New Wigan owner Lenagan determined to lead his Warriors out at Wembley

"Wigan is the biggest club in the world," said Lenagan and the multi-millionaire businessman certainly has the financial clout to make them successful again.

Lenagan outlines his plans

But so had his predecessor Dave Whelan and Lenagan warned that the constraints of rugby league's salary cap, which have landed Wigan in trouble for the last two seasons, are ongoing and that the fans may have to wait for the good times to return.

Lenagan, who will stand down as chairman of another engage Super League club, Harlequins RL, because of a 'conflict of interest', revealed that Wigan have only about £140,000 left under the salary cap for next season.

"That buys you one good player or two reasonable ones so it won't be an easy year," said Lenagan.

"We'd like to spend more but I have no intention of breaking the salary cap. It is unrealistic for anyone to expect me to come up with five new signings.

"But we intend to build a quality squad over the next few years and I'm delighted that Brian Noble is continuing as head coach."

Wigan have not won a major trophy for five years and missed out on the Super League playoffs twice in the last three years.

Noble, an outstanding coach with Bradford, dragged Wigan off the bottom of Super League two years ago and into the play-offs this time, despite the club having points deducted in both seasons for salary-cap breaches.

Now he has to replace expensive imports Bryan Fletcher and David Vaealiki plus veteran hooker Shane Millard and has already been frustrated in his bid to strengthen the squad by the delay in the sale of the club to Lenagan.

"We have still got some very good players at this club," said a defiant Noble, who also guided Wigan to the Challenge Cup semi-finals before a shock loss to the unfancied Catalans hastened the departures of long-serving Wigan chairman Maurice Lindsay.

Former owner Whelan yesterday called for Lindsay, who first joined the club in 1979, to be rewarded in the New Year's Honours list for his overall contribution to the game.

"I am still Wigan's biggest fan," said Whelan. "And this club won't be the same without Maurice. But two years ago we said that if we didn't get success we'd move on. The sale is not about money.

"I was delighted Ian Lenagan was the first to say he was interested when I let it be known the club was for sale. We're here to help him and have extended the JJB Stadium lease until 2050."

Lenagan, who made his fortune when he floated his software company seven years ago, has been the chairman and major shareholder of Harlequins RL since July 2005 when he effectively saved the London-based club from extinction.

"I cannot remain as chairman of Harlequins because there would be a conflict of interest but the club's future is guaranteed because I'll retain 65 per cent of the shares and continue to invest in the club for another two years.

"I'm buying Wigan because I'm a Wiganer and have always been a fan. My greatest ambition is to walk out with the team at Wembley."

Lenagan's arrival at the JJB Stadium also marks the return of Wigan favourite Joe Lydon, who takes over as chief executive of the new holding company.

The departure of Whelan and Lindsay marks the end of an era for the cherry and whites.

Lenagan is determined that the new one will restore the club's prestige and glory.

A MAN OF MANY ARTS AND PARTS - WHO IS IAN LENAGAN?

SO Ian Lenagan is a boyhood Wigan fan? Since 1957, to be exact. He can name all their Challenge Cup Final sides.

Is he involved in anything else except rugby league? You could say that. He's had a career as a theatre producer with more than 30 shows, and recently worked on One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest with Christian Slater.

So he's into the arts? Yes. Then there's the BSc in maths and a Masters in magnetohydrodynamics - the study of electrically conducting fluids.

ANYTHING else we need to know? He's non-executive chairman of the Sports Café chain, and has a 50 per cent stake in Oxford United - his two sons are passionate fans.