[themaclad]

Wigan Athletic have gone into administration, becoming the first English professional club to do so since the coronavirus pandemic began.

The English Football League has said Wigan will be deducted 12 points.

The sanction will be applied at the end of this season if the Latics, 14th in the Championship, finish outside the bottom three after 46 games.

Should Wigan finish in the relegation zone, the penalty will be applied during the 2020-21 season instead.

Wigan have won all three of their league games since the resumption of the Championship season on 20 June.

Paul Cook's side beat Stoke 3-0 at the DW Stadium on Tuesday to move eight points clear of the drop zone with six matches left to play.

Administration one month after change in ownership
Until 2018, the club was owned by Dave Whelan, who steered them from the fourth tier of English football to the Premier League in 2005, while they also won the FA Cup in 2013.

Whelan sold the club to Hong Kong-based International Entertainment Corporation in November 2018 and there was a further change of ownership in June when Next Leader Fund took control.

Paul Stanley, Gerald Krasner and Dean Watson of Begbies Traynor have been appointed as joint administrators.

Stanley said: "We understand that everybody connected with the club and the wider football world is seeking clarity on the future of Wigan Athletic.

"That's exactly what we are seeking to provide as we move through this process and we seek out interested parties to rescue this famous old club here in the region.

"It is a fast-moving situation and we will provide updates on key developments."

Krasner, a former chairman of Leeds United, added: "Our immediate objectives are to ensure the club completes all its fixtures this season and to urgently find interested parties to save Wigan Athletic FC and the jobs of the people who work for the club.

"Obviously the suspension of the Championship season due to Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the recent fortunes of the club.

"Wigan Athletic has been a focal point and source of pride for the town since 1932 and anyone who is interested in buying this historic sporting institution should contact the joint administrators directly."

[themaclad]

Looks as though they have been well and truly shafter, previous owner was a professional poker player, sold the club to fellow Hong Kong consortium who have not followed through on payments, rumour of a bet in the Phillipines on them being relegated, murky it certainly is

---

Twitter thread here

https://twitter.com/marksparko/status/12...6335836163

[Lord Snooty]

You'd think the EFL would have some kind of fit and proper ruling to stop unfit people taking over clubs.

[theo_luddite]

Shouldn't it apply to administrators too?

[themaclad]

If no deal in place by 31/8/20 suspect they will be kicked out of the league

[theo_luddite]

Would not surprise me if Whelan buys them out of administration afore then either alone or with someone else. Don't know who someone else might be but the stadium needs both clubs using it, not just the egg chasers.

[themaclad]

Wigan's owed amount to creditors is totalled at £45,712,567.

Major creditors:
Next Leader Fund - £25.3m
Wigan Athletic Holdings - £10.7m
HMRC - £2.8m

EFL - £2m

Clubs owed money: Everton, Portsmouth, Barnsley, Chelsea, Bournemouth, Sunderland, Rangers Leek Town.

[Lord Snooty]

That doesn't look good.

[themaclad]

Must have bought a shed load of pies