Wigan look to secure Ellington for new era
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Your support makes all the difference.Wigan's striker Nathan Ellington is ready to commit his future to the Premiership newcomers. The former Bristol Rovers striker scored his 24th goal of a highly successful campaign when he completed the 3-1 win over Reading which sealed Wigan's rise to the top level of English football.
Wigan's striker Nathan Ellington is ready to commit his future to the Premiership newcomers. The former Bristol Rovers striker scored his 24th goal of a highly successful campaign when he completed the 3-1 win over Reading which sealed Wigan's rise to the top level of English football.
Ellington, a Manchester United fan - who cost Wigan £1.2m - admits the reality of what has been achieved at the JJB Stadium will not fully sink in until he scans the fixture list when it is published at the end of June.
By then, Ellington hopes to have followed his manager Paul Jewell by signing a new contract, the reward for his 66 goals in 146 appearances since joining in March 2002.
"I think we are going to start talking about a new contract very soon," the 23-year-old said.
"I am booked in for a shoulder operation next week which will prevent me from training for six weeks or so but once that is out of the way, hopefully negotiations will start.
"The reason I came to the club was because I felt we could get to the Premiership. At the time, Paul Jewell said he had big plans and we have got there in three years, which is really good."
Wigan officials are already bracing themselves for a significant increase in season-ticket applications as the prospect of hosting Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal looms. For Ellington, promotion brings the opportunity to play in a stadium in which his boyhood heroes still perform.
"To get the chance to play at Old Trafford would be fantastic. The whole thing is a little bit daunting but at the same time it is very exciting."
Liverpool will wear their traditional red home kit for the Champions' League final against Milan on 25 May.
Milan were due to wear their usual red and black stripes after being drawn as the "home" team. But the two clubs have agreed that the Italians will play in white - which they wore while beating Juventus to win the Champions' League in 2003. Liverpool's four previous European Cup victories have come while wearing red against teams playing in white.
The Burnley manager Steve Cotterill has released eight players including Tony Grant, Mo Camara, John Oster and Jean-Louis Valois. Lee Roche and the youngsters Matt O'Neill, Joel Pilkington and Paul Scott have also been told they will not be offered new deals at Turf Moor.
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