How much would beating Saints mean to me?

Of course it would mean a lot. Saints are our greatest rivals and any victory over Saints brings ecstasy to the Wigan RL masses.

But this game is so much more.

It's not just Saints we would beat. It would be our critics, the taunters, the people who laugh in the face of Wigan RL. The people who believe we are no longer a force. The people who think we are finished in RL. The people who think we will never reclaim our dominance in RL. The people who think we are no longer famous. The people who think we are cheats. The people who think the club is a disgrace. The people who spit vile envious bile every time our name is mentioned.

Saturdays game is not just 80 minutes of rugby league. It is a chance to bury the demons that this club has had to endure. It is a chance to banish the dark memories of the near relegation season. A chance to put to bed the fans who taunt we are no longer Wigan RL. A chance to rightfully put to bed the taunts that we are no longer the towns number one sport.

It is also a chance to build what Mike Gregory was trying to build. A chance to reclaim the passion shown by previous teams. Sean Edwards, Dean Bell, Andrew Farrell.

A chance to reclaim the big one. The major trophy. The trophy that has eluded us since 1998. A chance to put behind us the semi-final heartbreak at Widnes. A chance to put behind us the Gareth Hock saga. A chance to put behind us the poor form last year, to shut up the critics, to silence the WAFC public, a chance to silence the ones that claim we are no longer a top force.

Some say Wigan RL is not the club it was. We are not as strong as before.

But if we can come out of Saturdays game with a victory we will prove to the RL masses that we are stronger than ever before. That we are building a team capable of emulating previous great, great Wigan sides. A team capable of living up to the legends of Billy Boston, Sean Edwards and Andy Farrell. A team that will go out there every week fighting not against the opposition, no. A team that is fighting against the mere possibility of losing in a Wigan RL shirt. A team that is not just representing themselves. A team that is representing Wigan RL. A team that is representing everything that has made this great club what it is today.

Saturday's game is more than just a game. It is a chance to banish the horrors and the heartache of past seasons. A chance to rightfully put our name back up their as one of the top sides. A chance to repay the loyal, thousands of supporters that still turn up to get behind our lads every week.

Now I can't guarantee a Wigan win on Saturday. We all can't guarantee a Wigan win on Saturday. But one thing we can guarantee. Is that our lads wont go into battle with 17 men. No. That every supporter wears their heart on their sleeve and gets behind them boys like there is no f--kin tomorrow! To make sure that 17 men don't go onto the pitch alone. No. The 18th man is right behind them! All the way!

Saturday's game for me is a chance to be up their in an iconic moment of Wigan's history. Like the first challenge cup victory. Like the 1985 cup win over Hull. Like the victory in Brisbane when our boys were lining up to silence as our national anthem was played. Like the team that went and beat Manly. Like the team that won the challenge cup eight times in succession. Like the team that won the very first Grand Final. It would mark a turning point in the history of Wigan RL.

Saturday's game is more than just a game. It is a chance to turn things around.

Give it your all boys and make us all feckin proud!

COME ON WIGAN!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you Vince Lombardi in disguise?

No pressure then



Excellent post mate.

I am just getting ready to march across Billinge lump after reading that.

Didn't mean to spam the board there.

I'm buzzing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It would mean everything..... I missed the Leeds win at OT!

Agree with everything you say Cadoo! I was expecting an emotional post from you

One word - everything.

Reading that's made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

=#FF0000COME ON WIGAN!!!

Love it!!

Any given Sunday all over again..............

Feel sick already!

A fantastic post that pretty much sums up how I feel and what victory would mean. It's been way, way too long between league titles for Rugby League's greatest club. I'm going to hold back on who I'd like to stick it to but if we win I'll be gloating like there's no tomorrow.

what he said.



COME ON WIGAN!

Fantastic....

Doesn't mean you had to post it twice though!

It's Friday, I'm on wind-down mode!

Its wierd, the fact that its a derby has hardly played on my mind! It's a Grand Final and after all the recent lows we've had; nearly getting relegated and all the semi-final losses it feels amazing to finally be back on the big stage where we belong.

Would love an early and loud rendition of 'We're not Famous Anymore!!' just after KO tomorrow night.

Brilliant post




really really excited now
bring it on

=#BF4040COME ON WIGAN

If we win tomorrow i will be in tears it will bring back so many memory's as last time we won i watched it on TV with my dad who had terminal cancer. We lifted the trophy and he gave up and passed away 5 days later. His photo will be with me tomorrow so we can see the game together again. There will be lots of happiness and also sadness that he will not be with me in person to see it.

