Ben Watson and Roberto Martinez celebrate Wigan's FA Cup win in 2013
Ben Watson and Roberto Martinez celebrate Wigan's FA Cup win in 2013

Wigan Athletic: Sky Bet Championship side placed into administration


Sky Bet Championship side Wigan Athletic have been placed into administration, it has been announced.

A statement said Paul Stanley, Gerald Krasner and Dean Watson from Begbies Traynor had been appointed as joint administrators of the club on Wednesday.

Krasner said: "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."

The Latics are 14th in the Championship with six games left to play, and they've been one of the form teams this calendar year as no team has won more points than them in 2020.

If they stay out of the bottom three with on-field results the deduction will be applied to their final tally this season. If they are relegated, they would be docked the points at the start of their 2020-21 League One campaign.

The club were in the Premier League as recently as 2013, winning the FA Cup in the same year.

Wigan players celebrate after winning the Sky Bet League One title
Wigan players celebrate after winning the Sky Bet League One title in 2018

Whelan keen to help

Former Wigan owner Dave Whelan says he will see if he can do anything to help the club.

Expressing his shock at the news, Whelan said he would see what he could do to help: “I’ll have to stick my nose in a little and have a look, to see if I can find out what’s caused it, how much are they in liquidation for.

“I’ll have to just try because the people of Wigan will be in absolute shock, because I am. Wigan is Wigan and I built the stadium, so I am going to have to see if I can help in any way, shape or form.”

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