Wigan Warriors
Encyclopedia
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league
club based in Wigan
, Greater Manchester
. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup
holders as of the 27th August 2011.
Founded in 1872, originally playing under the one code of Rugby Football
, Wigan opted to be a founding member of the Northern Rugby Football Union following the schism
from the Rugby Football Union
in 1895. Wigan went on to be the most successful club in the history of British rugby league and still are today, (based on overall trophy wins with the total standing at over 100). The major trophy wins have included; 19 League Championships (including 2 Super League Grand Final victories), 18 Challenge Cups (29 final appearances) and 3 World Club Challenge trophies (5 final appearances). The club is ranked the 4th most succesful in the Super League era with St Helens, Bradford
and Leeds
all having won more silverware than Wigan since 1996.
Wigan are considered to be the most famous club in the game and are arguably most famous for a period of sustained success which began in the mid-1980s and lasted until the mid-1990s. This period included Wigan winning the Challenge Cup
8 seasons in succession and the League Championship 7 seasons in succession.
The club currently plays its home matches at the DW Stadium and has done since 1999. Wigan previously played at the famous Central Park
between the years 1902-1999.
The current head coach is Wigan born Shaun Wane
who has succeeded Michael Maguire
following the latter's return home to Australia
to coach South Sydney Rabbitohs
in the NRL. Shaun is assisted by Welsh dual-code international Iestyn Harris
and Wigan born, former Bradford
stalwart Paul Deacon
. The position of club captain is currently held by England RL international Sean O'Loughlin
who in 2012 is heading into his testimonial year.
The first match took place on 30 November when members played against each other, in a practice match, at Folly Field. After a series of trial and practice matches, they travelled to Warrington
to play their first competitive match on 18 January 1873. The game ended in a draw.
Financial problems and an inability to recruit quality players led to the club amalgamating with Upholland F.C. in 1876. The club became Wigan & District F.C. The club moved and played its home games at the then Wigan Cricket Club at Prescott Street just off of Frog Lane. It is unlikely that the club fulfilled its fixtures in 1877 before finally disbanding at the end of the 1879 cricket season.
On 22 September 1879, the club was reformed as Wigan Wasps by many ex-members of the original Wigan Football Club, following a meeting in the Dicconson Arms. The club moved away from Prescott Street back to Folly Field. In 1884, Wigan won its first trophy, the West Lancashire Cup. The club initially played in blue and white hooped jerseys before changing in 1886 to cherry and white hoops. In 1888 they hosted and beat a touring New Zealand side.
Wigan were suspended by the RFU for breaking the strict amateur code despite their argument that broken-time payments were necessary to avoid undue hardship for their working class players. In 1895 Wigan joined with other clubs from Yorkshire
and Lancashire
to found the Northern Union
which led eventually to the sport of rugby league
. This was a result of the breakaway from the Rugby Football Union
. This was when the "Wasps" tag was dropped and the club simply became known as Wigan.
The County Championship was introduced in October 1895 with Cheshire entertaining Lancashire. The Red Rose side contained three players from Wigan: Winstanley (full back) and Unsworth and Brown (forwards).
In 1896/1897 due to the increased number of Northern Union teams the Northern League was abandoned in favour of two County Senior leagues. The second half of the season saw the introduction of the Northern Union Cup (later known as the Rugby League Cup). Wigan reached the third round before being knocked out by St. Helens.
Wigan became sub-tenants of Springfield Park, which they shared with Wigan United AFC, playing their first game there on 14 September 1901. A crowd of 4,000 saw them beat Morecambe 12–0. During this season Wigan won the Lancashire Senior Competition.
Wigan's record crowd at Springfield was 10,000 when they beat Widnes on 19 March 1902. The last game was on 28 April 1902 when Wigan beat the Rest of Lancashire Senior Competition. Two meetings were held by Wigan members during the season to discuss the possibility of turning the club into a Limited Company but the idea did not take off.
On 6 September 1902, Wigan played at Central Park
for the first time in the opening match of the newly formed First Division. An estimated crowd of 9,000 spectators saw Wigan beat Batley
14–8.
In the 1905–1906 season they won their first cup, in rugby league, the Lancashire Cup
. Between 1906 and 1923 Wigan won the Lancashire League another seven times and the Lancashire Cup another four times. Wigan were the first winners of the Lancashire cup.
Wigan played New Zealand on 9 November 1907 and ran out winners by 12 points to 8 in front of a crowd of around 30,000.
Great Britain, then known as the Northern Union, played their first ever test against New Zealand on 25 January 1908. James "Jim" Leytham
, Bert Jenkins
, and John "Johnny" Thomas of Wigan were in the home side and James "Jim" Leytham
scored a try. Bert Jenkins
, and John "Johnny" Thomas had previously played in the first Welsh game against New Zealand on 1 January 1908.
On Saturday 28 October 1911, Wigan played a match against the Australasian team which visited England on the 1911-12 Kangaroo tour and won.
On 12 May 1921, Wigan became a limited company.
In June 1922 Jim Sullivan joined Wigan from Cardiff RFC when he was only 17. His cash value was put at £750, which was a staggering signing-on fee for an adolescent who had not yet played 13-a-side rugby. His first game was at home against Widnes on 27 August 1921, and he scored ten points in a 21–0 win. Almost inevitably, Jim Sullivan scored the first points in the first Challenge Cup Final to be played at Wembley Stadium, kicking a penalty after only three minutes of the inaugural Challenge Cup Final against Dewsbury in 1929 in which he led Wigan to a 13–2 victory. Sullivan became player-coach in 1932.
Wigan won their first Challenge Cup
in the 1923–24 season when they beat Oldham
21–4 in Rochdale
. In 1933 the Prince of Wales
attended Central Park
, becoming the first royal to watch a rugby league match.
On 25 October 1938 Australian Mr. Harry Sunderland
arrived in Wigan to take up the duties of Secretary-Manager at Central Park. On 28 September the following year, Sunderland's contract was terminated and he and the club parted company.
The outbreak of World War II
disrupted the Rugby Football League Championship but Wigan continued to play in the Lancashire War League and the Emergency War League.
During the war years the club went through the 1940–41 season unbeaten although they lost the Championship final. They lost the 1944 Challenge Cup Final over two games to Bradford Northern
8–3 but made up for it beating Dewsbury in the Championship Final.
In 1948 Wigan took part in the first televised rugby league match when their 8–3 Challenge Cup Final victory over Bradford Northern
was broadcast to the Midlands. In another first this was the first rugby league match to be attended by the reigning monarch, King George VI, who presented the trophy.
On Saturday 27 October 1951 33,230 spectators saw Wigan beat Leigh 14–6 in the final of the Lancashire Cup at Station Road, Swinton. In 1952 Wigan won their sixth consecutive Lancashire Cup.
Wigan were also featured in the first league match to be broadcast, a clash with Wakefield Trinity
at Central Park on 12 January 1952.
In 1953 Wigan signed William ‘Billy’ Boston
for £150. 8,000 fans saw Billy Boston début for Wigan in the 'A' team. He later became one of the most successful and famous Wigan players of all time. Eric Ashton signed for Wigan for £150 in 1955. Wigan went to Wembley six times in the Boston/Ashton era and won three times.
The visit of St. Helens on 27 March 1959 produced Central Park's all time record attendance of 47,747 which is still a record for any rugby league game in Lancashire. Wigan went on to win the game 19–14 after holding off a Saints comeback.
Joe Egan
returned to coach Wigan and during his time they won the Championship play-off final in 1960 defeating Wakefield Trinity
21–5, the Challenge Cup in 1958, 1959, 13–9 against Workington Town and 30–13 against Hull respectively before losing in 12–6 to St. Helens in 1961 which was to be his last game in charge.
Wigan continued to have regular success in both league and cup competitions until 1974 when Wigan went 8 seasons without winning any leagues or cups.
Eric Ashton coached Wigan from 1963 to 1973. In 1966, Wigan locked television cameras out of their ground in the belief that they affected attendances. They were fined £500 by the Rugby Football League
. Wigan beat Oldham 16–13 in the 1966 Lancashire Cup Final. Billy Boston played his last match in the cherry and white, against Wakefield Trinity
at the end of April 1968.
Wigan pulled off a surprise victory 19–9 over Salford in the Lancashire Cup Final which was played at Wilderspool, Warrington on Saturday 13 October 1973. Cup holders Salford had lost only one match prior to the final, against the touring Australians.
Ted Toohey became coach of Wigan in May 1974 before being sacked in January 1975, this would set the pattern of coaches lasting one or two seasons before being replaced. Star coach, Joe Coan (who saw St Helens through multiple victories) then took control until he resigned in September 1976, the board accepted his decision "with reluctance". Vince Karalius then took over but was sacked in September 1979.
Kel Coslett was coach between October 1979 and April 1980. In 1980, Wigan were relegated from the top flight for the first time in the history of the club and Coslett was replaced by George Fairbairn. During the second division season they recorded a record average attendance for the division of 8,198. Wigan won promotion back to the top flight the following season but Fairbairn lasted no longer than May 1981.
Maurice Lindsay
came to Wigan in the early 1980s to join directors Jack Robinson, Tom Rathbone and David Bradshaw. Wigan became one of the first teams to go full-time professional in the league, this led to an upsurge in the fortunes of the club.
Between February and October 1987 Wigan won a record 29 games in a row as follows: 20 Division One matches, 3 Premiership Trophy matches, 4 Lancashire Cup matches, 1 Charity Shield final, 1 World Club Challenge
final. Wigan defeated Australian club Manly-Warringah
8–2 in front of a crowd of over 38,000 at Central Park for an unofficial World Club Championship. It was the first time a team of Englishmen had beaten a team of Australians at rugby league since 1978. From 1988–1995 Wigan won the Challenge Cup 8 seasons in a row; this period was Wigan’s most successful period to date. They also won the Championship seven times, League Cup four times, Premiership Trophy three times, Charity Shield twice and three World Club Championships. They also played in a special 2 match challenge series
against Bath RFC
in 1996, with one game played under league rules, and the other under union rules. Wigan won the league game 82–6 at Maine Road
, but lost the return union game 44–19 at Twickenham
.
In July 1996 Andy Farrell was named the Wigan club's captain.
In 1997, the club was renamed Wigan Warriors. Wigan's dominance came under threat with the new league now fully professional and the introduction of the salary cap and the 20/20 rule. After going out of the Challenge Cup
to Salford
in 1996 and St Helens in 1997, they returned to Wembley for the final time in 1998. Still undefeated in the league and the fact coach John Monie
had never lost a Cup Tie meant Wigan were huge favourites against the unfancied Sheffield Eagles
. But on 2 May 1998 the Eagles would go down in rugby league history causing the biggest upset in the competition's history with a 17–8 win.
Wigan won the Minor Premiership and the first Super League Grand Final
in 1998 with a 10–4 victory over Leeds Rhinos
at Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester.
In November 1999, coach Andy Goodway
was sacked by Wigan chairman Maurice Lindsay after the Warriors' failure to win a trophy for the first time in 15 years. After a buy-out by Dave Whelan, both the Warriors and the town's football team, Wigan Athletic, moved to the JJB Stadium
. As part of the rugby league's "on the road" scheme Wigan Warriors met Gateshead Thunder
at Tynecastle
, Edinburgh. Maurice Lindsay also returned as director. On an emotional day of high drama Wigan's final game at Central Park
was against arch rivals St Helens on Sunday 5 September 1999 . Wigan legend Ellery Hanley returned as St Helens coach but a Jason Robinson
virtuoso try meant the game was won by Wigan 28–20. The first game at the new stadium was a defeat in a Super League play-off match against Castleford Tigers
on 19 September 1999.
joined Wigan Warriors as head coach after the 1999 season and coached them until 2001, when he was sacked.
In 2000 Wigan finished top of the Super League and reached the Grand Final for the second time but this time lost to St Helens 29–16. Wigan reached the Grand Final again the year after but lost to Bradford Bulls
37–4 which is still the biggest winning margin in a Super League Grand Final. That year Andy Farrell also set a new club record for points in a season with 429. In 2002 Wigan won their 17th Challenge Cup when they beat St Helens 21–12 at Murrayfield Stadium
, 8 years after previously lifting the cup.
Wigan coach Stuart Raper
was sacked as head coach of the club on 29 July 2003 due to a lack of success.
