Wigan Athletic F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Wigan Athletic Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Latics, Tics | |||
| Founded | 1932 | |||
| Ground | Brick Community Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 25,138 | |||
| Owner | Mike Danson | |||
| Chairman | Ben Goodburn | |||
| Manager | Shaun Maloney | |||
| League | Championship | |||
| 2018–19 | Championship, 18th of 24 | |||
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Wigan Athletic Football Club is a professional football team from Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. They are often called the "Latics" or "Tics." The team plays in EFL League One, which is the third level of English football.
The club was started in 1932. Since 1999, they have played their home games at Brick Community Stadium, which can hold 25,138 fans. Before that, they played at Springfield Park. Their team colours are blue and white stripes, but they have also worn all-blue shirts. Wigan Athletic's main rival is Bolton Wanderers.
Wigan Athletic has won several league titles and cups throughout its history. They joined the Football League in 1978. A big moment was winning the FA Cup in 2013, beating Manchester City in the final. This win also allowed them to play in the UEFA Europa League for the first time.
Contents
Club History
Early Years: 1932–1978
Wigan Athletic was formed in 1932. This happened after the town's previous football team, Wigan Borough, closed down. People in Wigan wanted to keep a football team, so they created Wigan Athletic. The club bought Springfield Park for £2,850, which was the old stadium of Wigan Borough.
Wigan Athletic joined the Cheshire County League. On August 27, 1932, they played their first league game. The team wore red and white shirts with black shorts back then.
They won their first league title in the 1933–34 season. The club won the Cheshire League three times in a row. In 1935, they played in the FA Cup for the first time. They beat Carlisle United 6–1, which was a record win for a non-League team against a League team.
After World War II, Wigan Athletic started wearing their famous blue and white colours. In 1950, they almost joined the Football League but just missed out. They kept trying for 28 years before finally being accepted.
In 1954, Wigan played an FA Cup match against Hereford United. A record 27,526 fans watched the game. Later, they played against top-tier team Newcastle United. Wigan Athletic managed a 2–2 draw away from home, but lost the replay.
In 1968, Wigan Athletic helped start the Northern Premier League. They won this league twice. In 1973, they played at Wembley Stadium for the first time in the 1973 FA Trophy final, but they lost. After many attempts, Wigan Athletic was finally voted into the Football League in 1978.
Joining the Football League: 1978–1995
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| Wigan Athletic's original league kit |
In 1978, Wigan Athletic finished second in the Northern Premier League. Because their stadium was good enough for the Football League, they were put forward for election. They won a vote against Southport and officially joined the Football League on June 2, 1978.
In their first season, Wigan Athletic finished sixth, close to promotion. They earned their first Football League promotion in 1981–82 under manager Larry Lloyd. They moved up to the third division for the first time.
In 1985, they won their first trophy as a League club, the Freight Rover Trophy. The team had a great season in 1985–86, finishing fourth. This was their highest league position for 17 years. They finished fourth again in 1986–87, which meant they could compete in the new play-off system for promotion. However, they lost in the semi-finals.
After these good seasons, Wigan Athletic spent several years in the middle of the table. In 1992–93, they were relegated for the first time in their League history. Attendances at games also dropped. The club had its lowest-ever finish in 1994, coming 19th in the fourth tier.
Climbing the Ranks: 1995–2005
In 1995, local millionaire Dave Whelan bought the club. He brought in three Spanish players, Roberto Martínez, Isidro Díaz, and Jesus Seba, who were known as the "Three Amigos." Whelan had big plans to take Wigan Athletic all the way to the Premier League.
In 1996–97, Wigan Athletic became champions of Division Three. They won the Football League Trophy again in 1999. The team also reached the Division Two play-offs but lost to Manchester City.
In 2001, former player Paul Jewell became manager. His second season was very successful. Wigan Athletic reached the quarter-finals of the League Cup, beating Premier League teams along the way. In 2002–03, Wigan Athletic won the Division Two championship with 100 points. This meant they were promoted to the second tier of English football for the first time.
After promotion, Wigan Athletic continued to surprise everyone. They were unbeaten for the first 17 games of the 2004–05 season. On the last day of the season, a 3–1 win against Reading at the JJB Stadium earned Wigan Athletic promotion to the top division of English football, the Premier League, for the first time in their 73-year history!
Premier League and FA Cup Glory: 2005–2013
Wigan Athletic's first Premier League game was a close 1–0 loss to Chelsea. They had a great start to the season and were second in the league by November. They also reached their first major cup final, the League Cup final in 2006, but lost 4–0 to Manchester United. Wigan Athletic finished the season in 10th place, which is still their highest-ever league finish.
The next few seasons were tough. In 2007, manager Paul Jewell resigned, and Chris Hutchings took over. Later, Steve Bruce returned as manager and helped the club avoid relegation. In 2009, Roberto Martínez, a former Wigan player, became manager.
Under Martínez, Wigan continued to fight hard in the Premier League. They famously beat Chelsea 3–1 in 2009. They also had amazing wins against Liverpool and Arsenal. Despite some very big losses, like 9–1 to Tottenham and 8–0 to Chelsea, they always managed to stay in the Premier League.
In 2013, Wigan Athletic reached the FA Cup final for the first time. In a huge upset, they beat Manchester City 1–0 with a goal from Ben Watson in injury time! This was Wigan's first major trophy.
Winning the FA Cup also meant they qualified for the UEFA Europa League. However, just three days after their FA Cup win, Wigan Athletic lost to Arsenal and were relegated from the Premier League. They became the first team to win the FA Cup and be relegated in the same season. Roberto Martínez then left to manage Everton.
