Training ground sold amid Latics’ struggle
WIGAN Athletic has completed the sale of its Euxton training ground to Championship side Preston North End as talks continue with bidders over a sale of the League One club.
The Latics are preparing for life in third tier after being relegated from the Championship last season.
The DW Stadium side finished the season in 13th, but were plunged into the relegation zone at the conclusion of the campaign after a deduction of 12 points was applied due to the club falling into a shock administration at the start of July.
The club’s administrators, Begbies Traynor, appealed against the 12-point penalty and went before an independent tribunal.
The appeal failed and was dismissed by an independent Arbitration panel, the EFL confirmed last month.
The club’s joint administrators had previously set a deadline of August 31 for the club to be sold, amid fears the Latics would not be able to start the season.
A statement from the joint administrators has confirmed discussions have taken place with bidders over the weekend, but that ‘no agreed bid’ has yet been made.
However, a deal has been completed to sell the club’s Euxton training complex to Championship side Preston North End. The facility was bought by Wigan in 2016 from Bolton Wanderers when the Latics were under the ownership of Dave Whelan and his family.
A statement from Lilywhites owner
Peter Ridsdale said the training ground had been developed at a ‘substantial cost’ by the Trotters before it was sold to the Latics, and that it is ‘Premier League ready’.
The statement reads: “This purchase delivers on our promise to bring Premier League training facilities to the football club and allows the Academy U18 team the opportunity to move from their temporary home at UCLAN to Springfields.”
As well as the sale of the training ground, several first team players have been sold by Wigan’s joint administrators to raise funds.
These have included striker Kieffer Moore to Cardiff City and full-back Antonee Robinson to Fulham – the team which Wigan drew against on the final day of the 2019/20 Championship season.
The Cottagers are now a Premier League team after beating London rivals Brentford in the play-off final.
A crowdfunding appeal launched by the Wigan Athletic Supporters Club has also passed £600,000 and is on course to reach a revised target of £750,000 to help secure the Latics future.