Wigan Athletic FC have officially launched their ‘Future Fund’ scheme for next season, giving fans the chance to contribute and impact the club’s youth academy system from the ground up.
The initiative, which looks to raise direct funding and support for the next generation of Latics players, has proved to be an invaluable part of the club’s infrastructure, especially given their all too recent financial problems.
It was only back in 2020 that the Greater Manchester side fell into administration; fast forward four years, and not only is the club back on its feet and trying to establish a stronger foothold in the EFL, but they are now continuing to build that bridge from grassroots all the way into senior professional football.
With memberships for the 2025/26 campaign now open, supporters are once again being encouraged to invest in homegrown talent and the future of their club.
Following the Future Fund‘s debut this time last year, more than 500 fans are said to have joined the scheme in its inaugural season, with more than £75,000 in voluntary donations through the membership and approximately £65k of that money pumped back into various academy services.
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Be it sports science and data analytics or trips and tours, the recruitment of rising stars and so on, the lion’s share of the first kitty went straight back into supporting the junior ranks.
Now known as the ‘Heatable Wigan Athletic Academy’, with the local outfit securing sponsorship for their youth setup back in February 2024 (again, more pragmatic business-minded thinking from the Latics), they’re looking to build from within as much as possible.
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Case and point: 38% of all minutes this season have also come from academy graduates. These are the kind of stats we love to hear.
You can hear Academy Manager Jake Campbell explaining the importance of the Future Fund when first launched in more detail down below:
Speaking on the renewal of the Future Fund for next season, the Latics’ managing director, Sarah Guilfoyle, wrote as part of a club statement: “The Future Fund has made a significant difference to the Heatable Wigan Athletic Academy over the last 12 months, with the funds allowing us to develop and strengthen various areas within the Academy, including those not covered by regular funding provisions.
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“The Board and I are extremely grateful to our Future Fund members for their support of the Academy and the fantastic work undertaken by the Academy staff. We know our supporters are very proud of the calibre of players we have produced and will continue to produce through our Academy.
“We’ve been fully open and transparent with supporters regarding how the generated funds have been used, and we’re really excited to see how the Future Fund continues to aid and enhance our Academy.
“Our priority is making sure all Members feel part of the journey. Nothing gives us more pleasure than seeing one of our own on the pitch, and we hope our supporters experience the same pride, especially knowing they have helped make a resounding impact.”
The Latis may only be 17th in League One right now, but they’ve come a long way from the brink of disaster just a few short years ago and investing not only in their own talented prospects but the next generation of young footballers is an idea we can all get behind.
They take on Shrewsbury Town on the road this Good Friday, 18 April at 3pm and the initial away allocation was snapped up in a heartbeat. Times may change but the support never goes anywhere.
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If you’re a Wigan fan interested in getting involved, you can find out plenty more information, including pricing options as well as additional season ticket benefits, right HERE.
Pep Guardiola apologises for ’embarrassing’ camera operator confrontation
Danny Jones
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has apologised after confronting a cameraman following the Premier League fixture against Newcastle United this past weekend.
The Blues boss was left visibly frustrated as Man City were beaten 2-1 away at St James’ Park by Eddie Howe’s side following a flurry of three finishes in the space of just six minutes.
However, this wasn’t the only action pitchside during the game, as not only have some supporters argued they should have had a penalty as Phil Foden was brought down in the box, Pep was also seen engaging in a loaded exchange with opposition captain Bruno Guimarães, as well as a camera operator.
Guardiola has since apologised for the incident, confessing he was left “embarrassed” by his own conduct and admitting that even “after 1,000 games, I’m not a perfect person – I make huge mistakes.”
As you can see, the Catalan coach approached the member of the broadcasting team following a fairly widespread spat both during the second Newcastle goal and following the full-time whistle.
Despite journalists recognising a natural amount of frustration and passion amidst the narrow loss and speculation over decisions, he went so far as to say he wasn’t “ashamed” of his actions at the time and doesn’t like or condone this kind of behaviour.
