RTG’s totally and utterly (we hope) indispensable guide to this season’s away grounds.
THE OPPO Wigan Athletic
DATE Saturday 24 April
KO TIME – 12.30pm (for Sky TV coverage)
THE GROUND – The JJB Stadium Robin Park, Wigan, – click here and here for maps of the area – the red circle shows where the ground is. The JJB stadium has a total capacity of 25,000.
Wigan is in Lancashire in north-west England – about 20 miles north-west of Manchester, and 20 miles north-east of Liverpool, easily accessible form both the M6 and M61.
AWAY SUPPORTERS
Away supporters are accommodated in the East Stand which has a total capacity of just over 8,000. Usually around half of this is given to visiting supporters but the whole stand can be given over if demand is there.
DISABLED FACILITIES
The stadium has designated platforms for the disabled in prime positions with dedicated ancillary catering and toilet facilities. Disabled supporters are admitted free of charge but normal admission prices apply to helpers.
TICKETS
The application period for season ticket holders ended on Good Friday. Tickets go on general sale on Thursday 15 April, priced at £16 adults/£11 concessions.
GOING BY CAR?
Travelling from the north east, get yourself onto the A1/A1M southbound and stay on for about 90 miles then follow the signs for M1 Southbound.
Leave the M1 at jcn 42 and join the M62 signposted for Manchester.
At jcn 18 join the M60
At jcn 15 of the M60 join the M61.
At jcn 5 of the M61 take the A58 then the A577 heading west through the Hindley area towards Wigan then take the A49.
In the centre of Wigan turn left and go past Wigan Wallgate station and Wigan North West Station – stay on the A49 then turn right up Robin Park Road, and the stadium is on your right.
From Sunderland it should take you about two and a half to three hours.
GOING BY TRAIN?
The 6.45am Transpennine Express from Sunderland will get you to Manchester Picadilly just after 10am, then change for the 10.22am First North Western service which gets you to Wigan Wallgate station just before 11am.
Or the 7.50am Virgin service from Newcastle takes you to York, change for the 9.37am Transpennine Express to Manchester Oxford Road. From there, the 11.25am First North Western service gets you to Wigan Wallgate Station just before noon.
Going back to the north east, the 4.27pm Virgin service from Wigan North Western station (note – not Wigan Wallgate!) will take you to Carlisle where you change for the 6.18pm Scotrail service to Newcastle, where you arrive just before 8pm.
Or the 5.06pm First North Western service takes you to Lancaster, change for the 6.26pm Virgin service to Carlisle then change again, for the 7.23pm Arriva Trains Northern service to Sunderland, arriving at 8.20pm.
Note – there ARE earlier services from Wigan but there are more changes from train to train, so it might be worth hanging around to catch a slightly later service with fewer changes. Wigan Wallgate and Wigan North Western stations are very close together, on the same road.
From Wigan Wallgate station turn right onto Wallgate (if you’re arriving at Wigan North Western station turn left onto Wallgate). – keep walking along Wallgate for about 1km then head right up Robin Park Road for about another 500m. It’s just over a mile to the station to allow about 25 minutes to walk it, or take a cab from the station.
For full timing details, fares and to book, go to National Rail’s website.
STOPPING OVER?
– Travelodge Bolton West, on the M61 (4 miles) – tel 01204 468641
Travel Inn, Warrington Rd, Wigan– tel 08701 977 270
Abbey Lakes Inn, Orrell Rd, Wigan – tel 01695 622664
SCRAN AND BOOZE
There’s a bar called ‘Champions’ opposite the main entrance of the stadium which welcomes well behaved visiting supporters, and a pub called The Orwell at Wigan Pier, with a very good selection of food and drink. There are several family restaurants close to the stadium if you fancy an early lunch – (eg Frankie & Bennie’s, Pizza Hut), and also a Burger King. Otherwise you can get a drink inside the stadium as well as soft drinks, tea, coffee, hotdogs etc.
LEND US A FIVER I’M OUT OF CASH
There’s a Halifax ATM on Robin Park Road, also a Nat West ATM outside Boots the Chemist at the nearby Robin Park retail park. Also we’ve been advised that there have been some problems with the ATMs next to Burger King – it’s suspected that the machine may have been tampered with (card skimmers?) at some point as some people have had large anauthorised cash withdrawals from their account after using those ATMs.
IN THE NEWS
They are one of the few clubs to have lost to already-relegated Wimbledon this season, going down 1-0 at home to the Dons.
They’ve just recalled keeper James Salisbury from a loan spell at Leigh RMI.
Striker Nathan Ellington was the League’s Player of the Month in February.
LAST SEASON
Finished top of division 2 with 100 points – promoted.
THIS SEASON
Currently 4th of 24 with 65 points:
P40 W17 D14 L9 F55 A40 Pts 65 GD 15
HOME FORM
P20 W10 D6 L4 F25 A15 Pts 36 GD 10
HEAD TO HEAD
We’ve only played Wigan 3 times in the League in recent years – from those, we’ve won 1, we’ve drawn two and they haven’t won any!
LAST 3 MEETINGS
02/12/03 Sunderland 1 Wigan 1 (Downing penalty 82)
12/03/88 Wigan 2 Sunderland 2
10/10/87 Sunderland 4 Wigan 1
TRIVIA
Credits Wigan Athletic FC, Link, Multimap, Rough Guide to English Football, Soccerbase, The AA, BBC.
Feedback on this article? Spotted a mistake? Something we’ve missed? Did you find this guide useful? Or as useful as a chocolate fireguard? Email us! [email protected].
