Wigan Athletic owner inquired about administration - BEFORE his takeover

Earlier this month an independent, arbitration panel heard Latics' appeal against the 12 point deduction.

The full report is expected to be published by the EFL tomorrow but some details have been leaked this evening to the Guardian and Sky Sports News.

It reveals how former owner Au Yeung Wai Kay made contact with Begbies Traynor - the current administrators in charge - about putting the club into administration the day he become the sole shareholder in the club.

And when he informed the UK directors of his plan, Darren Royle was suspended as executive chairman of Wigan Athletic when he tried to stop the club being placed in administration.

The report appears to exonerate Royle, his dad Joe (a club director) and chief executive Jonathan Jackson from failing to prevent the process of administrations.

Sky Sports news editor Alan Myer released details on his Twitter account.

Quoting the report, he said: “In the case of Messrs Jackson and Royle, we consider they acted with a commendable sense of responsibility towards the club and we reject the suggestion by the EFL that they could and should have done more to prevent the club being put into administration."

It says the owners "actively concealed" their shortage of money from the UK directors, who refused to even vote on the club's administration process.

The panel said Wigan Athletic’s former owner Au Yeung Wai Kay viewed the club and English football as “no more than an opportunity for investment and profit before his interest faded”

Wigan Athletic have been in administration since July 1. Royle and Jackson have been helping the administrators - without being paid.

The full report is expected to be released tomorrow morning.