He was replaced by assistant coach Mike Gregory
and the team improved and reached the Grand Final only to lose to Bradford Bulls 25–12. In 2004 Gregory guided Wigan to the Challenge Cup final at the Millennium Stadium
in Cardiff but Wigan lost to St Helens 32–16. It was Mike Gregory's last match as head coach of Wigan, he travelled to the United States of America to get treatment for an illness that he contracted after an insect bite while in Australia.
It was revealed that Mike had motor neurone disease
and he did not return as Wigan coach; he was not sacked but Wigan allowed his contract to expire. Mike felt that during 2004, he was able to return but the club blocked his return to work. Wigan also appointed Ian Millward
as head coach. Wigan did not have the success they expected under Ian Millward and in 2006 Wigan were bottom of the league and facing relegation from Super League. Wigan sacked Millward and replaced him with Brian Noble
. Brian Noble signed Michael Dobson. and signed Stuart Fielden
from Bradford Bulls for a record fee of £450,000 Wigan avoided relegation in 2006 but still had problems with the salary cap which they had breached in 2005 and 2006. Some of the fans chose to blamed Wigan Chairman Maurice Lindsay for the lack of success and salary cap
problems at the club, Wigan were fined and docked points for exceeding the salary cap by £222,314. In 2007 Maurice Lindsay announced that he would step down as Wigan Chairman at the end of 2007 and later that month Dave Whelan announced he would consider selling the club at the end of the season. Harlequins RL chairman and lifelong Wigan rugby league fan Ian Lenagan
bought the club from Dave Whelan promising to start a new era at Wigan Warriors. Ian Lenagan officially took over as chairman and owner on 1 December 2007.
The 2007 season saw Wigan reach the Challenge Cup Semi-Final losing out to Catalans Dragons by 24–37.
During the 2007 season, Wigan would go onto reach the Final Eliminator of the Super League
play-offs. However, the team lost that particular match by 36–6 against Leeds Rhinos
. The same fixture at the same stage of the 2008 season took place with Wigan coming out losers on that occasion also against Leeds Rhinos
by 18–14.
Wigan confirmed via the official website that they had been granted charitable status on Wednesday 29 April 2009. This involves the club receiving extra funding to provide rugby league related activities to young people throughout the North West of England.
Wigan confirmed in an official club statement on Tuesday 23 June 2009 that Gareth Hock
tested positive for the primary metabolite of Cocaine; Benzoylecgonine
, following an 'A' sample taken following a match vs Salford on Friday 5 June 2009. Wigan also confirmed that Gareth Hock faces a two year ban, beginning June 2009, from the sport as sample 'B' came back positive. This is the first publicised incident of its kind in the club's history.
Wigan reached the Challenge Cup Semi-Final in 2009 losing out to Warrington Wolves by 26–39. The team also reached the Final Eliminator once again. This time, losing out to St.Helens by 14–10. Following that loss, Brian Noble
, then head coach confirmed his departure.
Michael Maguire
was appointed new Head Coach on 7 October 2009.
Wigan started the new season with a 38 to 6 win over the Crusaders. Wigan won their opening 4 games to take them to the top of the Super League table. Wigan remained top of the league throughout the season
.
During 2010 the Wigan club won 3 pieces of silverware. These were the Floodlit 9s, Super League Grand Final and by becoming League Winners in a 18–38 away win against Hull Kingston Rovers
on 22 August.
On 2 October they won the Super League Grand Final
, their first win since 1998
, beating St. Helens 22–10.
The club also swept the boards at the annual Man of Steel Award, with Sam Tomkins
winning young player of the year, Mike Maguire won the coach of the year award, Pat Richards
won the Man of Steel award and the club won the club of the year award. On 6 August 2011, Wigan made it to the Challenge Cup final after beating St. Helens 18–12.
The final score was Wigan 28–18 Leeds. The match was the first visit to Wembley for Wigan in 13 years.
The Away or Alternate kit colours have usually been blue and white. Some fans assume this is because Wigan originally played in these colours before the switch to the cherry and white hooped kits and it would therefore be appropriate that these colours became the club's secondary kit colours. The Away kits have been in different shades of blue over the years, royal blue, navy blue and light blue with varied designs. These designs have sometimes been hooped, one irregular hoop or just a block colour of blue. There have been a few exceptions, with a black and white alternative kit being used in 2001 and a black kit with red piping in 2007.
Wigan have only ever had three main shirt sponsors.
From the 1981 season the first sponsor to appear on the shirt was JJB Sports
. In 1989 the club had the jersey sponsor Norweb
on the front of the home and away jerseys which would remain the club sponsor until 1998 by which time the Norweb company had been merged into United Utilities. The following season Wigan was sponsored by Energi the electrical branch of Norweb
. In 2000 Wigan changed their kit sponsor to JJB Sports
. The owner of JJB sports Dave Whelan at the time was also the owner of the Wigan Rugby League club. JJB Sports remained the main sponsor of Wigan Warriors despite Dave Whelan selling the club in late 2007 and selling JJB Sports earlier in the same year. It was announced during the 2008 season that JJB would not be renewing the sponsorship contract for the 2009 season. It was announced on 24 January 2009 via the club's e-news facility that the new sponsor would be Meccabingo.com.
Wigan has had a number of kit manufacturers including Umbro
, Puma
, Adidas
and Nike
. When JJB became the shirt sponsor the kit manufacturer was usually an associate of JJB Sports at the time. Wigan’s 2000 kit was made by Adidas who also sponsored the East Stand at the JJB Stadium but when the association with JJB ended, the kits were made by Patrick, Dave Whelan's own clothing company. In 2006 and 2007 the kit manufacturer became JJB Sports itself which meant that the kits had JJB Sports as the main sponsor and as the kit manufacturer. The kit manufacturer changed to KooGa
for the 2008 season. KooGa
itself though is 48% owned by JJB Sports.
In 2008, Wigan signed a three year deal with KooGa
which will mean KooGa
will be kit manufacturer for seasons 2009, 2010 and 2011. It was the largest kit deal signed in the club's history and believed to be one of the biggest ever in rugby league history.
In November 2008 Wigan also announced that the club would be producing a limited edition shirt, with £5 from each shirt sale going to Wigan & Leigh Hospice.
In January 2009 the shirts for the 2009 season were unveiled. The home kit was a return to a darker shade of the colour red which is known as 'cherry' red. The home kit consisted of the traditional club colours of cherry and white hoops. The replica shirts which are sold to the fans had full hoops all the way around whilst the players shirts had a white panel on the back so that the name and number could be displayed and viewed easily. The away shirt was blue with one wide irregular white semi-hoop which was across the front of the shirt but did not stretch to the back.
Wigan continue with a variation of the cherry and white hoops for the 2010 home kit with the away kit returning to a mainly black kit featuring silver slashes.
The 'Home' kit for the 2011 season was revealed on 18 November 2010. An official description of the shirt was released on the clubs website. 'The distinctive new design is a break from tradition and features shaded cherry-to-white irregular hoops. It also incorporates white flashes over the chest and hips which are designed to accentuate the shoulders and shrink the waist making the Warriors look even bigger and more fearsome than before.
The KooGa shirt, which will display the logo of new Main Sponsor Applicado-FS across the chest, will be worn with cherry red shorts and cherry red socks both with white flashes.'
The club opened an official club shop in the Grand Arcade, Wigan as an outlet for selling merchandise, on 9 December 2009 with an official opening taking place on 10 December 2009. The shop replaces the old club shop situated on Hilton Street.
Wigan played their home games at Wigan Cricket Club on Prescott Street until 1901 when they moved to Springfield Park which they shared with the town's association soccer club Wigan United A.F.C. The first rugby match at Springfield Park was played on 14 September 1901 and was between Wigan and Morecambe in front of 4,000 spectators. The record rugby attendance for the ground was 10,000 achieved on 19 March 1902 when Wigan beat Widnes. Forty days later Wigan played their last game at Springfield Park when they defeated the Rest of Lancashire Senior Competition.
In 1902 Wigan moved to their purpose build rugby ground called Central Park
. Wigan played their first game at Central Park against Batley
on 6 September 1902 which Wigan won 14–8. Central Park would be the home of Wigan Rugby League until 1999 when they moved to the newly built JJB Stadium
. The last match at Central Park was against St Helens on 5 September 1999, a game which Wigan won 28–20 in front of 18,179 supporters. As Wigan developed into one of the most famous rugby league clubs in the world, Central Park
also became one of the most famous rugby league
venues.
Wigan now play their home games at the 25,000 all-seater DW Stadium (formerly JJB Stadium) at Robin Park, Wigan. Their first game at the JJB Stadium was a Super League play-off match against Castleford Tigers
which Wigan lost 14–10. The DW Stadium is shared by both Wigan Warriors Rugby League club and Wigan Athletic Football Club: the football club are soon to become owners but as a guarantee to Wigan Rugby League, the rugby club was given a 50 year lease on the stadium so that the club could still use the stadium, as part of a stadium share, when Whelan sold the club in 2007.
Wigan also have a state-of-the-art training facility at the small stadium Edge Hall Road
in Orrell (now named the Co-Operative Community Stadium) where the first team, reserve team & academy team prepare, train and rehabilitate ahead of and after matches. It is also where the Reserve & Academy sides play their home games.
was officially confirmed as new Wigan Warriors on 11 October 2011. It was confirmed at a press conference at the DW Stadium.
The current lead assistant coach at Wigan is Iestyn Harris
and the Head of Strength & Conditioning is Mark Bitcon. Mick Turner will continue as a Strength & Conditioning coach.
Paul Deacon has also been appointed as an assistant coach after his role as a player in the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
Kris Radlinski is the current Rugby General Manager at the club.
Note *only Championship, Challenge Cup and World Club Challenge honours shown.
championship format, the fans of Wigan RLFC voted for their best thirteen players of the 'Nineties'
and the 'Noughties', called the Team of the Decade. This is a list of the ballot's resulting thirteen players.
The club also has its own Hall of Fame
for players the club recognises as having made a significant contribution to its success, especially during the late 1980s
and early 1990s
when the club entered the most successful period in its history trophy-wise. There are currently ten members of the Wigan RLFC Hall of Fame.
Losses
clubs. During the 2006 season, in which the team was struggling to avoid relegation, the attendances were increasing as fans came to support the club and offer vocal support, many of whom may have not attended on a regular basis previously.
The club averaged 16,016 per home game in 2007. In 2010 Wigan were officially the best supported club in Super League with a higher average attendance than nearest rivals Leeds Rhinos
.
As a gesture of thanks, the 2008 season saw the Wigan fans have the squad number 18 dedicated to them, a practice which has since continued each season. Joe Lydon commented “This is a new practice for clubs who recognise the extra special support which loyal fans can provide to their team in both good and bad times. It is particularly apt for Wigan fans". The club have continued with this during the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
From early 2008, the Wigan fans have often chanted to the tune of The Entertainer
. One of the beginning lines of this particular chant is "We're the Greatest Club in the World".
The fans have their own supporters club, The Riversiders, who meet monthly and often have special guests at the meetings including past and present players, coaching staff and members of the Rugby Football League.
In addition, the supporters have set up a group to improve the atmosphere at both home and away games, known as the Wigan Brigantes. The group started by erecting flags across the South Stand gantry at the DW Stadium, beginning with 12 at the start of the 2010 season and has steadily grown since then. The group's banner has the phrase "Long After Tonight Is All Over" as a nod to the Jimmy Radcliffe
song that was a staple of the Wigan Casino
club during the Northern Soul
era, and to show their rivals that their support will continue well after the final whistle has sounded. This is particularly true of some of Wigan's away games during the 2011 season where their fans have often stayed well over half an hour after the final hooter singing to the tune of "Dale Cavese".
There is also a regular fans' forum meeting with chairman Ian Lenagan
and the current head coach to discuss the latest issues concerning the club and the work that is being done behind the scenes. So far every meeting has been a sell out.
Wigan's fans and Wigan people in general are known as 'pie eaters' or 'pies' which is reference to the 1926 General Strike, when Wigan miners were forced to eat 'humble pie' and return to work before miners in other towns, even though they had been on strike before the other towns joined in. Since then the word ‘pie’ has come to mean the pastry rather than the metaphor ‘Humble Pie’.
Supporter Clubs
Riversiders
Brigantes
Notable fans
Leigh Centurions
are traditional rivals of the club and similarly matches between the two clubs are local derbies. The rivalry between these two clubs however has been muted due to the fact that the two clubs compete in different competitions and therefore do not play each other regularly.
