Wigan forget off-field problems to hammer Hull 8-0
Lactics are facing a 12-point deduction in the English second tier for going into administration
Wigan Athletic gave themselves a great chance of Championship survival even if the club are docked 12 points for going into administration by thrashing Hull City 8-0 on Wednesday morning (July 15, Singapore time).
Kieran Dowell scored a hat-trick as Wigan recorded a new record league win by scoring seven times in the first half to move 12 points clear of the relegation zone, prior to the points penalty being applied.
The Latics’ other goals came via Kal Naismith, Jamal Lowe, Joe Williams and a Kieffer Moore brace.
“We’re climbing a mountain but we’re not at the top,” said Wigan manager Paul Cook.
Wigan fans rallied to raise funds to ensure the 2013 FA Cup winners could just fulfil their fixtures till the end of the season after the club were put into administration in suspicious circumstances earlier this month.
Wigan were placed in administration on July 1, just four weeks after they were sold from one Hong Kong-based company to another, both of which were until recently majority-owned by professional poker player and businessman Stanley Choi.
Businessman Au Yeung Wai Kay has since replaced Choi as the majority shareholder of Next Leader Fund, which purchased Wigan, who were relegated from the English Premier League in 2017, from International Entertainment Corporation.
International Entertainment Corporation is a Hong Kong-based, Cayman Islands-registered company.
Compounding the bizarre situation, British media reports claimed that English Football League chairman Rick Parry was secretly filmed telling a fan that the administration was connected to “a bet in the Philippines on them being relegated”.
Said Cook: “We’re very proud of our supporters and the town, to raise the money and give us the support they have, and I think tonight we’ve gone a long way towards repaying that.
“Can we go the extra yard to give them that full satisfaction of overturning possibly a 12-point deduction? We have to keep believing we can.”
By contrast, Hull remain rooted in the relegation zone having won just once in their last 20 games.
“We all felt embarrassed,” said Hull boss Grant McCann.
“We’re all hurting. We have worked so hard this season, and to get done like we did today is unacceptable from everyone.” – AFP
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