Wigan Athletic slump to £7.7m loss despite promotion

Wigan Athletic has reported a £7.7m loss for the last season even though the team won promotion back to the Championship.

The loss compares to a profit of £4.3m for the previous season when the club was relegated to the First Division.

Chief executive Jonathan Jackson said: “The 2017/18 season was the first year since relegation from the Premier League in which the club had to operate without parachute payments.

“The loss was anticipated but these results highlight the investment required to achieve success outside the Premier League.

“The Championship is now populated by owners who are prepared to invest significant funding into clubs to attempt to achieve success and player salary levels continue to increase each year as clubs compete for the best players in a limited talent pool.”

“On the pitch, the season was memorable in many ways and provided immense enjoyment and pride to supporters and the people of the town.

“For the second consecutive time competing in League One, we were promoted as champions. It was a fitting way to mark the final full season under the ownership of the Whelan family.

“The club is under new ownership for the first time since 1995 and this marks the start of an exciting new era for Wigan Athletic.

Wigan’s average home gate dropped last season to 9,152 from 11,722 in 2016-17.

Last season was the club’s last campaign under the aownership of Dave Whelan and his family.

Wigan was taken over in November 2018, when International Entertainment Corporation purchased a majority shareholding.