Wigan Athletic: Former owner Au Yeung Wai Kay meets club administrator

Au Yeung Wai Kay put Wigan Athletic into administration weeks after he bought it

Former Wigan owner Au Yeung Wai Kay has met the club's administrator to provide information to help their appeal against a 12-point deduction.

The Hong Kong-based businessman put the club into administration on 1 July, weeks after buying them, but has given little public explanation as to why.

However, he responded to administrator Gerald Krasner's request for a 'virtual meeting', lasting more than an hour.

The details of that discussion remain confidential.

But BBC Sport understands it answered many of the questions around the reasons for the Latics' plight and the information was used as part of Friday's appeal against the club's 12-point deduction.

The only public comment Au Yeung has made since taking the club into administration is a five-paragraph statement sent to the Wigan Observer on 7 July.

Wigan expect to hear next week whether they have been successful in their appeal. If they fail, they will be relegated from the Championship to League One. Should they succeed, Barnsley will go down instead.

It has also been revealed that Wigan's administrators remain in talks with more than one potential buyer but that reducing its "substantial wage bill" of around £6m was "crucial to the successful sale".

Krasner identified a preferred bidder but on 24 July, it was confirmed talks had broken down and negotiations had been opened with the second preference from five potential buyers.

It had been hoped negotiations would be concluded by now but that has not turned out to be the case.

"The joint administrators have had further detailed talks with bidders, which are likely to continue over the course of this weekend and the early part of next week," said the Latics in a statement.