Whelan sells JJB stake

Wigan chairman David Whelan has sold his stake in the JJB Sports company he founded for £190m.

Former Manchester United player Whelan founded JJB in 1971. He has now sold the Whelan family stake of 29% to a joint venture formed by Icelandic financial group Exista and Chris Ronnie.

Whelan told BBC Sport: “Retiring from the board and selling my stake in the business I founded has not been an easy decision.

“But it has been made easier by my confidence in the management team.”

Whelan, 70, became chairman of Wigan in 1995, leading the club from what is now League Two to the Premiership.