It would be the best day of my life if we won.

Any fan who wasn't 100% motivated and up for this game beforehand should be now after reading that.

I can't wait!!

I would mean the world and more to me if Wigan beat saints tomorrow evening , it's been 12 years since that trophy sat in it's rightful place , let's hope wigan can put them 12 years behind them and return to their throne as the Kings of RL .

Come on the Warriors , lets bring the trophy home .

+1

Would mean everything. Im not as old as some on here

so not seen the glory days. I've had a season ticket since 2000 when i was 10 so only seen us win the Challenge Cup in 2002. I've seen us get to finals at OT and lose every time and i've stood at headingley while we got battered 70-0 and then Knowsley road the next week 75-0. I'll be in tears if we win tomorrow.

A win for me would totally erase all of the disappointments of the last decade or so, and there's been plenty of them. In a sense, it would make all the heartbreak worth it just to truly appreciate our return to trophy-winning success.

Whatever happens, it'll be an emotional night.

To me it means I can finally replace my ripped, worn, dog-eared, age-browned poster that I have on my office wall

Firstly, great post, hairs standing up on the back of the neck stuff.

I have been thinking about this myself this week. I started watching Wigan 30 years ago on Monday. On 4th October 1980 I was a 6 year old sat on the wall at Knowsley Road watching Wigan lose to Warrington in the Lancashire Cup final. 2 games really stick out in my mind since are the defeat to Widnes in the 84 cup final when Joe Lydon ripped us to bits. That was a long journey home. The second was the victory against Hull a year later, that win signified the start of an era and I get the feeling that if we win tomorrow it could be the start of another one.

I obviously saw lots of victories over the years, and being of the age I was and the successes we had I can honestly say that I became blasé about winning, and even the odd defeat in a big game was no big deal. I fell out with the game around about 1995 with the start of summer rugby and the move away from CP (Still watched on TV but didn’t go.)

I have started watching again as a season ticket holder again for the last 4 years and now most certainly appreciate any type of win and crave success and a return to those heady days.

If we win tomorrow, it will mean more than any win previously or at least be on a par with that victory against Hull in 1984. If we don’t I will be bitterly disappointed but still immensely proud of the lads efforts and achievements this season

Fair enough.



It would do, its the Grand Final.



It is just Saints you would beat. I dont know anybody who has said Wigan are not a force, nor anyone who has said they are finished. Wigan will never again dominate British RL. I certainly know of nobody who has said Wigan are no longer famous. You have cheated. Siege mentality is all well and good but in this case it is very, very false.



Its certainly better than fighting relegation I'd agree.



Plain stupidity.



Havent you already said this once in this absurd 'battle cry' ?



Well, erm, you aint. Not exactly rocket science.



Emulating the greats ? Are you not embarassed by this post ? You're in your first final for 8 years and now you're 'emulating the greats'. Funny stuff.



Yawn.



There will be a large crowd support for both sides. Lets not get carried away.



Nonsense, utter nonsense. It would mark a return from being distinctly average to being a competitor. Welcome to the big boys table, its been a while.



Nice ending but still pretty much utter nonsense. Try and convince yourselves all you like that the rugby world hates you, they dont. For the last 5 years we've pretty much not even noticed you. Alas youre back competing where a club the size of Wigan should be (and should never have been away from really, only pathetic management saw you plumb ridiculous depths).

Tomorrow is basically the Grand Final between 2 huge rugby sides. There is a lot to play for, for both sides. May the best side win.

What a little ray of sunshine you are. Carry on spreading the joy.

You have no idea what it is like to be a Wigan fan in the noughties. Plenty of chants/taunts have been aimed at Wigan saying that we're not a force anymore. Particularly at your ground. "You're not famous anymore", "you're not Wigan anymore" etc.

Wigan never cheated either. They broke the spirit of the cap - the spirit of the cap doesn't exist. We deferred payments to stay under the cap. Nothing in the laws of the game against that. Not ethical, but perfectly legal. And anyway, does a Saints fan really want to discuss cheating?



You'd never understand. You've never seen your side play like the Wigan in the 90's. And you've never had a coach who would be brought to tears just making his pre-match/half-time speech.



You are exactly the kind of person I'm referring to.



Not at all. Wigan have every chance of emulating them.



Hurts, doesn't it?



Have you sold out your end now?

I guarantee the Wigan support will be more vociferous than the Saints lot.














I think some people are a little rattled. To be expected.

Roll on Saturday