Sheffield Wednesday could face two further points deductions this season for breaching English Football League regulations but the administrators of the Championship crisis club are optimistic there are “four or five” credible bidders. Wednesday are bottom on -6 points after the chair, Dejphon Chansiri, placed the club into administration last Friday, triggering an automatic 12-point penalty.

Wednesday have failed to pay wages on time for five of the past seven months. An independent commission hearing will determine the sanction for the non-payment of March’s and May’s player wages. Wednesday are expected to be charged with further breaches this season, thought to relate to the non-payment of wages in June, July and September, for which they could also be docked points. If Wednesday are deducted further points, it is expected the penalties would apply this season.

Kris Wigfield of the club’s administrator, Begbies Traynor, revealed a huge financial boost in the buildup to Wednesday’s defeat at home to Oxford after Chansiri in effect ended his 10-year reign. “Since the announcement, over £200,000 has been spent in the club shop, and we sold 9,000 tickets for the match in just 24 hours,” Wigfield said. “The kiosks were packed with fans buying...