Football finance expert explains Wigan Athletic's High Court situation

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire - author of 'The Price of Football', and co-host of a podcast of the same name - has pointed to numerous examples of other clubs in similar situations, and living to tell the tale.

"It's certainly not ideal," he said. "But we've seen Southend United in this position six or seven times over the last two or three years.

"It's indicative of the tax authorities running out of patience with non-payment.

"What tends to happen is that they get a pay off, and the issue gets kicked down the line, and it tends to repeat itself until you get new owners."

Maguire points out it's in no-one's interests - including HMRC - if clubs go to the wall unless there is absolutely no way out.

"It's when clubs are taking the mickey," he said, of how Latics have found themselves here.

"We saw that with Derby County, where they ran up an horrendous amount of unpaid tax.

"And HMRC do have a responsibility to the taxpayer, to look after the tax payer's interests.

"If you have companies that are regularly late, coming up with lame excuses - and the excuses we've seen from Wigan's owners in the last 12 months have been embarrassing - you end up in this position."

Hopefully the High Court hearing - scheduled for Wednesday, July 26 - will not even be required, given the hugely positive steps taken in recent days, with local billionaire Mike Danson understood to be heavily involved.

"The new owners, if and when they come in, would firstly have to pass the Owners and Directors Test," revealed Maguire.

"One of those issues is whether you can show you have a budget and the funds to pay for the club's ongoing responsibilities, one of which would be clearing the tax debt.

"Which effectively would be money that will end up being knocked off the buying price."

So while a worrying development, Monday's news is not catastrophic.

"It's two red circles at the moment rather than three..." added Maguire.