Wigan Athletic: Fans repaid money raised when club was in administration

Wigan Athletic confirmed their place in League One next season on Saturday when Rochdale fell to a home defeat by Doncaster

Wigan Athletic fans have been given back the £171,000 they raised to keep the club going when it was first put into administration last summer.

Without money raised by the supporters in the initial weeks of the administrators taking control, it is likely the club would have gone bust as it covered 'essential costs' such as travel and accommodation to away games and stewards' fees.

The club was was bought by Bahrain businessman Abdulrahman Al-Jasmi in March.

The administrators have now written to Wigan's official supporters' club confirming the money was being paid back as promised.

Al-Jasmi's takeover ended a disastrous nine months for the club, which included a 12-point deduction that relegated them from the Championship into League One last summer.

They have predictably struggled on the field this season but Leam Richardson has led them to survival in the third tier.