Reported in several places today - talks going on that could eventually lead to change of owners.
Investors don't exactly sound like Mary Poppins but GOTTA be better than the current crook, surely??

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/foo...nvestment/

Blackpool have signed midfielder Albie Morgan on a three-year deal with the option of a further 12 months following his release by Charlton Athletic

The 23-year-old came through the Addicks' academy and went on to make 146 first-team appearances.

"I'm delighted to be here and looking forward to the fresh start and new chapter in my career," he said.

"Hopefully I can hit the ground running quickly and contribute as much as possible for a successful season."

Wigan Athletic have been sold to local businessman Mike Danson.

Danson, who owns a 25% stake in Super League club Wigan Warriors, has stepped in amid major financial issues affecting the League One club.

The Latics were served a winding-up petition by His Majesty's Revenue and Customs earlier this week over unpaid tax bills.

The club confirmed all players and staff will be paid "immediately along with other creditors".

"I am delighted to become involved in Wigan Athletic Football Club. I was born in Wigan, I grew up locally and the community of the town is close to my heart," Danson told the club website.

"I want to recognise that the club has a hugely important part to play in the local community, not just for players, but for fans, employees and all its suppliers, business partners and numerous community groups."

Danson added the English Football League have been shown a "realistic financial plan to stabilise operations".

A new board will be formed at the club but manager Shaun Maloney, who was unable to save the team from relegation last season after taking over in February, will be kept on as boss.

Wigan are currently due to start next season on minus eight points as punishment for failing to pay their players on time on six separate occasions in 2022-23. They were also deducted three points last season, as they finished bottom of the Championship.

Chairman Talal Al-Hammad had initially been in discussions with young entrepreneur Sarbjot Johal. But, as he had failed to pass the EFL's Owners and Directors' Test when he tried to buy Morecambe last season, the chance of an acceptable deal being reached was highly unlikely.

Analysis - Avoiding second administration 'major positive'
BBC Radio Manchester sports reporter Mike Minay

This will be seen as positive news among the fanbase after relations with the previous owners had completely melted.

Failing to pay the players and staff on time once is concerning, but six times over a season really sounded the alarm bells and has already cost them eight points into the next campaign.

Danson, already involved with Wigan Warriors, gets what Wigan is as a community and the role the club can play.

It's hard not to use the words of the previous chairman here, but actions will speak louder than words.

Above all, avoiding administration is a major positive. Fans will have been fearing the worst after living it through it just three years ago.

Now they can focus on the pitch, and backing manager Shaun Maloney.

To add to all the doom and gloom that you have mentioned, I'm concerned that CC is not the Manager we are bigging up.

Why, because with a few matches to go and in a good position to be in the play-offs, what happened, we lost 3 of the last 4 matches.  Now does that sounf like a Manager who can motivate his team of slackers, no it doesn't. 

So for that reason i reckon next year we'll be average top 10.

Of course like all of you, I wish for promotion to get the dosh and come down again where we belong - without a good owner.

Have a good summer all.

Baggie Bob

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Millwall have signed Scotland striker Kevin Nisbet from Hibernian for what the Edinburgh club have described as a "significant seven-figure fee".

The 26-year-old spent three years at Hibs and scored 12 goals in 19 Scottish Premiership appearances last season.

"We're disappointed to lose Nizzy," said manager Lee Johnson.

"He did so well for us on his return [from injury] but we understand that he wanted to go on a new adventure down south."

Johnson added: "We thank him for his contribution and wish him all the best in England."

Millwall say Nisbet has signed a "long-term contract".

Lions boss Gary Rowett told the Championship club's website: "It's a fabulous addition for us. Kevin is a goalscorer but also has so many other attributes to contribute to the squad.

"When I've spoken to him you can tell he's raring to go and excited to play in front of our fans.

"He thrives off that energy from the supporters and I'm sure they will get that exact same buzz from him as well."

Nisbet missed the first half of the 2022-23 campaign while recovering from a serious knee injury.

