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Nationwide Football League bosses in Preston said today that the Wigan BNP party is in breach of their strict copyright. Newspapers have to honour strict licence agreements before approval to publish the list is granted and that has to be approved by the football club themselves in writing – or the League will veto the bid.
Wigan Athletic spokesman Chris Ammonds said: "Wigan Athletic AFC in no way wish to be associated with the BNP.
"Our players are once again be involved in the 'Kick Racism Out of Football Campaign' and this season our captain Jason De Vos is a patron of it. What is more, it is illegal to repeat our fixture list for publication as they are copyright of the Football League and we have made sure that the relevant bodies are aware of this problem.
The Nationwide League confirmed: "Wigan Group of the BNP definitely don't have have a licence and if they had wanted to apply for one, it could only have been granted with Wigan Athletic's approval.
"The matter has now been put into the hands of our fixture licensing department to pursue."
Acting Chief Superintendent Ian Harrison of Wigan Division Police said today: "I am concerned to learn that Wigan Athletic's fixtures have been published in their newsletter."
The newsletter is largely composed of articles attacking asylum seekers.
A Wigan councillor is already consulting Labour Party solicitors after becoming the target for an attack in the same publication.
They have claimed that Abram councillor Audrey Bennett allegedly called Platt Bridge voters "mindless morons" at the count because of the number of votes BNP candidate Dennis Shambley polled.