Wigan 'doing OK financially' after troubles

Shaun Maloney has led Wigan Athletic to five wins from 16 League One games this term

Wigan Athletic boss Shaun Maloney says the League One club are "doing OK financially" as they prepare for their FA Cup second-round tie and potentially a lucrative away trip in round three if they progress.

Local businessman Mike Danson, who owns a 25% stake in Super League club Wigan Warriors, stepped in to take over the Latics in 2023.

Financial issues at that time were affecting the club, who had been served a winding-up petition by His Majesty's Revenue and Customs over unpaid tax bills, but under Danson's ownership the club have turned their financial fortunes around.

"My owner would definitely like us to get a big team away from home," Maloney told BBC Radio Manchester.

"The work we've done this season to cut the losses of the club is really significant.

"What we've done this season compared to what will come out [in the next set of accounts], we're doing OK financially.

"There's not as much pressure as last year but there's still a little bit there."

Wigan, the 2013 FA Cup winners, travel to fellow League One side Cambridge United in the second round on Saturday, hoping to set up another high-profile third-round tie after they hosted Manchester United at the same stage of the competition in 2023-24.

"There's a chance for us to get a team from a higher division and we had that last year which was amazing," added Maloney.

"We're going to fight like hell to get that. We'll play how we normally do but we'll try to be better than the last time we played at Cambridge."