senior players currently registered, the squad is threadbare heading into the new season.

Fans are also preparing to make their voices heard. The Sheffield Wednesday Supporters' Trust has announced plans to protest against club owner Dejphon Chansiri during Sunday’s fixture against Leicester, which will be shown live on television.

Despite the off-field instability, Bannan remains hopeful that the team will take to the pitch on Sunday and begin their Championship campaign as scheduled.

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