Changes and Challenges: 2013–Present
Owen Coyle became the new manager, but he left later that year. Uwe Rösler took over. Wigan played in the Europa League but were knocked out in the group stage. They also reached the FA Cup semi-finals again in 2014 but lost to Arsenal.
In 2015, Dave Whelan stepped down as chairman, and his grandson David Sharpe took over. The team was relegated to League One. However, they bounced back quickly, winning the League One title in 2015–16. Will Grigg was the top scorer with 25 goals.
After another relegation, Wigan won League One again in 2017–18. They also had another famous FA Cup win against Manchester City that season. At the end of 2018, the Whelan family sold the club after 23 years of ownership.
In 2020, the club faced big challenges when it went into administration. This meant they had financial problems and were given a 12-point deduction. Despite a huge 8–0 win against Hull City, the points deduction meant they were relegated from the Championship. Fans raised money to help the club survive.
In 2021, a new group of owners, Phoenix 2021 Ltd, took over. Wigan Athletic then won the League One title for the fourth time in 2021–22, getting promoted back to the Championship. However, more financial issues led to further points deductions, and they were relegated again in 2023. In June 2023, local billionaire Mike Danson bought the club, helping to stabilize its finances.
The Stadium
Wigan Athletic's home stadium is The Brick Community Stadium. It can hold 25,138 people. The club owns the stadium, but they share it with the rugby league team Wigan Warriors. The stadium cost £30 million to build.
Before this stadium, Wigan Athletic played at Springfield Park. The new stadium, first called the JJB Stadium, opened on August 4, 1999. The first official game was a friendly match against Manchester United. The record attendance for a Wigan Athletic game at the stadium is 25,133, which was for a match against Manchester United in 2008.
In 2009, the stadium's name changed to The DW Stadium. This was named after chairman Dave Whelan's sports company. From May 13, 2024, the stadium was renamed The Brick Community Stadium. This is a partnership with a local charity called The Brick, which helps people facing poverty and homelessness.
Supporters
Wigan Athletic has a dedicated fan base. The official supporters' club helps organize things for fans. At home games, the most vocal supporters sit in the East Stand. The South Stand is known as the family stand.
Fans often sing "You Are My Sunshine" and other adapted songs like "I'm a Believer" and "We Built This City". The club also has an unofficial fanzine called The Mudhutter.
Wigan fans are known for their strong support, especially at away games. They often dress up in fancy dress on Boxing Day, earning them the nickname 'Banana Army'. In 2013, the club sold out all 25,000 tickets for the FA Cup final.
Club Mascot
In 2019, the club introduced a new mascot: a giant pie named Crusty! This idea came from a competition where local primary schools submitted their ideas. Many of the entries suggested a pie, which is a popular food in Wigan.
Rival Teams
Since joining the Football League, Wigan Athletic has developed rivalries with other teams. Their main rival is Bolton Wanderers.
A newer rivalry has grown with Manchester City. This started when they first played in 1998. The rivalry became stronger after Wigan beat Manchester City in the 2013 FA Cup final. Wigan has also beaten City in the FA Cup in 2014 and 2018.
Wigan also has local rivalries with teams like Preston North End, Blackburn Rovers, and Oldham Athletic.
European Adventures
Wigan's FA Cup win in 2013 meant they qualified for European football for the first and only time. They played in the group stage of the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League.
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponents | Home | Away | Group position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013–14 | UEFA Europa League | Group stage |  Maribor |
3–1 | 1–2 | 4th |
 Rubin Kazan |
1–1 | 0–1 | ||||
 Zulte Waregem |
1–2 | 0–0 |
Current Players
First Team Squad
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Players on Loan
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Club Leadership
Board Members
- Owner: Mike Danson
- Chairman & CEO: Ben Goodburn
- Director: Lucas Danson
- Sporting Director: Gregor Rioch
- Life President: Dave Whelan
- Honorary President: Brenda Spencer
Coaching and Medical Staff
- Manager: Shaun Maloney
- Assistant Manager: Max Rogers
- First Team Coach: Glenn Whelan
- First Team Coach: Shadab Iftikhar
- Goalkeeping Coach: Andy Lonergan
- Kitman: Naz Ali
- Academy Manager: Jake Campbell
- Under 21s Manager: Chris Brown
- Under 18s Manager: Peter Murphy
Club Records
- Highest League Position: 10th in the Premier League (2005–06)
- Biggest League Win: 8–0 vs Hull City (Championship, July 14, 2020)
- Record Attendance at The Brick Community Stadium: 25,133 vs Manchester United, Premier League (May 11, 2008)
- Record Attendance at Springfield Park: 27,526, vs Hereford United F.C., FA Cup (1953)
- Most League Appearances: 317, Kevin Langley (1981–1986, 1990–1994)
- Most League Goals (total): 70, Andy Liddell (1998–2003)
- Most League Goals (season): 31, Graeme Jones (1996–97)
- Record Player Purchase: Charles N'Zogbia, £7 million, from Newcastle United, February 2009
- Record Player Sale: Antonio Valencia, £15 million, to Manchester United, June 2009
Club Trophies
League Titles
- Championship (Level 2)
- Runners-up: 2004–05
- Second Division / League One (Level 3)
- Champions: 2002–03, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2021–22
- Fourth Division / Third Division (Level 4)
- Champions: 1996–97
- Northern Premier League (Level 5)
- Champions: 1970–71, 1974–75
Cup Wins
- FA Cup
- Winners: 2012–13
- League Cup
- Runners-up: 2005–06
- FA Community Shield
- Runners-up: 2013
- Associate Members' Cup / Football League Trophy
- Winners: 1984–85, 1998–99
- FA Trophy
- Runners-up: 1972–73
See also
In Spanish: Wigan Athletic Football Club para niños
