Thats really quite sad to read. Because frankly its all subjective rubbish that has zero bearing on the actual appeal. As others have said, the appeal is whether the EFL have applied their rules correctly. Wigan entered administration because they have insufficient cash. None of the points relating to administration have any reasoning at all. Its not a liquidation, unless they fail to find a buyer. Its administration and its a very run of the mill one. The owner doesn't wish to subsidise it. It has insufficient funds to operate. Basic administration. Where they may have some grounds for issue is the fit and proper persons test. But that is a separate issue and would have its own legal case. But having said that, I'd suggest they seek to position their anger towards the auditors and former owners who failed to undertake suitable due diligence. There may also be issues if insolvency advice wasn't sought, or the auditors report depending on the balance sheet position. But in terms of a 12 point deduction, the EFL have applied it accurately. Wigan fans may be very aggrieved, they should be. But its merely the result of a club overspending and hedging those losses forward to the next investor to subsidise. Barnsley Football Club have had no impact on Wigan going into administration. Nor have the EFL. So i'd very much prefer they place their anger at the feet of their owners.
Also on that website and, to my simple mind, dead funny Wiggin Girls ……… by T’ Pie Shop Boys. Sometimes when you’re in your shed, There’s a pie in your ‘and, it’s as heavy as lead Go on a diet, but tha’s just not able Too fat for chairs, can’t fit under tables, In a chippy, in a West Lancs Town Pudding Fish & Chips, there’s a fat lass around Dressed to kill, out to pull, But tha’s not goin’ out till thy belly’s full (Chorus) In a North West town when t’ pie shop’s closed Standish lads chase Wiggin girls In a North West town when t’ pie shop’s closed, There’s nowt as mucky as Wiggin girls Wig-gin girls Too much make-up, trowelled on thick Pee in t’ gutter, lean o’er & be sick Nose job, botox, boobs are fake, But she lets you smother ‘em in chunky steak Lick it off, she’ll see you later, But don’t forget that meyt & prater, Put it in your pocket, keep it warm, She’ll eat it later on a buttered barm (Chorus) In a North West town when t’ pie shop’s closed Standish lads chase Wiggin girls In a North West town when t’ pie shop’s closed, There’s nowt as mucky as Wiggin girls Wig-gin girls You’ve got a big fat bum, and a great big bosom When I get you home, we’ll go ten to t’ dozen, Talk to me dirty, talk to me nasty, But before we start, put down that pasty Greenhalgh’s Galloways Glovers Greggs The love of her life is a pie on legs Bite into t’ crust, & suck out t’ filling It don’t take much to make her willing (Chorus) In a North West town when t’ pie shop’s closed Standish lads chase Wiggin girls In a North West town when t’ pie shop’s closed, There’s nowt as mucky as Wiggin girls Wig-gin girls
The Wigan fans need to accept that their “series of previous owners” put their club into this position, which is ultimately, voluntary administration owing £millions, in unsecured debts. although the debts weren’t over due at the time, payment of them was imminent. The owners distanced themselves, by selling the club in a corporate transaction, that proceeded the new owner to place the company immediately into voluntary administration. (There is no comeback on their former owners, the sale cannot be un-wound, debts in a commercial sense are unsecured, even football related ones) they are sat around their casino drinking Singapore slings. The EFL cannot be held to account over their predicament. Even if their “last owner” didn’t pass the fit and proper test, he corporately owned the entity of “Wigan athletic” and all its unsecured debts. In the real word, Football debts are not enforceable they only relate to EFL membership, they hold no commercial security. The EFL never have and never will, have any control of what happens at a corporate boardroom level of a limited company. They can only control the league membership of the football club, it’s the only leverage they hold! Should new owners not conform to the EFL rules, sanction are placed on the club in competition, ie fines, points deduction, demotion and even expulsion. Look at Bury, even Charlton today have the same issues. The administration need to stop blowing smoke up people and do their job of cutting costs to enable the Wigan to continue in some capacity. the fans need to accept their fate reel in their expectations and rally round to ensue they have a Wigan Athletic to support. I feel for the Wigan fans but that’s the reality, they are not the only club to fall foul of bad ownership and they won’t be the last. Countermeasure need to be brought in and lessons need to be learned by the EFL to stop this kind of thing from happening, but in this instance their hands are tied.
I particularly like "Even Rick Parry has conceded this. And even he, the chairman of the EFL has admitted that the rules and processes need to change, because they are no longer fit for purpose. I was pointing out that just because the legal system says it should be so, it doesn’t mean it is right. And that the rules and legal systems have changed hundreds and thousands of times for the better over time". so basically they are saying that the rules are wrong and with the rules they would like to see they wouldn't be deducted points Of course all the above is from a fan and not their QC and I doubt he will be using much of that - maybe the Blackpool example to point out there is precedence waiving the penalty, but I'm not concerned by the arguments above they are almost all invalid as some other posters have pointed out. They have a very good brief, my fear is that he may have found a loophole in the way the EFL worded their regulations and try to get them off on the "letter of the law" rather than the intent, ie if the EFL have screwed up somewhere he might get them off on a technicality. The risk of the EFL not making their rules watertight is one I dont want to think about too much ...
Yes, agree with all of that. Posted that link because I thought it was particularly relevant to the title of this thread, rather than an endorsement. The worry of finding some loophole, plus the fact that a club in administration would stump up half a million to appeal does make me nervous.
The Wigan fans don't even acknowledge the fact they’re still spending above their means . They don’t think the board have done anything wrong other than place them in administration! Do they honestly think they would have got keiffer within the bounds of their honest income? https://forums.vitalfootball.co.uk/threads/urgent-breaking-appeal-information.106814/
I do agree with one poster on there the one that says "Surely if Barnsley have a gripe it should be the fact that Sheffield Wednesday have not received their points deduction for cheating yet!" it wouldnt change my view on the validity of Wigans deduction but it would make me less concerned about the outcome
It would me tbh but I’ve no confidence of that happening one bit . I’m more sure Wigan will get hit than Wendy or Rooney County
Fully expect Wednesday to be given a points deduction next season. And the outcome of the charge only to be announced when it's too late to have an effect on this season.
We already tried that during the season which the EFL haven’t done. Hence why we are fighting our corner on it as we hold no faith in the EFL due to that fact. We have been relegated due to an insolvent club that bent the rules before. Wigan see it as a direct attack at them it isn’t it’s against the EFL and clubs who don’t follow those rules.
If they feel the need to be part of the appeal defence, why have they been so adamant that survival has already been confirmed?
I don’t think they can or will be part of the defence. The Wigan QC will have to put forward a case for force majeure which in all likelihood will be served with a huge portion of sympathy. Barnsley can only try to counter the sympathy side of it
The administrator has to act in the best interest of the creditors. The fact that the administrator has chosen to spend supposedly £500k on this case worries me.
Dane said that, because we would be directly affected by the outcome, we would be entitled to be involved. I’m not sure I would read too much into this to be honest. We may simply be there to ensure that the processes are carried out correctly. If they are, and the panel finds that there are indeed reasons why the rules have not been followed correctly, and we lose out, we will at least know that everything has been done properly. I honestly can’t see how Wigan can win this but, if they do, there will have to be sound reasons for them doing so. That is all we can expect.