Why do i put myself through this year after year. Don't get me wrong, i wouldn't change this for the world, but the Wigan versus Saints derbies should carry some sort of government health warning!

The derby game is not just played over 80 minutes on the day. Its not just those memories on the pitch that stand out. It is the entire day, in fact the entire week before! The build up to the big event is in many ways, as big as the match itself.

As soon as the match prior to the derby game finishes, the build up starts. The next game isn't just another League, Cup or playoff game.......it's St Helens!!!!

It is those nights, days even, before the match when you can't sleep for thinking about the game. It is those nights when all dreams are consumed with the events that may or may not occur on derby day. It os the playing of old Wigan/Saints videos or DVD's just to try and calm the nerves. It is the excitement that slowly drains through your body turning confidence to doubt and back again every hour. It is the fact that Wigan are playing Saints and you are going to be there!

The week before the game you lie awake earlier and earlier each night. Finally, as match day dawns you are awake by 4am, slowly watching your bedside alarm clock move on minute by minute. You feel like a child on Christmas Eve waiting for Father Christmas to arrive and being told by your parents that it was now time to get up!

Even though the day is young and it is still dark outside, you sit their dressed ready for the game. Your shirt that has been hanging unwashed on the front of the wardrobe door since the last game, your lucky socks, your scarf, flag, all their waiting to start their journey to the ground.

Your stomach is doing cartwheels! The thought of food is the last thing on your mind.

The planned leaving time is still hours away as you start pacong around the house. You sit down and turn the television on only to find a Childrens TV show on every channel. You can only last ten minutes before the pacing starts again and you start looking at your watch, asking yourself why you couldn't have arranged to leave a couple of hours earlier.

Finally it is time to leave! Just one last chance to check the Sky Box and video has been set to record, at the right time, on the right channel. The car is dressed up like your going to a wedding. A flag drapped along the parcel shelf, car flags hang on the windows and coloured ribbon are tied to your car ariel. If its cherry and white.....then its going with you!

The journey starts well enough, the radio is switched on, to try and catch some team news ahead of the big match. The news and sport soon arrives and the mention of the word Wigan receives a cheer. Both teams have late injury worries with players rated as 50/50. This is when the nerves really start to kick in!

Once at the ground, the nerves disappear as the atmosphere takes over....you grab somethng to eat and a drink or two and head to find your place on the terraces........

This is show time......this is Wigan v Saints!

I have to say a lot of these responses are brilliant.

I can't even think about the possibility of winning on Saturday.

Everytime iv been to knowsley road sober we've lost, last year i was a little bit tipsy and we drew, so if anyone wants to donate to get me intoxicated come 5.30pm just drop us a PM

the spark has defo come back after last week for me, the team have a belief and so do the fans,

this is our time

We aren't done yet my friend. No matter how confident you claim to be, there's still that nagging doubt. Still the fear you wont get past another semi final, still the fear Saints will pull out one last big performance.

Thats it

I cant take it anymore..its beer time to carm me down

Winning on saturday IMO could top beating them at murrayfield in 2002.

OH MY WORD I AM SO NERVOUS. JUST IMAGINE THE PLAYERS WALKING TOWARDS US AT THE END HAVING WON AND WERE GOING TO OLD TRAFFORD.

Yep i'm in a similar boat, very rarely i get to go to Old Trafford to watch United, but ive had to sell this Saturdays tickets because there was no question where i'd rather go

I would chose this game over...

My wedding.

The birth of my first child.

Infact I would of missed my own birth for this game!

Certainly seems a lot more to you guys than the Saints, there board is very quite on the subject unlike here. Quietly confident or bricking it i wonder?

My son has, fair play to him (at least i think its a lad)

For some reason your post has just got me very excited.

Doesn't take much to get you excited these days though Craig

Neither.

We're on hold, waiting to see which Saints team turns up. After about 15 minutes we'll likely know the answer to that so we can then decide whether to be 'quietly confident' or 'bricking it'!

Well you have to be one or the other, which one are you?

Its going to be one of best atmosphers at knowsley road for some year proberley have to go back to the mid week CC replay at KR with loads locked out the ground. Lets hope we sing from when the turnstyles open and when the first whistle goes one big cheer and screaming/shouting.

'No pun intended' is always my rule.

Can't put it into words how much it means to me. Undescribable feeling.

Goes without saying it would mean the world to the town of Wigan.

All of the Wigan fans need to make as much noise as they possibly can on Sat - let's really put the effort in.

It would be a very emotional moment. Lump in the throat, tear in the eye kind of feeling.

This semi seems like a reverse of our Challenge Cup semi against Wire when the whole Wire club, fans n'all seemed to go into the game with a passion and ferocity that we just couldn't live with on the day. They approached that game like a final in itself and I feel that we are approaching this game in a similar fashion.

I sense that the momentum is with us on this one.

I wil second that!

Anyone know any good lumberjacks?

After reading that I feel like heading down to KR and queuing up now

Ditto I feel like starting the longest pre-match drinking session ever now through to the game just to calm me down.

i'll join you mate

Unfortunately can't make the game due to a wedding, but I want every single one of you to do me a favour...............










[size=200....................SCREAM THE F**KING PLACE DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/size