Sport

Wigan Athletic announce sale of football club

Administrators have agreed a deal with a consortium led by Bahraini businessman Abdulrahman Al-Jasmi.

The Manc The Manc - 16th March 2021

Wigan Athletic Football Club has officially been sold this week after administrators struck a deal.

The buyers are Phoenix 2021 Limited – a consortium led by Bahraini businessman Abdulrahman Al-Jasmi.

The purchase is still pending approval from the English Football League board – with a final decision expected before the end of the month.

The club said they were hoping the sale would bring some “much needed stability both on and off the pitch.”

ADVERTISEMENT

The Latics have been plagued by financial problems for many months – with the club being placed into administration in July 2020.

After suffering relegation to League One, it was feared Wigan would be unable to take part in the 2020/21 campaign, with administrators Begbies Traynor setting a deadline of August 31 for the club to find half-a-million pounds.

Football fans around the world quickly cobbled together more than £652,000 as part of a fundraising campaign – ensuring the Latics survival.

ADVERTISEMENT

Wigan representatives have been looking for a buyer ever since – faced with the task of finding suitable new owners in a tight timeframe.

Several ownership changes over the past few years have left the club’s finances in tatters, and whilst Wigan remain understandably wary of potential investors due to problems in the past, they have also been placed under substantial pressure to agree a deal as Football League rules forbid clubs from starting successive seasons in administration.

One previous takeover attempt by a Spanish consortium was blocked in December.

ADVERTISEMENT

Wigan’s new Chairman, Mr Talal Al-Hammad, admitted he knew that he would “have to earn [fans’] trust through actions rather than words.”

He also said he wanted to “help restore pride and belief with everyone associated with the Club.”

The Chairman added: “To Latics fans everywhere, we can only guess at the amount of hurt and distress you have felt since the Club entered administration and it is now our focus to stabilise its future and to illustrate why we believe we are the best ownership group for the Club.”

MP for Wigan Lisa Nandy welcomed the takeover news and said it was her “cautious hope that we can finally close the door on the nightmare of recent months and begin a new chapter for Wigan Athletic.”

A club statement said: “It is anticipated that the EFL Board approval and all other ownership-transferral matters will be formally completed by 31 March 2021.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Wigan currently sit in the relegation zone in League One – picking up 33 points from 34 games.

Featured image: Dan Farrimond / Flickr

Sport

Despite the cynics, Man United mop up Premier League’s manager and player of the month awards for September

Danny Jones Danny Jones Man United manager and player of the month awards

As many disillusioned fans were expecting, Manchester United made a shaky start to the Premier League season. However, they look to have gathered some form and momentum over recent weeks.

So much so, in fact, that after having strung together four wins on the bounce – two coming in big games against long-standing rivals Liverpool and Arsenal, no less – they have won both September’s manager and player of the month awards.

The first to be awarded was Marcus Rashford, who despite missing out on Gareth Southgate’s most recent England squad through injury, has had a much improved last month or so.

Netting two goals and a pair of important assists to go with them, the 24-year-old looks to finally be breaking his duck and underlying confidence issues.

A big goal in the derby against Liverpool and in the 3-1 victory over high-flying Arsenal has no doubt helped lift his spirits.

Man United fans will be hoping this is just the start of a Rashford renaissance.

Moreover, even beyond his direct goal contributions, Rashford’s all-around play looks to be returning to pre-slump levels, playing a key role in the transition and a more fluid forward line.

It seems like the United no. 10 is benefitting from a new way of playing or, perhaps more accurately, a new manager who clearly sees him as a key player in his system.

It’s clear that Erik ten Hag‘s approach hasn’t just benefitted the likes of Rashford and, say, Sancho but the team looks more well-organised as a whole. Earlier this month, Bruno Fernandes gave fans a bit more of an insight into the Dutch coaches ‘strict rules’ and discipline.

