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Wigan players threaten to strike and refuse playing the final Championship match of the season

Wigan Athletic players threaten to strike and refuse playing the final Championship match of the 2022/23 season, according to reports.

According to Alan Nixon, squad members have been in discussions about potentially boycotting in protest and refusing to take part in the final fixture on Bank Holiday Monday against Rotherham.

The Latics team, which did not train Saturday, has been let down because the club’s owner failed to pay the club’s wages on time Friday.

With some players now been paid late — it’s those out of contract in the summer who are yet to receive their payment, and should it not arrive before the Millers match, Wigan are openly discuss the possibility of not playing.

The Chairman, Talal Al Hammad, has revealed that cash won’t be handed out until after the game. This may not be enough for players to show up.

Wigan may have no choice but to be forced to use its reserves or youth teams to fill in the numbers. Yet, this would also cause problems with the EFL who aren’t about the situation.

The Latics received a three-point deduction from the league after they failed to pay players and staff four times this season.

Other charges have been brought against the owners who were told to set aside cash for their salaries.

If you field a weaker team, even in a game that is meaningless, there could be further punishments.

Al Hammad claimed that “all resources available” had already been used, which raises questions about the future funding of the club.

SEE MORE: Wigan players fear fresh points deduction for 2023/24 season amid wait for late wages

A Wigan statement read: “Staff wages were paid on Friday with the chairman Mr Talal Al Hammad making a decision to pay as many employees as possible within the organisation with the resources available.

“All remaining playing and non-playing staff will be paid at the earliest opportunity following the Bank Holiday weekend.

“The ownership group, Phoenix 2021 Limited, insist they are working hard to ensure that this is rectified as soon as possible and apologise again for the stress this has caused.

“All first-team players have been given the day off from training today given the difficult circumstances.

“The club will make no further comment until it has further clarification.”

Wigan Supporters Club statement: “After having spoken with the club, everything in their power is being done to pay the remaining player wages by Tuesday.

“As fans ourselves we are upset that this has happened again and we stand with Shaun and the players that this situation must be rectified swiftly.

“This is the immediate priority. After this we will urgently meet with the club to discuss what needs to be done next.

“Today, we have liaised will other fan groups, spoken to the club and ownership and also put other groups in touch with the ownership in order to give them the same message: we need to see actions and plans for how things will be fixed. We are UNITED with all fan groups and supporters in this.”

Independent Latics: “Well, we’re here again.

“If it was difficult to trust a chairman who’d gone to ground when things got tough, how hard will it be to trust a man who’s look you in the eye and told you that everything was going to be ok?

“Despite assurances of funds being in place and promises of fresh starts, our players have again gone unpaid.

“Whether this is through incompetence, a lack of funds or some other issue, it is unacceptable. After the issues our club has experienced in recent times contingencies should have, and indeed we were told they had, been put in place.

“We’re at a loss, but we will continue to fight for OUR club.

“Monday was supposed to be a day of celebration of the life of one of our own, Liam Sephton. Another fan, Peter Sutton is due to attend what is expected to be his final Latics against Rotherham.

“We are considering carefully what, if any, action we can take, together, whilst still honouring these two occasions. However we want to know that we share your frustrations and anger.

“Regardless of whether we protest on Monday, we want it to be known that the owners and board are now on notice. Enough is enough, one time was too many, 5 times is simply not acceptable and the silence from them is palpable.

“We say, no more. Stop treating us like mugs.

“Paying the players, explaining how this is not going to happen again is no longer enough.

“We want a stable football club, we know that is the best way for us to have a club that our children and our children’s children can be part of. We believe that stable clubs, with strong, open and transparent owners, are successful football clubs.

“Are Phoenix 2021 able to achieve that?

“It’s time for them to shape up or sell up.”

Here’s how fans reacted as Wigan players threaten to strike again and potentially refuse playing the final Championship match of the season…

@LucyLovesMJ: Now this I would stand for! Us protesting won’t do anything. The players doing it will 💙⚽️

@Ashton_Ian: Fully justified action. I wouldn’t accept it so I wouldn’t blame them for a second.

@WafcHugh: Wouldn’t mind this at all!

@wafc_reece: Good on them

@MarkTouhey1: It would be madness if there is a single #wafc player, contracted beyond this summer, who has not got their agent trying to get them out of the club. We could easily be left in a worse state this time round.

@LucyLovesMJ: The players need to make a stand. It’s no good us invading the pitch after they’ve put in 85 minutes graft and get punished for it. If the players choose to refuse to play, we back them. That’s all there is to it 💙⚽️ #wafc

@WAFC1932_: Good for them. Owners are a joke.

@Worly82: Fully support the players here. Actions speak louder than words 👊

@samf012321: the players should strike even if they’re paid imo because it’s not good enough #wafc

@ForeverWAFC: Full solidarity with the senior players. Looks like they’ve rightly had their patience pushed too far. Seeing those kids thrown into a Championship game is going to be brutal if it happens, shame on the owners for exposing them to this. #wafc

@IanCart59216988: Fully behind them, whatever they decide to do

@DavideLeToit: @EFL You supposedly vetted these owners and passed them as suitable! Don’t be deducting more points off us, you’ll be hurting the manager, players and more so the supporters. Not the owners, they dont care. Don’t kill our club, please. Oh and we back the players, fully.

@Carwaft: Fact @TalalAlHammad32 hasn’t tweeted since March says everything. A con man in every sense. #wafc

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