The problem is with these groups is that there is a fine line between what is the wrong and what is right. Personally I think the Brigantes concept is brilliant. I love seeing colour at games and I love what the likes of Conroy have been doing with the flags. Moments like Old Trafford where the big WE ARE WIGAN banner was unveiled proves what you can achieve and I have supported the Brigantes by attending the fundraiser held in November.

However as many people have already stated you get some of the young 14 and 15 year old chavs who see this as an oppertunity to vandalise. These people are not rugby fans and the stigma of groups such as the Brigantes then suggests Hooliganism which is not what the group is all about. You get 14 and 15 year old kids bringing the reputation of the group down which will look poor on the club.

The question is what do we do about it? There will become an uneasy divide and fans will begin to question the brigantes if people continue to vandalise their own ground, as well as away grounds with stickers plastered everywhere. The stickers should be scrapped as should the whole S2 gimmick, it should be The Brigantes.

Keep up the colour, keep up the noise, but scrap all the nonsense with stickers being stuck everywhere because it's moving the Brigantes from being a welcoming group who want as many people as possible to join in to something which many fans will not want to associate with!

By the way this is not a pop at the regular members. You follow the club home and away like myself and these people are giving you lot a bad name which is wrong.

Im not a fan of the ultras gimmick because of the stigma it receives, but its all uneducated hoo ha.
In English supporting terms, an ultra is a fan who supports their club in extroidanary ways. Ie, with flags and constant singing. The word is from latin origin meaning to beyond the norm. The Brigantes go beyond the norm to support the club, hence the term. The Brigantes is simply a name with which we can be known by and can market.

The Wigan fans have always been criticised for a poor atmosphere and then when a good one arrives, fellow fans want to be little it and see it crumble. Thats frustrating il admit, but each to their own.

The S2 gimmick was used because that is the block the group is situated in and was used to attract people that wanted to get involved into that particular block. The word Hooliganism is way over the top, since this whole thing began there has never been any violence what so ever at any game.

The divide at the moment is simply there because fellow Wigan fans have been quite judgemental and tarred people with the same brush, ONE absoulute scrote has taken a spray can to the game, somebody that has no connection to the group and all of a sudden the Brigantes are "alienating" people and all the people that are sat waiting to have a pop at the Brigantes come crawling out of the woodwork. I notice there wasn't a thread congratulating the Brigantes on the large sum of money donated to charity? Or any flag displays the group has put on.

The split/divide thing is ridiculous, we had some fantastic away days ast year were hundreds of Wigan fans got inolved and everyone njoyed themselves, why should it be different this season?

I think the whole idea of the flags/banners & creating a better matchday experience is fantastic & i applaud anyone who has genuinely put their time & effort into doing so

. Although it does seem that overtime as the Brigantes have grown the original idea has been somewhat ised by some members who seem more obsessed with trying to cultivate the image of football hooliganism, which will only lead to more dick'eads wanting to get involved & unfortunately when they do stupid things it will reflect badly on the group & club whether they are affiliated with the Brigantes or not.

Absoulute rubbish!!! Who are these "some members", enlighten me.

Expand on the football hooliganism bit please? There has been no violence what so ever since the group formed or any threat of violence at any game. Another MYTH.

This

Im sure at Hull KR there was a lad wearing a cherry and white balaclava and yes I know its probably just a joke but it does appear to outsiders as something intimidating and gives the image of hooliganism

X2.

I'm in no way saying the Brigantes are a bunch of violent thugs going around causing trouble or threatening people but the whole 'Ultras' image to most people is football hooliganism so unfortunately that's the way the Brigantes will be seen by many outsiders.

Then it's to =#FF0000us all to "educate" them into what the group is really about.

Then let outsiders think that, Wigan fans know that the Brigantes are not a violent group so what is the problem?

Exactly! The Brigantes have been great with all the work that they've done. The only issue is how they are perceived by other Wigan fans. They are supposed to be inclusive since they aren't trying to set themselves above any other Wigan fan.
However if someone questions whether the ultras term or the flag designs might give the wrong impression to other Wigan fans the reaction is generally to shoot them down or mock them.

If the idea is to create a good atmosphere at Wigan games and get as many people joining is as possible then they would take the concerns seriously and make an effort to distance themselves from 'ultras' and the negative connotations that come with it; at least to begin with, so that people can see what they are really doing rather than being put off.

Sort of, but there was also a thread telling people not to sit near you if they didn't want to sing constantly and jump up and down in favour of actually watching the game.

If a "Don't sit near us" message is not dividing the supporters, then what is?

Sorry, I can't buy into the whole 'Brigantes' thing. We're all Wigan supporters at the end of the day and I'm not being told how I should support them. By all means, sing, dance, wave scarves, provide flags and all the rest of it - it looks fabulous. But I can't help feeling that MORE people would buy in if you didn't put yourselves on some kind pedestal as an 'ultrafan', somehow better than the rest of us, and give yourselves a label.

But maybe that's just me.

I hate agreeing with Fear The Vee, but this is spot on, in my opinion. Wigan fans are Wigan fans.

Just want to say that i have nothing whatsoever to do with the group in question, but i think some others on here may have been awaiting the chance to have a pop at them.

Ok, so one person has used an aerosol as far as we know, and? The police are unable to "Police" many things, what do you expect rugby fans to do if other peoples kids are badly brought up!

My feelings were that when people were mentioning that they would be in a certain area to encourage good natured singing and chanting, it was being done as a common curtesy to other people, and not to create an "us and them" situation as has been suggested. But if you are so paranoid as to think that, maybe you need phyciatric (SP) help with that. You could say that the Skull was a little "misjudged", but other than that i think its a shame that people feel this is worthy of getting all hot and bothered about.

Get a life for goodness sake!!!

BTW, i am an old fart....

Robinson, its not a 'don't sit with us' in that way. It's more 'this is what is being done in this area, if you're not up for it, you may want to sit somewhere else'. If you catch my drift. That's also the idea of 1 location, so people know where its happening.

Unfortunately, on a written forum some people have issues expressing themselves in writing, and some have issues with how they read things. Misunderstandings are common place on internet media.

so has it affected people who already sat in said area/s who didnt want to join in? have they been 'forced' to move?

Thats a quality grown up post.

Stop being ridiculous, it was never "dont sit here if you dont like it" it was a case of "this is were we will be situated" head over if you want to get involved. Nobody has forced anyone to do anything.

Finally, a sensible neutral post.

This anti-Brigantes brigade is getting pathetic. The atmosphere at away games especially has been terrific as are the flag displays, other fans of other clubs have commented on it time after time.


I would like to add, the culprit has rang the club and admitted what he did last night, the other person that was involved has been banned from the stadium for life, One of them WAS a Wigan fan, the other was not a Wigan fan.

Perhaps they could be hung from the gantry to appease the people on here who seem to think we are being over run with Ultras, Brigantes or just boogy men under the bed....

Oh dear oh lord... ***sighs***

For the record, neither of the culprits were anything to do with The Brigantes, but one had been forced to admit what he did because of fellow Wigan fans putting him under severe pressure to do so.

I would like to add that I was sat in the East last night fairly close to the score board but not directly underneath it. Directly behind me there was a bunch of 5 0r 6 "fans" very drunk and shouting out garbage for most of the match, they were very annoying, pathetic and nothing to do with the Brigantes, just out and out idiots which we can do without! I like a beer and making noise but this was just mindless.
I am in full support of the Brigantes although not an active member and I too am close to becoming an old fart.

Nah, we wanted to alienate people and put ourselves on a pedestal as Ultra fans. Thats exactly what the aim of the post was, to seperate us and cause a divide.