In a nutshell.

[pedro]

I expected this, I'm surprised others didn't everyone has been hit by the pandemic and until fans are fully allowed back and the club can see what it's actual income is why would they do anything else.

I'd take this rather than in 3 years the club go bust because the can't afford to pay silly contracts.

I fully get that, but then why say you are going to spend big the year after next when you don't know what state your finances will be in then?

At the moment we can only have 6000 fans in the stadium and looks like a third wave is on route, I imagine next year will be limited again on crowds

so the most in SL except Hull but can spend less than others?

[Lazy J]

The plan for 2022 does not bode well.

Wigan have the money associated with them, but they will not spend it until they have a clear plan to recoup it. They do not want to continue to run at a loss and for that reason we will see a vastly reduced percentage of our cap taken up next season. (Can half understand that from a business point of view)

As it currently stands, the plan is to invest heavily in 2023/2024. ("Currently Stands")

so the next couple of months should consist of underwhelming signings on 2/3 year deals.

Current players on the radar who should sign/announced in the coming weeks are:

Bibby (2 years)
Powell (2 years)
Thornley (2 years)
Mason (2 years)

Isa and Manfredi are in talks, and there is interest in Sezer, Richardson, the winger from london and a Second Row from the Championship.

I would be surprised if we needed to utilise the Marquee player rule next year. Put it that way.

There is still talk of Thompson, Tomkins, Davies and even Greg Eden & Oli Holmes. But I can not see it.

EDIT: Fuck it, don't listen to any talk of Thompson, Tomkins, Davies or Holmes. Thompson turned us down. Tomkins and Davies resigned for Catalan, Davies turned us down.Holmes turned us down and has signed for Wire.

Thornley signed already, Mason really really really close.

Ill stop now

I can not say more than that and I probably wont post any information for a while as I can not let slip some of the things that I know.

I would be shocked if anything drastically changed.

why would we even chase Thompson, hes a huge saints fan, and is on record as saying he would never play for us as its not down to money, hes from a wealthy family

maybe next year will be wires year, there's only them and saints got anything like a decent team together

[Dan2266]

Only possible way we sign Thompson is he wants to come home & his release from saints was worse than we know.

[fozzieskem]

That will keep the bank manager happy but not the fans.
Its all well and good saying we will invest heavily the year after next but an average looking squad will not attract season ticket sales or sponsorship. Hence we are looking at trying to invest heavily with reduced income.
I don't doubt anything you are saying, but this comes across as next year is a write off which will inevitably hit season ticket sales.
Peoples habits have changed over the last 12 months and even with some earth shattering signings in another year people may well pick and choose games rather than forking out for season tickets.

That's what you get when dinosaurs and ex players run the club mate.

The plan is to spend big with a huge redevelopment of the squad under a massively trusted head coach

But we will have to suffer until then.

Don't get me wrong its hard for everyone bar Wire to sign players at the moment. but Wigan are not acting like a big club at all.

Wigan are acting like a club that if it carries on spending then it could be up the brown creek without the paddle,yes it’s not what we really want to hear and yes I expect season ticket sales will be further impacted next season,so it is a gamble but with so little quality about to sign it’s a sensible gamble at least till we see where we are with Covid etc.

As for Williams if it’s true they’ve broken the bank for him then good luck to him.

[fozzieskem]

Only possible way we sign Thompson is he wants to come home & his release from saints was worse than we know.

He certainly left in a hurry that’s for sure

[Dan2266]

Only possible way we sign Thompson is he wants to come home & his release from saints was worse than we know.

He certainly left in a hurry that’s for sure

I think he rejected a pay cut then Saints refused to release him, the Bulldogs paid a substantial fee as far as I am aware, this is also why I think he will see out his contract and return home in 2023, unless his stock rises in the NRL.

Williams as far as I am aware will be the highest paid player in the league.

I have no issue with Wigan walking away. There's the club being sensible, and then there's the club just getting by. its never going to be wound up. the folk in charge would not let that happen. that is my issue however with multi millionaire and billionaire local business men. stump up the cash to get us back where we belong. or why else invest in a rugby league club like Wigan if you have no plans to pump a bit of money in? it hasn't been profitable for years, so Danson hasn't signed up just to turn a profit for himself, because its not profitable.

If between them they made an outlay of say round about £1m to get the squad back where it should be, the fans would flood back week in week out. the club would then arguable be more sustainable than it is now.

What is the long term plan for the club? Its going in the total wrong direction, but we have people who could solve it with a click of their fingers and money they wouldn't even miss or probably notice if it left their bank accounts.

[Charriots Offiah]

Only possible way we sign Thompson is he wants to come home & his release from saints was worse than we know.

We should be all over Satae and Sao, we could get both of them for the price of Thompson and both are off contract at the end of the season.

[Dan2266]

Only possible way we sign Thompson is he wants to come home & his release from saints was worse than we know.

We should be all over Satae and Sao, we could get both of them for the price of Thompson and both are off contract at the end of the season.

100% Agree.

[fozzieskem]

Only possible way we sign Thompson is he wants to come home & his release from saints was worse than we know.

We should be all over Satae and Sao, we could get both of them for the price of Thompson and both are off contract at the end of the season.

Satan in particular is the sort of player Wigan should be after

[fozzieskem]

Only possible way we sign Thompson is he wants to come home & his release from saints was worse than we know.

He certainly left in a hurry that’s for sure

I think he rejected a pay cut then Saints refused to release him, the Bulldogs paid a substantial fee as far as I am aware, this is also why I think he will see out his contract and return home in 2023, unless his stock rises in the NRL.

Williams as far as I am aware will be the highest paid player in the league.

I have no issue with Wigan walking away. There's the club being sensible, and then there's the club just getting by. its never going to be wound up. the folk in charge would not let that happen. that is my issue however with multi millionaire and billionaire local business men. stump up the cash to get us back where we belong. or why else invest in a rugby league club like Wigan if you have no plans to pump a bit of money in? it hasn't been profitable for years, so Danson hasn't signed up just to turn a profit for himself, because its not profitable.

If between them they made an outlay of say round about £1m to get the squad back where it should be, the fans would flood back week in week out. the club would then arguable be more sustainable than it is now.

What is the long term plan for the club? Its going in the total wrong direction, but we have people who could solve it with a click of their fingers and money they wouldn't even miss or probably notice if it left their bank accounts.

But money has time and again been invested in players,Tomkins,Bateman,Hastings just over the last few years,the trouble is even before the pandemic crowds where falling,I recal IL saying at the end of season dinner in 2018 or 2019 “the club had to start wiping its face” when he addressed the losses it was incurring,I honestly think this season report will be an eye opener,clearly housekeeping is going on you only need to,look at who the club is being linked to for that.

I said yesterday it’s easy to spend other people’s money but these guys didn’t get rich by burning money nd its clear for a year or two at least a reckoning has come at Wigan,time will tell if that’s the right move