Wigan Athletic Football Club: Introduction

Wigan Athletic Football Club (Wigan Athletic or Wigan) is a professional football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. Founded in 1932, Wigan has a rich history and has experienced both the highs and lows of English football, including major cup victories and periods of financial turmoil.

Wigan Athletic currently play their football games in English League One. Indeed, the Football Fanbase wish them luck for the season ahead. Here’s an in-depth look at the club:

Before we continue, here’s a link to the club’s official website.

Founding and Early Years (1932-1978)

Wigan Athletic was founded in 1932 after the town’s previous clubs, including Wigan Borough and Wigan County, folded due to financial problems. The club joined the Cheshire League and later became members of the Lancashire Combination League.

For the first few decades, Wigan remained a non-league team, playing in various regional competitions. It was a long struggle to gain admission to the English Football League (EFL), but after numerous failed attempts, Wigan finally succeeded in 1978 when they were elected to the Fourth Division (now League Two).

Wigan Athletic Football Club: Rise Through the Football League (1978-2005)

After joining the Football League, Wigan started to make steady progress. By the early 1990s, they had established themselves as a competitive lower-league side. However, their major breakthrough came in 1995 when local businessman Dave Whelan bought the club. Whelan, a former professional footballer and successful entrepreneur, invested significantly in the club, setting the stage for their remarkable rise through the leagues.

During Whelan’s ownership, Wigan achieved promotion to the third tier (Second Division) in 1997. Over the next few years, under the management of Paul Jewell and later Steve Bruce, the club earned successive promotions, eventually reaching the Premier League in 2005. This was a meteoric rise, considering that Wigan had been a non-league side just 27 years earlier.

Premier League Era (2005-2013)

Wigan’s debut in the Premier League in the 2005-06 season was impressive. Under manager Paul Jewell, the club finished 10th, defying pre-season predictions that they would struggle. They also reached the 2006 League Cup final, although they lost 4-0 to Manchester United.

The club continued to compete in the Premier League for eight seasons. Although often involved in relegation battles, Wigan became known for playing attractive football and pulling off surprising results against much stronger opponents.

Wigan Athletic Football Club: FA Cup Triumph (2013)

The greatest achievement in Wigan Athletic’s history came in 2013, when the club won the FA Cup. Under manager Roberto Martínez, Wigan defeated Manchester City 1-0 in the final at Wembley Stadium, with a last-minute header from Ben Watson securing the club’s first-ever major trophy. This victory remains a landmark moment in the club’s history.

Relegation and Financial Struggles (2013-Present)

Just three days after winning the FA Cup, Wigan suffered relegation from the Premier League, ending their eight-year spell in the top tier. Despite relegation, they competed in the UEFA Europa League during the 2013-14 season for the first time in their history as FA Cup winners. However, they failed to make a deep run in the competition and were knocked out in the group stage.

Following relegation, Wigan experienced fluctuating fortunes. They were relegated again to League One (third tier) in 2015 but bounced back to the Championship (second tier) in 2016, only to be relegated again in 2017. Another promotion to the Championship followed in 2018.

Wigan Athletic Football Club: Administration and Relegation (2020)

Wigan’s stability was rocked in 2020 when the club was placed into administration due to financial difficulties, just weeks after being bought by new owners. This led to a 12-point deduction in the Championship, resulting in their relegation to League One. The club’s sudden financial crisis drew attention and concern from across the football world, as the ownership issues seemed to stem from dubious dealings by the new owners.

Recent Years (2020-Present)

Since 2020, Wigan Athletic has been in the process of rebuilding. After entering administration and relegation, new owners in 2021 brought some financial stability. In 2021-22, they gained promotion again to the Championship after winning League One under manager Leam Richardson.

However, Wigan’s post-administration period has remained challenging as the club continues to fight for stability on and off the pitch. The club has had difficulty maintaining consistent form, with relegation battles in the Championship remaining a persistent issue.

Wigan Athletic Football Club: Club Identity

• Nicknames: Many often refer to Wigan as the Latics, a colloquial abbreviation of “Athletic,” and The Tics.
• Stadium: Wigan plays its home games at the DW Stadium, which has a capacity of around 25,000. The stadium is shared with Wigan Warriors, the town’s professional rugby league team. The club completed its move from Springfield Park to the modern stadium we know today in 1999.
• Rivalries: Wigan’s local rivals include Bolton Wanderers and Preston North End. The Latics also have rivalry with Blackburn Rovers and sometimes Manchester United, although these tend to be less intense. Wigan fans also love to beat the following teams: Burnley, Oldham Athletic, Bury, and Rochdale.

The Wigan supporters are a hardy lot having experience with the highs and lows of football. However, the atmosphere they create can be intimidating at times but they are a loyal bunch of fans.

Notable Players and Managers

• Roberto Martínez (Manager): Martínez is highly regarded by Wigan fans for leading the club to their FA Cup victory in 2013.
• Paul Jewell (Manager): Instrumental in taking Wigan from the lower leagues to the Premier League.
• Ben Watson (Player): Scored the winning goal in the 2013 FA Cup final.
• Emile Heskey, Leighton Baines, and Antonio Valencia all played for the club during their successful Premier League era.

Wigan Athletic Football Club: Achievements

The club has a trophy cabinet to be proud of:

• FA Cup: 2012-13 (Winners) (an amazing achievement at the time)
• Football League Trophy: 1985, 1999 (Winners)
• Football League First Division (now Championship): 2002-03 (Winners)
• Football League Second Division (now League One): 2015-16, 2017-18, 2021-22 (Winners)
• Football League Third Division (now League Two): 1996–97
• English fifth-tier (Northern Premier League): Winners: 1970–71, 1974–75

Winning the FA Cup was some achievement for a relatively new kid on the block!

Current Outlook

Wigan Athletic has had a tumultuous few years but continues to have a strong local following and a history of bouncing back from adversity. While the club has a long way to go in terms of achieving stability, its resilience and loyal fanbase have been vital in keeping the club moving forward.

Wigan Promote Wigan Athletic Football Club

Wigan getting a promotion—now that would be nice, wouldn’t it? Well, if you support Wigan, why not promote it yourself here at the Football Fan Base! You can write an article about the club or respond to the posts on the Football Blogs.

Our Football Forum is the biggest on the internet, so go ahead and post regularly. The ranking system rewards you if you do, and you can promote Wigan there, of course!

Due to the expansion of the Football Fan Base, we now include the Wigan Fans Forum in our message boards. So, go ahead and propel Wigan back into the big time again.

With such a history, it’s hard to imagine that Wigan Athletic came into the Football League system in 1978! With your help, you can keep the kettle boiling until the club becomes a force to reckon with again.

** Information updated on September 5, 2024.