Wigan Athletic Personalised Football Diary
Fabulous Diary Gifts for Fans of the Latics!
Wigan Athletic FC is one of the newest clubs in the top tiers of English football. The team formed in 1932 and began to regularly compete in the FA Cup, but the Latics were not elected into the Fourth Division until 1978. Wigan immediately began to fight for promotion and moved into the Third Division in 1982. The progression continued and Wigan Athletic reached the top flight for the first time in 2005. The Latics had only been relegated once during their advancement through the leagues, instead regularly competing for places at the top of the tables.
A key part of Wigan FC’s success has been Dave Whelan, who bought the club in 1995. Whelan was a local millionaire and the owner of JJB Sports. When he said that he wanted Wigan Athletic to reach the Premier League, the new owner was largely ridiculed, but Whelan’s ambition and investment helped drive the Latics to the top. The appointment of Paul Jewell as manager also proved to be a masterstroke, as the former Wigan striker turned the team into a Premiership side.
Our Personalised Wigan Athletic Diaries feature twelve match reports from our newspaper archives, including many great performances from the Paul Jewell era. Starting from the month of your choice, these A5 Diaries are a great gift idea for any fan of the Latics.
Diary Highlights
The Personalised Wigan Athletic Diaries feature the Auto Windscreens Shield win of 1999 and a host of other exciting cup matches. In 1965, the Latics defeated Doncaster Rovers in a classic FA Cup tie that finished 3-1. Another great FA Cup game took place in 2006, when Wigan beatLeeds United on penalties following a 3-3 draw. Wigan FC was flying in cup competitions at this time, as the Latics also beat Arsenal in the League Cup semi-final. Although Wigan Athletic would go on to lose to Manchester United, reaching the final of one of the top cup competitions in the country was an achievement in itself for the relatively new football club.
Wigan had also been developing strongly in the league and our Wigan Athletic Diary Gift features many terrific performances from the side under the management of Paul Jewell. The former Latics striker took Wigan from Division Two to the top flight. Unlike so many other clubs who get promoted, Wigan Athletic remained safe from relegation in their first Premiership season. Instead, attention was focussed upon fighting for a place in Europe.
Matches featured in the Personalised Diary from the Paul Jewell era begin with the 5-0 win against Crystal Palace in 2003 and the 2-4 victory against Preston North End in early 2004. This season consolidated the club’s place in the Championship and in 2004/2005, Wigan pushed towards the Premier League. Games included from this campaign include the club’s first ever win against West Ham, the 4-0 thrashing of Sheffield United and the 5-0 destruction of Preston North End. The wins kept on coming for Wigan Athletic when they competed in the top flight during the following season. The A5 Diary incorporates the 0-2 win against Aston Villa, the 4-3 defeat of Manchester City, and the 3-2 victory against the Villans at home.
Diary Contents At A Glance
Our Wigan Athletic Football Diaries feature newspaper reports on the following matches:
- 18th November 1965 - Wigan 3 Doncaster 1
- 19th April 1999 - Millwall 0 Wigan 1 (Auto Windscreens Shield Final)
- 3rd November 2003 - Wigan 5 Crystal Palace 0
- 19th January 2004 - Preston North End 2 Wigan 4
- 16th August 2004 - West Ham 1 Wigan 3
- 20th September 2004 - Wigan 4 Sheffield United 0
- 24th October 2005 - Aston Villa 0 Wigan 2
- 6th December 2004 - Wigan 5 Preston North End 0
- 27th December 2005 - Wigan 4 Manchester City 3
- 18th January 2006 - Wigan beat Leeds United on penalties in FA Cup
- 25th January 2006 - Wigan beat Arsenal on away goals to reach League Cup Final
- 19th April 2006 - Wigan 3 Aston Villa 2
Alternative Wigan Athletic Football Gifts
These popular Personalised Diaries are just one of the gift ideas we have for fans of the Latics. We also offer Personalised Wigan Athletic Calendars and Personalised Wigan Athletic Football Books, as well as other general football gifts, such as Stadium Tours and Personalised Football Commentaries.