I just thought i'd share a small personal reflection on the GF win, and what it meant to someone very close to me.
My Mum was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, shortly after the death of my Sister from the same affliction.
Within months the horrible condition took a firm grip on her, and she began to succumb quite quickly.
However, she never let the illness prevent her from following every single game during our title-winning season. Albeit via radio, TV, and what i told her personally.
During the playoff's, she took an awful turn for the worse and had to be taken into St Catherines Hospice.
But even through all the pain and blurry mist created by a constant morphine drip, she held it together - Partly (i believe) to see how Wigan ended the season.
Whenever i saw her, i would relate how we were doing.....Tell her what was coming next.......And tease her about getting the cherry n white on, and coming with us. It was the one thing that would always raise a smile with her.
So i cant even begin to explain how emotional i felt at Old Trafford, watching us lift the trophy and knowing that my Mum was in her bed listening on the radio.
For me, it was an evening that meant a whole lot more than just us winning the SL trophy.
How much of it registered with her, we'll never know - But i do know that she knew we had won.
I saw her the day after, and through all of the pain she still knew that we were Champions.
She died yesterday. And i sincerely believe that Wigan's run for glory was a major factor in her holding on for so long.

My mum was a season ticket holder until just a few years ago (when she said she was too old to keep up on the walk to the JJB!).
She was also witness to some amazing highs, and terrible lows over the last few years.
And on behalf of my entire family, i simply cannot express how much this years Championship success meant to all of us....And to her.
That we won it this year, of all years, will leave a lasting memory that i'm unlikely to ever forget.
Thanks Guys.

First of all so sorry to hear about your mother passing away yesterday, condolences to you and your family.

Second of all what an amazing story, brought a tear to my eye. Your mum sounds like an amazing woman. Its a story you can pass on to generations.

RIP x

My thoughts exactly.

RIP x

Sincere condolences for your loss. I lost my mum a couple of years ago and a story she told me about driving past the Central Park site for the first time after it was demolished (she'd changed her route to work to avoid it for the first few months) moved her to tears still brings a tear to my eye today when I think of both her and our old place of worship. I'm sure you will keep this and other memories for a long time. Thanks for sharing it. RIP.

Sorry to hear about your loss.

My GF day was really strange because in the morning my dad was diagnosed with Cancer so it was mixed emotions all day long. It felt weird being so happy after 8pm after what I had been told in the morning, either way I was there with my dad and hopefully thats the way it will be for years to come.

So sorry for your loss.

X

So very sorry for your loss mate. Your mum will have drawn comfort and strength from your joint love of Wigan.

I lost my dad 2 years ago, we used to go to every game and he would have loved to have seen this season. I have his wedding ring, which goes to every game and after the game i kissed his ring and shared a moment with him, as my mate says he has the best season ticket in the place! I'm sure your mum will be sat beside him next year.

It's a tough time but those memories will help you get through. My Dad died in 1986, and I'm so glad he saw the start of what was the greatest era in the club's history - even if he did have to see most of it from that "best season ticket in the place" seat as Deltic3 says!

So sorry for your loss.

So sorry to hear about the loss of your mum, but also a lovely story to remember her by. I had a photo of my grandad in my handbag at OT - he was a season ticket holder at Central Park for 50 years and died in 2003. He'd have been over the moon at the win and I like to think that he had a helping hand in it! Turns out my other family members at the GF did the same, none of us wanted him to miss it. Your post brought back a lot of memories of him.

I lost my grandfather, a big Wigan follower, hours before the Good Friday win this year and that game was pretty emotional for me. It left me with a good feeling about the rest of the season though and so it proved

.

May your mum RIP

Sorry for your loss.

It's a very nice story and I think it shows how important sport and our teams can be throughout our life, and how it can even bring comfort and happy memories in harder times.

So sorry to hear this story, brings so much back to me.
I lost both my dad (aged 60) and best mate (39) to cancer within two weeks of each other back in 2007. Both were massive Wigan fans.

I had a little quiet time on Sunday morning reflecting on the win and what it meant. It's comforting to know we have so many fans cheering us on from beyond.

What a really touching story. It must have helped you a lot by being able to put it into words.

R.I.P. your mum.

sorry to hear about your loss, it's brought a tear to my eye by just reading it. Just proves rugby league is a whole lot more than a game.

I was in bits reading this and I can only echo what people have said on here. My wife (32) passed away the week before the Rovers game when we clinched the League Leaders shield and along with the guilt of actually being there was the realisation that life has to go on. You naturally reassess whats important in life and realise without family, friends, hobbies and interests there's little else so I've resolved to keep my family and friends close and get myself a Warriors season ticket. The emotion I felt at OT was an indescribable mix of joy and pain. The pain, so I'm told, subsides. I bloody well hope so. Stay strong for your families at times like this, they need you as my baby girl needs me.

Glad the boys did it for you mum mate,

I was only young but my granddad past away in 1992, we went visit him on his death bed just after wigan won the challenge cup in the May, my dad was wearing his wigan Jumper that day and with all the energy my granddad had, he lifted his arm pointed to my dads badge and whispered "cup?" My dad simply replied with "yes dad we won it again." that was one of the last things my dad and his father said to each other before he passed and that story always makes my love for wigan and familty stronger.

It brings out strange emotions this game of ours.

So sorry for your Loss Leyland and the other stories on here I must say it really has brought a tear to my eye and I really have an idea how some of you feel. I lost my brother a number of years ago, he took his own life the same way as our Tez recently. My brother wasn't a Wigan fan but a Cas fan so we were always having a bit of a competition about who would do the best in a season and wind each other up when each team had lost. I must say after our GF win I just looked up and whispered 'I told you you should have supported Wigan'.

Powerful stuff Leyland Warrior, a truly gripping and emotional read - I commend your courage in posting it, as it must of been tremendously difficult.

Condolences to yourself and your family, I sincerely hope you are as well as you can be. We're all behind you on here

100% Warrior.

RIP your mum

At times like this you need your family, and as Wiganers we're an extended part of that. To find positives and a reason to go on despite the massive negatives is a good attitude to have and the reason why you and you little family will get through this.

, is reason enough to keep my chin up and adjust to the situation I've found myself in. I really don't want to detract from the OP or the other posters who are recently bereaved I know how I feel but have no idea how others feel as we all have different circumstances and 'coping mechanisms' but one thing I will say is the guilt stage of grief, if it happens to you, is when you need to kick yourself really hard and understand that no amount of 'what if' is going to bring your relative/friend back. The quicker you realise this the quicker your life is back in your own hands rather than being ruled by the past. My thoughts are with you all.

Sorry to hear of your loss.

Also I feel it's worth mentioning that reading the stories above definitely bring a few tears to the eye. It's amazing the depth of feeling that supporting us has on families and how they are closely knitted by the club.

it can go two ways it can either make rugby seem insignificant and pointless (which it is in the grand scheme of things) or force you to reassess things which actually accentuates the positives, the togetherness of the fans, the euphoria etc like players who cry whilst singing the national anthem or Lee Briers winning the Lance Todd trophy grief can also be a great motivator. I can honestly say that Wigan rugby and rugby league fans in general mean more to me now than they ever have done. Anyway thats enough from me, onwards and upwards.

There can be no positives drawn from the above