The crisis at Wigan Athletic has taken another drastic turn for the club, as Alan Nixon has reported via his Patreon that the club have been served with a winding-up petition by HMRC over an unpaid tax bill.
The club’s Bahraini owners have been served with a petition for failing to settle a tax bill and while the exact amount is unknown, it is believed that the owners Phoenix 2021 Limited owe a figure around the mark of £1 million.
The owners have a week to respond to the notice and if it is not paid then the petition will become a winding-up order, circumstances which could have serious consequences for the club as a whole, not just the owners.
The owners are currently trying to sell the club ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, which they will play in League One following their relegation from the Championship. As well as this, they will begin the new campaign with an eight-point deduction following their difficulties regarding player wages. Over the weekend, the situation developed as the players are reportedly set to put the club on notice that they will be departing the club.
The Athletic reports that local businessman Mike Danson has been holding constructive talks with the group over a takeover of the club. Danson is the millionaire owner of GlobalData and The New Statesman. As well as Danson, Sarbjhot Johal is also hopeful of a purchase of the Latics, however, he is unlikely to earn the approval of the EFL, as he failed to show proof or sufficiency of his funds required to complete a purchase of relegated outfit Morecambe, who will be in League Two next season.
With his takeover bid, Johal promised to send a seven-figure fee to the club to cover outstanding player wages, however, that money has yet to be provided, which appears to put any potential takeover bid in doubt.
Any new owner that is going to step in will have to take a lot of factors into consideration, the club’s future is currently in serious jeopardy, the current owners promised the return of the glory days after the purchase of the club from Dave Whelan, however, those look to be so far out of reach now as they begin a season eight points behind the rest of the pack before the season has even begun.
Writer’s View
Wigan are in serious trouble and the club’s future hangs in the balance, we have seen this situation before with the fall of Bury, who lost their Football League status and Wigan are in danger of heading in the same direction and many fans and players are becoming increasingly concerned about this possibility.
Want to find out more about what is going on at Wigan? Check out episode four of TREFL podcast as hosts Liam and Hannah along with producer Gary and Barry from PWU Podcast discuss just what is happening.
Podcast Episode Four Out Now!
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— The Real EFL (@RealEFLSocial) June 5, 2023
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