Sheffield Wednesday fans group Wednesdayite will vote next week on whether to sell their shares to the Geoff Sheard consortium.

But Sheard, anxious to forge ahead with a £40million takeover after agreeing to buy former chairman Dave Allen's shares, may have to wait until after the new season has started before learning if his offer has been accepted.

Wednesdayite, the club's second biggest shareholder, must allow members 14 days to consider Sheard's offer. Sheard, fronting a Swiss-based trust, is also still waiting to hear from Owls director Geoff Hulley and former board member Keith Addy. Hulley, Addy, Allen and Wednesdayite each own 10% of the club's shares.

Wednesdayite raised concerns over the validity of Sheard's share offer under UK law 12 days ago but, after further talks with the consortium's Swiss-based lawyers today, the fans group has decided to ballot their members.

Wednesdayite chairman Darryl Keys told PA Sport: "It will take several days to get the paperwork finished. At the earliest, members can expect to have all the relevant forms on their doorstep by the middle of next week and then we must give them 14 days to consider the matter."

Keys, who paid tribute to former Home Secretary David Blunkett, Wednesdayite's patron, for his "invaluable help and advice throughout the whole process", said the talkover talks would have a minimal affect on manager Brian Laws and his squad ahead of the opening match against Burnley at Hillsborough on August 9, adding: "Players just get on with the show. They are professional footballers. This club has been in the doldrums for 10 years so another couple of weeks isn't going to be a problem. If it's the right deal for the club, it will get done, if it's not the right deal, it won't."