Our supporters are the most important people at the club. Without supporters there is no football. Here you can read the stories of some of our members. How did they first start watching Wigan Athletic and join the Tics Tribe? Who are their favourite players? Best games, grounds visited for a game? Their highs and lows watching Wigan Atheletic? Tell by us your story by mailing to info@wafctsc.com and let us add you to this tribe page!

"My first memories of Springfield Park were in the late 1950s/early 60s, climbing over the fence at the Shevington End and crawling about underneath the stand that was dubbed the “Old Codgers” Stand to find anything that had been dropped.

First game memory was one in September 1962 against Winsford that was abandoned due to the players brawling. The fans were not happy and gathered outside to confront the ref but he escaped across the pitch and over the wall at the St. Andrew's Road end.

There are so many more memories:

1960s

In 1963 - Being 3-0 up against Rhyl only to lose 5-4.

I was converted by Allan Brown's side. We won the 1965 Cheshire League title by 5 points with Harry Lyon scoring 66 goals to equal the club record and the team going 29 games without defeat (25 wins)

My biggest regret was having to miss the afternoon FA Cup replay against Doncaster in 1965 because the headmaster at school had warned us about going in the morning assembly – but then seeing the school janitor walk in the yard at 4pm with both hands held aloft.

Oddities - seeing a goal given for us against Hyde despite the ball going in via a hole in the net, and seeing a Harry Lyon own goal from near the half way line against Runcorn.

October 1966 and Man City officially opened the new £15,000 floodlights watched by 10,119

Latics were robbed in the FA Cup replay with Tranmere with the referee blowing for time with Alf Craig's shot on its way into the net. - cushions rained down from the stands.

A 52-year-old Stanley Mathews played for Port Vale in a friendly in January '68.

Scot Ian McNeill took over as manager in May ready for the newly formed NPL.

1970s

Ex-Liverpool and England star Gordon Milne becoming player-manager. and winning the 1971 title.

Tony McLoughlin setting a Latics individual record by scoring 7 goals in a 11-1 win over Darwen watched by only 742 fans.

The first foreign opponents to play at Springfield Park arrived in March 1970. Russian side Metallist of Kharhov made history and won the friendly 3-2.

The NPL crowd record of 8,107 was set on December 28th against runners-up Stafford. - missed this as I had to work but the first goal was later shown on tv.

Les Rigby's side reaching the 1973 FA Trophy Final at Wembley only to be robbed by an offside winning goal in extra time.

Brian Tiler's side of 74/75 were to win the NPL title with a record 72 points.

In season 77/78, a great FA Cup run was followed by the club gaining runners-up spot in the NPL and finally gaining Football League entry. having seen 5 Football League scalps in the FA Cup (namely Peterborough, Halifax, Shrewsbury, York and Sheff Wed)

Seeing Joe Hinnigan make history by scoring the first FL league goal

The Good Friday comeback against Port Vale winning 5-3 after being 3-0 down

1980s

Ex Liverpool centre half Larry Lloyd arrived as player-manager in March 1981. The following season, when 3 points for a win was introduced, he led the club to its first promotion by finishing 3rd in the table.

I personally got the Travel Club started after writing to club director Jim Bennett.

Bryan Hamilton took charge in February 1985, Latics ended the season by winning the Freight Rover Trophy at Wembley

New manager Ray Mathias performed miracles as Latics embarked on a glorious FA Cup run knocking out First Division Norwich City on the way before Leeds rode their luck in the Sixth Rd.

Latics finished in 4th position in the league and were paired against Swindon in the first play-offs who somehow managed to beat us 3-2 on aggregate.

Season 87/88 saw Latics visit Wembley again albeit in the Mercantile Credit Centenary Festival. This season saw Latics share their ground with Rugby League club Springfield Borough.

1980s

The home League Cup tie against Liverpool was played at Anfield following a decision that the visitors end wasn't safe.

Being relegated for the first time. Latics, under Kenny Swain were to finish 19th in the 3rd Division, their lowest in the Football League.

Dave Whelan bought the club in the summer.

Graham Barrow's side astounded the football with the signing of three Spaniards who would become known as the Three Amigos.

John Deehan took over in October '95. Latics finished the 96/97 season as Division 3 Champions taking the title on the new goals scored ruling.

Scarborough had been beaten 7-1 on March 11th to register Latics' biggest FL win and Graeme Jones was to bag an amazing 33 goals.

Ray Mathias returned as manager for the 98/99 season leading Latics to a Wembley victory in the Auto Windscreen Shield against Millwall on 18th April.

