Rugby league giants Wigan Warriors are leading a bid to buy local football club Wigan Athletic.
The Super League leaders have begun work to identify possible partners with the aim of “making a bid in due course” for the cash-strapped Latics, who went into administration last week.
Wigan Warriors chairman Ian Lenagan, who was born and bred in the town, said he believes the Championship team with whom they share the DW Stadium is “better being locally-owned”.
He proposed that both clubs stay separate – keeping their individual training grounds, management and facilities – even if a deal goes through to bring them under the same ownership.
The Wigan Council leader David Molyneux confirmed the authority would be “very supportive” of the initiative, aimed at securing both the survival and local identity of the football club.
Wigan Warriors said: “Wigan Rugby League club were saddened to hear the news that Wigan Athletic has been placed into administration.
“Having shared a stadium together for many years and with a large number of fans supporting both clubs, we have become friends with many of the management and staff and I know that this is a very worrying time for them all.”
The statement added: “Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic are both local sporting institutions and it is our belief that this is a unique opportunity here to bring the ownership of these two great clubs together under one roof, each operating independently as before, but under a Wigan Sporting Partnership banner.”
The group – led by Lenagan with colleagues Darryl Eales and Gary Speakman – have contacted Wigan Athletic administrators and are speaking to third parties to explore their interest.
Paul Cook’s team currently lie 16 th in the league after a good run of form following the restart but face a 12-point deduction that could relegate them, seven years after lifting the FA Cup.
