In 2007 he sold his remaining stake in the company. Whelan purchased the Wigan Athletic Football Club in 1995. When he took over, they were in Division Three; Wigan promised to get the team to the Premier League, which he achieved in 2005. In May 2013, Wigan beat Manchester City in the FA Cup Final, securing their first major trophy in their Premier League history. Whelan is also a notorious conservative, and caused some controversy when he made teams hold a mandatory moment of silence after the death of Margaret Thatcher.