Irvine pleads with Owls' buyers: Keep Wilko

Alan Irvine has pleaded with ­Sheffield Wednesday’s ­prospective new owners to keep Howard Wilkinson as chairman.

Spencer Fearn, the multi-millionaire boss of training agency Life Skills Solutions, is fronting a consortium of Owls fans close to a £10million ­takeover. Boss Irvine, whose Owls visit Brentford today, said: “Howard has been fantastic.

“He’s ­fully supported me and never ­interfered. No manager could ever ask for ­anything more. The potential ­owners will have their own ­ideas on things, but Howard is highly ­successful and a respected football man.”