Warriors planning bid to buy Wigan Athletic

Wigan Warriors have confirmed their intentions to table a bid to take control of troubled football club Wigan Athletic.

The Latics were placed into administration last week. A takeover of the club was only completed by Next Leader Fund last month.

The bid will be led by Warriors chairman Ian Lenagan, as well as  former Oxford United chairman Darryl Eales and local businessman Gary Speakman. Wigan Council Leader David Molyneux has also pledged support.

Going into further detail, the statement reads: “We strongly believe that Wigan Athletic is better being locally-owned.

“Our intention is to identify other investors quickly and start due diligence on the football club with the intention of making a bid in due course.

“We have made the Administrators aware of our interest and hope to explore this with them further over the days ahead.”

It would not be the first time the two clubs were owned by the same party. Dave Whelan owned both Wigan Athletic and Wigan Warriors until 2007, when Lenagan took over the Warriors.

In this deal, both clubs would retain their independence, with both being able to keep their training grounds, and retain use of the DW Stadium.

The statement adds: “Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic are both local sporting institutions and it is our belief that this is a unique opportunity here to bring the ownership of these two great clubs together under one roof, each operating independently as before, but under a Wigan Sporting Partnership banner.”