Things looking up

Wigan fans are, by necessity, a resilient bunch. Wigan Athletic has undergone some dizzying ups and downs in recent years, with the downs featuring a little more prominently as of late. Despite winning the League One title in 2015/16 and in 2017/18, fans were devastated last year after it was revealed that the club had gone into administration and been relegated from the Championship.

However, there is no need to despair, as things are finally starting to look up. Wigan is well and truly back in the game for the 2021/22 season, with an influx of talented new blood and plenty of reason to be optimistic about the months ahead. With that in mind, we thought we’d take a look back and share some facts about Wigan Athletic that you might not know. Read on to find out.

Fifth Time’s a Charm

Unbeknownst to some, Wigan has more than a tough time actually getting a start as a team. The current iteration that we know as Wigan Athletic was actually the fifth such team to be founded in Wigan’s name. Decades of mismanagement, petty feuds, and just plain old lack of enthusiasm meant that previous formations never took off. Before the current club was founded in 1932, Wigan Borough was the not-so-successful predecessor.

An Unusual Start in the EFL

Wigan Athletic’s journey to the English Football League was a long and painful one, with the club not actually making the cut until 1978 – a full 46 years after its foundation. Interestingly, it was actually Boston that was meant to quality, since the Latics came second to them.

However, the EFL ruled that Boston’s football stadium did not meet league requirements and therefore the buck was passed to Wigan, following a vote that saw them narrowly beat out Southport for the spot. Perhaps this story isn’t quite as unbelievable as one might think, given that Wigan will be nowhere to be seen on this year’s Premier League betting news.

A Painful Defeat

Wigan is no stranger to defeat, but there are some matches that still leave a bitter taste in the mouths of those who remember. Chief among these is the 2009 match against Tottenham, which is burned into the minds of many a hard-suffering Latics fan. It was this match that saw Wigan lose a staggering 9-1, with a full 4 of those goals being scored by former Wigan striker Jermain Defoe. Ouch.

The Top Goal scorer is…

Of course, it’s also worth focusing on the positive. For this, we turn to none other than the legendary Geordie striker Graeme Jones, who signed on with Wigan in 1996 and began a multi-year love affair with the team. He still holds the record for most goals in a single season, racking up 31 league goals for Wigan in 1996/7, including a total of four hat tricks. Sometimes, it’s nice to look back on the glory days.

Did you know these facts about Wigan Athletic? While all of this is ancient history, there’s no doubt that the club’s fascinating legacy continues to shape its fortunes to this very day.