Wigan Players Refund Tickets After 9-1 Loss

Wigan's humiliated players are to personally refund every supporter who bought a ticket for Sunday's game at Tottenham, where they were thrashed 9-1 by Spurs.

It was the second worst defeat in Premier League history as the Latics let in eight goals in the second half at White Hart Lane.

Defender Mario Melchiot admitted the result was embarrassing.

He and the rest of his Wigan team-mates will now reimburse the club's fans the cost of their tickets.

Melchiot told the club's website: "We feel that as a group of players we badly let down our supporters yesterday, and this is a gesture we have to make and pay them back for their tremendous loyalty.

"There is not a lot else to say, just that as a group of professionals we were embarrassed by the way we performed, we feel it was below our standards and this is something we feel we owe to the fans.

"Now we have to draw a line under the game, focus completely on training this week and bounce back on Saturday.

"We are professionals, we will take it on the chin and move on but it's important that we do not take our supporters for granted."

Wigan return to action when they host Sunderland this weekend and the club's owner, Dave Whelan, has insisted manager Roberto Martinez's job is safe, despite the humiliation at Spurs.

Whelan said: "9-1 is a serious, serious defeat and we have got to get our heads up.

"And I am sure Roberto will be working on the lads now to get them going again and get their heads back in the air and get some pride back in Wigan Athletic.

"He is Wigan's manager and I have complete faith in him and I know the supporters have.

"I am absolutely 100% behind Roberto, he's a great manager and he will pull this team around."

The club says every supporter who bought a ticket for the game from the DW Stadium ticket office should contact the office.

They should go there in person or by calling 0871 33 66 552 and a full refund will be posted to their home address hopefully within 14 days.

Refunds must be claimed on or before Friday 4 December 2009.