Saturday 25th May 2019
Wigan Athletic Legends vs. Manchester United Legends
So that opening blog post designed to encourage Watford supporters went well! Even despite the 6-0 defeat (which in fairness, there was little they could have done about it – Man City were that good), it was heartening to see the supporters still get behind their team, waving flags even after Raheem Sterling bagged the sixth.
Wigan Athletic Legends vs. Manchester United Legends
So that opening blog post designed to encourage Watford supporters went well! Even despite the 6-0 defeat (which in fairness, there was little they could have done about it – Man City were that good), it was heartening to see the supporters still get behind their team, waving flags even after Raheem Sterling bagged the sixth.
Technically, this is
the opening blog post – at least for my groundhopping. To link in my
recollection of Wigan Athletic’s FA Cup win in 2013, outlined in said blog
post, I’m off to Ashton Town today to watch the annual Joseph’s Goal charity
game.
Joseph’s Goal, named after local boy Joseph Kendrick, seeks
to fund research into NKH (Nonketotic Hyperglycinemia), a rare, genetic
disorder that affects 1 child in every 60,000. It is caused by an excess of
glycine on the brain that affects development almost as soon as a child is born
– and sadly, many children do not survive for very long. In fact, there are
approximately 15 children alive in the UK with NKH, and only around 500
worldwide. Given just five days to live, Joseph celebrated his 10th
birthday earlier this month – confounding all expectations.
The charity is operated by Joseph’s mum, Emma and dad, Paul. Paul is the Latics journalist with local newspapers The Wigan Post and Wigan Observer – hence the link to the club. Whilst raising money for research is the obvious aim, what I feel the charity has also achieved, is to bring people together, strengthening the ‘community feel’ that the vast majority of football clubs were founded upon (but many have seemingly sadly forgotten). From those in the boardroom at the club, the players, the supporters – even the wider football community have got involved with Joseph’s Goal, simply because the lad offers inspiration, something we all can connect with and take forward in our own lives.
The charity is operated by Joseph’s mum, Emma and dad, Paul. Paul is the Latics journalist with local newspapers The Wigan Post and Wigan Observer – hence the link to the club. Whilst raising money for research is the obvious aim, what I feel the charity has also achieved, is to bring people together, strengthening the ‘community feel’ that the vast majority of football clubs were founded upon (but many have seemingly sadly forgotten). From those in the boardroom at the club, the players, the supporters – even the wider football community have got involved with Joseph’s Goal, simply because the lad offers inspiration, something we all can connect with and take forward in our own lives.
There are numerous charity events every year – from bike
rides to black tie-balls, comedy nights to getting the ‘Will Grigg’s
on Fire’ song in the top 10 of the iTunes chart. Recently, 75 Latics
supporters walked from the club’s training ground in Euxton all the way to
Leeds United’s Elland Road, raising more than £35,000 for 58 miles of ambling.
One lunatic even
did it backwards, after making a promise via a Twitter post that he would
‘if Wigan beat Aston Villa by three goals’ at home on the same day. It finished
3-0 to Wigan, of course! Everyone’s efforts were rewarded with a 2-1 win,
though – the club’s first away victory for 7 months!
Joe’s cause was first given a national (nay, international) boost for the first time
in 2013 when he was the mascot for the FA Cup Final. The plan was for Wigan captain,
Emmerson Boyce, to push Joe on in his chair; instead, he elected to carry him,
creating a beautiful moment of humanity and getting the ‘Joseph’s Goal’ message
on Joe’s shirt seen by the millions of people watching. Later, explaining why
he did it, Emmerson simply said that ‘he’s one of us’ – he
just wanted to get the message out about the charity, thinking about the
cause instead of himself, before the biggest game of his professional career. Boycey
later elaborated that Joe typified ‘the fight to be there’ – although nobody really
expected Wigan Athletic to be in an FA Cup Final, it pales somewhat against
what people achieve in everyday life. I’m in no doubt that Joe inspired that
team to go on and BELIEVE and win that cup for us all (well, us Wigan
supporters!) against all of the odds.
Today’s match, the fifth annual event, sees a Latics Legends
XI take on a Manchester United XI. The first match was supposed to be against a
Latics Development Squad – sadly this was called off due to a torrential
downpour. The game was later rearranged with the Legends taking on a Hollyoaks
XI – apparently, the lads off the popular Channel 4 soap regularly play charity
games and very quickly got together. Latics won 10-0, with a record crowd of
2,225 packed into Ashton Town’s Edge Green Street ground, raising £7,500.
The next two years saw the Legends take on a ‘Dutch Masters’
team, featuring former Latics stars Arjan de Zeeuw, Denny Landzaat and Jorge
Smeets, whilst last year saw a repeat of the 2013 FA Cup Final, against
Manchester City Legends. I’ve enjoyed every single game and being in my
mid-thirties now, the players who turn out for Latics Legends are ones that I
remember cheering on (NOT booing) from my years as a member of Junior
Latics/JJ’s Clubs (used to be £2 to get in at one point!), so the occasion is always a personal treat.
