Wigan Athletic In Administration

[Tippy Tappy Football]

David Sharpe's former club, Wigan Athletic, have gone into administration. Until 2018 Wigan were owned by his Grandad, Dave Whelan, who steered the club from the fourth tier of English football to the Premier League in 2005 and they also won the FA Cup in 2013.

David Sharpe was appointed as Chairman of Wigan Athletic in 2015 at the age of 23 and left when Dave Whelan sold the club to Hong Kong-based International Entertainment Corporation in November 2018.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53247333

[arsene wengers coat]

I saw this. It's pretty sad and hope they pull through.

David Sharpe must feel it particularly hard given his family connections.

Don't worry though a salary cap will solve it.

[MTFCMAD]

Any players we can nab ???

Id take Callum Lang & Owen Evans.

[Johnny H]

IMO they have one of the best managers in the EFL too...….Gets his teams playing some real good football does Paul Cook !!

[EdwinstoweStag]

IMO they have one of the best managers in the EFL too...….Gets his teams playing some real good football does Paul Cook !!

Could he nip up the road to Bolton, do you reckon?

[kyle b]

Shows how lucky we are to have jr

[Sandy Pate Best Stag]

Will the points deduction take place this season?

If so it will probably relegate them and in a strange way maybe do them a favour. Wages for league 1 are well below championship levels so the squad rebuild could be cheaper than expected but still good enough to be competitive.

[yellowstagsfan]

Points deducted at end of season but if already relegated, they will be deducted next season in League 1

[Billy the fish]

Rugby Town with a football club out its depth .

[Old timer]

Start of a trend? How many more still to go?

[Martin Shaw]

good article by David Conn on the situation

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... g-takeover

[Chrisuknottm]

EFL Fit and Proper Owners Test comes up smelling of roses yet again

[eggy]

I wonder if the new owners are wanting to use the current situation as an excuse to pay creditors pennies to the pound, and get away without having to pay a lot of the debt.

[bmthstag]

Their fans are hoping Dave Whelan comes to the rescue. They’re even talking about Sharpe heading the business again.
Let’s hope DS isn’t tempted to go back and try and be their saviour.

[lifestags]

Wigan fans begging David Sharpe on twitter to save them, hope he’s not tempted been impressed with him so far.

[HitchcocksShins]

Like an ex that's turning to a bottle of pills. Be a poor business decision to go back to that.

[Dan]

Like an ex that's turning to a bottle of pills. Be a poor business decision to go back to that.

I’d love my ex to turn to a bottle of pills...

[Kernow]

Who is next ?

[James]

Shows how lucky we are to have jr

They probably felt the same way about Whelan. Radfords money won’t last forever.

[cassellswasmagic]

Whelan will step back in to help for sure. He said as much on Talk Sport. He left the club in a really good state too. How has this happened? I tell you it’s Cook. First Spireites then Wigan

[Jamie]

Shows how lucky we are to have jr

Its also another example, to add to the countless others, where having a 'sugar daddy' and trying to buy success ultimately ends in a club so far from its roots and normality that it essentially goes bust or ends up in the poop.

Only the lack luster rules of the FA/EFL stand in the way of a FL that should by all accounts look very different than it does today. Its ridiculous that clubs can be run so badly on unsustainable loans and debt, go bust, yet be allowed to just lose some points and carry on regardless, often debt free again. Its nothing short of cheating and makes football a mockery.

How many clubs have gone into administration (going bust in normal business terms) in the last 20 years? Many should still be fighting there way back up the football pryimid now but instead retain their FL place which alongside a fan base is a huge asset.

I'm sure many of those club's were 'lucky to have XYZ' right up until the point they weren't and were left wondering if there club would now survive and why they didn't do more to protect it.

We are lucky to have JR, as it stands, but people should remember all these other clubs that over spent, had balance sheets that were a complete disaster and where it very nearly ended in tears or did end very badly. Yet for some reason despite all the examples, evidence and facts people still somehow retain blind faith that this won't be us one day.

Let's hope we at least get our day in the sun before we become another grim statistic.

[Sandy Pate Best Stag]

I suppose they don't expell as that would normally mean extinction which isn't fair an the average fan.

Additionally they know that there is always someone out there who is willing to buy a huge loss making business for the prestige of owning a league club. It's that residual value that keeps the system going and the reason clubs survive administration.

Clubs are a huge focal point for a town and are often quite a major employer even if most jobs are only part time so is it correct to drive them to fold? I think over all it's probably not right to expell and the points deduction usually means relegation anyway.

[bellwhiff]

It’s clear that Greater Manchester can’t support so many clubs (and yes I know about Salford but they’re being funded privately)

[adamstag]

It’s clear that Greater Manchester can’t support so many clubs (and yes I know about Salford but they’re being funded privately)

I’m fairness it can - apart from the example you used of Salford.

I live here and there’s pushing 3 million in the greater manchester region.

Salford is different as basically it’s on Manchester United’s patch - probably only 5 miles down the road - like Altrincham which is a similar distance which is why neither get decent crowds.

whereas Bolton and Oldham are their own towns in greater manchester and have the potential(and have been) league 1 or championship clubs in their own right - something Salford could only do (like us) on funding beyond their means

[Sneag]

Shows how lucky we are to have jr

Its also another example, to add to the countless others, where having a 'sugar daddy' and trying to buy success ultimately ends in a club so far from its roots and normality that it essentially goes bust or ends up in the poop.

Only the lack luster rules of the FA/EFL stand in the way of a FL that should by all accounts look very different than it does today. Its ridiculous that clubs can be run so badly on unsustainable loans and debt, go bust, yet be allowed to just lose some points and carry on regardless, often debt free again. Its nothing short of cheating and makes football a mockery.

How many clubs have gone into administration (going bust in normal business terms) in the last 20 years? Many should still be fighting there way back up the football pryimid now but instead retain their FL place which alongside a fan base is a huge asset.

I'm sure many of those club's were 'lucky to have XYZ' right up until the point they weren't and were left wondering if there club would now survive and why they didn't do more to protect it.

We are lucky to have JR, as it stands, but people should remember all these other clubs that over spent, had balance sheets that were a complete disaster and where it very nearly ended in tears or did end very badly. Yet for some reason despite all the examples, evidence and facts people still somehow retain blind faith that this won't be us one day.

Let's hope we at least get our day in the sun before we become another grim statistic.

Wigan were a raspberries 4th Division side with a derelict ground & sub 2,000 gates when Whelan took over.
Getting on for 25 years later they've had 4 promotions 2 relegations, had 8 years in the top flight, won the FA Cup and are still in the Championship.

I'd be happy with that kind of bad management at Field Mill over the next 25 years.