Throw In 11

Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorialLife in the local leagues Wigan Athletic F.C. was formed in 1932 following the demise of Wigan Borough the previous year. Wigan Athletic was the fifth attempt to stabilise a football club in the town following the demise of Wigan County, Wigan United, Wigan Town and the aforementioned Wigan Borough. Springfield Park, the former home of Wigan Borough, was purchased by the club and they were elected to the Cheshire County League. In the early history of Wigan Athletic, the most notable exploits came in the FA Cup. In the 1934–35 season, Wigan beat Carlisle United 6–1 in the first round, setting a cup record for the biggest victory by a non-league club over a league club, a record which still stands today; although it was equalled in 1955 by Boston United, and in 1957 by Hereford United. Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial In 1945, Wigan were elected to a different league, the Lancashire Combination, and in 1950 came close to election to the Football League, narrowly losing out to Scunthorpe United on a vote. In the 1953–54 season, Wigan played an FA Cup match against Hereford United in front of a crowd of 27,526, a Wigan Athletic record and also a record for a match between two non-league teams at a non-league ground. In 1961, the club moved back to the Cheshire County League. In 1968, Wigan were founder members of the Northern Premier League, known in recent years as the UniBond League. After 34 failed election attempts, including one controversial but headline-making application in 1972 to join the Scottish League Second Division, Wigan were elected to the Football League in 1978. Wigan's first match under their new floodlights was against Manchester City. City brought a full strength team to Springfield Park and won 4-0. Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial Early league years: 1978-1995 Wigan's original League kit. Wigan had finished in second place in the Northern Premier League in the 1977/78 season, behind winners Boston United. But as Boston's ground and facilities did not meet the Football League criteria for a League club, whereas Springfield Park did, Wigan were put forward for election to the League. There was no automatic promotion to the Football League until 1987, before when, a club had to be ‘voted out’ of the League to allow a non-league team to be promoted in their place. At the end of the 1977/78 season, Southport finished next to bottom of the old Fourth Division, and faced off with Wigan Athletic for their place in the League. The first round of voting ended tied, with both clubs receiving 26 votes, but after a tense re-vote Southport lost out 20-29 and lost their place in the Fourth Division. Wigan Athletic became an English League club on 2 June, 1978. Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial In the club's first season of League football, Wigan finished in sixth place, just six points off promotion in their first League season and in front of an average crowd of 6,701. Two more top-half finishes came in the following seasons. Latics gained their first Football League promotion in 1981/82, when a points tally of 91 saw them join the old Division Three for the first time, beginning a 10 year spell in the third tier of English football. The next three seasons all saw Latics finish in the bottom half of Division Three, but the club did win its first silverware as a League club in 1985, winning the Freight Rover Trophy. They were beaten in the Northern Final of the same competition the following season by Bolton Wanderers. Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial The 1985/86 season saw a marked improvement in the club’s league form, eventually finishing in fourth position, a then-club record high which would stand for 17 years, until 2002/03. In fact, Latics finished the season just one point outside the promotion places in the final season before the Football League introduced the play-off system for promotion and relegation. Wigan managed an identical fourth place finish in the 1986/87 season, but this time were rewarded with the chance to compete for the final promotion place in the new play-off system. (In the first two years of the play-off system, teams finishing 3rd, 4th and 5th joined the team finishing 20th in the division above to play off for the promotion place; this was changed to the teams finishing 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th from the 1988/89 season). Latics lost at the two-legged semi final stage to Swindon, who went on to win the final promotion place. The fourth place finishes of the 1985/86 and 1986/87 seasons proved to be the high points of Wigan Athletic’s first stint in Division 3. For the next five years, they finished in mid-table, flirting with relegation in 1988-89 and 1989/90, until they were relegated for the first and only time in the club’s League history in 1992/93. Wigan finished in 23rd place, amid tumbling attendances which had fallen from averages of 3,000-4,000 in Wigan’s Division 3 years to 2,593 in 1992/93. A year later, with the club back in the fourth tier of the English League, Latics finished 19th - fourth from bottom – to complete their worst-ever league season. Attendances would fall to a lowest-ever Wigan Athletic League average of 1,845 by 1995. Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial Rising through the league: 1995-2005 In February 1995, local millionaire and owner of JJB Sports Dave Whelan purchased the club, which was then playing in the Third Division (fourth tier), and stated his ambition to take the club to the Premier League, a statement which was widely ridiculed at the time. 10 years later Wigan were playing Premier League football. At the end of Whelan’s first season as Chairman, Wigan finished in 14th position in the old Third Division, or on the 84th rung of the 92-club English Football League ladder. Whelan and Wigan made headlines in the summer of 1995 when Whelan’s business connections in Spain helped him attract three Spaniards to the club – Roberto Martinez, Isidro Diaz, and Jesus Seba – who became known as ‘The Three Amigos’. Martinez and Diaz would later become the first Spaniards to play in the F.A. Cup, and the trio became the on-pitch symbols of Whelan’s ambitious plans. ‘The Three Amigos’ were joined at the club by John Deehan, who replaced Graham Barrow as manager during the 1995/96 season following a 6-2 home defeat to Mansfield Town. Deehan had coached Norwich City to an unexpected 3rd place finish in the inaugural Premier League season, and his influence took Latics within two points of a play-off place in his first season. The following year saw the first step towards Whelan's dream come true, when Wigan became Division Three champions on the last day of the season, in no small part helped by Graeme Jones’ club record 31 league goals for the season. Following a mid-table finish in Divison Two the following season, Deehan quit to become Steve Bruce’s assistant at Sheffield United. He was succeeded by Ray Mathias, who returned for his third stint as Wigan manager. Mathias’ team won Wigan Athletic’s second trophy under Dave Whelan, when Latics beat Millwall 1-0 to win the AutoWindscreens Shield at Wembley in April 1999. More significantly, he took Wigan to the Division Two play-offs in 1999, losing 2-1 on aggregate to neighbours Manchester City. This ultimately cost Mathias his job as he fell victim to Whelan's relentless drive for Premier League football. Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial His replacement John Benson led the squad that he inherited from Mathias to a commanding position at the top of Division Two in his first six months, including the demolition of local rivals Preston North End 4-1 away, only to collapse in the second half of the season. This was largely attributed to the dropping of leading goalscorer Stuart Barlow who was responsible for much of the side's early success, which coupled with a series of poor quality signings of ageing, and reputedly highly paid players and a run of poor performances led to strong disapproval of the management among fans. The 1999/2000 season ended in failure at Wembley as Wigan lost 3-2 after extra time to Gillingham at the last ever Division Two play-off final to be played at the old Wembley Stadium. Benson moved 'upstairs' to the new post of Director of Football in the summer of 2000, when former Arsenal manager Bruce Rioch took the manager’s job for the 2000/01 season. Rioch was hampered by severe injury problems and after a difficult and often unimpressive first half of the season left the club in February 2001. He was temporarily replaced by club stalwart Colin Greenall, before the surprise appointment of Steve Bruce for the final eight games of the season. His arrival brought renewed vigour to Wigan performances, but the club ultimately lost in the play-offs once again, this time against Reading. Following this blow, Bruce left for Crystal Palace after repeatedly pledging his future to Wigan, leaving behind a club both grateful for his help in getting so close to promotion and also angry and bitter at his betrayal. In the summer of 2001, highly regarded young manager and former Latics forward Paul Jewell took over as manager following an unsuccessful spell at Sheffield Wednesday. His first season in charge saw mixed results and an embarrassing defeat to non-league Canvey Island in the F.A. Cup first round, although the club eventually finished in mid-table. Jewell’s second season in charge was far more successful. Wigan went on a run to the quarter finals of the League Cup, beating Premier League opponents West Brom, Manchester City and Fulham en route. Wigan won the Division Two championship in 2002-03 with a points total of 100, powered by the goals of then-record £1.2 million signing Nathan Ellington, with a run of 10 consecutive wins along the way. The club lost only four times all season, and Wigan secured promotion to the second tier of the English Football League for the first time in their history. Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial After losing their first ever game in Division One, Wigan confounded expectations to go unbeaten for the next 17 games and sit atop the division by November 2003. A weak finish saw Wigan win only three of their last 10 games to finish seventh in Division One - a last minute goal by West Ham's Brian Deane in the final game of the season saw Latics drop out of the play-off places in favour of eventual play-off winners Crystal Palace. Hoping to build on the previous season’s disappointing finish, Latics went one better than 2003/04 by remain unbeaten for the first 17 games of the 2004/05 season. Along with Sunderland and Ipswich, Latics remained in the promotion hunt all season. By the last day of the season, Sunderland had already won the title and Wigan needed at least a draw against Reading - who themselves needed to win to finish in the last play-off spot - to beat Ipswich to automatic promotion. A 3-1 victory in front of their home fans at the JJB Stadium earned Wigan Athletic promotion to the top division of the English football league system for the first