Wigan Album
HILTON STREET
6 CommentsPhoto: RON HUNT
Item #: 28232
Thanks to Trevor Smith( Smith's Book Shop) for the photograph.
When Central Park closed it tore the spiritual heart out of Wigan. having your club in the heart of your town makes it so special. It still works in places like Newcastle which is one of the reasons that place still has character unlike the clone towns such as Wigan. i used to walk to the games from Darlington St - up to Scholefield Lane and down Greenhough St along with hundreds/thousands of others. magic days and nights often with my dad. I will never set foot in the DW Stadium or buy any Whelan product.
Even though he saved the rugby?
If thats the case then fair enough and apologies. One of the problems of living so far away from Wigan is that you don't always get the full picture.
Utter c--p Carolaen, as you said you used to walk there with thousands of others, you obviously lived close enough to do that, thousands didn't, i used to catch the bus into Wigan and then walk, most people dont 'do' buses these days, they use cars, where would the car parking have been had we stayed there, where it used to be, on the training ground behind the Kop, with room for a couple of hundred cars if you're lucky ? Plus, most away supporters arrive by some form of road transport, where would they have parked ? Having been to St James Park, Newcastle, recently (not the magic weekend)i was officially advised ''Due to its location it is advisable to travel by public transport'' and THAT would have been the problem had we stayed at Central Park.
Most of the people who call Dave Whelan dont know the man, he has done nothing but good for his home town. As Ticsmon says, where would the Warriors and for that matter the Latics been without him ? Up a certain creek without a paddle, that's where.
Carolaen, my comment was written before your apology to Ticsmon appeared on here, had i seen it i wouldn't have commented as i did, sorry.
Jonno Thanks for comments and I am really pleased to have my facts put right and my opinion of Mr Whelan has completely changed and I will be glad to set foot in the DW - although for those of us who remember the JJB shop it would have been nice to have had a link with the old Wigan with the continuance of the JJB stadium name. I still think though that it destroys the character of a place when a town centre Stadium goes. I lived in the North East for many years and know the St James Park Ground very well (back in the days of standing on the Leazes end watching Bobby Moncur and John Tudor - happy days). I can assure you though that the vast majority of Newcastle supporters were totally opposed to an out of centre move even to the nearby Town Moor when that was mooted. Yes the majority of people arrive by public transport and walk to the ground, usually via the Strawberry Pub, but that is all part of the Toon experience. It is exactly the same in Cardiff which is nearby to where I live now. You would be lynched for suggesting the Millenium Stadium should be moved out of Cardiff City centre just because people find it easier to park in a suburban location. Look at Bolton for example. Going to the game should be about being part of "your" town not just somewhere you go because its easy to park. Or am I just an old romantic ?