The problem was, and to an extent still is, getting the football fans to watch the Latics.
We never had the product that the football loving community of Wigan wanted, so they drifted off to watch football in other towns, where league football was on offer.
We will never convince then to come back and watch their own town team, so we have to start with the youngsters, and we are doing alright on that score, apparently our junior ranks are growing all the time.
The crowds aren’t massive, but they are not bad for a town of our size considering a small percentage still watch RL, and more importantly half of the townsfolk probably still venture out of town to watch their football.
We all know that DW wants to unite the town, but the hatred is too deep, it will never fully happen.
I must add,this hatred is not one sided. They hate us probably more.
We are starting to realise that they are insignificant, but it doesn’t help when DW keeps coming out with comments like that, names stands in our ground after eggs, and puts egg shirts etc in our shop.
If DW would distance himself from then, and stop all the ludicrous statements and links, then we would probably learn to tolerate them a bit more.
Some really good points there.
I think the problem with Wigan is it’s geographical position, which nothing can be done about, and the fact that there are areas of Wigan, such as Winstanley, where a lot of people actually originate from Merseyside, and have ‘handed down’ allegiance to the Merseyside clubs. At the other side of the town, out towards Coppull and Chorley, I know of people who follow Bolton, and always have done. Same thing with Westhoughton and Hindley, I suppose.
For years, people have ventured out of the town to watch other teams. I know of some ‘dyed in the wool’ Wiganers who support teams such as City. They aren’t going to change teams.
I think the people I have mentioned, are lost forever. What is more frustrating, is the people who would rather sit in a pub, than actually go to the stadium. They need a big foot up their backside.
