Ok, I think we need a bit of cheering up. There's lots of negativity surrounding Wigan Athletic at the moment, so let's use this opportunity to think of the better days.
Dave Whelan's comments about Jewish people are still under investigation from the FA but in just over a week's time Whelan's "hundreds of Jewish friends" will celebrate the eight nights of Chanukah. In my household my boyfriend will light candles for each night, so I have decided that I will mark each night by reminiscing about my favourite Latics matches. A swapping of religious traditions, I guess.
These games are all post-promotion as it was hard enough to pick eight in the last nine years. So, in reverse order, here are my eight games that make me smile:
8) Wigan Athletic 3-2 Arsenal
April 18, 2010
My list starts with a game that I wasn't even at. I was working on a busy Sunday afternoon at Sky Sports News in the unusual position of watching Wigan on TV (us Latics fans savour our TV appearances) whilst also writing the text headlines. At 2-0 down it seemed the game was over and my Arsenal-supporting colleagues were careful to tiptoe around me. But with one goal back came a more respectable scoreline; two goals brought optimism; and the third...well let's just say my job was saved by Charles N'Zogbia scoring in an ad break.
7) Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Wigan Athletic
May 7, 2012
Games to secure survival will be a recurring theme of this blog, but this night at Blackburn is probably the least glamorous and dramatic. This was one season we decided to do the hard work with a game to spare having gone on a ridiculous run that included wins over Liverpool Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle. So to seal another year of Premier League football with an 87th minute goal from a defender on a Monday night at Ewood Park with a chicken for a pitch invader, seems a bit of anti-climax. But our little section of Ewood was buzzing that night. Even if it did cause a Davies-family argument over who got the two tickets we were able to get for the game. Bank of Dad and the daughter who travelled from London were the victors in that duel.
6) Maribor 2-1 Wigan Athletic
December 12, 2013
It might seem odd that a defeat makes a countdown of my most memorable games, but hands up who thought they'd ever watch Wigan in Europe. No? Thought not. A questionable decision to send off Chris McCann popped our slim hopes of qualifying for the next stage like a balloon, but being in Slovenia watching Wigan was somewhat of a surreal experience. That trip was memorable for being Rosler's first game in charge as he was greeted by chants of "he doesn't wear shorts" (why would he, it was 5 degrees), but it will always make me smile for seeing what a Eastern European city is like when a load of northerners descend on it. My personal highlight was having dinner with around 20 other Wiganers. One of them was presented with their starter of beef carpaccio. His response? "What the fuck's this? I ordered beef." It was at that point I questioned whether I have been a northerner living in the south too long.
5) Sheffield Utd 1-2 Wigan Athletic
May 14, 2007
This would probably be a bit higher on my list if I'd been able to be there. But a uni exam/deadline the next day meant I watched on TV in Newcastle with one other Wigan fan and a group of friends who sought amusement in our stress. That amusement was at its highest as David Unsworth stepped up to take what would eventually be the winning penalty. The two Wiganers in the room couldn't bare to watch. So one of the others turned the TV off. It was only turned back on in time to see the celebrations - so I missed one of the most important goals in the club's history but I guess my cries off "I can't look!" meant I had it coming.
4) Arsenal 1-2 Wigan Athletic
April 16, 2012
Being a Wigan fan who sees the majority of my games in London was a distressing time when I first moved to the capital. My first year working at Sky in 2009/10, Wigan's record in London read P5 L5 GF 4 GA 26. A refund from the players after the 9-1 defeat at Spurs was only scant consolation of the investment of following my team. So imagine what it was like being at a win in London for the first time in 2012. Going 2-0 up at Arsenal after eight minutes led to a pretty nervous 82 after that, but my God the relief that I hadn't cursed my team was worth it all.
3) Manchester City 1-2 Wigan Athletic
March 9, 2014
So last season was all in all a bit shit. But in all the misery there was one day that made us remember the Premier League days fondly. Uwe Rosler took Wigan to his former club in the FA Cup quarter-finals with no pressure, no expectation and we all thought, with no chance of winning. Before the game City paraded the League Cup they'd won the week before to a Wigan response of "what the fucking hell is that?" And on the pitch we showed them we weren't letting that our superior trophy go. The 2-1 win did lead to a bit of confusion as we didn't know if we could sing "beat Man City with a Watson goal anymore." But "beat Man City with a James Perch goal" doesn't quite have the same ring to it. I thought my Mum summed this one up well as we were walking away from the Etihad: "ooh I think I liked that more than the cup final - I could really relax and enjoy it." Yeah that last ten minutes was the same as lying on a beach, Mum.
2) Stoke City 0-1 Wigan Athletic
May 22, 2011
I will remember this day forever. Up at 3am for work and then my lovely boss let me leave 30 mins early to catch a train from Euston to Stoke. So by the time I got to the Britannia I was pretty tired, but little did I know I was only half way through 24 hours awake. My Dad was the epitome of calm but God knows how with me next to him. "Are you nervous Dad? I'm really nervous Dad. Why aren't you nervous Dad? I think Blackpool are winning at United, Dad. Blackpool are now losing at United, Dad. Dad, why aren't you nervous??!!" Turns out he was, he just didn't want to make me worse. I celebrated Hugo Rodallega's goal so much that I was spotted in the crowd on TV by a work colleague who saved the clip as "Gemma Davies goes loco." But not as loco as I went when I persuaded some of my friends to celebrate out in Wigan that evening and half the squad walked in to Chicago Rock. I came home drenched in Moët champagne courtesy of Chris Kirkland and with the best photo ever of me congratulating Ben Watson on another year in the Premier League.
1) Manchester City 0-1 Wigan Athletic
May 11, 2013
Ok so the number one spot may be a little predictable, but what else could ever compete? Before the game I was adamant I would rather we stay up than win the cup, but I take that all back now. I went to Wembley pretty calm and without expectation. Those few minutes which saw Ben Watson score and then the jubilation of full-time are my favourite of my life to date and ones I will cherish forever. I'll never forget my Mum with her head in her knees saying she couldn't watch just before we scored the the goal - until we pointed out we were attacking and she probably should watch. And how drunk my brother was before the game had even started. And what it felt like singing 'Abide with me' as a family before kick-off. And singing 'I'm a Believer' together the longer the game went on, because we really did believe. Yeah, you really can't beat supporting an underdog on a day like that.
This may seem a tad indulgent to regale you all with stories of how I watched these games, but my point is this: as depressing as it may be to support Wigan at the moment, there are plenty of times that we should be proud of. So think of all the moments our club have made you happy. How many of us will be wheeling those photos from the FA Cup Final to our grandchildren in years to come? I certainly will be.
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