Watching the F.A.Cup Final between Wigan Athletic and Manchester City I am reminded that Wigan were a non-league side not so long ago. I decided to examine their journey.
They joined the Cheshire League in 1932-33 and learned quickly as they were champions of that league in 1933-34, 1934-35 and 1935-36. Early success can galvanise a club but they continued at the same level and were not champions again until 1964-65.
In 1968 there was a new league and Wigan being ambitious joined the Northern Premier League. At the end of the 1968-69 season they were second as they were the following year and in 1970-71 they became champions of the league. This was clearly a well run club with footballing talent that matched and overcame the competition they were up against.
Two more seasons in third place, the next in second place and then champions again in 1974-75 was a good indication that they should and could show more ambition. In fact they suffered 34 failed attempts to join a higher standard over the years including one attempt in 1972 to join the Scottish League second division. Eventually they joined the Football League in 1978.
Football League records are more comprehensive than non-league records so we know that they spent four years in the Fourth Division finishing 6th, 6th, 11th and then 3rd. Ten seasons followed in the Third Division but as soon as the League was restructured when the Premiership was created they were relegated from the newly formed Second Division back into the Third Division.
They spent four more years in Division Three, the new lowest division of the Football League, during which time Dave Whelan took over with the ambition of taking them into the Premiership.
As champions of division three they were promoted in 1996-97. It was also as champions that they were promoted from division two in 2002-03. They finished seventh in Football League Division One during the 2003-04 season and then they were part of the newly designated Football League Championship in 2004-05.
That new designation encouraged them to finish 2nd at the end of the 2004-05 season and that resulted in Dave Whelan achieving his target ready for the start of the 2005-06 season.
Wigan have been in the Premiership since then although this season they are in serious danger of being relegated so my advice to them is to win the F.A.Cup and they have certainly done well in the first half.
They joined the Cheshire League in 1932-33 and learned quickly as they were champions of that league in 1933-34, 1934-35 and 1935-36. Early success can galvanise a club but they continued at the same level and were not champions again until 1964-65.
In 1968 there was a new league and Wigan being ambitious joined the Northern Premier League. At the end of the 1968-69 season they were second as they were the following year and in 1970-71 they became champions of the league. This was clearly a well run club with footballing talent that matched and overcame the competition they were up against.
Two more seasons in third place, the next in second place and then champions again in 1974-75 was a good indication that they should and could show more ambition. In fact they suffered 34 failed attempts to join a higher standard over the years including one attempt in 1972 to join the Scottish League second division. Eventually they joined the Football League in 1978.
Football League records are more comprehensive than non-league records so we know that they spent four years in the Fourth Division finishing 6th, 6th, 11th and then 3rd. Ten seasons followed in the Third Division but as soon as the League was restructured when the Premiership was created they were relegated from the newly formed Second Division back into the Third Division.
They spent four more years in Division Three, the new lowest division of the Football League, during which time Dave Whelan took over with the ambition of taking them into the Premiership.
As champions of division three they were promoted in 1996-97. It was also as champions that they were promoted from division two in 2002-03. They finished seventh in Football League Division One during the 2003-04 season and then they were part of the newly designated Football League Championship in 2004-05.
That new designation encouraged them to finish 2nd at the end of the 2004-05 season and that resulted in Dave Whelan achieving his target ready for the start of the 2005-06 season.
Wigan have been in the Premiership since then although this season they are in serious danger of being relegated so my advice to them is to win the F.A.Cup and they have certainly done well in the first half.
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