Correct - one of the lads who came to the match at Knowsley Road that day was given the Saints No7 away shirt by Gary Stephens after the match.

I was in a really good mood when i can in from work and now i feel a bit somber and nostalgic

I am only 31 and moved to Wigan when i was 9 so unlike all you (golden) oldies

only experienced about a decade of games there. Even so, looking at the sun shining on the green grass has taken me right back.

Keep em coming Matty

Some great photos of an era when 7000 to 8000 against the likes of York and Swinton seemed like massive crowds (with the York game being a Div 2 top of the table clash)!

Thanks for posting them.

No problem, had the photo's for ages with aim of sticking them on here.
Will need to go round my mums, there's $hitloads more there.

We were in the main stand that day and Murphy was about to substitute Pengy just as he scored.
Did we score another late try by (Stephenson or Cannon) to clinch it.

[u1985 Challenge Cup Winners Homecoming.[/u


(I'm in that lot somewhere)

[uWidnes v Wigan (Mid 80's)[/u

Love the one of the Wigans fans with all the flags! People should dig them out! Hopefully the south stand can look like that soon!

Not a pink shirt in sight!

How smart do those traditional kits look.

I was there too Matty. My first ever away game to another RL ground (not counted the JPS final in 83)

The crowd increases were led by the Hull clubs signing Leluai, Ah Koi, OHara, Kemble, Miller, Broadhurst, Prohm etc and Wigan eventually kicked it on from there.

They had some cracking ideas in the South of France in the '30s but something happened.

The international game seems to have sunk under the Sky banner IMO. Sky seem so focused on the SL and the international games seem well planned to clash with something else. Why the World Cup can't be given freely to somebody like ITV or the BBC I don't understand, free sport would get the game on TV (it worked for RU) and so in peoples minds. Winning a series would be nice too! While I understand that revenue is important, with Sky chasing yearly profits and the RFL seeming to tow the line (wasn't the last Sky franchise offered, rejected and then accepted at a lower figure when the RFL couldn't get the money from the BBC?) as there's little other option.

However, on the minority sport thing. What actually defines a "minority" sport? It seems that Football isn't but just about every other sport in the UK is. Cricket - I don't hear it described as a minority but have only met one or two that actually play. Athletics, many sports but many minority sports under an umbrella. RU, same deal, wikipedia actually lists it as minority.

Anyway... cracking pics. Brings back some memories. I remember work experience painting the Douglas Stand (not the top bit) thank god and then helping out with the under pitch heating. Driving tractors and the like, meeting players and just being "part" of Central Park for a few weeks was absolutely fantastic. I remember Joe Lydon wrote a letter back to the club from the flight to Aus for the tour, on the back of a sick bag!

And there's a "D" from football.

[uWigan 1987 Team - Champions[/u

Apologies regarding the spelling of some players, wasn't my dad's strong point I'm afraid.


In addition, he missed out Westy and Ray Mordt.

That's Brian Dunn at the back talking to the two kids, or is it Graeme West?

Really? Always thought it was Westy.

[uThe start of the demolition.[/u

It could be Westy, not 100% sure.

IIRC Brian, the try scorers that afternoon were Pengy and Mark Cannon.

Right. I've got a couple of nice pics but am too thick to be able to attach them. I've read the FAQs but don't get it! Help please...

[u1995 Regal Trophy Final.[/u

[uWigan v Warrington - Saturday 28th Jan 1995[/u

McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield....(newly built, only three stands constructed).

Wigan demolished Wire 40-10.
From where we were sat we could see there was quite a bit of trouble in the mixed stand behind the sticks.

Images need to be hosted within an external website (rather than simply attaching from your documents on your pc). I upload my photos onto Photobucket, then when uploaded click 'save link' and then post on here.

To attach images on here, paste the URL, highlight then click the 'Img' button in the menu.

It's definitely Graeme West in the 87 picture. It does look a bit like Brian Dunn, but he didn't feature in the 87 team - pretty certain Brian didn't last very long after the 85 CC win. Didn't he go to Leigh?

That's tear jerker Matty.
Probably the last away game my dad and I went to together.