FA Cup Third Round Draw

[jimmy_onions]

I've always thought West Brom are a model football club that we should be looking to emulate. They've spent the last 10 years bouncing in and out of the PL, each time spending the extra money carefully and gradually building the club up.

Anyone having a go at Wigan for spending money they don't have is a hypocrite. We've been doing it for years and continue to, we just haven't been as successful as them at it. Our annual losses are about 20% of our turnover, nothing to be proud about. As long as someone is bankrolling it and you don't go bankrupt I don't see what the problem is.

I think mosts peoples point is not the money thing but given their poor fan base they don't really 'deserve' to be where they are...(myself included)

However, this is like the 'who is the biggest club argument', e.g. very subjective, and unlikely to be settled on this forum.

[hobnob]

Talking of shitholes the worst three places I have been were Wigan, Blackburn and Oldham - I have seen better slums in Asia, a least the sun broke through the haze there!!!

[Peter Venkman]

Nice comment from someone called callumbustop, a Swindon fan on the Wigan site, obviously a thisis poster aiming this at Thetownend forum......

In mitigation that site is basically used by idiots who type before they think!! The sensible sites are showing you the respect you deserve and while we think we have a chance of an upset on the day in a one -off game, nobody thinks it's going to be easy. best wishes for the rest of the season.

[Ardiles]

Yep - callumbustop, a 'Swindon fan' who signed up to a Wigan Athletic forum in Jan 2009, some 6 years after we last played them.  Not convinced myself.

[Frigby Daser]

Wigan's average attendance in 1995 was 1,845. That's the equivalent of Fleetwood Town or Kidderminster, by today's figures, being in the top flight in 16 years.

Their recent success is phenomenal when set against that context, but football as a whole hasn't taken to them as a club because the people of Wigan haven't done so! Wigan fans got Dave Whelan, and he bought them the Premiership. He has done a great job, and I really do like Martinez, but it's a completely unsustainable model with stands as empty as theirs. I'd really like to see Martinez at a bigger club, with funds, because his is the type of football nobody minds watching.

Of course they're a bigger club than us at the moment - anyone who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves. If the measure of club size was maximum potential supporter base though, they would be non-league or League 2 at best.

[tans]

I like this bit:

Hope they don't charge excessive ticket prices, £10 and we might take a reasonable amount like we did against Notts County and Bolton the past two seasons... anything more and the long trip down to Swindon, which is quite grim having been on our previous trip to the County Ground, will put many off.

Erm isnt Bolton an hour away at most? Should be a bit of a derby?

[Batch]

I honestly do not understand what motivates the supporters of a team whose success is guaranteed by an open cheque book.

Its like a childhood coach trip to Barry Island. Its quite exciting on the journey there, but ultimately a let down when you get there. and have had a look round.

I think I'd like to go on that trip still. But I wonder if every seasons the aim is 'do not get relegated' whether I'd look back on the days were success was an option as well as abject failure.

[Ardiles]

Centre of Wigan to the Reebok, which is on the Wigan side of Bolton, is a little under 6 miles.  So a bit of a derby, you'd think, yes.

[Peter Venkman]

I like this bit:

Erm isnt Bolton an hour away at most? Should be a bit of a derby?

less than 15 minutes tops for that, even in rush hour!

[Arriba]

I do look at Wigan with hope to be honest. Hope,that we could one day be back in the prem established there. Because if a smaller club than us can do it then why not us one day?
They are of course a bigger club than us at the moment due to the league they play in,but we are potentially bigger. Their away following is pathetic whatever they might think. Just look at the empty away stands at the games they are playing in.
I like Dave Whelan as he is an honest bloke,and Martinez has a good philosophy on how the game should be played. They will go down this year i'm sure but don't think Martinez will get the sack,nor abuse from the stands.

With regards of the Cup tie with them, they will bring a few hundred down here and will beat us relatively easily. I'd rather go out to a prem side that would fill their end and make for a good atmosphere, so that is why i felt a bit flat about the draw with Wigan. The last prem team i'd want to get to be honest. I'd have felt more or less the same if we'd drawn them away too. Being at home is a bonus as at least we will have a reasonable turn out and a slight chance of a decent result.

[Benzel]

I don't care how many years Wigan have managed to keep their heads above the surface in the Prem.

If it wasn't for the fact one of their biggest fans was a multi millionaire then we'd have already beaten them and kept a clean sheet against them this season.

[nevillew]

That sums it up for me arriba.  It'll be a cheaper day with a home game as well. Regardless of how well we're doing, I think some may be underestimating the difference in size, power and pace between our respective standings.  That said, if they take us for granted and play a weakened side, anything's possible.

[DMR]

Fuck me sideways there's a lot of deluded people on here,

If we get beat by 2 goals that would be a decent effort.

[Batch]

With regards of the Cup tie with them, they will bring a few hundred down here and will beat us relatively easily. I'd rather go out to a prem side that would fill their end and make for a good atmosphere, so that is why i felt a bit flat about the draw with Wigan. The last prem team i'd want to get to be honest. I'd have felt more or less the same if we'd drawn them away too. Being at home is a bonus as at least we will have a reasonable turn out and a slight chance of a decent result.

Beating us easily depends on whether they take it half seriously, or just bung in a load of youths.

Agree with the other points. It could be worse though. It could be Wigan away. Or Wolves away. Or Norwich.

[Arriba]

Beating us easily depends on whether they take it half seriously, or just bung in a load of youths.

Agree with the other points. It could be worse though. It could be Wigan away. Or Wolves away. Or Norwich.

Would have said Wolves or Norwich would have been better personally.  The only time i've been to Norwich was for an fa cup tie. Was a decent atmosphere and we narrowly lost 2-1 with Gittens getting sent off