Wigan Athletic fans' group issue statement calling for 'answers'

In the open letter, the ‘Wigan Athletic Grievance Society’ cite a number of concerns – including the summer transfer window, and the ‘day-to-day running of the club – that they would like clarification and reassurances over.

"The Wigan Athletic Grievance society would like to thank the new ownership for its acquisition of our beloved football club, and rescuing it from the mess left by the previous and chaotic ownership," read the statement.

"We also welcome the new ownership's stated aspirations to run the football club in a sustainable and professional manner, aligned to an ambition to return to the higher echelons of the football pyramid.

"Although the vast majority of our sensible fan base appreciate this will not happen overnight, they do expect the club to be treated with a duty of care and also the attention required to enable the manager and coaching staff to concentrate fully on footballing matters.

"This would enable them to be given the correct tools to help the squad develop and progress on the pitch, as well as the ownership working to progress the club off the field.

"As a group of fans, we are frustrated somewhat at events that have seen the recent transfer window be handled as what can only be described as disappointing."There are glaring questions that need answering by the club's ownership as to what has happened, and how the manager has been left with a largely inexperienced squad.

"Before the season started, the manager stated he wanted 90 per cent of incoming transfers done by the time the squad went on a pre-season training camp in Hungary.

"This clearly did not happen, and the club signed a number of players both permanently and on loan after the club had returned from Hungary.

"Also the manager has openly admitted he did not secure a number of first-choice targets he and his staff had identified over a long period of time.

"This begs the question as to why this has happened. Considering the manager knew full well what budget constraints he would be working under during the close season, the targets identified must have been regarded as affordable.

"What was the issue in bringing players into the club in a timely fashion that would have allowed the coaching staff a full pre-season with the bulk of the squad, allowing them to prepare for the season in a way that would give the manager and team a chance of relative success?

"What is the relationship between the coaching staff and club management? Is it cohesive? Does the manager have regular contact with the ownership group, enabling him to conduct business in a timely fashion and act on decisions efficiently? Alternatively, is it the case he is left waiting for decisions to be made, due to the fact there is no-one to manage the club on a day-to-day basis, namely a chief executive/chief operating officer type of role?

"While we welcome the statement from Ben Goodburn this week that reinforces the ownership's continued commitment to our club and their desire to be successful, we would politely remind them that actions speak louder than words.

"The supporters - while not blind to what has gone on before under previous owners, who behaved recklessly - are also not blind to current on the pitch issues.

"Statements claiming to be 'ambitious for Premier League football', at the same time as not employing someone to run the club on a day-to-day basis, do not add up, and the ownership needs to give that item serious consideration, in our humble opinion.

"That is, if we are to have any semblance of the club being run and managed in such a way that at least offers hope of an upturn in on the pitch performance, as well as attempting to grow off the pitch and also in our wider community.

"We would ask that the club answer these questions, and be open and honest with us the fans as to why we still do not have day-to-day management at the club."