New Wigan Athletic owners getting a 'unique' club, says Darren Royle

The administrators continue to hold talks with proposed bidders, with a new party from the US reportedly having entered the process.

It’s been a remarkable few weeks at the DW Stadium, with Latics being relegated to League One after incurring a 12-point deduction for being placed in administration.

The club failed in its attempts to overturn that decision, and the full findings of the independent panel are expected to be released this week.

While that will shed some light into the sequence of events that have rocked the club and the town, Royle says full closure will only be achieved by a handover in power.

“I think the closure will only come when the club has new owners and is back on an even keel and safe for the next 12 to 24 months,” he said.

“That’s got to be where the closure comes, and I won’t rest until that’s been achieved.

“And it’s not necessarily having me involved with the process of finding a new owner.

“I can’t rest in myself until that has happened, I know how much the club means to the community.

"Whoever takes over the club needs to realise what they are taking over as well.

“The incredible passion and desire...you just don’t get that everywhere, this football club is unique.

“Sadly at other clubs, when administration happens, or when managers go, the whole thing implodes, and the team collapses.

“With us it was the complete opposite, and all the negatives were turned into positives, and showed the huge resilience of everyone involved.

“And that’s a massive intangible asset I think anyone looking at taking on the club will see straight away.”