Wigan Athletic third in big-spenders table

Wigan Athletic were in the top three for biggest outlay from revenue on wages of any club in the Championship last season.
The DW StadiumThe DW Stadium
The DW Stadium

Latics published their annual accounts for 2018-19 last month, revealing they had spent £19.4million on the salaries of players and staff.

That amounted to 168 per cent of a £11.5million turnover - level in the financial table with Sheffield Wednesday, who turned over £25.2million.

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However, the Owls' figures are based on the previous campaign, with the club having not filed any later accounts.

Only Reading (226 per cent, of £18.1million) and Aston Villa (175 per cent, of £54.3million), were bigger spenders comparative to their budget.

Almost half of the division - 10 clubs - spent more on wages than they banked through turnover, according to figures collated by Kieran Maguire, the football finance lecturer.

Including the previous year's figures of the four clubs yet to submit their returns for 2018-19, a total of £854m was spent on wages across the division - against revenue of £795m.

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Aside from Reading's incredible overspend, the major stand-out was Sheffield United managing to win promotion to the Premier League despite having average wages of £8,814 (90 per cent of turnover) - which was marginally below Wigan's average figure of £9,030.

Latics were due to hold their AGM last month, but were forced to postpone due to the Covid-19 pandemic.