Championship club Wigan Athletic are placed into administration

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 (red) 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 club are currently in 14th, but a 12-point deduction would put them below Luton Town

The Latics, who were founded in 1932, 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. 

England’s second tier was put on hold for 106 days as a result of the coronavirus lockdown forcing football across the country being suspended due to safety fears. The club made its return to action with a 2-0 win over Huddersfield at John Smith’s stadium on June 20.  

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.

Ownership of the club has recently changed hands, with Next Leader Fund taking control from previous owners International Entertainment Corporation, a Hong Kong-based company

Their success in the cup did not prevent the club from suffering relegation from the top flight, ending an eight-year stint in the Premier League in which their highest finishing position was 10th place. The club have never returned to the top flight. 

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. 

Earlier this month, the club’s ownership changed hands with Next Leader Fund, headed by Hong Kong businessman Au Yeung Wai Kay, taking control of the club.

They had been owned by Dave Whelan, a former footballer and owner of DW sports, before the businessman sold the club to Hong Kong company International Entertainment Corporation. 

At the time of the change of ownership, Wigan Athletic’s executive chairman, Darren Royal, said: ‘The support from the owners will enable us to negate some of the immediate challenges we face.’ The Wigan chief added that the coronavirus lockdown had had an impact on the club.