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Meet Wigan's 23-year-old chairman




Dave Whelan's dream of retiring and placing his grandson in charge of Wigan came true on Tuesday when David Sharpe was formally introduced as the club's new chairman

The 23-year-old has a big job ahead of him with the Latics languishing in the Championship's bottom three after relegation from the Premier League in 2013.

Here. Sportsmail takes a closer look at the man tasked with reviving Wigan's fortunes.


Sharpe (centre) will be formally elected by the board of directors at a date to be confirmed soon

Sharpe, 23, is an Oxford University graduate who has impressed his grand dad with his business acumen. 

Whelan clearly feels comfortable with handing over the reins despite Sharpe's tender years and has often been heard singing his praises.

While most of us dread Christmas presents from the grandparents, Sharpe has no such issues.

No for him white socks or beige knitted jumpers. On December 24 last year Sharpe unwrapped a gift most could only dream of - a place on the board at a Championship football club.

Whelan identified Sharpe as a successor as long ago as 2011. According to a club insider he intensified his efforts to show him the ropes in the last 12 months. 

Sharpe's all access pass, however, did not go down well with everyone. One former employee quipped: 'He was turning up in places you would not expect to see the chairman himself, let alone his grandson.'

As far as we are aware Sharpe has never broken his leg in an FA Cup Final or been a professional footballer.

However, he is a keen skier, jogger and a regular at the gym.

Sharpe is a big fan of Breaking Bad, the multi-award winning US drama about chemistry teacher Walter White who turns to making crystal meth after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

White goes renegade and ends up trying to destroy anyone who stands in his way. His murderous methods included planting bombs under wheelchairs and setting up self-firing machine guns in the boot of his car. Watch out opposition chairmen...

Sharpe set up Sharpy's, a fish and chip shop at the DW Stadium. He was instrumental in bringing a court case that saw a former manager jailed after he pilfered more than £6,000 from the business over seven months.

The chippy has since closed due to a lack of trade on non-match days. The cost to grandad Dave? A reported £1.3m.


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