Club Name: Wigan Athletic Football Club
Nickname: The Latics
JJB Stadium, Wigan, England.
Capacity: 25,138
1932
Manager: Steve Bruce
Chairman: Dave Whelan
Wigan Athletic FC are a professional football club based in Wigan and were originally founded in 1932 after previous attempts to establish a team in the borough had floundered. Almost immediately Wigan began to make their mark in English football competing strongly in the FA Cup, most notably beating Carlisle United 6-1 setting a record for the biggest win of a non-League club over a League Club, a record which still exists to this day.
Wigan became founder members of the Northern Premier League after numerous attempts to gain election to the Scottish League Second Division were unsuccessful. However, Wigan finally received election to the Football League in 1978 and started successfully finishing sixth in the League and earning promotion only two years later.
Wigan began their euphoric rise through the Leagues following the purchase of the club in 1995 by David Whelan. At this point the club were participating in the Third Division but David Whelan stated that he wished to propel the club to compete in Premiership football. Wigan began this task in 1997 lifting the Division Three title and after coming close to securing promotion from the Second Division Wigan finally achieved this goal at the end of the 2002-03 season under Paul Jewell.
Wigan’s ultimate achievement came in the 2004-05 season with the club finishing in second place in the Championship gaining coveted promotion to the Premiership. Wigan successfully survived relegation in their first season in the Premier League and battled hard in the 2006-07 to maintain their Premiership status.
