Chris Dawkes: Mandaric departs an 'adored anomaly'

BY CHRIS DAWKES

He is an anomaly in modern day football. An owner who is not only adored by one club, but all three he has presided over.

Milan Mandaric walks unassumingly into box 30 at Hillsborough stadium, no bravado, no swagger.

He meets the assembled journalists shaking their hands, making eye contact and thanking them for their support.

Two weeks earlier he had agreed to sell Sheffield wednesday to Thai frozen food magnate Dejphon Chansiri for £37.5m to, in his words, take the club to the next level.

This is to be his final farewell to the fans, using local journalists as his mouthpiece.

This is only the second time we have met during his four years in S6. That in itself is a measure of Mandaric's ethos. Unlike other owners, he doesn't use the club as a vehicle for his vanity. He knows he is merely a small chapter in the long running story of the football club. He respects the traditions of the club and knows the fans are the true custodians of Sheffield wednesday.

This becomes apparent as soon as the interview begins.

Mandaric talks of his love for the club, his rapport with the fans and his hopes that Chansiri will return this great club to the top flight of English football.

I ask if not doing this himself is one of his regrets.

Typical of the man he replies that he could have stayed longer to achieve promotion but he believes Chansiri will deliver sooner. Chansiri has set a target of 2 years to achieve promotion to the Premier League.

Mandaric, like the fans, wants to see Wednesday back amongst the elite as soon as possible.

He ends the interview talking of the memories he will cherish of his time at Hillsborough. Now 76-years-old, whether he still has another club in him remains to be seen. What is certain is that he will be forever cherished by fans of Portsmouth, Leicester and Sheffield Wednesday.Click below for the full interview with Milan Mandaric: