The 2018–19 season was Wigan Athletic's 87th year in existence and their first back in the Championship, after gaining promotion the previous season. Along with competing in the league, the club also participated in the FA Cup and EFL Cup. The season covered the period from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.
Change in ownership During the season International Entertainment Corporation (IEC) completed their acquisition of the club, stadium and training grounds in a £22m deal. Chairman David Sharpe stepped down following the completion of the takeover along with other board members and was replaced by Darren Royle, his father Joe Royle and Thomas Chan.
Transfers Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. 1 July 2018 CM Leonardo Da Silva Lopes Peterborough United Undisclosed 1 July 2018 GK Bobby Jones Middlesbrough Undisclosed 1 July 2018 RW Kal Naismith Portsmouth Free transfer 20 July 2018 RW Callum McManaman Sunderland Undisclosed 3 August 2018 LB Ryan Galvin Croydon Undisclosed 3 August 2018 CM Darron Gibson Sunderland Free transfer 3 August 2018 CB Cédric Kipré Motherwell Undisclosed 3 August 2018 CF Joe Piggott Warrington Town Free transfer 9 August 2018 CF Joe Garner Ipswich Town Undisclosed 9 August 2018 AM Josh Windass Rangers £2,000,000 18 September 2018 DM Alex Perry Bolton Wanderers Free transfer 18 September 2018 CB Denzel Williams Blackpool Free transfer 1 January 2019 CM Lee Evans Sheffield United Undisclosed 4 January 2019 LW Ollie CrankshawCurzon Ashton Undisclosed 10 January 2019 LW Anthony Pilkington Cardiff City Free transfer 29 January 2019 LB Danny Fox Nottingham Forest Undisclosed 1 February 2019 CB Jonas Olsson Djurgården Free transfer
Loans in Start date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref. 1 July 2018 RB Reece James Chelsea 31 May 2019 1 July 2018 GK Christian Walton Brighton & Hove Albion 31 May 2019 3 August 2018 LB Antonee Robinson Everton 31 May 2019 9 August 2018 CB Dan Burn Brighton & Hove Albion 1 January 2019 9 August 2018 DM Callum Connolly Everton 31 January 2019 10 August 2018 CM Lee Evans Sheffield United 1 January 2019 30 January 2019 CF Leon Clarke Sheffield United 31 May 2019 31 January 2019 CM Beni Baningime Everton 31 May 2019
Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. 1 July 2018 RB Luke Burke AFC Fylde Released 1 July 2018 CM Jamie Cotter Free agent Released 1 July 2018 CB Donervon Daniels Blackpool Released 1 July 2018 CM Joe Downey Free agent Released 1 July 2018 CB Tom Hilton Free agent Released 1 July 2018 CF Noel Hunt Waterford Free transfer 1 July 2018 LB Reece James Sunderland Released 1 July 2018 LB Andy Kellett Notts County Released 1 July 2018 CF Mwiya Malumo Gottne IF Released 1 July 2018 CB Craig Morgan Fleetwood Town Free transfer 1 July 2018 DM David Perkins Rochdale Free transfer 1 July 2018 CB Anthony Plant Free agent Released 1 July 2018 GK Theo Roberts Chester Released 1 July 2018 CB Sam Stubbs Middlesbrough Released 16 July 2018 CB Terell Thomas AFC Wimbledon Undisclosed 23 July 2018 AM Josh Laurent Shrewsbury Town Undisclosed 9 August 2018 CB Dan Burn Brighton & Hove Albion £3,000,000 9 August 2018 LW Ryan Colclough Scunthorpe United Undisclosed 2 January 2019 CM Max Power Sunderland Undisclosed 25 January 2019 AM Jordan Flores Dundalk Undisclosed 30 January 2019 CB Alex Bruce Kilmarnock Free transfer 1 February 2019 CF Will Grigg Sunderland Undisclosed
Loans out Start date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref. 3 August 2018 MF Luke Burgess Barrow 25 March 2019 3 August 2018 GK Jordan Perrin Stockport Town 3 September 2018 9 August 2018 CM Jordan Flores Östersund 31 December 2018 10 August 2018 CM Max Power Sunderland 1 January 2019 14 August 2018 CF Callum Lang Oldham Athletic 31 May 2019 30 August 2018 CF Devante Cole Burton Albion 16 January 2019 31 August 2018 CF Joe Piggott Morecambe 1 January 2019 31 August 2018 LW Jamie Walker Peterborough United 2 January 2019 2 October 2018 GK Jordan Perrin F.C. United of Manchester 30 October 2018 4 January 2019 LW Ollie CrankshawCurzon Ashton 31 May 2019 29 January 2019 CF Joe Piggott Altrincham 31 May 2019 31 January 2019 CM Leonardo Lopes Gillingham 31 May 2019 31 January 2019 CF James Vaughan Portsmouth 31 May 2019 23 February 2019 GK Jordan Perrin Runcorn Linnets 31 May 2019 15 March 2019 RB Tylor Golden Droylsden 31 May 2019
Pre-season friendlies Wigan Athletic announced they would face Tranmere Rovers in a pre-season friendly. The club held a training camp at La Cala Resort in Spain.
Competitions
Overall record
Championship
League table
Results summary
Results by matchday
Matches On 21 June 2018, the Championship fixtures for the forthcoming season were announced.
FA Cup
The third round draw was made live on BBC by Ruud Gullit and Paul Ince from Stamford Bridge on 3 December 2018.
EFL Cup
On 15 June 2018, the draw for the first round was made in Vietnam.
Statistics
!colspan=14|Player(s) out on loan:
!colspan=14|Player(s) who left the club:
Disciplinary record
Rank No. Nat. Po. Name Championship FA Cup League Cup Total 15 CMSam Morsy 14010000001401221CBCédric Kipré 60100000060122CBChey Dunkley 70000000070041CFJoe Garner 700000000700510AMJosh Windass 600000000600626CMCallum Connolly 40010000050036CMLee Evans 50000000050082 RBNathan Byrne 30010000040012RBReece James 40000000040020RMKal Naismith 30100000030125AMNick Powell 400000000400121 GKChristian Walton 3000000003008 CFJames Vaughan 30000000030015RWCallum McManaman 30000000030033CBDan Burn 300000000300163 LBAntonee Robinson 2000000002004 CMDarron Gibson 1010000001019 CFWill Grigg 20000000020011RWGavin Massey 20000000020017LWMichael Jacobs 20000000020018AMGary Roberts 200000000200226 LBDanny Fox 10000000010013LWAnthony Pilkington 10000000010014CBAlex Bruce 00000010010030CBJonas Olsson 100000000100Total 88042001009104
References