Dave Whelan: "The ball was there and McManaman got the ball as clean as a whistle, then followed through and they collided.
"The referee was 15 yards from the tackle. I don't think his view was blocked.
"He had a clear view. I had a clear view in the stands.
"He hasn't gone over the ball. That's an accident. There is not one ounce of malice in [him].
"He is an enthusiastic young boy. He has got great prospects. He was very upset by it all.
"When I broke my leg in the cup final (1960) it was exactly the same type of tackle.
"We both went for the ball. It brought back memories.
"It ruined my career. I am not going to criticise Norman Deeley.
"These things happen in football. He came over the ball but he didn't do it with the aim of breaking my leg."
The French defender Massadio Haidara was in hospital last night after the horror tackle by Callum McManaman sparked uproar.
McManaman's challenge led to a mass confrontation between the two sides
Wigan won the match 2-1 to give their relegation battle a boost but the tackle left a sour taste. John Carver, the Newcastle assistant manager, attempted to accost McManaman as the players left the pitch at half-time.
His efforts to reach McManaman were intercepted by Wigan coach Graham Barrow, with the pair involved in a shoving match that resulted in referee Mark Halsey showing both a red card.
But Halsey’s failure to show McManaman red for the challenge, as well as allowing Arouna Kone’s 90th-minute winner despite an obvious handball by Maynor Figueroa, left Newcastle manager Alan Pardew furious.
Pardew: “The tackle was awful. I’ve lost a game in the last minute to what I think is a handball and also got a boy going to hospital.
“The diagnosis will not be good because the tackle was so bad. That is the truth of it.
“The referee apologised to say he missed it. He didn’t explain why.”