Exclusive: Wigan Warriors-led bid to buy Wigan Athletic

He is working with his advisors to find other investors with the intention of "making a bid in due course" for Latics, who have been in administration for the last six days.

Lenagan, along with Gary Speakman and Darryl Eales, are leading the consortium.

They plan on starting due diligence into the club's finances and have made administrators aware of their interest.

Lenagan, a proud Wiganer, believes the Championship outfit is best being "locally owned". He says if successful, the clubs would be under the same ownership but there would be no merger - they would retain their own training facilities and staff.

Comment: Fans may welcome local ownership

A joint-statement issued by Wigan Warriors reads: "Wigan Rugby League club were saddened to hear the news that Wigan Athletic has been placed into administration. Having shared a stadium together for many years and with a large number of fans supporting both clubs, we have become friends with many of the management and staff and I know that this is a very worrying time for them all.

"Being born and bred in Wigan, Ian Lenagan and Gary Speakman understand what both clubs mean to the local community.

"We strongly believe that Wigan Athletic is better being locally-owned. As sustainability and ownership of the stadium is equally important to both clubs, we are currently working with our longstanding advisers KPMG and talking to external parties. Our intention is to identify other investors quickly and start due diligence on the football club with the intention of making a bid in due course. We have made the Administrators aware of our interest and hope to explore this with them further over the days ahead.

Who is Ian Lenagan?

"Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic are both local sporting institutions and it is our belief that this is a unique opportunity here to bring the ownership of these two great clubs together under one roof, each operating independently as before, but under a Wigan Sporting Partnership banner.

"It is envisaged that each club would retain all its training grounds, management and facilities."

David Molyneux, the Leader of Wigan Council, has confirmed that “Wigan Council would be very supportive of this initiative”.

This initiative is led by Lenagan, Darryl Eales and Gary Speakman.