The club has forged a more recent fierce rivalry with Warrington Wolves
following Warrington's emergence as a "force" in the top flight competition.
Wigan became the first club in the country to receive Sport England's Clubmark Gold Award.
The Gold award, only available from 1 April 2009, shows the clubs commitment to Duty of Care and Child Protection, Coaching and Competition, Sports Equity and Ethics, and Club Management. The Gold award not only meets the minimum standards in all areas, but surpasses them and meets additional criteria too.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
club based in Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
holders as of the 27th August 2011.
Founded in 1872, originally playing under the one code of Rugby Football
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
, Wigan opted to be a founding member of the Northern Rugby Football Union following the schism
History of rugby league
The history of rugby league as a separate form of rugby football goes back to 1895 in Huddersfield, Northern England when the Northern Rugby Football Union broke away from the established Rugby Football Union to administer its own separate competition. Similar schisms occurred later in Australia...
from the Rugby Football Union
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
in 1895. Wigan went on to be the most successful club in the history of British rugby league and still are today, (based on overall trophy wins with the total standing at over 100). The major trophy wins have included; 19 League Championships (including 2 Super League Grand Final victories), 18 Challenge Cups (29 final appearances) and 3 World Club Challenge trophies (5 final appearances). The club is ranked the 4th most succesful in the Super League era with St Helens, Bradford
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
and Leeds
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
all having won more silverware than Wigan since 1996.
Wigan are considered to be the most famous club in the game and are arguably most famous for a period of sustained success which began in the mid-1980s and lasted until the mid-1990s. This period included Wigan winning the Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
8 seasons in succession and the League Championship 7 seasons in succession.
The club currently plays its home matches at the DW Stadium and has done since 1999. Wigan previously played at the famous Central Park
Central Park (Wigan)
Central Park was a rugby league stadium in Wigan, England. It was the home of Wigan RLFC before the club moved to the JJB Stadium in 1999. Its final capacity was 18,000.-History:...
between the years 1902-1999.
The current head coach is Wigan born Shaun Wane
Shaun Wane
Shaun D. Wane is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s, and current coach at Wigan Warriors. He played at representative level for Great Britain, and at club level for Wigan St Patricks, Wigan, Leeds, and Workington Town, playing at , /, i.e...
who has succeeded Michael Maguire
Michael Maguire (rugby league)
Michael Maguire is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the head coach of the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Australia's National Rugby League . After serving as assistant coach of the Melbourne Storm under Craig Bellamy, in 2009 he became the head coach of...
following the latter's return home to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
to coach South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
in the NRL. Shaun is assisted by Welsh dual-code international Iestyn Harris
Iestyn Harris
Iestyn Rhys Harris is a Welsh former rugby league footballer, who is currently the assistant coach at Wigan Warriors. Harris is a former Man of Steel winner and has also represented Wales on numerous occasions at both codes of rugby...
and Wigan born, former Bradford
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
stalwart Paul Deacon
Paul Deacon
Paul Deacon is a retired rugby league footballer. He previously played for Bradford Bulls from 1998 until joining his hometown club Wigan Warriors in 2010...
. The position of club captain is currently held by England RL international Sean O'Loughlin
Sean O'Loughlin
Sean O'Loughlin is an English professional rugby league footballer who captains the Wigan Warriors of Europe's Super League. A Great Britain and England international representative , and /, he has played his entire career to date with Wigan, with whom he won the 2010 Super League XV...
who in 2012 is heading into his testimonial year.
Late 19th century
On 21 November 1872 Wigan Football Club was founded by members of Wigan Cricket Club following a meeting at the Royal Hotel, Standishgate. Wigan F.C. played on Folly Field, near Upper Dicconson Street.The first match took place on 30 November when members played against each other, in a practice match, at Folly Field. After a series of trial and practice matches, they travelled to Warrington
Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
to play their first competitive match on 18 January 1873. The game ended in a draw.
Financial problems and an inability to recruit quality players led to the club amalgamating with Upholland F.C. in 1876. The club became Wigan & District F.C. The club moved and played its home games at the then Wigan Cricket Club at Prescott Street just off of Frog Lane. It is unlikely that the club fulfilled its fixtures in 1877 before finally disbanding at the end of the 1879 cricket season.
On 22 September 1879, the club was reformed as Wigan Wasps by many ex-members of the original Wigan Football Club, following a meeting in the Dicconson Arms. The club moved away from Prescott Street back to Folly Field. In 1884, Wigan won its first trophy, the West Lancashire Cup. The club initially played in blue and white hooped jerseys before changing in 1886 to cherry and white hoops. In 1888 they hosted and beat a touring New Zealand side.
Wigan were suspended by the RFU for breaking the strict amateur code despite their argument that broken-time payments were necessary to avoid undue hardship for their working class players. In 1895 Wigan joined with other clubs from Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
to found the Northern Union
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
which led eventually to the sport of rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
. This was a result of the breakaway from the Rugby Football Union
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
. This was when the "Wasps" tag was dropped and the club simply became known as Wigan.
The County Championship was introduced in October 1895 with Cheshire entertaining Lancashire. The Red Rose side contained three players from Wigan: Winstanley (full back) and Unsworth and Brown (forwards).
In 1896/1897 due to the increased number of Northern Union teams the Northern League was abandoned in favour of two County Senior leagues. The second half of the season saw the introduction of the Northern Union Cup (later known as the Rugby League Cup). Wigan reached the third round before being knocked out by St. Helens.
Early 20th century
In 1904, fourteen clubs resigned from the two county leagues to form a new Northern Rugby League for season 1901–1902. Wigan however remained in the Lancashire Senior Competition.Wigan became sub-tenants of Springfield Park, which they shared with Wigan United AFC, playing their first game there on 14 September 1901. A crowd of 4,000 saw them beat Morecambe 12–0. During this season Wigan won the Lancashire Senior Competition.
Wigan's record crowd at Springfield was 10,000 when they beat Widnes on 19 March 1902. The last game was on 28 April 1902 when Wigan beat the Rest of Lancashire Senior Competition. Two meetings were held by Wigan members during the season to discuss the possibility of turning the club into a Limited Company but the idea did not take off.
On 6 September 1902, Wigan played at Central Park
Central Park (Wigan)
Central Park was a rugby league stadium in Wigan, England. It was the home of Wigan RLFC before the club moved to the JJB Stadium in 1999. Its final capacity was 18,000.-History:...
for the first time in the opening match of the newly formed First Division. An estimated crowd of 9,000 spectators saw Wigan beat Batley
Batley Bulldogs
Batley Bulldogs are an English professional rugby league club from Batley, West Yorkshire. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Batley is one of the original twenty-two rugby football clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895...
14–8.
In the 1905–1906 season they won their first cup, in rugby league, the Lancashire Cup
Rugby league county cups
Historically, British rugby league clubs competed for the Lancashire Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, known collectively as the county cups. The leading rugby clubs in Yorkshire had played in a cup competition for several years prior to the schism of 1895...
. Between 1906 and 1923 Wigan won the Lancashire League another seven times and the Lancashire Cup another four times. Wigan were the first winners of the Lancashire cup.
Wigan played New Zealand on 9 November 1907 and ran out winners by 12 points to 8 in front of a crowd of around 30,000.
Great Britain, then known as the Northern Union, played their first ever test against New Zealand on 25 January 1908. James "Jim" Leytham
Jim Leytham
James "Jim" Leytham was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1890s, 1900s and '10s who at representative level played for Great Britain, England, and Lancashire, and at club level for Lancaster, and Wigan, playing at , i.e...
, Bert Jenkins
Bert Jenkins
Bert Jenkins was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s, '10s and '20s who at representative level played for Great Britain, and Wales, and at club level for Wigan, playing at ....
, and John "Johnny" Thomas of Wigan were in the home side and James "Jim" Leytham
Jim Leytham
James "Jim" Leytham was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1890s, 1900s and '10s who at representative level played for Great Britain, England, and Lancashire, and at club level for Lancaster, and Wigan, playing at , i.e...
scored a try. Bert Jenkins
Bert Jenkins
Bert Jenkins was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s, '10s and '20s who at representative level played for Great Britain, and Wales, and at club level for Wigan, playing at ....
, and John "Johnny" Thomas had previously played in the first Welsh game against New Zealand on 1 January 1908.
On Saturday 28 October 1911, Wigan played a match against the Australasian team which visited England on the 1911-12 Kangaroo tour and won.
On 12 May 1921, Wigan became a limited company.
In June 1922 Jim Sullivan joined Wigan from Cardiff RFC when he was only 17. His cash value was put at £750, which was a staggering signing-on fee for an adolescent who had not yet played 13-a-side rugby. His first game was at home against Widnes on 27 August 1921, and he scored ten points in a 21–0 win. Almost inevitably, Jim Sullivan scored the first points in the first Challenge Cup Final to be played at Wembley Stadium, kicking a penalty after only three minutes of the inaugural Challenge Cup Final against Dewsbury in 1929 in which he led Wigan to a 13–2 victory. Sullivan became player-coach in 1932.
Wigan won their first Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
in the 1923–24 season when they beat Oldham
Oldham Roughyeds
Oldham Roughyeds is an English professional rugby league club based in Oldham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Championship One. Oldham is one of the original twenty-two rugby clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895....
21–4 in Rochdale
Rochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
. In 1933 the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
attended Central Park
Central Park (Wigan)
Central Park was a rugby league stadium in Wigan, England. It was the home of Wigan RLFC before the club moved to the JJB Stadium in 1999. Its final capacity was 18,000.-History:...
, becoming the first royal to watch a rugby league match.
On 25 October 1938 Australian Mr. Harry Sunderland
Harry Sunderland
Harry Sunderland was an Australian rugby league football administrator and journalist.Sunderland was born in Gympie, Queensland in 1889. From 1913 to 1922, Sunderland was the Queensland Rugby League's secretary. His administration is credited with the growth of the League in Queensland despite the...
arrived in Wigan to take up the duties of Secretary-Manager at Central Park. On 28 September the following year, Sunderland's contract was terminated and he and the club parted company.
The outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
disrupted the Rugby Football League Championship but Wigan continued to play in the Lancashire War League and the Emergency War League.
During the war years the club went through the 1940–41 season unbeaten although they lost the Championship final. They lost the 1944 Challenge Cup Final over two games to Bradford Northern
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
8–3 but made up for it beating Dewsbury in the Championship Final.
Mid 20th century
Jim Sullivan's last game, as a player, for Wigan was at Mount Pleasant, Batley, on 23 February 1946. He remained at Central Park for another six seasons as coach.In 1948 Wigan took part in the first televised rugby league match when their 8–3 Challenge Cup Final victory over Bradford Northern
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
was broadcast to the Midlands. In another first this was the first rugby league match to be attended by the reigning monarch, King George VI, who presented the trophy.
On Saturday 27 October 1951 33,230 spectators saw Wigan beat Leigh 14–6 in the final of the Lancashire Cup at Station Road, Swinton. In 1952 Wigan won their sixth consecutive Lancashire Cup.
Wigan were also featured in the first league match to be broadcast, a clash with Wakefield Trinity
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
at Central Park on 12 January 1952.
In 1953 Wigan signed William ‘Billy’ Boston
Billy Boston
William John "Billy" Boston MBE is a former Wales and Great Britain professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer. Boston is a member of the Rugby League Hall of Fame, Welsh Sports Hall of Fame and was, along with Shaun Edwards the first to be voted into the Wigan Hall Of Fame...
for £150. 8,000 fans saw Billy Boston début for Wigan in the 'A' team. He later became one of the most successful and famous Wigan players of all time. Eric Ashton signed for Wigan for £150 in 1955. Wigan went to Wembley six times in the Boston/Ashton era and won three times.
The visit of St. Helens on 27 March 1959 produced Central Park's all time record attendance of 47,747 which is still a record for any rugby league game in Lancashire. Wigan went on to win the game 19–14 after holding off a Saints comeback.
Joe Egan
Joe Egan (rugby league)
Joe Egan is an English former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for Wigan from 1938 to 1950. In the 1948 Challenge Cup final Wigan defeated Bradford Northern 8-3 and Egan was the first captain to receive the trophy from a reigning monarch, King George VI. He was a member of the 1946...
returned to coach Wigan and during his time they won the Championship play-off final in 1960 defeating Wakefield Trinity
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
21–5, the Challenge Cup in 1958, 1959, 13–9 against Workington Town and 30–13 against Hull respectively before losing in 12–6 to St. Helens in 1961 which was to be his last game in charge.
Wigan continued to have regular success in both league and cup competitions until 1974 when Wigan went 8 seasons without winning any leagues or cups.
Eric Ashton coached Wigan from 1963 to 1973. In 1966, Wigan locked television cameras out of their ground in the belief that they affected attendances. They were fined £500 by the Rugby Football League
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
. Wigan beat Oldham 16–13 in the 1966 Lancashire Cup Final. Billy Boston played his last match in the cherry and white, against Wakefield Trinity
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
at the end of April 1968.
Late 20th century
Wigan celebrated the centenary year of the club in November 1972, with a match against Australia at Central Park, on Saturday 17 November, the result finished as an 18–18 draw.Wigan pulled off a surprise victory 19–9 over Salford in the Lancashire Cup Final which was played at Wilderspool, Warrington on Saturday 13 October 1973. Cup holders Salford had lost only one match prior to the final, against the touring Australians.
Ted Toohey became coach of Wigan in May 1974 before being sacked in January 1975, this would set the pattern of coaches lasting one or two seasons before being replaced. Star coach, Joe Coan (who saw St Helens through multiple victories) then took control until he resigned in September 1976, the board accepted his decision "with reluctance". Vince Karalius then took over but was sacked in September 1979.
Kel Coslett was coach between October 1979 and April 1980. In 1980, Wigan were relegated from the top flight for the first time in the history of the club and Coslett was replaced by George Fairbairn. During the second division season they recorded a record average attendance for the division of 8,198. Wigan won promotion back to the top flight the following season but Fairbairn lasted no longer than May 1981.
Maurice Lindsay
Maurice Lindsay (Rugby League)
Maurice Lindsay is the current Chairman of Preston North End FC and the former chairman of Wigan Rugby League Football Club and had two stints at the club after being one of the 'Gang of Four' directors that used to run the club when it domininated the league in the 1980s.- Career :Lindsay was a...
came to Wigan in the early 1980s to join directors Jack Robinson, Tom Rathbone and David Bradshaw. Wigan became one of the first teams to go full-time professional in the league, this led to an upsurge in the fortunes of the club.
Between February and October 1987 Wigan won a record 29 games in a row as follows: 20 Division One matches, 3 Premiership Trophy matches, 4 Lancashire Cup matches, 1 Charity Shield final, 1 World Club Challenge
World Club Challenge
The World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league football match held between the champions of the Australasian National Rugby League and the European Super League competitions to determine the world's best rugby league club...
final. Wigan defeated Australian club Manly-Warringah
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
8–2 in front of a crowd of over 38,000 at Central Park for an unofficial World Club Championship. It was the first time a team of Englishmen had beaten a team of Australians at rugby league since 1978. From 1988–1995 Wigan won the Challenge Cup 8 seasons in a row; this period was Wigan’s most successful period to date. They also won the Championship seven times, League Cup four times, Premiership Trophy three times, Charity Shield twice and three World Club Championships. They also played in a special 2 match challenge series
Clash of the Codes (rugby)
Clash of the Codes is the name given to the special two match inter-code series between rugby union side Bath RFC and rugby league side Wigan RLFC played in May 1996.-Background:...
against Bath RFC
Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
in 1996, with one game played under league rules, and the other under union rules. Wigan won the league game 82–6 at Maine Road
Maine Road
Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England that was home to Manchester City F.C. from its construction in 1923 until 2003...
, but lost the return union game 44–19 at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
.
In July 1996 Andy Farrell was named the Wigan club's captain.
In 1997, the club was renamed Wigan Warriors. Wigan's dominance came under threat with the new league now fully professional and the introduction of the salary cap and the 20/20 rule. After going out of the Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
to Salford
Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
in 1996 and St Helens in 1997, they returned to Wembley for the final time in 1998. Still undefeated in the league and the fact coach John Monie
John Monie
John Monie is a former professional rugby league coach and player. He is probably best known for his coaching career where he won premierships in both Australia and England.-Playing career:...
had never lost a Cup Tie meant Wigan were huge favourites against the unfancied Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles RLFC are an English rugby league club based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Their home games are played at Bramall Lane after leaving Don Valley Stadium in late 2009....
. But on 2 May 1998 the Eagles would go down in rugby league history causing the biggest upset in the competition's history with a 17–8 win.
Wigan won the Minor Premiership and the first Super League Grand Final
1998 Super League Grand Final
The 1998 JJB Super League Grand Final was the first Grand Final of the Super League era, held on Saturday 24 October 1998, at Old Trafford, Manchester, United Kingdom. This was the first time the Rugby Football League Championship had been decided by play-off since the 1972–73 Rugby Football League...
in 1998 with a 10–4 victory over Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
at Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester.
In November 1999, coach Andy Goodway
Andy Goodway
Andy I. Goodway is an English former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for Oldham , Wigan, and Leeds in the Rugby League Premiership and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the NSWRL competition. He played as a , or /...
was sacked by Wigan chairman Maurice Lindsay after the Warriors' failure to win a trophy for the first time in 15 years. After a buy-out by Dave Whelan, both the Warriors and the town's football team, Wigan Athletic, moved to the JJB Stadium
JJB Stadium
The DW Stadium is a sports stadium in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, that is home to Wigan Athletic football club and Wigan Warriors rugby league club....
. As part of the rugby league's "on the road" scheme Wigan Warriors met Gateshead Thunder
Gateshead Thunder
Gateshead Thunder is a professional rugby league club based in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear in England. They currently play in the Championship 1 competition, the third tier of rugby league in the United Kingdom...
at Tynecastle
Tynecastle Stadium
Tynecastle Stadium is a football stadium situated in the Gorgie area of Edinburgh, Scotland, which is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Hearts. Tynecastle has a seating capacity of 17,420, which makes it the seventh largest football stadium in Scotland...
, Edinburgh. Maurice Lindsay also returned as director. On an emotional day of high drama Wigan's final game at Central Park
Central Park (Wigan)
Central Park was a rugby league stadium in Wigan, England. It was the home of Wigan RLFC before the club moved to the JJB Stadium in 1999. Its final capacity was 18,000.-History:...
was against arch rivals St Helens on Sunday 5 September 1999 . Wigan legend Ellery Hanley returned as St Helens coach but a Jason Robinson
Jason Robinson
Jason Thorpe Robinson OBE is an English former international rugby union and rugby league player of the 1990s and 2000s. Playing at wing or fullback, he won fifty-one rugby union international test caps in total for England, and in rugby league he won twelve caps for Great Britain and seven for...
virtuoso try meant the game was won by Wigan 28–20. The first game at the new stadium was a defeat in a Super League play-off match against Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...
on 19 September 1999.
Early 21st century
Frank EndacottFrank Endacott
Frank Morris Endacott, ONZM is a retired rugby league player and coach from New Zealand. His son, Shane, also played rugby league.-Playing career:Endacott played for Addington and Hornby in the Canterbury Rugby League competition...
joined Wigan Warriors as head coach after the 1999 season and coached them until 2001, when he was sacked.
In 2000 Wigan finished top of the Super League and reached the Grand Final for the second time but this time lost to St Helens 29–16. Wigan reached the Grand Final again the year after but lost to Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
37–4 which is still the biggest winning margin in a Super League Grand Final. That year Andy Farrell also set a new club record for points in a season with 429. In 2002 Wigan won their 17th Challenge Cup when they beat St Helens 21–12 at Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
, 8 years after previously lifting the cup.
Wigan coach Stuart Raper
Stuart Raper
Stuart Raper is an Australian former professional rugby league player and coach. He has since become a sideline commentator for the NRL with Foxsports...
was sacked as head coach of the club on 29 July 2003 due to a lack of success.
He was replaced by assistant coach Mike Gregory
Mike Gregory
Michael Keith "Mike" Gregory , was a rugby league player and later coach; the former head coach of Wigan and player for Warrington and Great Britain.-Playing career:...
and the team improved and reached the Grand Final only to lose to Bradford Bulls 25–12. In 2004 Gregory guided Wigan to the Challenge Cup final at the Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
in Cardiff but Wigan lost to St Helens 32–16. It was Mike Gregory's last match as head coach of Wigan, he travelled to the United States of America to get treatment for an illness that he contracted after an insect bite while in Australia.
It was revealed that Mike had motor neurone disease
Motor neurone disease
The motor neurone diseases are a group of neurological disorders that selectively affect motor neurones, the cells that control voluntary muscle activity including speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement of the body. They are generally progressive in nature, and can cause...
and he did not return as Wigan coach; he was not sacked but Wigan allowed his contract to expire. Mike felt that during 2004, he was able to return but the club blocked his return to work. Wigan also appointed Ian Millward
Ian Millward
Ian Millward is an Australian rugby league coach and former player. Millward is currently the head coach at Super League side Castleford....
as head coach. Wigan did not have the success they expected under Ian Millward and in 2006 Wigan were bottom of the league and facing relegation from Super League. Wigan sacked Millward and replaced him with Brian Noble
Brian Noble (rugby league)
Brian 'Nobby' D. Noble is an English former rugby league footballer. Noble is also the former coach of the Great Britain National Rugby League team. He was also the captain of the 1984 Great Britain touring team to Australia...
. Brian Noble signed Michael Dobson. and signed Stuart Fielden
Stuart Fielden
Stuart Fielden is an English professional rugby league footballer for Wigan of Super League...
from Bradford Bulls for a record fee of £450,000 Wigan avoided relegation in 2006 but still had problems with the salary cap which they had breached in 2005 and 2006. Some of the fans chose to blamed Wigan Chairman Maurice Lindsay for the lack of success and salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
problems at the club, Wigan were fined and docked points for exceeding the salary cap by £222,314. In 2007 Maurice Lindsay announced that he would step down as Wigan Chairman at the end of 2007 and later that month Dave Whelan announced he would consider selling the club at the end of the season. Harlequins RL chairman and lifelong Wigan rugby league fan Ian Lenagan
Ian Lenagan
Ian Lenagan is a Business entrepreneur, theatre producer and shareholder of Harlequins RL & Oxford United FC as well as chairman and owner of Wigan Warriors-Early life:...
bought the club from Dave Whelan promising to start a new era at Wigan Warriors. Ian Lenagan officially took over as chairman and owner on 1 December 2007.
The 2007 season saw Wigan reach the Challenge Cup Semi-Final losing out to Catalans Dragons by 24–37.
During the 2007 season, Wigan would go onto reach the Final Eliminator of the Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
play-offs. However, the team lost that particular match by 36–6 against Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
. The same fixture at the same stage of the 2008 season took place with Wigan coming out losers on that occasion also against Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
by 18–14.
Wigan confirmed via the official website that they had been granted charitable status on Wednesday 29 April 2009. This involves the club receiving extra funding to provide rugby league related activities to young people throughout the North West of England.
Wigan confirmed in an official club statement on Tuesday 23 June 2009 that Gareth Hock
Gareth Hock
Gareth Hock is an English rugby league player who currently plays for English club Wigan Warriors in the Super League competition. His primary position is as a second-row forward.-Early Years:...
tested positive for the primary metabolite of Cocaine; Benzoylecgonine
Benzoylecgonine
Benzoylecgonine is a topical analgesic and the main metabolite of cocaine.-History:Benzoylecgonine is used as the main pharmaceutical ingredient in the prescription drug Esterom, a topical solution used for the relief of muscle pain....
, following an 'A' sample taken following a match vs Salford on Friday 5 June 2009. Wigan also confirmed that Gareth Hock faces a two year ban, beginning June 2009, from the sport as sample 'B' came back positive. This is the first publicised incident of its kind in the club's history.
Wigan reached the Challenge Cup Semi-Final in 2009 losing out to Warrington Wolves by 26–39. The team also reached the Final Eliminator once again. This time, losing out to St.Helens by 14–10. Following that loss, Brian Noble
Brian Noble (rugby league)
Brian 'Nobby' D. Noble is an English former rugby league footballer. Noble is also the former coach of the Great Britain National Rugby League team. He was also the captain of the 1984 Great Britain touring team to Australia...
, then head coach confirmed his departure.
Michael Maguire
Michael Maguire (rugby league)
Michael Maguire is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the head coach of the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Australia's National Rugby League . After serving as assistant coach of the Melbourne Storm under Craig Bellamy, in 2009 he became the head coach of...
was appointed new Head Coach on 7 October 2009.
2010
Under new coach Michael MaguireMichael Maguire
Michael L. Maguire is an American actor, best known for his role as Enjolras in the original Broadway production of the musical Les Misérables. This role won him a Tony Award in 1987. It also won him a Drama Desk Award and a Theatre World Award...
Wigan started the new season with a 38 to 6 win over the Crusaders. Wigan won their opening 4 games to take them to the top of the Super League table. Wigan remained top of the league throughout the season
Super League XV
The 2010 Super League season was the fifteenth season of rugby league football since the Super League format was introduced in 1996. Fourteen teams competed for the League Leader's Shield over 27 rounds . All clubs also participated in the 2010 Challenge Cup tournament...
.
During 2010 the Wigan club won 3 pieces of silverware. These were the Floodlit 9s, Super League Grand Final and by becoming League Winners in a 18–38 away win against Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
on 22 August.
On 2 October they won the Super League Grand Final
2010 Super League Grand Final
The 2010 Super League Grand Final was the conclusive and championship-deciding game of Super League XV. Held on Saturday 2 October 2010, at Manchester's Old Trafford stadium, the match was contested by English clubs St Helens and Wigan Warriors...
, their first win since 1998
1998 Super League Grand Final
The 1998 JJB Super League Grand Final was the first Grand Final of the Super League era, held on Saturday 24 October 1998, at Old Trafford, Manchester, United Kingdom. This was the first time the Rugby Football League Championship had been decided by play-off since the 1972–73 Rugby Football League...
, beating St. Helens 22–10.
The club also swept the boards at the annual Man of Steel Award, with Sam Tomkins
Sam Tomkins
A pre-season unofficial friendly match provided Tomkins his first experience against top-flight opposition as he came off the bench during Lee Briers' testimonial match in a 30–22 loss to Warrington Wolves. Noble followed this up by providing Tomkins, aged 19, with his first team debut on 12 May...
winning young player of the year, Mike Maguire won the coach of the year award, Pat Richards
Pat Richards
Pat Richards is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of Europe's Super League. An Ireland and Exiles international representative winger, he previously played in the National Rugby League for Sydney clubs the Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers, winning the 2005...
won the Man of Steel award and the club won the club of the year award. On 6 August 2011, Wigan made it to the Challenge Cup final after beating St. Helens 18–12.
2011
On 27 August 2011, Wigan Warriors won the Challenge Cup final against Leeds Rhinos at Wembley Stadium.The final score was Wigan 28–18 Leeds. The match was the first visit to Wembley for Wigan in 13 years.
Colours, kits and sponsorships
Until 1886, the Wigan team played in blue and white hooped jerseys before changing the colours to cherry and white hoops. The colours cherry and white are synonymous with the club. From then, the home kits have consisted of the colours cherry and white in different variations, usually hoops. Over the years the home kits have consisted of a lighter shade of red rather than the cherry colour, however, even when this has been the case, the club has still been known as "the Cherry and Whites".The Away or Alternate kit colours have usually been blue and white. Some fans assume this is because Wigan originally played in these colours before the switch to the cherry and white hooped kits and it would therefore be appropriate that these colours became the club's secondary kit colours. The Away kits have been in different shades of blue over the years, royal blue, navy blue and light blue with varied designs. These designs have sometimes been hooped, one irregular hoop or just a block colour of blue. There have been a few exceptions, with a black and white alternative kit being used in 2001 and a black kit with red piping in 2007.
Wigan have only ever had three main shirt sponsors.
From the 1981 season the first sponsor to appear on the shirt was JJB Sports
JJB Sports
JJB Sports plc is a United Kingdom sports retailer. It currently operates 251 stores in the UK and Ireland.- History :The sportshop chain was founded in 1971, when ex-footballer Dave Whelan acquired a single sports shop in Wigan. The original store was established by JJ Broughton in the early...
. In 1989 the club had the jersey sponsor Norweb
NORWEB
Norweb PLC, originally the North West Electricity Board, was a British electricity supply and distribution company. It supplied electricity to about 4.7 million industrial, commercial and domestic customers in the North West of England. The Board was originally formed in 1948 as part of the...
on the front of the home and away jerseys which would remain the club sponsor until 1998 by which time the Norweb company had been merged into United Utilities. The following season Wigan was sponsored by Energi the electrical branch of Norweb
NORWEB
Norweb PLC, originally the North West Electricity Board, was a British electricity supply and distribution company. It supplied electricity to about 4.7 million industrial, commercial and domestic customers in the North West of England. The Board was originally formed in 1948 as part of the...
. In 2000 Wigan changed their kit sponsor to JJB Sports
JJB Sports
JJB Sports plc is a United Kingdom sports retailer. It currently operates 251 stores in the UK and Ireland.- History :The sportshop chain was founded in 1971, when ex-footballer Dave Whelan acquired a single sports shop in Wigan. The original store was established by JJ Broughton in the early...
. The owner of JJB sports Dave Whelan at the time was also the owner of the Wigan Rugby League club. JJB Sports remained the main sponsor of Wigan Warriors despite Dave Whelan selling the club in late 2007 and selling JJB Sports earlier in the same year. It was announced during the 2008 season that JJB would not be renewing the sponsorship contract for the 2009 season. It was announced on 24 January 2009 via the club's e-news facility that the new sponsor would be Meccabingo.com.
Wigan has had a number of kit manufacturers including Umbro
Umbro
Umbro is an English sportswear and football equipment supplier based in Cheadle, Greater Manchester, England. The company is now part of Nike. Umbro designs, sources, and markets sport-related apparel, footwear, and equipment...
, Puma
PUMA AG
Puma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces high-end athletic shoes, lifestyle footwear and other sportswear. Formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, relationships between the two brothers deteriorated until the two...
, Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
and Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
. When JJB became the shirt sponsor the kit manufacturer was usually an associate of JJB Sports at the time. Wigan’s 2000 kit was made by Adidas who also sponsored the East Stand at the JJB Stadium but when the association with JJB ended, the kits were made by Patrick, Dave Whelan's own clothing company. In 2006 and 2007 the kit manufacturer became JJB Sports itself which meant that the kits had JJB Sports as the main sponsor and as the kit manufacturer. The kit manufacturer changed to KooGa
KooGa
KooGa is an Australia-based rugby apparel company. It was established in December 1999. The company is headquartered in Labrador on the Gold Coast of Queensland, with other Australian offices as well as a UK office in Rochdale, Greater Manchester....
for the 2008 season. KooGa
KooGa
KooGa is an Australia-based rugby apparel company. It was established in December 1999. The company is headquartered in Labrador on the Gold Coast of Queensland, with other Australian offices as well as a UK office in Rochdale, Greater Manchester....
itself though is 48% owned by JJB Sports.
In 2008, Wigan signed a three year deal with KooGa
KooGa
KooGa is an Australia-based rugby apparel company. It was established in December 1999. The company is headquartered in Labrador on the Gold Coast of Queensland, with other Australian offices as well as a UK office in Rochdale, Greater Manchester....
which will mean KooGa
KooGa
KooGa is an Australia-based rugby apparel company. It was established in December 1999. The company is headquartered in Labrador on the Gold Coast of Queensland, with other Australian offices as well as a UK office in Rochdale, Greater Manchester....
will be kit manufacturer for seasons 2009, 2010 and 2011. It was the largest kit deal signed in the club's history and believed to be one of the biggest ever in rugby league history.
In November 2008 Wigan also announced that the club would be producing a limited edition shirt, with £5 from each shirt sale going to Wigan & Leigh Hospice.
In January 2009 the shirts for the 2009 season were unveiled. The home kit was a return to a darker shade of the colour red which is known as 'cherry' red. The home kit consisted of the traditional club colours of cherry and white hoops. The replica shirts which are sold to the fans had full hoops all the way around whilst the players shirts had a white panel on the back so that the name and number could be displayed and viewed easily. The away shirt was blue with one wide irregular white semi-hoop which was across the front of the shirt but did not stretch to the back.
Wigan continue with a variation of the cherry and white hoops for the 2010 home kit with the away kit returning to a mainly black kit featuring silver slashes.
The 'Home' kit for the 2011 season was revealed on 18 November 2010. An official description of the shirt was released on the clubs website. 'The distinctive new design is a break from tradition and features shaded cherry-to-white irregular hoops. It also incorporates white flashes over the chest and hips which are designed to accentuate the shoulders and shrink the waist making the Warriors look even bigger and more fearsome than before.
The KooGa shirt, which will display the logo of new Main Sponsor Applicado-FS across the chest, will be worn with cherry red shorts and cherry red socks both with white flashes.'
The club opened an official club shop in the Grand Arcade, Wigan as an outlet for selling merchandise, on 9 December 2009 with an official opening taking place on 10 December 2009. The shop replaces the old club shop situated on Hilton Street.
Stadiums
Wigan Football Club played on Folly Field, Upper Dicconson Street. The club played its first match at Folly Field on 30 November 1872 and remained at the ground for four years. Wigan Football Club went onto become Wigan & District Football Club, the newly named Wigan & District Football Club played its matches at Prescott Street. The club played at Prescott Street until the club disbanded. With the reformation of the Club as Wigan Wasps Football Club, the club returned to Folly Field from 1879–1886 when it moved its matches back to Prescott Street.Wigan played their home games at Wigan Cricket Club on Prescott Street until 1901 when they moved to Springfield Park which they shared with the town's association soccer club Wigan United A.F.C. The first rugby match at Springfield Park was played on 14 September 1901 and was between Wigan and Morecambe in front of 4,000 spectators. The record rugby attendance for the ground was 10,000 achieved on 19 March 1902 when Wigan beat Widnes. Forty days later Wigan played their last game at Springfield Park when they defeated the Rest of Lancashire Senior Competition.
Central Park (Wigan)
Central Park was a rugby league stadium in Wigan, England. It was the home of Wigan RLFC before the club moved to the JJB Stadium in 1999. Its final capacity was 18,000.-History:...
. Wigan played their first game at Central Park against Batley
Batley Bulldogs
Batley Bulldogs are an English professional rugby league club from Batley, West Yorkshire. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Batley is one of the original twenty-two rugby football clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895...
on 6 September 1902 which Wigan won 14–8. Central Park would be the home of Wigan Rugby League until 1999 when they moved to the newly built JJB Stadium
JJB Stadium
The DW Stadium is a sports stadium in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, that is home to Wigan Athletic football club and Wigan Warriors rugby league club....
. The last match at Central Park was against St Helens on 5 September 1999, a game which Wigan won 28–20 in front of 18,179 supporters. As Wigan developed into one of the most famous rugby league clubs in the world, Central Park
Central Park (Wigan)
Central Park was a rugby league stadium in Wigan, England. It was the home of Wigan RLFC before the club moved to the JJB Stadium in 1999. Its final capacity was 18,000.-History:...
also became one of the most famous rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
venues.
Wigan now play their home games at the 25,000 all-seater DW Stadium (formerly JJB Stadium) at Robin Park, Wigan. Their first game at the JJB Stadium was a Super League play-off match against Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...
which Wigan lost 14–10. The DW Stadium is shared by both Wigan Warriors Rugby League club and Wigan Athletic Football Club: the football club are soon to become owners but as a guarantee to Wigan Rugby League, the rugby club was given a 50 year lease on the stadium so that the club could still use the stadium, as part of a stadium share, when Whelan sold the club in 2007.
Wigan also have a state-of-the-art training facility at the small stadium Edge Hall Road
Edge Hall Road
The Co-operative Community Stadium is the Wigan Warriors Rugby League club's high performance training complex and the home ground of the Wigan Warriors Senior Academy and Junior Academy teams and the former home ground of Orrell R.U.F.C.. The ground is located in the Orrell district of the...
in Orrell (now named the Co-Operative Community Stadium) where the first team, reserve team & academy team prepare, train and rehabilitate ahead of and after matches. It is also where the Reserve & Academy sides play their home games.
Honours
- World Club ChallengeWorld Club ChallengeThe World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league football match held between the champions of the Australasian National Rugby League and the European Super League competitions to determine the world's best rugby league club...
Winners: 19871987 World Club ChallengeThe 1987 World Club Challenge was only the second game of its kind to be played between Britain's and Australia's respective domestic rugby league champions...
, 19911991 World Club ChallengeThe 1991 World Club Challenge was contested by 1990–91 RFL Championship winners, Wigan and 1991 NSWRL season premiers, the Penrith Panthers. The match was played on a dry Wednesday the 2nd of October, 1991 at Anfield, Liverpool...
