SUPER RICH Jonathan Rowland is the mystery man behind a dramatic late bid to save Wigan.
Banker Rowland is close friends with Prince Andrew and his father David, nicknamed Spotty, is on the Sunday Times rich list and worth more than £600million.
Jonathon Rowland and wife Anya attend Princess Beatrice’s weddingCredit: Camera Press
Jonathon Rowland with his father DavidCredit: London News Pictures
Rowland, 44, and his then wife Anya attended Princess Eugenie’s wedding in 2018.
Rowland is willing to fund a bid put together by Ray Ranson and former Latics chairman Darren Royle.
It would cost around £3m to take Wigan out of administration and a further £5m to convince the EFL of their long-term plans.
The group have been in talks with administrators and fans’ groups, but are waiting on a rival Spanish takeover bid.
Rowland has a colourful past and is currently launching a Bitcoin bank.
The money for Wigan is loose change to him.
Father David, 75, is a multi-millionaire property developer who came from a tough background to form a business empire with contacts around the world, including inside the Royal family.
He reportedly helped to clear some of the Duchess of York’s debts.
Rowland Snr was due to become treasurer of the Conservative Party but had to resign because he became a tax exile.
He lives on a huge private estate on Guernsey with a life-size bronze statue of Rowland smoking a cigar., which was unveiled by Prince Andrew in 2005
Jonathon left school at 16 but made a fortun in the dotcom boom of the late 1990s.
His internet investment company called JellyWorks reportedly made him £42m. At one point its shares rose 2,000 per cent in a few days.
He faces a battle to buy Wigan.
The Spanish bid has been dragging but is still supported by administrators, who have been in charge since July 1.
Questions have been raised about the size of their funding though and the roles of Juan Miguel Garrido Cristo and Felipe Moreno, owners past and present of clubs in Spain.
David Marshall shows his goalkeeping skills as he joins in training at Wigan
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