Located just a 20-minute bus ride away for me, Ashton-in-Makerfield is 5-and-a-half miles away from Wigan town centre and is home to two football clubs – Town, who are in the North West Counties Division One North and Ashton Athletic, who are in the Premier Division of the NWC. I’m going to be joined today by my mate ‘Big Chris’ – it’s a rather deceptive name as he isn’t particularly gigantic, at least this side of Christmas (and I’ve shared a shower at the gym with him too, so it can’t be that either).
Located just a 20-minute bus ride away for me, Ashton-in-Makerfield is 5-and-a-half miles away from Wigan town centre and is home to two football clubs – Town, who are in the North West Counties Division One North and Ashton Athletic, who are in the Premier Division of the NWC. I’m going to be joined today by my mate ‘Big Chris’ – it’s a rather deceptive name as he isn’t particularly gigantic, at least this side of Christmas (and I’ve shared a shower at the gym with him too, so it can’t be that either).
On photography duty for today, Big Chris joined me for the
second Dutch Legends game in 2017 and we had a right laugh, watching former
international footballers such as Michael Mols, Sander Westerveld, Jan Kromkamp
and Glenn Helder kick a ball about, all whilst supping cans sold from a car
boot. Even Angelos Charisteas – the striker who scored the winning goal for
Greece in the Euro 2004 final turned out for The Masters (he used to play for
Ajax, hence the – tenuous – link!)
So, even though we're looking forward to seeing what this
game against Man United has in store, we’re perhaps slightly more looking forward to having a laugh and going on the
piss in Ashton afterwards. If the quality of this report isn’t any good
from here on in, you know why.
The #10 bus from Wigan drops us off just a short
walk from Edge Green Street (press the bell after you pass ‘Ashton Carpets’, overwise you'll end up lost).
On approach to the ground, we’re met with the sight of Bryan Robson, getting
his kitbag from the boot of his car. The (bona fide) United Legend is the main
attraction for the game today – skippering a United side that has ‘surprisingly’
been difficult to put together; aside from Robson, Quinton Fortune is the next
most appearance-maker for United in today’s team.
Picking up a programme on entry, in it, Mark Hayes (Ashton Town chairman), explained how difficult it was putting together the side – he received polite declines from the likes of Andrei Kanchelskis, Edwin Van Der Sar and even Dimitar Berbatov. What also doesn’t help is that United are hosting their own Legends game at Old Trafford tomorrow; a 1999 Champions League ‘replay’, against Bayern Munich.
Picking up a programme on entry, in it, Mark Hayes (Ashton Town chairman), explained how difficult it was putting together the side – he received polite declines from the likes of Andrei Kanchelskis, Edwin Van Der Sar and even Dimitar Berbatov. What also doesn’t help is that United are hosting their own Legends game at Old Trafford tomorrow; a 1999 Champions League ‘replay’, against Bayern Munich.
Having followed his efforts on Twitter over the
last few months, Mark has worked incredibly hard to put the sides together –
thankfully, the Latics team he’s put together is top class; with Arjan de
Zeeuw, Paul Scharner and recently-appointed Luton Town manager, Graeme Jones
joining Emmerson Boyce in a team that would probably do still well in the National
League. North. Okay, maybe the North West Counties – they are in their 40’s, after all. I’m fully expecting Latics to give
this United side a good hiding, anyway.
We made sure to arrive with the best part of an
hour to spare – not only does this help us to get the cans in from the
clubhouse early but it also allows us to take up a great spot on halfway. With
a capacity of just over 2000, the ‘Scott Rees and Co. Stadium’ (as its
currently known) is by no means ‘tight’ as one might expect from a football
ground encased behind a residential street; there’s plenty of room around the majority
of the pitch for you to walk around, find your perfect spot, even to park your
car. Why anyone would want to park their car here though, I’ve no idea. The
match against the Hollyoaks XI saw a wayward shot smash into one of the cars
behind the goal! There’s a mismatch of covered seating at each side of the
pitch; two structures located behind us where we’re stood, on halfway.
Joe leads the two sides out to enthusiastic applause, as they
line-up in front of one of the goals to have their picture taken. Once the
match starts, and as expected, Latics dominate – the left side (where we’re
stood) sees the majority of the action early on, as Kevin Sharp linked well
with Isidro (‘Izzy’) Diaz (one of the famed Three Amigos) and Jones. Barely ten
minutes had gone when this triumvirate was broken up, as Jones was substituted
– later, I would learn that he had a flight to catch in a few hours but had
turned up to play for the charity, nonetheless. This and the man must be busy
as it is, what with him taking the Luton job. What a guy!
Despite being 62 years of age, Robson still looks
great on the ball – he’s dropping deep, picking up the ball and constantly
looking for Fortune, who playing as a No10, is United’s main attacking threat
early on. A photographer is doing the rounds and takes up a position near us, ‘Some of these Lads could do with a bit of
Photoshopping, eh? Look at those bellies!’, he says to Big Chris and I. We
both move closer to the barrier so he can’t see what we’re packing.
Latics take the lead with roughly 5 minutes to go
before half-time, as de Zeeuw rises highest to power home a typical de Zeeuw
header. It suddenly dawned on me that it has been 20 YEARS since the Dutchman first
signed for Latics – he was a childhood favourite of mine, so it’s quite disheartening
to realise that my childhood was two decades ago now! Just before half-time, it
really should be 2-0, as Jason Jarrett
strides forwards from midfield, urged to shoot by those around us – he does,
and the ball comes crashing back off the bar.
![]() |
Arjan de Zeeuw puts Latics Legends ahead. |
Half-time allows me to have a look around and gauge
the make-up of the crowd – which is very much the definition of ‘family
friendly’ (along with adults supping cans). It’s interesting to note that some
of these kids were NOT EVEN BORN when Boyce and Scharner helped Wigan to
victory in an FA Cup Final. I mean it was six years ago now but for us, it
seems like yesterday – where has the time gone? You can imagine their parents
telling them all about it, as well as about the other players playing here
today – creating more enjoyment for them and perhaps helping to grow a little
bit more attachment for their hometown club?
Whilst, in the absence of Jones, Don Page has been providing
a much-needed focal point upfront, he would later go off (then come back on
later), and in his absence, Latics struggled to make in-roads on the United
goal for the majorty of the second half. Sensing an opportunity, United bring on Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham,
who has been a great supporter of Joesph’s Goal throughout the years. Unlike
his party (political joke alert), he
was ‘playing through the centre’, so he spent the majority of his appearance in
de Zeeuw’s back pocket. The pressure on a fading Latics backline was a constant
though, and it was left to another ringer, David Dempsey (Ashton Town manager),
to grab the equaliser from inside the penalty area.
The game grows increasingly tense, as both sides
look for a winner. That tension is relaxed slightly as Wigan-born left-back, a
member of the
EFL Trophy winning side in 1985, Barry Knowles is introduced – to the
biggest cheer of the day so far (GO ON
BARRY is probably the only printable 'cheer' I can write!) At 60, he’s the elder statesmen in this side, so it’s probably for the best that he was
placed in an ‘advanced midfield role’, with Darren Sheridan filling in at
left-back in the absence of Sharp. Sorry, Barry.
Despite the introduction of Latics’ secret weapon, the
match finished 1-1 and so it went to penalties – the first few expertly tucked
away. The cheers grew louder as Barry stepped up; I was concerned as he ambled
up to the ball, but he hit it right in the corner, leaving the United goalie
with no chance and the loudest cheer of the day (beating the early one) was aired. This clearly affected United, as the next
taker missed – his shot spinning wide. It was left to Pascal Chimbonda, a man
who once handed a transfer request to Wigan manager Paul Jewell after the
last-ever game at Highbury, a man who had just finished his career at Ashton
Town, to give Latics Legends the win. The member of France’s World Cup
runners-up squad of 2006 (a place earned through playing for Latics, by the
way, Pascal) sauntered up and smacked the ball nonchalantly into the left
corner. All is forgiven, Pascal!
With Pascal’s arms aloft, a pitch invasion begins
with excited fans seeking selfies and autographs with their favourite players.
As we head to the bus stop, I ponder whether a game like this would be the same
if it were held at a ‘professional’ ground, such as Wigan's own DW Stadium. With vast seating capacity and cover,
being located a mile from Wigan town centre and with plentiful car parking around (and virtually
no risk of ball damage), it would obviously draw more supporters – and more
players. Then again, I think back to the pitch invasion, the kids playing about
on the pitch (before the game, at half-time and again, after the game) and just the
crowd-player interaction and atmosphere in general – it wouldn’t be the same, so long may this game take place at Ashton
Town!
![]() |
Barry Knowles slots home his penalty |
We’re waiting at the stop with a few folks, none
more conspicuous than a group of United fans from Hong Kong (they had a 'Hong Kong Reds' flag) – proving that no
matter the occasion, United’s global reach will follow. We alight a mile away
in Ashton town centre, have some tea in the Wetherspoons and go on a mini pub
crawl, ending up at the fantastic Twisted Vine Ale House. A
micropub that offers ‘seven
changing hand pumps, six keg taps, three real ciders, craft cans and bottles,
gins, wines and spirits’, this is a home-from-home for ‘beer ponces’ like
us (plus it’s right near the bus stop home too, so it’s a natural ending point)!
Whether it’s age or me seeking hipster points, I’ve become quite fond of stout – so a
helping of ‘Stout Detectives’, from the American 4T’s brewery, rounded off a
fine day. After the gammon and chips in the Wetherspoons (very Brexit, apparently) I couldn’t quite bring myself to plump for
one of the delicious-looking pork pies on the bar, though. Ashton has two
football clubs, of course, so I’m sure I’ll be back.
Wigan Athletic
Legends 1
(de Zeeuw)
Manchester United Legends 1
(Dempsey)
(de Zeeuw)
Manchester United Legends 1
(Dempsey)
Wigan Athletic
Legends win 5-3 on pens
Attendance: 2,000
(approx.)
Entry: £10
Programme: £2
Match photos by Big Chris.
You can find out more about Joseph’s Goal and donate at josephsgoal.org
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