Not only have they kept clean sheets in three out of the last six games across all competitions but there has been a noticeable improvement in both passing and possession stats since he arrived, whilst still being able to sacrifice some of the ball for a more counter-attacking set-up went the game calls for it.

That being said, it is a long old season and many fans will still need some convincing that the squad is good enough to take them back to a competitive level.

Even the man himself isn’t getting too carried away just yet.

Nevertheless, both the panel of experts and those deciding via public vote seem to think his efforts over the last month are worthy of recognition, earning manager of the month alongside his once again firing forward.

This is the first time a United player and manager have scooped the monthly double since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s award in February 2019, who also won it alongside Rashford.

Read more:

Accolades aside, ten Hag’s patience and pragmatism should serve the team well over the next few weeks, as United still have a challenging run-in.

As well as the Manchester derby on Sunday, their next four games include a home fixture against a growing Newcastle side, Conte’s high-flying Spurs and a Chelsea squad with more than enough quality to end their bad run of results.

Manager and player of the month aside, it’s about getting points on the board and his weekend is massive for Man United’s 22/23 campaign.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Sport

Football fans slam rail services after complaints of no derby day trains from London to Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones No trains from London for Manchester derby

With derby day approaching, Manchester United and City fans are making their arrangements big fixture and while local Mancunians should be fine, people travelling from elsewhere look to be in a bit of bother.

More specifically, United and City fans living in London (yes, we know the joke) will have some trouble making their way up for the game if they’re travelling by public transport due to the ongoing rail strikes.

Sports writer Barney Ronay shared an exasperated tweet explaining how there are seemingly “no trains to Manchester from London for City v United this Sunday”, arguing that the overall “fan experience is so terrible now some are having to give up”.

He goes on to identify this as symptomatic of the “horrendous state of infrastructure killing away days” and even went so far as to diagnose the modern matchday as almost “masochistic”.

Plenty of fans who travel to see their respective clubs echoed his thoughts, commenting that the regular drama of “changed dates/hotels not refunding etc it is becoming too expensive for many” and that even outside of reasonable strike action, matchday services are difficult to plan around.

Many of those commenting on the thread also clarified that despite tickets being displayed as ‘sold out’ or ‘unavailable’ online, this often isn’t true and it’s more a case of there being no seats left to reserve.

However, just as many were quick to respond that this offers little help to those who need to have a reliable plan for commuting back and forth, even more so when it comes to midweek games or those scheduled on a Sunday like this week’s Manchester derby.

Moreover, others rightly noted that very few people are in a financial position where they are able to buy an expensive face-value ticket on the day on the half-chance they might be able to squeeze onto a packed train and stand for more than two hours.

As was to be expected, plenty of people also took to ridiculing the tweet and the two clubs, advising to simply “support your local team” and so on. It was also pointed out that a United fan travelling to the match from London, for instance, isn’t exactly what most fans would dub an ‘away day’.

Nevertheless, even those travelling on ‘proper’ away days couldn’t help but agree with the overarching point, with many citing that they regularly spend upwards of £100-150 just getting to their destination.

Any travelling football fan will know – especially those coming to and from London – it’s an expensive habit this football lark and even after you make it to wherever the game is that day, you’re still forking out more for food, drink and perhaps even additional transport to the ground.

Beyond those strictly hoping to catch the Manchester derby, most seem to agree with the strikes and suggested that more needs to be done to combat “the government’s assault on living standards, terms and conditions, pensions” which are subsequently impacting matchday travel year-round.

As for those still looking to try and make the journey into Manchester for derby day, the likes of Avanti West Coast are releasing their train schedule later today (Thursday).

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

More Sport

Premier League players to earn more after Tory tax cuts

News

Premier League players set to receive another £240,000 a year following tax cuts

Sport

Why there is a giant Rick and Morty mural going up at Old Trafford

Luke Shaw defends Harry Maguire

Sport

Luke Shaw says Harry Maguire has had ‘more stick than I’ve ever seen in football’

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches