Wigan Athletic chairman Talal Al Hammad provides a new statement as the EFL give them YET ANOTHER points deduction for 2023/24.
The Latics have been docked a further 4 points, after failing to meet the 125% EFL Bond Agreed Decision by Wednesday the 24th of May.
As it stands, Wigan will start the League One season on -8 points. The promised money has still not arrived.
EFL Statement: Wigan Athletic #EFL https://t.co/x7BNEb52lz
— EFL Communications (@EFL_Comms) May 26, 2023
EFL STATEMENT:
Following the failure to ensure that an amount equal to 125% of the Club’s forecast monthly wage bill was deposited in a designated Club account by Wednesday 24 May, as per the order of an Independent Disciplinary Commission, Wigan Athletic Football Club has been deducted a further four points and will now start the 2023/24 season on minus eight points (-8).
This follows a previous sanction of four points after failing to pay its players’ wages on time in March 2023 and May 2023.
The EFL has spent the past 48 hours in dialogue with the Club in an attempt to find a positive outcome to the issue but as of 9am Friday morning the required funds have not been deposited.
The decision by the Independent Disciplinary Commission can be viewed here.
Club Statement | The Chairman, Talal Al Hammad, on the last 12 months and future plans…#wafc
— Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) May 26, 2023
WIGAN STATEMENT:
We are extremely disappointed with this latest decision. The Football Club has been very transparent with the EFL who have had clear visibility of the eight-figure sum to finance the remainder of this season and the whole of next season.
The Club will now consider all options open, including legal action in response to this, and will make no further comment at this time.
THE CHAIRMAN HAS PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING UPDATE ON THE PAST 12 MONTHS AND FUTURE PLANS…
After a difficult 12 months on and off the field and with much speculation in the media and on social media, I wanted to take this opportunity to add some clarity on the circumstances of the past, as well as outline our plans for the upcoming season.
Thank you to all Wigan Athletic staff, players and fans for your efforts and commitment over what has been an extremely challenging year for all involved.
Firstly, I want to confirm that an eight-figure sum is currently being processed and is due to land in the Club account imminently. This funding will also ensure financial stability for June and the 2023/24 season. We have been transparent with the EFL who have had full visibility of this amount throughout the process following Friday’s [19 May] statement.
It is important to address the numerous late wage payments. As I have previously stated, I recognise this is totally unacceptable. Since Phoenix 2021 acquired Wigan Athletic in 2021, the ownership group will have invested over £30m into the Club to date. In the first year, we invested a large proportion of that to transform a squad of three players into a squad capable of competing for promotion back to the Championship within two seasons. This investment paid off as we gained promotion at the first time of asking, but it also meant we had a much-increased wage budget to fund this season.
As time went on and with the realisation we needed to strengthen again in the summer and in the January Transfer Window, the wage budget was unfortunately becoming more and more unmanageable. The inflated wage bill resulted in cash flow issues which meant we could not adhere to the Agreed Decision with the EFL in January. However, everything possible was done to ensure wages were paid. Delays are a common occurrence with overseas transactions, but that is not and cannot be an excuse for late payments.
Clearly, the change of Managers, which we felt needed to happen, did not have the desired impact on results. Mistakes were clearly made, but we now have the right manager in charge in Shaun Maloney. That has been clear in his short time with us. Shaun and his staff have worked extremely hard and although we did not retain our Championship status, we have all seen the improvement in the squad and individuals. His knowledge of Wigan Athletic and desire to succeed has brought the connection between the manager, players and fans back to this Club.
We have learnt from the unsustainable wage budget of this season and consequently have developed a more sustainable strategy for the Club, focused on the development of younger players, especially those that have come through the 3PL Wigan Athletic Academy. A new CEO and Sporting Director will be announced over the coming weeks to ensure these plans are properly implemented. The Board will also commit to having regular meetings with fan representatives who can input into strategic club decision-making.
The Club, this week announced our annual retain list. I want to pay tribute to all players who will leave Wigan Athletic as well as our loan players returning to their parent Clubs. As an ownership group, Board and of course with Shaun’s input, we are positive the squad will evolve throughout the summer with a mix of both young and more experienced players, in line with a sustainable wage budget. Our recruitment process is already vastly improved in previous years, with more modern processes and structures being implemented. This will continue over the coming weeks, months and seasons ahead.
After meetings with the Board and Technical Board, the wage budget for this coming season has been agreed upon. It will be over 65% less than what it was this season, making it a much more sustainable budget from an ownership perspective. We know, however, that this will still be a competitive budget in League One.
A pre-season training camp will also shortly be announced alongside a number of high-profile friendlies as Shaun prepares his squad for the new campaign. There is also a huge amount of hard work going on off the field and we look forward to announcing a number of commercial partnerships ahead of next season. The Latics Store will this summer undergo a refurbishment which we are providing funds for. The Latics Store will more than double in size and this will allow for greater revenue. There is also work going on behind the scenes to ensure the purchasing of tickets is a smoother process for all fans.
There have been many questions about the owners’ commitment to the Club. He is fully committed to Wigan Athletic. As an ownership group and Board, we recognise we have a lot of trust to rebuild and this starts again now. I will also be in attendance more regularly this season and the communication from the Board needs to be much clearer in this new era.
We will start next season with a points deduction and that we truly regret and apologise to all fans and stakeholders. This is a culmination of the struggles of the past season. We cannot change the past, but what we can do is look to the future. We recognise we must rebuild trust with you.
Finally, I want to thank you, the fans for your patience. Thank you to the almost 4,000 fans who have already shown their unwavering support to the Latics through the purchase of 2023/24 Season Tickets. This is an increase in numbers at the same time last season which is incredible. I would encourage everyone else to please support Shaun Maloney and his squad by purchasing your season tickets now. Fans are the lifeblood of clubs and without your support, we would not have a Club.
Talal Al Hammad
This is what fans are saying as the Wigan chairman provides a new statement while the EFL give them YET ANOTHER points deduction…
@ethanb1337: Maybe it’s time as you the runners of the league maybe try and sort their owners out. You approved them maybe take some action against them. Fans don’t deserve this. From a 🐏
@julesossie: Here we go punish the little Clubs again meanwhile Man City.. what’s being done about them by the FA..😡😡
@tolmeistertol: And you think that’s fair on fans and players? It’s the owner’s you target not the careers, lives of players and the most important part of any club the fans. Fuckin embarrassing from you lot and you still remain in place!
@jamulligan78: But we’re getting a bigger club shop, that’s the main thing.
@mudhutter: Got to give the rest of League One a decent headstart tbf, sick of us pissing it every time we’re in it #wafc
@JamesBrien1932: Why did I read the statement and be happy for 10 seconds before I read the additional minus 4 time to jump off a bridge fml #wafc
@samf012321: HAHAHAHAH get the fuck out now. you’ve fucked around with the club, the journalists, and the fans. if you have the money why don’t you put it in now and why didn’t you put it in when you were told to. you don’t just make 8 figures overnight. fuck off #wafc
@JamieHutchWafc: How they’re gonna expect to keep hold of players like Watnough, Hughes, Kerr etc when it’s now a minimum of 2 years in league 1 is beyond me. You’ve literally sunk the club as low as administration was with your actions @TalalAlHammad32. Time is up, we don’t this anymore. #wafc
@RhyssLJ: Conveniently left out the club announcement 10 seconds before this one. 🤣
@Juddu_: Quick lads, get a statement out minutes before the EFL confirm a further points deduction so we can avoid talking about our broken promise to the EFL. 🐸 #wafc
@PenguinPseudo: Legal action 😂 only yourselves to blame you utter cretins. You were given a deadline.
@JudithWorthin10: Ridiculous to appeal. EFL have been fair (any other clubs had -3pts after end of season?). -6pts next season was mooted, even before latest failures. -4 then imposed with -4 suspended. Failed to meet deadline for that, so -4 took effect. No case, just antagonising wrong people.
@wotsthatmoosic: Well there you go, statement basically tells me we’re skint and living from month to month. Still, good news about the bigger club shop. #wafc
@TxmRiding: What the fuck are you doing
@DanWAFC03: What? Own the countless cock ups, this is entirely on the owners
@Eclipse12002: Please don’t waste any money on legal advice!
We need that money to keep the club afloat.
Deadlines are there for a reason and if you don’t adhere to them, these are the consequences!
Waving bits of paper about with figures does not conform!
#wafc
@DanSWA96: How many points is that now under the ownership you have, 14? They’re going to run your club into the ground, the EFL aren’t going to save you, they’ll just punish you, yet it was them who said these owners are fit and proper. Feel for the fans, it’s awful.
@samuellatics: Oh and for the record as much as I can’t stand the EFL. This time they are correct. They gave a deadline. You failed regardless of this apparent transparency. They have every right to give us another 4 points off. And I actually agree
@GallenLeung: How can you bring it to court when they already give you the chance to put the money until this at 9 this morning? Joke
@dnmb00: Absolute circus how embarrassing
— Liam (@liams_1874) May 26, 2023
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