Whelan pledges £25m for Wigan's 'impossible dream'

The Wigan chairman, Dave Whelan, plans to give Paul Jewell up to £25m to strengthen his squad after they won promotion to the Premiership yesterday. He also said he plans to let him choose the length of his next contract.

The Wigan chairman, Dave Whelan, plans to give Paul Jewell up to £25m to strengthen his squad after they won promotion to the Premiership yesterday. He also said he plans to let him choose the length of his next contract.

"After taking us to dreamland Paul will know we've got to strengthen, and I shall help him and back him," Whelan said. "I'm not keen on bringing in foreign players just because of their name. We want players who will play with pride. We are going to have to look at spending £10m to £25m."

Their place in the Premiership was confirmed with a 3-1 win over Reading, and with contract talks at an advanced stage, Whelan said: "It could be a three-, four- or five-year contract, I will let him choose. Paul Jewell can sign for as long as he wants. If he decides he wants to sign for another five years I will be clapping my hands. It would be brilliant for this club.

"I trust him implicitly. If one of the top six came in for him I would say, 'Good luck, you deserve it'. I would never stand in his way in that regard. Paul is a typical, down-to-earth Liverpudlian. He doesn't mess about and we work really well together."

Whelan said that West Bromwich Albion had inquired about Jewell when they were searching for Gary Megson's replacement, only to be told "they couldn't afford him".

In four years, Jewell has guided Wigan from the old Second Division into the Premiership.

"We have achieved the impossible dream," Whelan said. "What we have done is give hope to every team in the Football League and Conference."

Jewell said: "We will have to strengthen but that doesn't mean I will rip apart the squad as it stands. I am not just going to throw money at it. We need to spend wisely but I am sure we will not be as much of a pushover as some people think."