, 19941994 World Club ChallengeThe 1994 MMI World Club Challenge was a replay of the 1992 World Club Challenge, with 1993–94 Rugby Football League season champions Wigan facing the 1993 NSWRL season premiers, the Brisbane Broncos, this time in Australia. Wigan were clearly the dominant club in the English game, having won the...
.
- World Club ChallengeWorld Club ChallengeThe World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league football match held between the champions of the Australasian National Rugby League and the European Super League competitions to determine the world's best rugby league club...
Runners-Up: 19921992 World Club ChallengeThe 1992 World Club Challenge match was contested by the 1991–92 Rugby Football League season champions Wigan and the 1992 NSWRL season's premiers, the Brisbane Broncos...
, 2011
- Super LeagueSuper LeagueSuper League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
Champions: 1998, 2010.
- Super LeagueSuper LeagueSuper League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
Runners-Up: 1996, 2000, 2001, 2003.
- Super LeagueSuper LeagueSuper League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
Minor PremiershipLeague Leader's ShieldThe League Leader’s Shield, often called The Hubcap is a trophy awarded to the team finishing the season top of Super League in the sport of rugby league football. Currently the championship is decided on the basis of a play-off series, and the Shield is thus regarded as a lesser prize...
Winners: 1998, 2000, 2010.
- League Championship Winners: 1908/09, 1921/22, 1925/26, 1933/34, 1945/46, 1946/47, 1949/50, 1951/52, 1959/60, 1986/87, 1989/90, 1990/91, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1993/94, 1994/95, 1995/96.
- League Championship Runners-Up: 1909/10, 1910/11, 1911/12, 1912/13, 1923/24, 1963/64, 1970/71, 1974/75, 1985/86, 1988/89.
- Challenge CupChallenge CupThe Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
Winners: 1923/24, 1928/29, 1947/48, 1950/51, 1957/58, 1958/59, 1964/65, 1984/85, 1987/88, 1988/89, 1989/90, 1990/91, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1993/94, 1994/95, 2002, 2011.
- Challenge CupChallenge CupThe Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
Runners-Up: 1910/11, 1919/20, 1943/44, 1945/46, 1960/61, 1962/63, 1965/66, 1969/70, 1983/84, 1998, 2004.
- Lancashire LeagueRugby league county leaguesThe Yorkshire League and the Lancashire League formed two sections of the Rugby Football League Championship for much of its history. Initially, the 22 clubs that broke away in 1895 played in one combined league, however the following season saw the addition of many clubs, and the League was split...
Winners: 1901/02, 1908/09, 1910/11, 1911/12, 1912/13, 1913/14, 1914/15, 1920/21, 1922/23, 1923/24, 1925/26, 1945/46, 1946/47, 1949/50, 1951/52, 1958/59, 1961/62, 1969/70.
- Lancashire CupRugby league county cupsHistorically, British rugby league clubs competed for the Lancashire Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, known collectively as the county cups. The leading rugby clubs in Yorkshire had played in a cup competition for several years prior to the schism of 1895...
Winners: 1905/06, 1908/09, 1909/10, 1912/13, 1922/23, 1928/29, 1938/39, 1946/47, 1947/48, 1948/49, 1949/50, 1950/51, 1951/52, 1966/67, 1971/72, 1973/74, 1985/86, 1986/87, 1987/88, 1988/89, 1992/93.
- Lancashire CupRugby league county cupsHistorically, British rugby league clubs competed for the Lancashire Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, known collectively as the county cups. The leading rugby clubs in Yorkshire had played in a cup competition for several years prior to the schism of 1895...
Runners-Up: 1913/14, 1914/15, 1925/26, 1927/28, 1930/31, 1934/35, 1935/36, 1936/37, 1945/46, 1953/54, 1957/58, 1977/78, 1980/81, 1984/85.
- PremiershipRugby League PremiershipThe Rugby League Premiership was a competition for British rugby league clubs that operated between 1973 and 1995. As the Super League Premiership the competition continued to operate until 1997....
Winners: 1986/87, 1991/92, 1993/94, 1994/95, 1996, 1997.
- PremiershipRugby League PremiershipThe Rugby League Premiership was a competition for British rugby league clubs that operated between 1973 and 1995. As the Super League Premiership the competition continued to operate until 1997....
Runners-Up: 1992/93.
- Regal TrophyRegal TrophyThe Regal Trophy was a knock-out competition for British rugby league football clubs between 1971 and 1996.It was initially for professional clubs with the exception of two amateur teams who were finalists of the BARLA National Cup...
Winners: 1982/83, 1985/86, 1986/87, 1988/89, 1989/90, 1992/93, 1994/95, 1995/96.
- Regal TrophyRegal TrophyThe Regal Trophy was a knock-out competition for British rugby league football clubs between 1971 and 1996.It was initially for professional clubs with the exception of two amateur teams who were finalists of the BARLA National Cup...
Runners-Up: 1993/94.
- Charity ShieldRugby League Charity Shield (Great Britain)The Rugby League Charity Shield was a trophy for British rugby league clubs that was held as a one-off match at the beginning of a new season. It was modelled on English football's Charity Shield, and was held between 1985 and 1995. Normally the team that had won last season's championship would...
Winners: 1985/86, 1987/1988, 1991/92, 1995/96.
- Charity ShieldRugby League Charity Shield (Great Britain)The Rugby League Charity Shield was a trophy for British rugby league clubs that was held as a one-off match at the beginning of a new season. It was modelled on English football's Charity Shield, and was held between 1985 and 1995. Normally the team that had won last season's championship would...
Runners-Up: 1988/89, 1989/90, 1990/91, 1992/93.
- BBC2 Floodlit TrophyBBC2 Floodlit TrophyThe BBC2 Floodlit Trophy was a competition for British rugby league clubs held between 1965 and 1980. It was designed specifically for television, and the then director of BBC2, broadcaster David Attenborough, was instrumental in its creation...
Winners: 1968/69.
- BBC2 Floodlit TrophyBBC2 Floodlit TrophyThe BBC2 Floodlit Trophy was a competition for British rugby league clubs held between 1965 and 1980. It was designed specifically for television, and the then director of BBC2, broadcaster David Attenborough, was instrumental in its creation...
Runners-Up: 1969/70.
- Rugby League World 7sRugby League World SevensThe Rugby League World Sevens, usually referred to as the World Sevens and sometimes as the World Cup Sevens, were a pre-season rugby league sevens tournament made up over the years primarily of New South Wales Rugby League , Australian Rugby League and mostly recently National Rugby League ...
Winners: 1991–92.
- Middlesex Rugby Union 7sMiddlesex 7sThe Middlesex Sevens is a rugby union sevens tournament held annually at Twickenham stadium in London, England. It was first held in 1926, and started by Dr J.A. Russell-Cargill, a London based Scot...
Winners: 1996.
- Carnegie Floodlit 9s Winners: 2010.
- War Emergency League Winners: 1943/44.
- Lancashire War League Winners: 1940/41.
- League Leaders Trophy Winners: 1970/71.
- West Lancashire Cup Winners: 1884/85.
- BBC Sports Team of the Year: 1994.
Individual
- Most goals in a match: 22 by Jim Sullivan vs Flimby & Fothergill, 14 February 1925
- Most tries in a match: 10 by:
- Martin OffiahMartin OffiahMartin Offiah MBE is an English former rugby league and rugby union footballer.He is known as "Chariots" Offiah after the film Chariots of Fire...
vs LeedsLeeds RhinosLeeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
, 10 May 1992 - Shaun EdwardsShaun EdwardsShaun Edwards OBE is an English rugby union coach and former rugby league player. He is defence coach of Wales, a post he has held since 2008. In November 2011 he left London Wasps after 10 years with the club, latterly as head coach....
vs SwintonSwinton LionsSwinton Lions is an English professional rugby league club from Swinton, Greater Manchester. The club has won the Championship six times and three Challenge Cups. They currently play in the Championship.-Early years:...
, 29 September 1992
- Martin Offiah
- Most points in a match: 44 by Jim Sullivan vs Flimby & Fothergill, 14 February 1925
- Most goals in a season: 186 by Frano BoticaFrano BoticaFrano Michael Botica is a former rugby union and rugby league player who represented his country at both sports and also played for Croatia in a rugby union world cup qualifying match.-Rugby union:...
, 1994-5 - Most tries in a season: 62 by Johnny Ring, 1925-6
- Most tries in a Super LeagueSuper LeagueSuper League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
regular season: 29 by Pat RichardsPat RichardsPat Richards is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of Europe's Super League. An Ireland and Exiles international representative winger, he previously played in the National Rugby League for Sydney clubs the Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers, winning the 2005...
, 2010 - Most points in a season: 462 by:
- Pat RichardsPat RichardsPat Richards is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of Europe's Super League. An Ireland and Exiles international representative winger, he previously played in the National Rugby League for Sydney clubs the Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers, winning the 2005...
2010
- Pat Richards
- Most career goals: 2317 by Jim Sullivan
- Most career tries: 478 by Billy BostonBilly BostonWilliam John "Billy" Boston MBE is a former Wales and Great Britain professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer. Boston is a member of the Rugby League Hall of Fame, Welsh Sports Hall of Fame and was, along with Shaun Edwards the first to be voted into the Wigan Hall Of Fame...
- Most career points: 4883 by Jim Sullivan
- Most career appearances: 774 by Jim Sullivan
- Most International Test caps: 36 by Shaun EdwardsShaun EdwardsShaun Edwards OBE is an English rugby union coach and former rugby league player. He is defence coach of Wales, a post he has held since 2008. In November 2011 he left London Wasps after 10 years with the club, latterly as head coach....
(Great Britain)
- Most decorated player: Shaun Edwards; 8 Championships, 9 Challenge Cups, 3 World Club Challenges.
Team
- Biggest victory: 116–0 vs Flimby & Fothergill, 14 February 1925
- Highest attendance: 47,747 vs St Helens, 27 March 1959
- Highest attendance, for rugby league, at the JJB: 25,004 (Good Friday 2005 vs St Helens)
- Biggest defeat......75–0 away to St Helens.
Current coaching staff
Shaun WaneShaun Wane
Shaun D. Wane is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s, and current coach at Wigan Warriors. He played at representative level for Great Britain, and at club level for Wigan St Patricks, Wigan, Leeds, and Workington Town, playing at , /, i.e...
was officially confirmed as new Wigan Warriors on 11 October 2011. It was confirmed at a press conference at the DW Stadium.
The current lead assistant coach at Wigan is Iestyn Harris
Iestyn Harris
Iestyn Rhys Harris is a Welsh former rugby league footballer, who is currently the assistant coach at Wigan Warriors. Harris is a former Man of Steel winner and has also represented Wales on numerous occasions at both codes of rugby...
and the Head of Strength & Conditioning is Mark Bitcon. Mick Turner will continue as a Strength & Conditioning coach.
Paul Deacon has also been appointed as an assistant coach after his role as a player in the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
Kris Radlinski is the current Rugby General Manager at the club.
