Crystal Palace should already be relegated says Strafford

Sheffield Wednesday chairman Lee Strafford has stoked the fires ahead of his side's Coca-Cola Championship survival showdown against Crystal Palace by suggesting the London club should already have been relegated after going into administration.

The Owls welcome Palace to Hillsborough on Sunday knowing only a win will be enough to keep them in the second tier of English football at the expense of their opponents.

Palace were dragged into the relegation battle in January, when they received a 10-point deduction from the Football League for entering administration.

But Strafford, who took over as Wednesday chairman last season, believes the Eagles should have been punished more heavily.

He told the Yorkshire Post: "If you mis-manage a football club to the extent where you end up in massive debt, administration should not be an escape route.

"There should be a bigger punishment and I think that should be relegation."

Wednesday have been burdened by debts of around £25million for the past decade, but have managed to stay out of administration.

Strafford added: "We have suffered longer and harder than most clubs because we did not go down the administration route at a time when it may have been easier to do so.

"I don't have sympathy for anyone at that club (Palace) other than the fans.

"You have to feel sorry for the fans. They don't deserve what has happened there. Administration twice is inexcusable."