Wigan's stay away fans are putting the club in danger of relegation, claims owner Dave Whelan.

This lack of local backing is the reason why he is talking to South Korean multimillionaires as he looks for big-money help for the first time.

"When you play Chelsea and we only have 15,000 of our own there you have to ask 'Does Wigan deserve a football team?'

"If people don't come they will lose a Premier League team. It's so disappointing.

"We have built this club up bit by bit from the old Fourth Division - but it's just not a football town.

"We are the cheapest to watch in the Premier League, cheaper than some in the Championship. We are doing everything we can."

Whelan said: "We're working on that (major sponsorship). We are looking at a couple of players there, we've got to find one good enough. We are talking about sponsorship, naming rights, there's all that going on."