On this day in 2015: Dave Whelan steps down as Wigan chairman

Dave Whelan stepped down as Wigan chairman on this day in 2015, 20 years after buying the club.

Whelan resigned his chairmanship aged 78, handing the reins to his 23-year-old grandson David Sharpe.

Businessman Whelan steered Wigan from the fourth tier to the Premier League, with the Latics winning the FA Cup in 2013 just days before being relegated to the Championship.

“I am approaching 80 years old and spend an increasingly long time abroad, and cannot make it to games,” said Whelan in a statement.

“It is a decision I have been mulling over for some years and I believe David is now ready.”

The Whelan family’s ownership of Wigan ended after 23 years in November 2018, with Hong Kong-based International Entertainment Corporation (IEC) purchasing the club in a £22million deal.

Wigan later fell into administration in July 2020, with the club – now in League One – still now seeking new ownership.