He scored in his first game back, against Rangers in December, and almost joined Millwall the following month but the deal was abandoned.

This time, Hibs say they have received a "significant seven-figure fee" and that the deal includes "sizeable add-ons and a sell-on fee".

Hibs chief executive Ben Kensell said: "After deciding to stay in January, Kevin informed us that he wanted to leave the football club this summer, which we understood.

"Following those discussions, we had to ensure we got the best possible deal for him."

Nisbet, who has been capped 10 times, has been included in the Scotland squad for June's European Championship qualifiers against Norway and Georgia.

Striker Connor Wickham and Northern Ireland winger Gavin Whyte are among the players leaving Cardiff City when their contracts expire on 30 June.

An £8m signing for Sunderland in 2011, 30-year-old Wickham joined Cardiff on a short-term deal in February and scored one goal in 12 appearances.

Whyte, 27, signed from Oxford United in 2019 but found game-time limited.

Goalkeeper Dillon Phillips and Tom Sang, who has played in midfield and defence, have also left Cardiff.

A club statement read: "We'd like to thank all of the departing players for their efforts while with our football club, and wish them all the very best for the future."

Cardiff also confirmed they have offered new contracts to Wales forward Mark Harris, left-back Joel Bagan and midfielder Eli King.

At under-21 level, the Championship club have activated options to extend the contracts of Cameron Antwi, Raheem Conte, Kieron Evans, Caleb Hughes, Ryan Kavanagh and Matt Turner.

Jac Clay, Taylor Jones, Jack Leahy, Aidan MacNamara and Owen Pritchard will depart at the end of the month.

Crawley Town midfielder Rafiq Khaleel has signed a new two-year contract.

The 20-year-old, who also has an option for an additional year, played 14 times in League Two last season after making his debut in December.

He joined the club aged 17 and has had spells in non-league before breaking into the first team at Crawley.

Khaleel scored his first, and so far only professional goal, in March when he got a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw at home to Doncaster Rovers.

Dorking Wanderers have appointed Aldershot Town boss Ross McNeilly as their new head coach.

McNeilly was appointed as Shots boss in December having been interim boss after Mark Molesey was sacked in October.

He had been Aldershot's academy manager and spent five years at the Hampshire club, guiding them to 18th place in the National League last season.

He comes in after head of coaching Mark Beard left to be manager of National League South side Eastbourne Borough.

He will work alongside Dorking's chairman Marc White, who is also the club's manager.

"I firmly believe that this will be a great relationship with our upward trajectory and progression to a more hybrid status this year, and Ross will bring a big skill set which will be ancillary to what we already have," White told the club website.

McNeilly won seven and lost 11 of his 23 games in charge of Aldershot - his first job as a senior manager.

"Having come up against Dorking last season, I love the way they play and how welcoming they were as a club," McNeilly told the club website.

"It is a local team I've followed from afar, and I cannot wait to get started."

Sunderland have agreed terms with Central Coast Mariners for the transfer of Nectarios Triantis.

The 20-year-old central defender is expected to join the Black Cats for an initial fee of £300,000.

Triantis is an Australia Under-20 international who is expected to move up to their under-23 squad this summer.

Triantis played 25 times for the Mariners and started as they beat Melbourne City in the A-League grand final at the weekend.

Sunderland are looking to reinforce their squad after reaching the play-offs in their first season back in the Championship for five years.

They suffered problems with injuries to central defenders at key moments of the season with Danny Batth, Dan Ballard and Aji Alese all missing for lengthy periods.

"The opportunity to join such a prestigious club is an honour and I'm really looking forward to heading to England and meeting my new teammates later this month," Triantis said.

"I'm ready for the challenge ahead and can't wait to get started. I would like to thank Nick Montgomery and the Central Coast Mariners for giving me the platform that led to this exciting next chapter in my life."

The transfer is subject to international clearance and cannot be completed until the transfer window opens next Wednesday.