time in their 73-year history. Wigan in the Premier League Wigan Athletic's first Premier League match against Chelsea F.C.Wigan were only the fourth English team in the last 20 years to win promotion to the top division for the first time. The club's first ever Premier League game was a home match against Champions Chelsea, a game they lost only to a 94th minute winner by Hernán Crespo. A successful run followed, and by November Wigan were second in the league. Good league form was coupled with an equally strong performance in the Football League Cup, with the Latics reaching their first ever major cup final after defeating Arsenal on away goals in the semi-final. In the final, Wigan were defeated 4–0 by near neighbours Manchester United. Wigan eventually finished the season in 10th place - the club's highest ever league placing. Right-back Pascal Chimbonda was included in the 2005–06 PFA Team of the Season. Wigan failed in their bid for European football and opted not to take part in the UEFA Intertoto Cup. Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial During the close season, Wigan sold many who had starred in their first season in the Premier League, as Jimmy Bullard left for Fulham, Jason Roberts joined Blackburn Rovers, and Stephane Henchoz was released. Wigan brought in high-profile replacements including Emile Heskey, Denny Landzaat, Chris Kirkland and Antonio Valencia to try to build on their successful Premier League debut. After a mid-table start to the 2006–07 season, Wigan's fortunes dipped dramatically with eight consecutive losses from mid-December, but after arresting the slump Wigan stood 15th in the Premiership in early March and finally seemed to be moving away from the relegation mire. But a series of defeats and the resurgence of rival strugglers meant Wigan faced the serious threat of relegation. On the final day of the season, Wigan battled to a 2–1 away win against Sheffield United, guaranteeing their Premiership status for another year and in doing so relegating Sheffield United to the Championship. The following day, Paul Jewell unexpectedly resigned as manager; his assistant Chris Hutchings was appointed as his replacement. Wigan's third Premier League campaign saw the club trying to fully establish itself in the division following a disappointing second season. The playing squad had changed almost entirely from the promotion-winning side. Ageing fan favourites Arjan De Zeeuw, Matt Jackson, John Filan made way, along with Lee McCulloch, who sealed his dream move to Rangers, and Leighton Baines, who rejected a new contract and signed for his boyhood team Everton. Titus Bramble, former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot, Jason Koumas (for £5.3 million) and much travelled striker Marcus Bent were among the players brought in. Melchiot was installed as the new club captain. For the 2007–08 season, Wigan's home shirt returned to the club’s traditional blue and white stripes, having been blue with white sleeves in 2006–07. The away shirt became white with black trim, with black shorts and black socks. A slate grey third kit with royal blue trim was also introduced. Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial The 2007–08 season began well for Wigan, topping the Premier League after four games for the first time in their history. Wigan's strong start saw Emile Heskey recalled to the England Squad for the first time since 2005. He became the first Wigan player to represent England whilst a full member of the squad (Chris Kirkland earned his first cap while at Wigan, but was on loan from Liverpool at the time). However, Heskey broke his foot immediately after his England call-up, and was out injured for six weeks. The club's league position subsequently worsened, and on the back of a run of six consecutive defeats Wigan plummeted into the relegation zone. Chairman Dave Whelan took the decision to sack manager Chris Hutchings on 5 November 2007, after only 12 games in charge. Wigan's third kit for the 07/08 season. Former Manchester United defender Steve Bruce replaced Hutchings. Bruce had just resigned as Birmingham City manager, and signed a £2m-a-year deal to try to keep Wigan in the Premier League. Wigan had to pay a reported £3 million in compensation to Birmingham for Bruce's services. His appointment saw Wigan end their losing streak, but consistency evaded the Latics, although Bruce did soon achieve something neither Jewell nor Hutchings had managed previously - a 1–1 draw at Anfield against Liverpool; the first time Wigan had taken points off one of the so-called 'Big Four' Premier League clubs. Bruce eventually oversaw a comparatively comfortable end to the season for Wigan, who finished 14th in the final table with 40 points - three places and two points higher than their finish the previous season. Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial Stop dreaming start action | Blogger tutorial The summer of 2008 was Steve Bruce's first pre-season with the club and his overhaul of the playing squad continued. The two biggest deals saw Lee Cattermole sign from Middlesbrough for £3.5 million, and highly rated Egyptian striker Amr Zaki sign on an initial one-year loan. Zaki had scored 10 Premier League goals by February 2009, as Wigan reached seventh place in the table with 34 points from 25 games and looked likely to remain in the Premier League for a fifth successive season. Once more, the team's kits were altered for the new season, in part due to the club signing a new contract with Champion (sportswear). 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