Wigan Athletic FC was founded in 1932 and it is based in Greater Manchester. After getting relegated from the Championship, it will play in League One for the 2020/2021 season unless its appeal is successful.
The team got deducted 12 points due to financial irregularities which contributed to the team's relegation. Wigan Athletic has played at the DW Stadium since 1999 and it holds 25,000 fans. The nickname of the team is “The Latics” and it is currently in administration.
History of Wigan Athletic FC
Wigan Athletic FC was started in 1932 and it played non-league football from then until 1978. It regularly took part in the FA Cup during this time and saw some modest success. It was in 1978 that Wigan Athletic managed to get elected to the Football League. At the time, there was no way to get automatically promoted out of non-league football.
Wigan Athletic took Southport's position in the Fourth Division and they managed to finish in 6th place after their first season. It was in 1981/1982 that Wigan Athletic managed to get promoted up to Division Three, where they stayed for about a decade.
During this time, Bobby Charlton managed the club but eventually was fired. The club won its first silverware in 1984/1985 after being successful in the Freight Rover Trophy.
The team had a number of close calls for a number of seasons when there was no play-off in place to get promoted. They also lost a playoff final when they were introduced.
The team then began to decline and was relegated to the Fourth Division. They then finished in 19th place but were not relegated down to Conference football as there was no viable team to take its place.
Change in fortunes
It was in 1995 that JJB Sports owner Dave Whelan bought Wigan Athletic FC and set a plan in place to work its way up the leagues. Wigan Athletic won Division Three in 1996/1997 after winning over Fulham when total goals scored over the season was considered. They finished mid-table the following year and they won the Football League Trophy in 1999. The same season they managed to lose a playoff final.
Wigan Athletic was crowned as champion of Division Two in 2002/2003, managed by Paul Jewel. This was the first time they were in the second tier of English football.
The next season, Wigan Athletic went unbeaten for 17 games but a poor finish to the season saw them miss out on a playoff position. The next season, Wigan Athletic managed to get automatic promotion and made its way into the Premier League.
FA Cup success
They started strongly, being in second place in the league after a few games. By the end of the season, they finished in a respectable 10th place in the Premier League.
It was in 2013 that Wigan Athletic FC made it to the FA Cup final for the first time and they managed to defeat Manchester City 1-0 after Ben Watson scored a goal during injury time.
It was the first major trophy the club won and it also got them a place in the Europa League group stages. However, the team also got relegated that season, making it the first team to win the FA Cup and get relegated in the same season.
Financial difficulties
Wigan Athletic has been in the Championship ever since until 2020 when the club was forced into administration. The club was deducted 12 points for financial irregularities and it would have not been relegated if it wasn't for this deduction. The club is appealing the deduction.
Wigan Athletic stadium
Wigan Athletic play at the DW Stadium and it has a capacity of more than 25,000. It has been the home ground since 1999/2000 and it leases the stadium to the Wigan Warriors rugby league team. The team has switched home venues a number of times over the years.
There is a vocal supporter base at all of the Wigan Athletic home games. In terms of rivalries, the main grudge match is against Bolton Wanderers. There are also local rivalries with the likes of:
- Blackburn Rovers,
- Preston North End,
- Oldham Athletic,
- Rochdale,
- Bury and
- Manchester City.
Notable players
There have been many notable managers and players at Wigan Athletic over the years. The likes of Barry Knowles, David Hamilton and Peter Atherton were key players in the early days of the club in league football.
Roberto Martinez played for Wigan Athletic in the 1990s before managing them between 2009 and 2013. Arjan de Zeeuw was a fan favourite and won the club’s player of the year title on three occasions. Leighton Baines, Titus Bramble, Charles N’Zogbia and James McLean all have been key players in more recent years.
Betting on Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic are a club that has been dealing with a lot of adversity due to their financial difficulties. The players have performed admirably despite this fact and always battle to do their best when they step onto the field. This makes for plenty of exciting betting opportunities. To find the best football betting sites, you should have a look at the reviewed betting sites on Roger.com.