Coaching Register
| Name | Contract Started | Contract Ended | Reason For Leaving | Honours* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Shaun Wane Shaun Wane Shaun D. Wane is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s, and current coach at Wigan Warriors. He played at representative level for Great Britain, and at club level for Wigan St Patricks, Wigan, Leeds, and Workington Town, playing at , /, i.e... |
October 2011 | Present | ||
 |
Michael Maguire Michael Maguire (rugby league) Michael Maguire is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the head coach of the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Australia's National Rugby League . After serving as assistant coach of the Melbourne Storm under Craig Bellamy, in 2009 he became the head coach of... |
October 2009 | October 2011 | Left to coach South Sydney | 1 Championship, 1 Challenge Cup |
| |
Brian Noble Brian Noble (rugby league) Brian 'Nobby' D. Noble is an English former rugby league footballer. Noble is also the former coach of the Great Britain National Rugby League team. He was also the captain of the 1984 Great Britain touring team to Australia... |
April 2006 | October 2009 | Contract not renewed | |
| |
Ian Millward Ian Millward Ian Millward is an Australian rugby league coach and former player. Millward is currently the head coach at Super League side Castleford.... |
May 2005 | April 2006 | Sacked | |
| |
Denis Betts Denis Betts Denis C. Betts is an English rugby league coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Widnes Vikings in the Engage Super League. He played for Wigan in the Rugby League Premiership and the Australian NRL, for the Auckland Warriors, and also represented England at the 1995 Rugby... |
May 2004 | May 2005 | Resigned | |
| |
Mike Gregory Mike Gregory Michael Keith "Mike" Gregory , was a rugby league player and later coach; the former head coach of Wigan and player for Warrington and Great Britain.-Playing career:... |
July 2003 | May 2004 | Sick leave | |
| |
Stuart Raper Stuart Raper Stuart Raper is an Australian former professional rugby league player and coach. He has since become a sideline commentator for the NRL with Foxsports... |
May 2001 | July 2003 | Sacked | 1 Challenge Cup |
 |
Frank Endacott Frank Endacott Frank Morris Endacott, ONZM is a retired rugby league player and coach from New Zealand. His son, Shane, also played rugby league.-Playing career:Endacott played for Addington and Hornby in the Canterbury Rugby League competition... |
December 1999 | May 2001 | Sacked | |
| |
Andy Goodway Andy Goodway Andy I. Goodway is an English former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for Oldham , Wigan, and Leeds in the Rugby League Premiership and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the NSWRL competition. He played as a , or /... |
June 1999 | December 1999 | Sacked | |
| |
John Monie John Monie John Monie is a former professional rugby league coach and player. He is probably best known for his coaching career where he won premierships in both Australia and England.-Playing career:... |
November 1997 | June 1999 | Sacked | 1 Championship |
| |
Eric Hughes Eric Hughes Eric Hughes was a rugby league footballer for the Widnes Vikings, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and for the Great Britain national side. He unwittingly added confusion to the Canterbury side as he played at the same time as the three Hughes brothers Garry, Graeme and Mark.Hughes coached Rochdale... |
February 1997 | November 1997 | Sacked | |
| |
Graeme West Graeme West Graeme Leonard West is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer and coach. Standing at six-foot, five inches, he played in the forwards, captaining English club Wigan... |
May 1994 | February 1997 | Sacked | 2 Championships, 1 Challenge Cup, 1 World Club Challenge |
| |
John Dorahy John Dorahy John Dorahy is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. He played in the Australian New South Wales Rugby League premiership and also represented for NSW Country, New South Wales Origin and Australia. Dorahy later played and coached in the English Rugby Football League... |
June 1993 | May 1994 | Sacked | 1 Championship, 1 Challenge Cup |
| |
John Monie John Monie John Monie is a former professional rugby league coach and player. He is probably best known for his coaching career where he won premierships in both Australia and England.-Playing career:... |
September 1989 | May 1993 | Resigned | 4 Championships, 4 Challenge Cups, 1 World Club Challenge |
| |
Graham Lowe | August 1986 | June 1989 | Family reasons | 1 Championship, 2 Challenge Cups, 1 World Club Challenge |
| |
Colin Clarke Colin Clarke (rugby league) Colin Clarke is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s and '70s, and coach of the 1980s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and at club level for Wigan, playing at , i.e. number 9, during the era of contested scrums, and at club level has coached... /Alan McInnes |
August 1984 | May 1986 | Left – mutual consent | 1 Challenge Cup |
| |
Alex Murphy Alex Murphy (rugby league) Alex J. Murphy OBE is an English former professional rugby league footballer and coach of the mid to late 20th century... |
June 1982 | August 1984 | Sacked | |
| |
Maurice Bamford Maurice Bamford Maurice Bamford is a former rugby league player and coach. He also went on to write several books on rugby league.-Playing career:He attended Sacred Heart Roman Catholic School in Leeds... |
May 1981 | May 1982 | Resigned | |
| |
George Fairbairn George Fairbairn (rugby league) George Fairbairn is a Scottish former rugby league footballer and coach. He played club football for Wigan, winning the Man of Steel Award in 1980. Fairbairn was also the fullback and goal-kicker for the Great Britain national team, however he represented the English national team several times,... |
April 1980 | May 1981 | Sold | |
 |
Kel Coslett Kel Coslett Kelvin "Kel" Coslett is a Welsh former rugby footballer and coach. He was a national representative player for Wales in both rugby league and rugby union, a dual-code international.-Rugby union:... |
October 1979 | April 1980 | Left wanted to coach St Helens | |
| |
Vince Karalius Vince Karalius Vincent Peter Patrick Karalius was an English professional Rugby League World Cup winning and coach who forged a fearsome reputation both as a strong runner of the ball, and as a devastating tackler.-Club career:... |
September 1976 | September 1979 | Resigned | |
| |
Joe Coan | January 1975 | September 1976 | Resigned | |
| |
Ted Toohey | May 1974 | January 1975 | Caretaker | |
| Graham Starkey | June 1973 | May 1974 | Sacked | ||
| |
Eric Ashton Eric Ashton Eric Ashton MBE was an English professional Rugby League World Cup-winning footballer of the 1950s and '60s and later a coach. He played his whole first grade football career for Wigan along with at times both captaining and coaching them; his position of choice was right centre... |
September 1963 | May 1973 | Resigned | 1 Challenge Cup |
| Griff Jenkins | October 1961 | September 1963 | Resigned | ||
| John "Johnny" Lawrenson John Lawrenson John "Johnnie"/"Johnny" Lawrenson was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s, '40s and '50s, and coach of the 1960s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Wigan, and Workington Town, playing at , i.e... |
September 1961 | October 1961 | Caretaker | ||
| |
Jim Sullivan | July 1961 | September 1961 | Ill-Health | |
| |
Joe Egan Joe Egan (rugby league) Joe Egan is an English former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for Wigan from 1938 to 1950. In the 1948 Challenge Cup final Wigan defeated Bradford Northern 8-3 and Egan was the first captain to receive the trophy from a reigning monarch, King George VI. He was a member of the 1946... |
August 1956 | May 1961 | Resigned | 1 Championship, 2 Challenge Cups |
| Edward "Ted" Ward Ted Ward Edward "Ted" H. Ward was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s, '40s and 50s, and coach of the 1950s, who at club level played rugby union for Llanelli RFC, and at representative level played rugby league for Great Britain, and Wales, and at club level for... |
August 1953 | End of 1956 | Resigned | ||
| Maurice Hughes Maurice Hughes Maurice Hughes is an American soccer player currently playing for Northern Virginia Royals in the USL Premier Development League.-College and Amateur:... |
August 1952 | End of 1953 | Sacked | ||
| |
Jim Sullivan | October 1932 | End of 1952 | Resigned | 5 Championships, 2 Challenge Cups |
Note *only Championship, Challenge Cup and World Club Challenge honours shown.
Notable players
In 2005 during the tenth season of the current Super LeagueSuper League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
championship format, the fans of Wigan RLFC voted for their best thirteen players of the 'Nineties'
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
and the 'Noughties', called the Team of the Decade. This is a list of the ballot's resulting thirteen players.
| No. | Player name | Position | Years at club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kris Radlinski Kris Radlinski Kris Radlinski MBE is a former English rugby league and who played for his hometown club Wigan Warriors throughout his career and also represented Great Britain. He is of Polish descent.-Playing career:... (MBE) |
1993–2006 | |
| 2 | Jason Robinson Jason Robinson Jason Thorpe Robinson OBE is an English former international rugby union and rugby league player of the 1990s and 2000s. Playing at wing or fullback, he won fifty-one rugby union international test caps in total for England, and in rugby league he won twelve caps for Great Britain and seven for... (OBE) Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... |
1992–2000 | |
| 3 | Va'aiga Tuigamala Va'aiga Tuigamala Va'aiga Lealuga Tuigamala MNZM is a Samoan rugby footballer. As well as playing for the All Blacks, he represented Samoa in both rugby union and rugby league, playing at centre and wing... (MNZM) New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five... |
1993–1996 | |
| 4 | Gary Connolly Gary Connolly Gary J. Connolly was a rugby league full back who later played at centre for St Helens, Canterbury Bulldogs, Wigan Warriors, Leeds Rhinos and for the Great Britain national side. In the twilight of his career, he played rugby union for Irish side Munster.Connolly was a dependable centre capable of... |
1992–2002, 2004 | |
| 5 | Martin Offiah Martin Offiah Martin Offiah MBE is an English former rugby league and rugby union footballer.He is known as "Chariots" Offiah after the film Chariots of Fire... (MBE) |
1991–1996 | |
| 6 | Henry Paul Henry Paul Henry Paul , is a dual code rugby international. Paul has previously represented New Zealand in rugby league and England in rugby union XV's and 7's. He currently holds the world record for the most consecutive kicks on the field.Paul's usual position is loose forward/Lock. He can also operate in... |
1994–1998 | |
| 7 | Shaun Edwards Shaun Edwards Shaun Edwards OBE is an English rugby union coach and former rugby league player. He is defence coach of Wales, a post he has held since 2008. In November 2011 he left London Wasps after 10 years with the club, latterly as head coach.... (OBE) Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... |
1983–1996 | |
| 8 | Craig Smith Craig Smith (rugby league born 1971) Craig Smith is a former professional rugby league footballer. He formerly played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Illawarra Steelers, St. George Illawarra Dragons and the Newcastle Knights as well as representing New Zealand and Queensland... |
2002–2004 | |
| 9 | Terry Newton Terry Newton Terry Newton was an English international rugby league player. He played for Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors, Bradford Bulls and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, and was one of a handful of players to feature in each of the first 15 seasons of Super League... |
2000–2005 | |
| 10 | Terry O'Connor Terry O'Connor (rugby league) Terry O'Connor is an English former rugby league footballer. His position was , or .-Career:A native of Widnes, O'Connor was picked up from local Widnes side St Maries after also playing for Widnes Tigers. He was a former barla international and toured NZ with them in 1991... |
1994–2004 | |
| 11 | Denis Betts Denis Betts Denis C. Betts is an English rugby league coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Widnes Vikings in the Engage Super League. He played for Wigan in the Rugby League Premiership and the Australian NRL, for the Auckland Warriors, and also represented England at the 1995 Rugby... |
1986–1995, 1998–2001 | |
| 12 | Mick Cassidy Mick Cassidy Michael "Mick" D. Cassidy, is an English former rugby league player. Cassidy is currently the fitness coach for the Widnes Vikings after retring from the game in 2008. Cassidy had a wealth experience with the dominant Wigan side of the early to mid-90s. Cassidy is a Great Britain representative... |
1990–2004 | |
| 13 | Andy Farrell (OBE) Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... |
1991–2004 |
The club also has its own Hall of Fame
Wigan RL Hall of Fame
The Wigan Warriors Hall of Fame honours outstanding players who have played for the Wigan Warriors and been integral to the club's success from its foundation in 1872 to the present...
for players the club recognises as having made a significant contribution to its success, especially during the late 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
and early 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
when the club entered the most successful period in its history trophy-wise. There are currently ten members of the Wigan RLFC Hall of Fame.