He was also seen smacking his seat in the dugout after conceding as well as after missed chances by his own players.
Pep assured that he apologised to the cameraman within seconds, remarking, “I am who I am” and reminding football fans that he is a human capable of acting on instinct just like anyone else.
He also clarified that the bulk of his issues on the day were to do with the officiating, taking umbrage with the referee’s decision-making in multiple instances.
You can see the clip down below:
"I feel embarrassed and ashamed when I see it"
Pep Guardiola apologises for his behaviour towards a camera operator after the defeat at Newcastle. pic.twitter.com/wVYfJDbnLm
As for his conversation with Guimarães, he wouldn’t disclose any details of their conversation, but did insist to one reporter that they share a good relationship, confessing that he is “an emotional guy” and can often appear particularly animated as he is known for gesticulating.
It seems that the 54-year-old was just annoyed over the potential penalty, but match-winner Harvey Barnes’ brace in particular, too.
Not only were there questions of a foul on new goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma – whose shot-stopping was otherwise excellent for the majority of the match – but Guimarães was supposedly offside in the build-up to the strike.
Regardless, Pep went on to add that the confrontation with the cameraman, Donnarumma’s booking for dissent, and general disappointment have been “immediately forgotten”, and all eyes are now focused on City’s big European meeting with Bayern Leverkusen.
You can see the highlights from Newcastle vs Man City down below.
Scott Carson reveals important behind-the-scenes role at Manchester City
Danny Jones
Recently retired goalkeeper Scott Carson has revealed the unsung but important role he had behind the scenes during his time at Manchester City.
The 40-year-old ex-pro called time on his playing career after more than two decades and six years in sky blue, having made just two appearances for the club during a period in which they won 11 trophies.
Carson officially hung up his gloves on 23 October 2025, following his contract expiration, and since then has found himself carrying out a number of interviews, including one with Fozcast, hosted by another fellow shotstopper who spent time in Manchester, Ben Foster.
While lots of people have joked that he did very little to earn the flurry of medals so late in his career, or at the very least theorised as to what he actually did behind the scenes, he’s now been more open than ever about the largely sidelined spell.
🗣️ "When people had to be serious, they were serious"
Scott Carson reveals what it was like working under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. pic.twitter.com/HZGjVkrso0
Sitting down with Sky Sports, the Cumbrian keeper confirmed that initially it was, indeed, just a case of serving as not even as a rotation option but a back-up third choice.
Nevertheless, he’s an experienced veteran with 11 different teams on his CV, including Leeds United, Liverpool and Sheffield Wednesday – though only a handful of games for each – as well as half a century of appearances at Wigan Athletic before his longest stints at the likes of West Brom and Derby County.
While this job usually involves purely training, helping keep other players sharp, he says that after settling into the Etihad Campus a little more, he found himself performing a much more influential, albeit largely unsung, role in the background.
Getting validation from manager Pep Guardiola that the side “needed more of that”, he essentially ended up providing valuable seniority and motivation amongst the group, despite only playing a couple of times.
Bidding farewell to the Whitehaven-born cult hero, the club wrote: “During his time at City, Carson has been praised by goalkeeping coach Xabi Mancisidor and peers Ederson and Stefan Ortega Moreno for his work ethic and the effect of his positive attitude amongst the group.”
Speaking about Guardiola specifically, he hailed the Catalan coach for having overhauled modern football in this country, as well as giving him the secondary task of supporting his teammates, be it via boosting morale and ‘picking up’ those left frustrated by matchday selection.
As well as noting his widely publicised detail-oriented nature, he also made a point of recognising that Pep himself was “evolving each season”, whether or not everyone else saw it.
In short, he said he has helped improve the quality of the Premier League and, more specifically, that he helped redefine what a goalkeeper can be in the division.
You can watch the rest of the interview in full down below.
Danny Jones -
17th April 2025 
