The Town is Turning Blue: Andy Farrell

Last updated : 18 September 2003 By Paul Farrington

He said: “When you mention Wigan, most people will always think of rugby league first.

“But at the moment the football club are the ones making the biggest headlines.

“I think their success is fantastic. There were about half-a-dozen of us there on Tuesday cheering the lads on.

“Wigan people love their sport and there is a terrific buzz around the town.

“But the Warriors won’t see this as a spur to make sure we keep up with the best because we are already desperate to get back to the top of the rugby league pile.

“There’s room for both of us to be successful, especially as we have the same owner and share the same stadium.”

Chairman Dave Whelan also expressed his delight at going top of the pile on Tuesday, he explained: “I always ask our chief executive Brenda Spencer to phone me with goalflashes and a bit of news about how things are going.

“I was getting worried when I hadn’t heard anything from her. It was just getting to half time when I cracked and thought, I’ve got to phone her.


“I’d just got through when she yelled down the phone: ‘We’ve scored Dave — just this second. It’s 1-0’.

“Me and the wife were out having a meal with some friends but I don’t think I took my eyes of my mobile for the rest of the evening. I’ve never been so glad it stayed silent.

“We’re not kidding ourselves — the season has barely started but everyone has worked tremendously hard to get us to this stage, so let’s enjoy it while we can.”

He also took time to comment of the possibility of more players arriving before Christmas, he said, “If the right men become available, we will find the money to bring them here.”