Warriors’ sights on buying Wigan
WIGAN Warriors have announced their intentions to buy struggling football club Wigan Athletic.
The Latics, who of course share the DW Stadium with their rugby league playing neighbours, were placed into administration last week by their Hong Kong-based owners and the club’s existence is now under threat.
However, Warriors chairman Ian Lenagan, alongside Darryl Eales and Gary Speakman have announced they are looking to build a consortium of investors ahead of making a bid for the Championship outfit in the hope both clubs can be ‘locally-owned’.
The statement released by the Warriors also revealed the bid would have the full backing of the Wigan Council.
It read: “Wigan Rugby League Club were saddened to hear the news that Wigan Athletic has been placed into administration. Having shared a stadium together for many years and with a large number of fans supporting both clubs, we have become friends with many of the management and staff and we know that this is a very worrying time for them all.
“Being born and bred in Wigan, Ian Lenagan and Gary Speakman understand what both clubs mean to the local community.
“We strongly believe that Wigan Athletic is better being locally-owned. As sustainability and ownership of the stadium is equally important to both clubs, we are currently working with our longstanding advisers KPMG and talking to external parties. 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.
“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. It is envisaged that each club would retain all its training grounds, management and facilities.
“David Molyneux, the Leader of Wigan Council, has confirmed that “Wigan Council would be very supportive of this initiative”.
“This initiative is led by Ian Lenagan, Darryl Eales and Gary Speakman.”