Stuart Barlow scoring the last ever Latics goal at Springfield Park which was to be demolished for housing.

My second home was the Supporters' Club – the best in the land. - had some great, late nights.

Favourite non-league players were King Harry Lyon and Ian Gillibrand while as a FL side, I liked both Peter Houghton and Colin Methven"

"I started watching Latics in our first football league season, dad used to take me. Sadly, I can’t remember my first game. I have some memories of sitting at the side of the pitch and being in a wheelchair I would sometimes be invited to sit with the opposing manager on rainy days at Springfield Park.

First ever Latics hero was Tommy Gore, got mum to sew a red no 4 on the back of my blue and white striped shirt…still my favourite kit that one of the late 70’s/early 80’s era. Remember fondly, the promotion in 1982, was shown on tv after the game as fans congregated on the pitch, saluting Larry Lloyd and our promotion-winning hero’s. Got a memento of the day in the form of Eamon O’Keefe’s shirt, he was my favourite player of that era, so much so, having been unable to be Junior Latics mascot for a game v Bolton, I was invited to select a game to be mascot for and chose a game at home to Port Vale as O’Keefe would be in their team.

Got loads of memories of Springfield Park throughout the 80’s and 90’s but among all those, one of the things I’d love to be able to visit one more time is the legendary Supporters Club, a place full of character and great people, many of who still watch us and I still have the pleasure of calling a friend.

Moving to the DW has seen us as a club, move on to a different level, will never be Springfield Park though, that place will always be HOME, thankfully though, from a personal point of view, saw better facilities for disabled supporters. The DW has given us its fair share of memories in its almost 25 years it’s played in the history of Wigan Athletic, a few promotions, of course including that day when part 1 of Mr Whelan’s dreams came true and we got promotion to the Premier League, was in the boardroom following the game, which meant being in the company of the Chairman, who it’s safe to say, had indulged in the celebrations!

As well as Springfield Park and the DW, been fortunate enough to visit well over 100 grounds watching Latics, of those Villa Park is probably my favourite, it’s a modern, yet traditional stadium, love how everything round it is painted in claret and blue and if you’ve ever seen it, the outside of the Holte End is superb to look at. Only minus point is visiting disabled supporters are in the Villa end…though we do usually win there.

Finally, apart from Eamon and Tommy who I’ve mentioned earlier, some of my favourite players watching the lads include Tony Kelly, David Lowe, Bobby Campbell (they don’t make ‘em like Big Bobby anymore), Roberto Martinez, Sir Andrew Liddell, Arjan De Zeeuw, Jason Roberts, Nathan Ellington (we had some fun watching those 2 didn’t we) Mario Melchiot (how did we get him to play for little Wigan?), Jordi Gomez, Sir Ben (if only for THAT goal), James McArthur, Will Grigg and lots of others, far too many to mention.

Course, we can’t talk about Latics memories and not mention the day that none of us, fortunate enough to be there, will ever forget…11 May 2013, Wigan Athletic win the FA Cup…Mungo Jerry sang about that once didn’t they?

What a day it was, from travelling to the stadium from our Watford hotel, to game itself and the celebrations that followed in the hotel…we’ve all got our own memories we’ll treasure of that day, but besides the obvious ones, the goal, final whistle etc, one of my own favourite little memories is coming out of the ground, seeing a steward I’ve known from DW for years and a little exchange that went something like…him “are you having that”, me “yes”, him “do you believe it”, me “no!”….well what we’d just witnessed was too surreal for words, from the days of 1,800 at Springfield Park to FA Cup Winners and Europe!!

Only made one Europa League away game, Zulte Waragem at the Jan Breydel Stadium in Brugges. The whole day was fantastic, just madness seeing our club play in Europe and seeing over 2,500 Wiganers just having a great time in the city without a hint of bother was a fantastic memory…even the rain didn’t dampen our enthusiasm.

Anyway enough from me, Keep The Faith and Up The Tics"

Dave is a long standing Latics fan from the "good old days" of Springfield Park.

"My dad would take both me and my brother when we were in high school (which is too long ago lol) and the first game I recall was versus Luton Town in the league cup."

" My first favourite player, once I'd been going regularly and had enough frame of reference, was the left back Allen Tankard. Strong, tough, good tackler and solid in defence, plus he'd usually score a 35yd screamer once (or twice) a season.

I also have another hobby, I play the cornet in brass bands which keeps me busy, especially over Christmas.