'Wigan Athletic incredibly unlucky' but football remains 'particularly ruinous' environment

So says investigative journalist Martin Calladine, who predicts more and more clubs will fall on hard times 'until we get real change' in terms of governance.

"I do think it's a sign of the times, but Wigan have also been incredibly unlucky," said Calladine, author of 'The Ugly Game' and co-author of 'Fit And Proper People'.

"The financial situation anywhere below the Premier League - but especially the Championship - is particularly ruinous.

"Most clubs are losing significant amounts of money, and until we get an independent regulator, who can take control of who buys and owns football clubs, who demand proper financial guarantees, and have the ability to take control of clubs if necessary to steer them to safety, this kind of thing is going to continue.

"It's unfortunately highly predictable with the way the game is set up right now.

"It seems like it's always Wigan at the moment, but if it wasn't them, it would be someone else.

"Yes, Wigan have been terribly unlucky, but it's not an anomaly, I'm afraid.

"And these things are going to keep going until we get real change."

The Latics ownership group accepted a bid from 21-year-old soft drinks 'entrepreneur' Sarbjot Johal on Sunday night, which is now with the EFL.

However, Johal has been trying to take control of Morecambe since the turn of the year.

And while he has no disqualifying conditions, he has so far failed to convince the governing body he is worthy of passing their Owners and Directors' Test.

Leaving both clubs in a complete state of limbo.

"The situation is very pressing for both clubs," acknowledged Calladine.

"Morecambe have been trying to run the club at break even and, until a few weeks ago, only had six players under contract.

"Wigan, as we know, are losing significant amounts of money every month, and a delay of any length of time could be really problematic.

"I don't know enough about Wigan's accounts to say that failing to get this deal done would imperil the future of the club.

"But obviously Wigan fans who've been through what they've been through in the last few years would be worried about that.

"You can't imagine the current owner wants the club to go into administration.

"But this delay is doing no-one any good, because it's just getting in the way of the club finding someone who can take the club forward.

"And regardless of whether Johal believes he's good for the money or not, I'm convinced he won't get through the Owners and Directors' Test."

The delay is not helped by the way EFL rules are set up, which means there is no timescale during which a deal must be completed.

"From the way I read the rules, if you submit information as to the source and sufficiency of funds, and the EFL deem that to be not properly answered, then they can fail a bid," added Calladine.

"But if they request more information, which I believe they did (with Johal) in February, they don't have the power to set a timeline for that info to be provided.

"From what I can see, they have been waiting several months for this information to be provided, which he says he will.

"But for whatever reason, he still hasn't done so.

"I don't think it ever occured to the EFL that someone would want to buy a football club, but not want to do so urgently, and that the seller would also not put pressure on the seller to do so urgently.

"So now we have this bizarre situation where both the buyer and seller are prepared to hang around almost indefinitely, and the EFL are kind of stuck in the middle."