Wigan Athletic 1-2 Fulham
The soccer club known as Wigan Athletic has different associations for different people.
Back in April 1989 when Fulham were fighting to avoid relegation to the fourth tier my daughter and I joined the fans journeying to Wigan to offer moral support. Arriving in good time we wandered round the town on our own and discovered that there really was a Wigan Pier.
It turned out to be a tourist attraction that necessitated sitting in a Victorian classroom. Since we had spent Monday to Friday in the 20th century equivalents, as teacher and student respectively, we headed elsewhere.
After a quick lunch we set out for Springfield Park. It was known to be on the outskirts but no local that we asked could offer directions. The attitude was that there was only one stadium in town and that did not feature association football (Rugby League being the most popular spectator sport in the region). Eventually a bus driver put us right – though he turned out to be from Bolton.
The ground was basic but compact enough for two thousand spectators to supply a boisterous atmosphere. The Whites did their best but were felled by a late and soft penalty. Fortunately the club missed relegation.
Athletic moved from Springfield a decade later and everyone knows where they play now (The Brick Community Stadium, shared with the Wigan Warriors rugby league side). The Whites' visit there for a Carling Cup match in September 2003 again resulted in a 1-0 defeat.
I mention it because it marked Darren Pratley's Fulham debut. Twenty-four years later he is still active and last weekend TV viewers saw him in the Orient side that did so well against Manchester City.
Played for both clubs
Wigan joined the Premier League in 2004 and won the FA Cup in 2013 but subsequently suffered money problems leading to administration in 2020.
Fulham's offer of £2million for Antonee Robinson helped secure the club's survival. Antonee recalls: "I really found myself as a player at Wigan. I'm hoping that at some point they get back to the Championship because that's the minimum they belong."
Martial Godo spent last season there on loan: "They welcomed me with open arms, which allowed me to play so much better…. I went through some ups and downs and that only made me stronger."
Martial was in the visitors' starting line-up last Saturday (8 February) as Marco Silva followed the 21st century Fulham tradition of multiple changes for a Cup match. This meant that Harrison Reed, Tom Cairney and other crowd favourites could participate instead of watching from the sidelines.
It could also have involved the Sessegnon twins, Ryan and Steven, playing on opposite sides but Wigan manager Shaun Maloney denied us that novelty. Fulham fielded a new blond striker – sorry, it was Rodrigo Muniz with a fresh hairstyle.
There was no chumminess in the first few minutes but after the referee David Webb had booked Luke Robinson the real football began. Well before the half-hour Fulham made the breakthrough. Godo passed to Ryan Sessegnon, whose pinpoint cross was headed in by Muniz. Athletic had no reply.
A disappointed Maloney urged his men to show more positivity and they responded in the second half, producing an equaliser of true quality when Jonny Smith let fly from 25 yards. Five minutes later it was time for the Muniz/Andreas Pereira combination to intervene. One subtle pass and an unmarked Rodrigo doubled his tally from the edge of the penalty area.
Substitutions made little difference to the visitors but enlivened the home side. Ronan Darcy nearly forced Issa Diop into an own goal and Owen Dale caused even more problems for keeper Steven Benda. The latter made one impressive save but fumbled another Dale long shot. The follow-up was given offside.
A trip to Old Trafford up next
Rodrigo Muniz's brace not just won the tie but also secured him the fans' Man of the Match award. By just one vote he also beat Emile Smith Rowe in the poll for the top January goal. This could be his big year.
Round 5 requires a trip to Manchester United and a chance to make up for the recent supine home defeat, not to mention the Silva/Mitrovic implosion and (for old stagers like me) the 1958 semi-final. A victory would be most welcome.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
