This weekend had seen another famous name mentioned on the global media, Dave Whelan! As chairman of Wigan Athletic, he and his family have seen some heady days with the Lancashire club. Dave played for Blackburn Rovers and Crewe in the 1960s and broke his leg in the 1960 FA Cup Final when Wolves ran out winners 3-0 playing against 10 men-no subs in those days.
Not one of the historic clubs (being founded only in 1932), Wigan, playing in red and white by the way, joined local leagues, eg the Cheshire County League, playing their first official game v Port Vale Reserves in August 1932, climbing to the the National Premier League. The club was successful in the NPL and applied for election to the Football League and after suffering rejections 34 times, joining the Football League from 1978!
The club was taken over in 1995 by the Whelan family and since then the Latics' fans have experienced many good times, including life at the very top.
and rising to the top and the Premier League in 2005 through to 2013. The club won the FA Cup in 2013 beating Manchester City 1-0 with a goal from Ben Watson
Whelan's grandson is standing down as club owner with a £22 million take over from Hong Kong based International Enterprise Corporation.
This weekend, from a mid-table position, Wigan hosted a "rampant" Leeds United and unfortunately could not get victory for the Whelans, losing 1-2.
Bradford born, Dave Whelan has hosted soccer and Rugby League at the DW Stadium. His "spare" money has come from his success in various businesses, including JJB Sports and later DW Sports, hence the name of the stadium.
AND FINALLY Burying the Coffin of relegation appears to be a tradition held in Blackburn and Preston. When the local league club, firstly Blackburn Rovers was relegated in 1948, a coffin full of vegetables (meant to the be players) was carried to the local Trades Hall cellar in Bamber Bridge and left there "until the raising". These days a "dummy" called Chucky is in the coffin!
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