Then the press office should have contacted whoever released it to "clarify whether there was an issue". If the reply was "no comment", then they should have reported that DW or his official mouthpiece refused to answer that question, instead of printing half-truths and subtle implications.

The press have a duty to report facts, not hints & innuendos.

Makes you wonder if Whelan has "friends" at that particular paper.

Surely we will find out today? There are arrangements to make and tickets to sell.

Every day this is up in the air costs both clubs money and whilst it is of Wigan's own making, Saints should not suffer (I know that will garner very little support on the Wigan board, but the principle is there )

That 'duty' went out of the window a long long time ago. the press will do whatever suits them, especially where football is concerned and will meekly roll over and print whatever Whelan tells them to print. They won't run the risk of being barred access to information because this is their lifeblood and if they upset Whelan and he throws his toys out of the pram they will be finished.

All Whelan needs to do is state that he is OK with saturday but he won't and everyone is too scared to ask him because they have been told not to. Whelan knows full well the BBC aren't backing down (and rightly so), and is taking the moral high ground. If anyone challenges it they will be banned from the DW stadium and effectively out of a job.

Surely it is the job of your chairman to come clean on this, or is he terrified of Whelan too? Apologies if I've missed it, but I haven't heard a peep from him since the draw was made.

Spot on mate.

It would appear that IL is working behind the scenes but is probably as frustrated as we are. The problem is his hands are tied because Whelan is not to be trusted and can probably make life very hard for anyone who challenges him. Sometimes a diplomatic silence is the only option.

Whilst I don't necessarily disagree, I doubt a diplomatic silence will change this situation any time soon. If this is a Whelan rule, the pressure needs to be put on Whelan - in public if needs be.

I think that's just his style really. The press must have got that sick of hearing 'no comment' from him on anything that wasn't already a fait accompli that they may have just given up asking.

The problem is that you don't put pressure on tyrants like David Whelan.

He's been so used to having his own way for so long, that try to force his hand and he becomes more petulant, more sulky, more erratic, more vengeful.

It's far too easy for those who stand to lose nothing from Whelan's wrath to come out with comments like yours.

I have asked the club through Josie Andrews if the fans can help to get the stadium ready on the Saturday for the Latics game on the Sunday. I will let you know if and when I get a response. Is anyone up for helping?

How can he make a statement, if there is nothing to state? Uncle Dave will be doing his best to come out of this smelling of roses, he will not want to risk spoiling relations with his major paymaster, and will leave it for others to squabble.

He could just say yes, issue over. But he has not. There is no reason this game cannot be played on Saturday, at the DW, other than for Uncle Dave.

Fair enough, enjoy your club bending over for him forevermore then.

Out of interest, what does IL have to lose? He already can't play games at home and he seems happy enough to bang on about how fabulous the lease he has is - so what can DW actually do?