Wigan chairman Talal Al Hammad has announced the club’s players have now been paid.

The Latics squad were absent from training on Friday, with the players understood to not be in the right mental state following another late payment of wages.

The Championship’s bottom club have not paid players or staff on time on four occasions this season, which has already resulted in a three-point deduction by the EFL for breaching an agreement made in January, when Wigan accepted a suspended penalty.

But in an open letter to supporters on the club’s website on Friday evening, Al Hammad said: “I can now confirm our players’ wages have been paid.

“I can only apologise for the delay and the stress it’s caused the players and staff involved as well as you, the fans and wider stakeholders.

“This issue has now been resolved and I can assure you that the late payment of wages will not happen again. It simply cannot happen again.”

Al Hammad also revealed that chief executive Malachy Brannigan has left the club.

He added: “I have already admitted that mistakes have been made during my time here in my second full season as Wigan Athletic chairman, but we now must look forward together and aim to finish the season as strong as possible with our manager Shaun Maloney at the helm.”