We Are Little Wigan - We Are Premier League

Latics fan Mark Patmore writes:

As a season ticket holder at Wigan Athletic for almost 10 years now I have seen a lot of comings and goings in playing staff and to some extent managers.

Bruce Rioch, Steve Bruce twice, Paul Jewell ( who needed Mourinho), Chris Hutchings ( blinked he had gone ), Ray Mathias ( unfair ), John Benson.....through all of these the challenge on the terrace has been the same. Do the fans motivate the team or the team the fans.

People refer to the Emirates as the Highbury Library and Arsenal are facing a similar challenge to Wigan (about all we have in common). The challenge I refer to is that as you look around the stand next to you, are you surrounded by familiar faces?

The expansion in the crowd at the Emirates is symptomatic of the problem. Are you comfortable enough to show your support for the team vocally? Can you sing? Do you care? Is there something on the pitch worth singing about?

ATMOSPHERE is one of the biggest challenges facing Wigan Athletic - not just the team but the fans. Why is a night match so much more atmospheric - is it because it is darker and so people don't feel so exposed?

The first 20 minutes of our game against Liverpool the reds must have felt at home - the away end were so vociferous our lads must have been intimidated and it is testament to the team performance we got a creditable draw.

In the absence of a band leader or someone to orchestrate the fans I would like to draw attention to a fans favourite that has be forgotten:

'Little Wigan - Premier League, Little Wigan Premier League'.

The making of a great terrace song, easy short and memorable. Striking pride in the fact that despite being little WE ARE PREMIER LEAGUE. Match of the day may begrudge it and try hard not to do us justice but until we are relegated we are Premier League.

Get behind the lads - show your support. Here are some suggestions that newer supporters may not relate to:

'Just hang on, to what we've got' - oooops we have to get something first - Roberto down to you and the boys before we can sing that one!

'Victor, Victor Moses is running down the wing' - Oh - Victor you have to run to get that one out. - Great goal at Norwich though!!

'Hugo, Hugo, Hugo, Hugo' - how simple is that - get him on the pitch, Hugo we want to sing it!!!

'Di Santo, O, Always believe in your goals, You have the power to score it`s not impossible' - Artistic license

'Bobby Martinez blue and white army' - Why have we NEVER sung that?

One I don't like personally as it is not true and being a Wiganer!!

'One team in Wigan, there's only one team in Wigan' - there isn't, the recent Rugby revival combined with Latics dismal showing this year could make it quite apt!!

All in all the challenge on the terraces is to come away from a match talking about the buzz, the entertainment, the excitement, the missed opportunities, the great goals, the effort, the tactics. How much of this goes on at Wigan.

EFFORT ON THE PITCH promotes reward on the terraces. We are a hard crowd to please but even pressing the ball and applying pressure when not in possession gets applause. Shots on goal get an 'ooooo', Goals get a positive party!!!! Let's have more party times and less 'Oh no here we go again'Come on you Latics - LITTLE WIGAN PREMIER LEAGUE - and proud of it !!!!

Mark Patmore
Season ticket holder - first bought in 1986.

















Latics and Proud



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