Lisa Nandy meets EFL chiefs to try and safeguard Wigan Athletic's long-term future

The Wigan MP wants to protect the stricken-Championship club from moving from “one bad deal to another”.

Ms Nandy and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham met with leading figures from the English Football League – the governing body for league clubs outside the top-flight – and also discussed the pending 12-point deduction and the investigation into how the club plunged into administration under its Hong Kong-based owners.

Warriors chairman Ian Lenagan is leading one bid to keep the club in local ownership.

But one of the administrators, Gerald Krasner, told the Observer his priority is to get the “best price for the creditors” – leading to fears somebody may take over to sell-off the club’s assets.

Ms Nandy stressed to EFL chairman Rick Parry and his team they have a duty to protect the club from falling into the wrong hands.

She told the Wigan Observer: “We had a long discussion about the need to secure the long-term future of the club and ensure that, when it comes to approving a deal, that the deal is viable.

“I was very keen to impress on them that the administrators have a responsibility to get the best price.

“So the EFL has a crucial role to make sure the club has a viable future, and they seemed to take that on board.

“A number have got experience of being through this before or running clubs so they do understand they can’t be bounced from one bad deal to another, especially when you have a local bid on the table.

“We believe the EFL has a role to play in making sure this doesn’t drag on, because every week passing the club incurs more damage (financially).”

An appeal against the 12-point penalty – applied to clubs entering administration – is ongoing, so little could be said until the process has been completed.

But Ms Nandy was “encouraged” by the EFL’s enquiries into the background of this bombshell administration.

“I think we desire those answers as to how it could happen to a club like Wigan Athletic and also learn lessons to make sure it doesn’t happen to other clubs, and making sure this is a genuine watershed moment,” she added.