Championship club Wigan Athletic – who won the FA Cup in 2013 – are placed into administration, blaming the ‘significant impact’ of coronavirus
- Championship club Wigan Athletic have been placed into administration
- Joint administrators have been appointed to save the club and staff jobs
- The suspension of the league season due to covid has been blamed
- They could face a 12-point deduction, putting them at the bottom of the league
Championship side Wigan have been placed into administration.
A statement said Paul Stanley, Gerald Krasner and Dean Watson from Begbies Traynor had been appointed as joint administrators of the club on Wednesday.
According to EFL rules, the move may see the club suffer a 12-point deduction, which would put the 2013 FA Cup winners at the bottom of the league.
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.
EFL Championship club Wigan Athletic have been placed into administration
The Latics said in a statement that the coronavirus crisis has had an impact on finances
‘Obviously the suspension of the Championship season due to Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the recent fortunes of the club.’
‘We understand that everybody connected with the club and the wider football world is seeking clarity on the future of Wigan Athletic,’ said Mr Stanley, North West regional managing partner added.
‘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.’
Wigan face a 12-point deduction, which would move them to the foot of the league table
The Latics were in the Premier League as recently as 2013 and won the FA Cup the same year
The Latics are currently 14th in the Championship and defeated Stoke City 3-0 at the DW stadium last night. A twelve point deduction would see the club’s 50-point total reduced to 38, moving them beneath the league’s lowest-placed club, Luton Town.
Under Roberto Martinez, the club won the FA Cup at Wembley in 2013, with a Ben Watson header enough to clinch a shock win over Manchester City in the final.
Their success in the cup did not prevent the club from suffering relegation from the top flight, and they have never returned.
The Latics were relegated to League One in the 2016-17 season, but secured automatic promotion at the first time of asking the following season. They also beat City again in the cup in the fifth round after Will Grigg scored the winner.
The club is owned by Hong Kong-based company International Entertainment Corporation, having purchased the club from long-term owner Dave Whelan in 2018.