| Player name | Position(s) | Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Eric Ashton Eric Ashton Eric Ashton MBE was an English professional Rugby League World Cup-winning footballer of the 1950s and '60s and later a coach. He played his whole first grade football career for Wigan along with at times both captaining and coaching them; his position of choice was right centre... (MBE) |
Link | |
| Dean Bell Dean Bell Dean Bell is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer and coach. A New Zealand international representative centre, he played his club football in England, Australia and New Zealand, but most notably with Wigan, with whom he won seven consecutive Challenge Cup finals, a Lance Todd Trophy and a... |
Link | |
| Billy Boston Billy Boston William John "Billy" Boston MBE is a former Wales and Great Britain professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer. Boston is a member of the Rugby League Hall of Fame, Welsh Sports Hall of Fame and was, along with Shaun Edwards the first to be voted into the Wigan Hall Of Fame... (MBE) |
Link | |
| Shaun Edwards Shaun Edwards Shaun Edwards OBE is an English rugby union coach and former rugby league player. He is defence coach of Wales, a post he has held since 2008. In November 2011 he left London Wasps after 10 years with the club, latterly as head coach.... (OBE) Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... |
Link | |
| Joe Egan Joe Egan (rugby league) Joe Egan is an English former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for Wigan from 1938 to 1950. In the 1948 Challenge Cup final Wigan defeated Bradford Northern 8-3 and Egan was the first captain to receive the trophy from a reigning monarch, King George VI. He was a member of the 1946... |
Link | |
| Ken Gee Ken Gee Kenneth Gee was an English rugby league footballer of the 1930s, '40s and 50s, who at representaive level played for Great Britain winning 17-caps between 1946 and 1951, England winning 18-caps between 1943 and 1951, and Lancashire, and at club level for Wigan, playing at , i.e... |
Link | |
| Andy Gregory Andy Gregory Andrew "Andy" Gregory is an English former rugby league footballer. A Great Britain international representative /, he is an inductee of the Wigan Hall of Fame... |
Link | |
| Ellery Hanley Ellery Hanley Ellery Cuthwyn Hanley MBE is a British former rugby league footballer of the 1970s, 80s and 90s, and former head coach of Great Britain, St. Helens and Doncaster. As a player he played most of his games at /, or /. Over a period of nineteen years, he played for Bradford Northern, Wigan, Balmain,... (MBE) |
Link | |
| Brian McTigue Brian McTigue Brian McTigue was an English professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer of the 1950s and 60s. He is a Wigan RL Hall of Fame member and is considered to be one of the greatest forwards in Great Britain's history.... |
Link | |
| Jim Sullivan | Link |
2012 Squad
*Announced on 12/11/112012 Transfers
Gains| Player | Previous Club | Contract | Date Signed |
|---|---|---|---|
 Epalahame LauakiEpalahame Lauaki Epalahame Lauaki is a professional rugby league footballer formerly contracted to English club Hull in the Super League. He is brother of All Black Sione Lauaki... |
Hull FC Hull FC Hull Football Club, commonly referred to as Hull or Hull FC, is a professional rugby league football club established in 1865 and based in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The club plays in the Super League competition... |
3 Years | November 2011 |
| Gil Dudson Gil Dudson Gil Dudson is a Wales international rugby league player for the Wigan Warriors in the Super League having signed for Wigan for the 2012 season. He plays in the second-row.-International honours:... |
Crusaders RL | 2 Years | November 2011 |
| Ben Flower Ben Flower Ben Flower is a Wales international rugby league player for Wigan Warriors and the Wales national rugby league team. He previously played for Crusaders. He plays in the second-row.... |
Crusaders RL | 2 Years | November 2011 |
| Rhodri Lloyd Rhodri Lloyd Rhodri Lloyd is a Welsh professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for Wigan Warriors in the Super League , and at international level for Wales. He previously played for South Wales Scorpions.... |
South Wales Scorpions South Wales Scorpions South Wales Scorpions Rugby League Football Club is a professional rugby league club formed in 2009, based in Neath, Wales. They are owned by a consortium of South Wales businessmen, led by Phil Davies... |
2 Years | November 2011 |
Losses
| Player | Signed for | When left |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Gleeson Martin Gleeson Martin Gleeson is an English professional rugby league footballer, who plays for Hull in the Super League. A Great Britain and England international representative , and /, he previously played for Wigan Warriors, Huddersfield Giants, St. Helens and Warrington... |
Hull FC Hull FC Hull Football Club, commonly referred to as Hull or Hull FC, is a professional rugby league football club established in 1865 and based in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The club plays in the Super League competition... |
May 2011 |
| Ryan Hoffman Ryan Hoffman Ryan Hoffman is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the Super League... |
Melbourne Storm Melbourne Storm The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria.... |
October 2011 |
| Paul Deacon Paul Deacon Paul Deacon is a retired rugby league footballer. He previously played for Bradford Bulls from 1998 until joining his hometown club Wigan Warriors in 2010... |
Retire | October 2011 |
| Andy Coley Andy Coley Andy Coley is a rugby league player who plays for Wigan Warriors. He previously played at Salford City Reds before transferring after six years at the club... |
Retire | October 2011 |
| Eamon O'Carroll Eamon O'Carroll Eamon O'Carroll is a rugby league player for Wigan Warriors. Eamon progressed through the Wigan academy at Wigan Warriors in after signing for the club in 2002 from Waterhead RL to eventually find himself playing prop during the 2005 and 2006 seasons.... |
Hull FC Hull FC Hull Football Club, commonly referred to as Hull or Hull FC, is a professional rugby league football club established in 1865 and based in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The club plays in the Super League competition... |
October 2011 |
| Ben Cross Ben Cross Ben Cross is a British actor of the stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of the British Olympic athlete Harold Abrahams in the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire.-Early life:... |
Widnes Vikings Widnes Vikings Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward... |
October 2011 |
| Ben Davies Ben Davies (rugby league) Benjamin "Danger" Davies is a professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Wigan Warriors in the Super League. He is a prop by preference and signed for the club from local amateur team Leigh East... |
Widnes Vikings Widnes Vikings Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward... |
October 2011 |
Supporters
Wigan is one of the most well supported British rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
clubs. During the 2006 season, in which the team was struggling to avoid relegation, the attendances were increasing as fans came to support the club and offer vocal support, many of whom may have not attended on a regular basis previously.
The club averaged 16,016 per home game in 2007. In 2010 Wigan were officially the best supported club in Super League with a higher average attendance than nearest rivals Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
.
As a gesture of thanks, the 2008 season saw the Wigan fans have the squad number 18 dedicated to them, a practice which has since continued each season. Joe Lydon commented “This is a new practice for clubs who recognise the extra special support which loyal fans can provide to their team in both good and bad times. It is particularly apt for Wigan fans". The club have continued with this during the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
From early 2008, the Wigan fans have often chanted to the tune of The Entertainer
The Entertainer (rag)
"The Entertainer" is sub-titled "A rag time two step", which was a form of dance popular until about 1911, and a style which was common among rags written at the time.Its structure is: Intro AA BB A CC Intro2 DD....
. One of the beginning lines of this particular chant is "We're the Greatest Club in the World".
The fans have their own supporters club, The Riversiders, who meet monthly and often have special guests at the meetings including past and present players, coaching staff and members of the Rugby Football League.
In addition, the supporters have set up a group to improve the atmosphere at both home and away games, known as the Wigan Brigantes. The group started by erecting flags across the South Stand gantry at the DW Stadium, beginning with 12 at the start of the 2010 season and has steadily grown since then. The group's banner has the phrase "Long After Tonight Is All Over" as a nod to the Jimmy Radcliffe
Jimmy Radcliffe
James "Jimmy" Radcliffe was an American soul singer, composer, arranger, conductor and record producer.-Biography:James Radcliffe was born in New York City...
song that was a staple of the Wigan Casino
Wigan Casino
The Wigan Casino was a nightclub in Wigan, Lancashire, England. Operating between 1973 and 1981, it was known as a primary venue for northern soul music. It carried forward the legacy created by clubs such as the Twisted Wheel in Manchester and the Golden Torch in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent...
club during the Northern Soul
Northern soul
Northern soul is a music and dance movement that emerged from the British mod scene, initially in northern England in the late 1960s. Northern soul mainly consists of a particular style of black American soul music based on the heavy beat and fast tempo of the mid-1960s Tamla Motown sound...
era, and to show their rivals that their support will continue well after the final whistle has sounded. This is particularly true of some of Wigan's away games during the 2011 season where their fans have often stayed well over half an hour after the final hooter singing to the tune of "Dale Cavese".
There is also a regular fans' forum meeting with chairman Ian Lenagan
Ian Lenagan
Ian Lenagan is a Business entrepreneur, theatre producer and shareholder of Harlequins RL & Oxford United FC as well as chairman and owner of Wigan Warriors-Early life:...
and the current head coach to discuss the latest issues concerning the club and the work that is being done behind the scenes. So far every meeting has been a sell out.
Wigan's fans and Wigan people in general are known as 'pie eaters' or 'pies' which is reference to the 1926 General Strike, when Wigan miners were forced to eat 'humble pie' and return to work before miners in other towns, even though they had been on strike before the other towns joined in. Since then the word ‘pie’ has come to mean the pastry rather than the metaphor ‘Humble Pie’.
Supporter Clubs
Riversiders
Brigantes
Notable fans
- Joe GormleyJoe GormleyJoseph Gormley, Baron Gormley, OBE was President of the National Union of Mineworkers from 1971 to 1982, and a Labour peer....
, President of the National Union of Mineworkers 1971–82. - Will GreenwoodWill GreenwoodWilliam John Heaton "Will" Greenwood, MBE is an English former rugby union footballer of the 1990s and 2000s.-Career:...
MBE, former rugby union international - Kym MarshKym MarshKimberley Gail Marsh is an English actress and singer.- Early life :Marsh was born in Wigan, Greater Manchester and raised in Garswood, in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, Merseyside...
, former popstar and now actress. - Rio FerdinandRio FerdinandRio Gavin Ferdinand is an English footballer. He plays at centre back for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national football team...
. Manchester United and England Captain - Ryan GiggsRyan GiggsRyan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season...
. Manchester United Midfielder - Sir Alex Ferguson Manchester United football manager – He attended training at Orrell just prior to Wigan's challenge cup final appearance in 2011 to speak and wish the players good luck.
- Wayne MardleWayne MardleWayne Mardle is a darts player for the Professional Darts Corporation, and former player in the BDO. He now lives in Romford...
. PDC Dart Player - Phil ClarkePhil ClarkePhil Clarke is an English rugby league football commentator and former professional player of the 1980s and 90s. A Great Britain and England international representative loose forward, he spent his club career with Wigan, as well as a stint in Australia with the Sydney Roosters.Phil Clarke is the...
. Sky SportsSky SportsSky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
Rugby League Pundit - Ricky HattonRicky HattonRichard John Hatton MBE, more commonly known as Ricky "the Hitman" Hatton, , is a former British professional boxer, and currently a promoter....
. Former World Champion Boxer - Robbie SavageRobbie SavageRobert William "Robbie" Savage is a football pundit and former Welsh professional footballer who played predominantly as a midfielder. During his career he captained Derby County, and also played for the Welsh national team. He now presents 606 on BBC Radio Five Live on Sunday evenings alongside...
. Championship Football Player - Kay BurleyKay BurleyKay Burley is an English television newsreader, presenter and journalist. She currently anchors the Afternoon Live programme on the Sky News station.-Early life:...
. Sky News Presenter
Rivalries
The club's strongest and fiercest rivalry is with St.Helens. Matches, between the two teams are played traditionally on Good Friday and in previous seasons on Boxing Day. The clubs are often described as archenemies such is the history of the rivalry. The matches between the two clubs are said to have bragging rights at stake and banter between the fans of both clubs is commonplace.Leigh Centurions
Leigh Centurions
Leigh Centurions is an English professional rugby league club based in Leigh, Greater Manchester who play in the Co-operative Championship.The club was founded in 1878 as Leigh Rugby Football Club and is one of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in...
are traditional rivals of the club and similarly matches between the two clubs are local derbies. The rivalry between these two clubs however has been muted due to the fact that the two clubs compete in different competitions and therefore do not play each other regularly.
The club has forged a more recent fierce rivalry with Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
following Warrington's emergence as a "force" in the top flight competition.
In the Community
Wigan confirmed via the official website that they had been granted charitable status on Wednesday 29 April 2009. Wigan Warriors carry out extensive community work that stretches from Amateur Rugby League Football clubs to Schools as well as running highly successful community training camps for young people. A part of the community work is visiting primary schools to deliver a programme specifically designed for young people entitled 'Lessons for Life'. The programme is delivered via a geographic family of schools approach and results in each school receiving two hours of Rugby League coaching per week for a six week period. Additionally every school is offered the opportunity to start an extra curricular club and take part in a "Warriors Tag Festival". The club will now be able to deliver an even more extensive community programme via the Wigan Warriors Community FoundationWigan became the first club in the country to receive Sport England's Clubmark Gold Award.
The Gold award, only available from 1 April 2009, shows the clubs commitment to Duty of Care and Child Protection, Coaching and Competition, Sports Equity and Ethics, and Club Management. The Gold award not only meets the minimum standards in all areas, but surpasses them and meets additional criteria too.
Trivia
- Wigan were the first rugby league club to win at Wembley StadiumWembley StadiumThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
. - Wigan are the only club to win the Challenge Cup 8 times in a row (1988–1995).
- Wigan have appeared in twenty eight Challenge Cup finals, winning seventeen.
- Wigan are the only club to have won the Championship 7 times in a row (1990–1996).
- Wigan won the Championship 7 times in a row from 1989/90 to 1995/96.
- Wigan won the Challenge Cup a record 8 times in a row from 1988 to 1995.
- Wigan are the only British club to win the World Club Challenge in Australia (vs Brisbane in 1994).
- Wigan have appeared in five World Club Challenge Finals, winning three.
- Wigan were the first and last winners of the Lancashire Cup.
- Wigan were the first winners of the Super League Grand FinalSuper League Grand FinalThe Super League Grand Final is the championship-deciding game of the Super League rugby league football competition...
in 1998. - Wigan are only one of two rugby league clubs to have won the Middlesex 7s rugby union tournament.