Wigan Warriors report loss of £432k due to '˜investment in a winning team'

That sum is less than the £605,000 they lost in 2016, revealed accounts filed at Companies House.

During 2017, turnover increased marginally to £7.1m, thanks to an increase in sponsorship and Wigan’s appearance in the World Club Challenge and Challenge Cup Final.

But Wigan’s expenditure topped that amount, with ‘like for like’ wages increasing by £240,000 “as a result of the company’s continuing investment in the playing squad.” The number of employees – administrative, playing and coaching staff – also rose from 89 to 98 last year.

Chairman Ian Lenagan has long been a critic of the Super-8s system, blaming the uncertainty of the competition for declining attendances. Last week he got his wish, with the league structure changed to a more traditional format in 2019 which will guarantee Wigan 14 home Super League matches.

Lenagan, who owns 89 per cent of the club, said: “Tickets sales have gone down during the Super-8s and at the same time, I have taken the decision to invest in a winning team and we have kept expenditure at a high level.”

Lenagan has once again plugged the gap of his own funds.