Wigan Athletic chairman makes plea to the EFL

Latics' FA Cup victory over Blackburn on Saturday means yet another fixture - the scheduled visit of Crewe on February 5 - will have to be rearranged.

With their progress to the last eight of the Papa John's Trophy and a hat-trick of Covid cancellations over Christmas, Latics are already four matches behind some of their League One rivals, with no sign of the situation improving.

And the chairman has now taken to social media to plea to the authorities for some assistance.

At Wigan Athletic, we have always respected the rules and regulations put into place for the safety and wellbeing to all," he said.

"We have adhered to these, respectfully, throughout the hardships and the pandemic that followed.

"However, playing a football game every three days for a hundred days is unhealthy.

"It is inevitable the players will suffer from increased stress and pressure, which could then lead to physical and mental injury to our valued players and team.

"Our players would be required to perform at a peak, elite level on each occasion and over such a significant period, this is near impossible.

"For the integrity of all competitions in which we are competing, we must find some equality in our fixture programme.

"I am positive that other clubs will agree with me that the EFL should reconsider their position and extend the league under such circumstances.

"The main reason being our players, their safety and their wellbeing."

Latics unsuccessfully tried to fit in one of their catch-up fixtures this Tuesday, but both Fleetwood and Accrington declined the invitation.

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