Wigan Athletic Supporters Club aims to raise £500,000 to secure Latics' future
- Published
Wigan Athletic were relegated from the Championship last season after they were deducted 12 points for entering administration
Wigan Athletic's supporters' club is aiming to raise £500,000 by Monday in order to secure the financially-troubled League One club's future.
Wigan's administrators set a deadline of 31 August for the club to be sold, otherwise they say they may not be able to start the season.
A buyer may not be found in time, the supporters' club has warned.
A "community-led ownership model" is favoured, with fans owning a share of the Latics.
The scheme, which is being backed by former Wigan Athletic chief executive Jonathan Jackson, Wigan Council, Wigan Athletic Community Trust and Lisa Nandy MP, has invited pledges starting at £250.
It is not the first time fans have been asked to raise money to safeguard the club's immediate future, as nearly £200,000 was raised in order to allow them to fulfil the remainder of their fixtures last season.
"We feel we have to act now to ensure our club survives," chair of the supporters' club Caroline Molyneux told BBC Radio Manchester.
"If we can raise the money, we can secure the football club for the future but also give the fans a voice in what happens going forward and that's really important for us with what's happened."
'Football is going to change'
Former Wigan owner Au Yeung Wai Kay last week agreed to waive the £36m owed to him by the club, meaning that sum will not need to be repaid by a prospective buyer.
The Hong Kong-based businessman put Wigan into administration on 1 July, just weeks after buying them, leading to a 12-point deduction and relegation from the Championship.
"When this is over I am determined that football is going to change," Lisa Nandy, MP for Wigan, told BBC Radio Manchester.
"We've had a process of weeks where nothing has happened, promises have been made but nothing of substance has materialised.
"This club has been here for nearly 90 years and we're determined that it will be here for 90 more."