LATICS legend Joe Royle and his son Darren are poised to join the board of Wigan Athletic once the club's takeover is completed next month, according to a report by the BBC.

Royle, 69, managed Latics in the halcyon days at Boundary Park – leading Athletic to three seasons in the top flight, where they became founder members of the Premier League in the early Nineties.

Big Joe, who went on to manage Everton and Manchester City, also guided Latics to a first Wembley appearance in the League Cup final of 1990 as well as two epic FA Cup semi-finals against Manchester United - both went to replays – one of which, in 1994, was also at Wembley.

He famously arrived on Sheepfoot Lane on the back of a pick-up truck in 1982 and went on to boss the club for 12 years, briefly returning for a short stint as caretaker manager in 2009.

The new North Stand at Boundary was named after him earlier this season and he is a frequent spectator on matchdays.

According to today’s report by the BBC, the Wigan news was confirmed in documents to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange relating to the £22m sale of the Championship club.

Once the takeover is complete, says the BBC, it will bring to an end 23 years of ownership by former chairman Dave Whelan.

Within a decade, Whelan transformed Wigan from a fourth-tier outfit to a Premier League club and won the FA Cup in 2013.