Wigan’s two main sports teams clubs are to be united under the ownership of local businessman Mike Danson.
Danson took control of Wigan Athletic FC last month following financial issues at the League One club, and it has now been confirmed that he will become the new owner of rugby league outfit Wigan Warriors too.
Wigan Warriors’ chairman Ian Lenagan is to stand down at the end of the season after 16 years of family ownership of the Club, and Danson will take 100 percent ownership of the club in December after purchasing Lenagan’s 51% shareholding.
Wigan-born multimillionaire Danson has an intriguing business portfolio which includes data analytics firm GlobalData, a large chunk of Datamonitor, which he founded in 1990 before selling it for over half a billion in 2007 and buying selected parts back at profit in 2015, and The New Statesman.
Wigan MP Lisa Nandy was just one person to be thrilled by the news of Danson’s arrival after a traumatic period for the club:
Danson will surely be hoping to oversee a turnaround in fortunes at both clubs. Wigan Athletic are a former Premier League club who snaffled the FA Cup from an under-par Manchester City side in 2013, while the Greater Manchester Borough’s rugby team are an all-time great.
He said on taking Athletic over last month: “I am delighted to become involved in Wigan Athletic Football Club.
“I was born in Wigan, I grew up locally and the community of the town is close to my heart. I want to recognise that the club has a hugely important part to play in the local community, not just for players, but for fans, employees and all its suppliers, business partners and numerous community groups.
“We have worked hard to provide the EFL with a realistic financial plan to stabilise operations. We look forward to a fresh start for the Club and planning for the upcoming season.”
