Our matches against Wigan, in 1990

Ok seeing as my other thread about the match against Blackburn went down well on here
Lets do another one and look back at a previous match against our next opponents, Wigan.

Remember we played them in August 1990 in a two legged Lg cup tie. We'd beat Brighton 2-1 at home on the opening day of the season, and then we won 0-1 away at the old Springfield Park in the first leg. Who was there that night, and bear in mind that old stadium is demolished now.
However, the tie wasnt over because we lost 0-1 at home to them in the second leg, and we still have never beaten them at home surprisingly! I think their big striker Don Page got their goal and I remember Clive Baker being the star man as his saves won it for us on penalties.

 

I went, general good feel about football at that time, post Italia 90 etc. 2nd game of the season. Had always wanted to go there as my grandad (mothers side) was originally from Wigan.

Away end that grassy bank and a few rows of steps at the bottom.

Last goal that Steve Cooper scored for us.

 

Ahh Steve Cooper eh, and his double back flip somersaults, its a shame to think hes no longer with us
As you say the feel good factor was back in English football because of a good World cup, and we really had a quality team that season. Machin did really well to keep us up, and we carried on that momentum into a genuine play off challenge. I can think of us losing only 3 league games and 3 cup games at home, that season. (the Wigan game was the first of those cup games, and Aston Villa & Everton were the other two).
Wigan have had quite a rise since then, and now it looks like they are having quite a fall as well. By the way, are we playing there tonight because of Wigan's good Friday rugby league match ?

 

I think it's to do with the Rugby. Pitch would have been a mess if we were playing Saturday.

Used to idolise Cooper, thought Machin let him go too early. Home record was fantastic, a few too many draws, but I think we only conceded 16 goals that season at home. Tiler, Smith, Taggart, Fleming at the back, no surprise really.

 

I always rated Steve Agnew as well (I mentioned him going to Blackburn in that other thread), and he had a good partnership with O'Connell. Banger Banks admittedly wasnt as good with us that second time around, but we also had Archdeacon, Rammell, Saville, and not forgetting Baker in goal.
And that season always angers me when I think of our boxing day fixture, all the way down at Plymouth!!

 

Ended up with a bad ankle break Agnew not long after he joined Blackburn. I rated him, had a great shot on him. We definitely had him in his prime. I guess it was Redfearn that replaced him in reality?

 

Yes Ive heard that comparison from fans before, and I think its fair to say Redders went onto surpass what Aggie did of course because he was here longer and mostly injury free.
One of my all time 'under rated' games was that season when we beat Notts Forest in what I thought was a cracking end to end Full members/Zenith cup tie. It was a freezing late January night but we got one over on Cloughie's men and I think they were mostly at full strength as well, so both teams took the game seriously.

 

I was

 

Wasn't chettles goal for them an overhead kick ?, beginning to think I've imagined it, sithi.

 

Me, I was there, aged 11. Can remember very little about the game to be honest, other than the grassy bank as you said, and a couple of people sliding down it.

 

Well if theres a grassy bank and your a kid, you've got to slide down it and sod the football
Its hard to believe that Wigan Fc were nobodies and stuck in the 4th Division until the late 90s, then Whelan allowed them to buy their way up the leagues. And didnt they come up at the same time as Fulham, who were also being given the cash at the time by Al Fayed ?