TyldesleyLatic

On Rochdale’s pitch – back in 1999 when our Auto Windscreens game against them was called off God knows how many times I was working with a Rochdale fan whose best mate was a groundsman at a golf course & also a Rochdale fan. Anyway, Rochdale were having trouble with their groundsman (he may have quit, but I forget exactly) & their pitch was a nightmare with even the smallest bit of rain causing postponements so this mate of the bloke I worked with offered his services, took core samples & temporary solutions.
The problem was that the stuff underneath the soil had compacted down into a virtual solid mass & wasn’t allowing any drainage & I don;t think that they’ve ever had the money to put it right in the intervening 19 years

On the DW pitch – from what i can gather it has a drainage problem. Latics play on it during the winter months when it’s colder, wetter & darker so it’s only logical that more damage will occur then rather than when the rugby play on it when (for the most part) it is warmer, drier & lighter. And lets not forget that even if the pitch isn’t relaid, the rugby never play on it in June so it gets intensive treatment & rest then so it should be like a bowling green in August
That said, I’m not buying that football by its very nature causes more damage to the pitch than rugby league. They slide on the grass to score, they dive on it to tackle, they’re constantly running back & forth in a line across the whole pitch whereas in football they’ll be periods when chunks of the pitch are unused for long periods & they also have regular bits of their game where 8 or more heavy blokes are digging their feet into the turf to prevent a ball carrier moving forward or trying to push him forward.
I’ve also seen at times in the past what a game of rugby league does to that pitch if its played when its raining heavily. There was a GB v Australia test there a while back that absolutely destroyed the pitch

I doubt very much whether any promotion &/or loyalty bonus & Latics Championship salary is as much as he’d have got from Brighton in the form of a signing on fee (typically 10% of the transfer fee – so £1mill) plus the premier league wages from BHA regardless of whether he played there or not[/quote]
I know what you mean but his wages may be just petty cash to the people who are going to invest in our club. What has happened during this window may very likely have been dictated by the new people.[/quote]

Hopefully the supposed new owners won;t be shy in investing in the club but I still very much doubt that any new deal he may or may not get here in the summer will match what Brighton (or any of the others) would have been offering

Its brilliant for me. I only live 45 minutes away
This means I can now go away with the family for the bank holiday weekend, bring everybody home & then shoot off to the game in no rush.
Plus I know someone that works for Portsmouth & will be on a freebie jeebie ticket!!!

Not wanting to rub it in like!! ;) ;)[/quote]

Tyldesley Nr Portsmouth :P
You’ll have an idea where to park then TL.. Any tips.[/quote]

I have a matter transporter!!!
I moved to a town straight up the A3 from Portsmouth about 2 years ago – been for days out there quote a bit since but the only time I’ve been anywhere near the ground was about 6 May(ish) of last year when I drove near it. It seemed to be all housing near it so I’d imagine parking is a mare
There’s a train station near it though so may be better parking nearer the centre of the town/city & using that

Never spoke to you before vat but can vouch for you being a springy lad. Crowds were that small you knew everybody’s face..
That night in 1997 around Wigan town centre was fantastic[/quote]

Cheers mate.

I’m pretty sure I didn’t hit town after the game that day in 97. I’m getting flashbacks now and it was a very hot and humid day. Lancashire and Lowe scored? Remember one of the goals being a slide in finish. Went the supporters club after the game and the team came in, still in kits and with the trophy. I’d worked at the club for a bit earlier that season and had got to know some people. The late John Benson had his knockers, but he came across as a nice bloke to me. Always had a chat of a morning and asked about you. John Deehan was a bit aloof. Would disappear into his office with hardly a good morning.

I think in May 1997 I had my eye on a bit of skirt who lived up our street, I probably went after her lol[/quote]

Wasn’t the May 97 match against Mansfield a midweek evening kick off and the earlier promotion against Mansfield on a Saturday? Both fantastic occasions and the earlier one being our first football league promotion which made Elton Welsbys Kick Off Match.[/quote]

No – we clinched promotion in 97 in a midweek game (v Chesterfield I think) but the Mansfield game clinched the title & was on a Saturday

It’s nor surprise that clubs are after him & no surprise if he goes – this is Latics after all & we know that the players all have a price & profits on players is what helps provide funding for new signings.

We also know that every player has their price.

However, I’m with Vat – if that “price” for Powell is as low as £1.5mill then it’s an absolute disgrace when you consider some of the prices that clubs are paying at the moment for bang average players

“Best wing performance by a player, McManaman,probably since Matthews in 53”

Don’t get me wrong, McManaman had Clichy (I think) tied in ribbons during that game but best wing performance since Matthews??? Not in my opinion
On that day Matthews provided crosses for 2 of the goals & his other crosses more often than not met their target.
In our cup final, McManaman got in to numerous excellent positions & messed it up every single time – watch Kone, time after time going mental at him coz he’s hung on to the ball to try & beat another man or get a shot away when others are far better placed. That day he had pace by the bucket load & was full of tricks but he was proper head down & no awareness of what was going on around him.

I know I’ll get shot down for saying this as I have before on here but watch the game back & tell me one time where he got himself in to a great position & made the right end decision.
Then you’ll see I’m right!! ;)

The clubs have to agree fixture details with each other & the FA in advance of the original game being played (I think its within 7 days of the draw being made).
It would have said in that paperwork when any replay would be scheduled for & it would have been known then that Bournemouth were playing on the Sunday & that would be when Bournemouth could/should have flagged that they had a game on the Sunday & didn’t want to play on the Tuesday

If Latics are showing it as the Tuesday then I’d imagine that would be when it has already been agreed that it will be played. Bournemouth can’t now complaint that its not fair as they have a game on the Sunday. Bournemouth’s website is also showing the replay as being on the Tuesday

I’d think therefore that it will only be changed by the Police or the TV people

Technically you’re correct on the ground but Wigan Athletic Holdings own 100% of the shares of WAFC so if the takeover is correct then it’s not a massive leap to assume the buy out is of WA Holdings who also own 80% of the stadium company’s shares.

The training ground is owned by a different company whose directors are Whelan family members. It’s a different kettle of fish to the stadium but it would be relatively simple for a new buyer to purchase the training ground too