Wigan Athletic Football Club

• Nickname:Latics
• Founded:1932
• Manager:Roberto Martinez

• Ground:JJB Stadium
• Capacity:25000

Whelan considers legal action

03 May 2007 - 15:59:58

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Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan is considering challenging the Premier League's ruling to fine West Ham and not dock them points for fielding ineligible players

The Latics supremo believes the record £5.5million fine handed down to the Hammers for playing Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez is not enough and claims the rest of the clubs struggling at the wrong end of the Premiership table are ready to take action.

"This is a very serious offence West Ham committed. They broke the law, told blatant lies and should have got a ten-point penalty," he said.

"Justice would be West Ham being one of the two clubs that still has to go down, but justice has so far not been served in this case.

"If there was any action taken by the bottom six clubs that are in danger of going down, I'd be a big supporter of that action.

"I think the bottom six will stick together and take action together whichever two clubs go down, if West Ham aren't one of them."

Whelan has revealed that a number of clubs are pondering challenging the ruling and he expects action to begin before the relegation issue is resolved on the final day of the season.

"If any action is taken I think it'll be in the next 14 days and I'll support any action that the clubs want to take," he added.

"The chairmen and chief executives have all spoken and two, maybe three clubs are in the process of taking legal advice, Wigan being one of them.

"Would we sue the league? We don't know whether we could. Would we sue West Ham? Again, we need to find out whether we can.

"I have no anger with West Ham or their supporters. They are a great club and get very well supported.

"But the Premier League have handled this in a very poor manner and I think it should have been passed on to the FA for them to sort it out."