Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan says signing Steve Bruce is the best piece of business he's achieved in football.

"Our aim is to build Wigan into a big football club, and do what Blackburn Rovers have done," Whelan told Setanta Sports. "They've been in The Premier League for years, they've built the squad, they've built the club, and that's exactly what I want to do with Wigan.

"The most important person in the football club is the manager, he is the most important by a light year.

"You can have your strikers, goalkeepers, but the most important person is the boss.

"For me to pay £3 million for him, that's paid fantastic dividends."