Would you be offended if a stand was named after Stan Jackson ?

[juan]

See-

http://boards.rivals.net/default.asp?si ... =529785665

Now i make no excuses that i'm not a bigot and not prejudiced and support all three of the towns top clubs but to me it seems a good idea. Then as someone has pointed out we could have a stand named after Boston in a few years down the line too.

Much better than having a LEGO indentikit ground with LEGO indentikit stand names.

Yeah i expect to get shot down in flames but it's worth a go.

[Lockers15]

I wouldn't be offended as long as one of the stands was named after boston

[GeoffN]

Never heard of him, presumably something to do with Latics; who was he?

Whoever he was, ask any "neutral" in Wigan who was better known; Boston or him, and I know what the answer would be.

[juan]

Whoever he was, ask any "neutral" in Wigan who was better known; Boston or him, and I know what the answer would be.

As do i Geoff but that is very much beside the point. You don't honour people because they are simply famous and known to a lot of people. Imagine if the Queen said "Well i cant be bothered giving that CBE to that Lollipop lady who has stood out every day for the past 70 years, nobody knows who she is anyway"

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The man who dedicated his life to Wigan Athletic passes away aged 77. A club mourns.

There are few people in football who can claim to have had as much influence on the club they supported as Stan Jackson. He not only saw his beloved Latics climb from the Northern Premier League to the Premiership, he was also a key figure in achieving that dream. Typically, however, Stan would never be heard to boast of his involvement in the club's meteoric rise to English football's top flight.

side from his family, whom he adored, Stan had two major loves in life; Wigan Athletic and cars. He owned and ran Fred Grimes Motors on Wigan Lane, one of the town's best known businesses.

His association with Wigan Athletic began in the late 1940s when, as a young man from Up Holland, he first made the pilgrimage to Springfield Park. Although he probably didn't know it at the time this was the beginning of a love affair lasting 60 years that would see Stan become one of the most important and influential figures Latics has ever known.

Joining the board for the first time in 1974, Stan was the type of figure who was always at the cutting edge of the club: paying for the team to travel to away games out of his own pocket; joining forces with other fans to make sure the kit was washed; ensuring that the grass at Springfield Park was cut.

Stan would always tell you there were people who did more than him, but that was Stan.

David Fishwick, another Latics stalwart, remembers just how much Mr Jackson became involved:

"Stan was at the heart of everything then; we called him Mr Contact or Mr Fix-It. If we needed something sorting Stan was always the one the club would turn to. There was literally nothing he wouldn't do to help the club. Without Stan the club would probably never have achieved promotion to The Football League in the first place, he really was that important.

"There are too many examples of things he did for me to mention. I recall his influential role in persuading Alf Craig to become manager. Alf didn't drive so Stan agreed to ferry him about everywhere. Also, whenever the team played away from home, Stan not only helped finance the coach, he bought them a meal as well.

"The club had no money at all in those days and if ever we were in need of anything, paint, building materials, kit, Stan would either pay for it himself or find a contact that would provide it for next to nothing."

Although he officially left the board of directors in 1977 he remained an important figure at Springfield Park and never missed a match. When the club was elected to The Football League in 1978 it was the realisation of a dream for Stan.

He continued to support from behind the scenes until 1985, when he rejoined the board under Bill Kenyon. Again, Stan assumed the role of Wigan Athletic's Mr Fix-It and became heavily involved in the day to day running of the club.

Players from that period remember how Stan was always available when they needed support.

David Hamilton, Latics Player of the Season in 1988 and currently the club's Chief Scout, remembers him well:

"He was one of the nicest fellas you could ever wish to meet and all the players felt that way. I was chatting to him only last week at the Everton game and it was clear that his passion for Latics and knowledge of the game was as strong as ever.

"He was one of those blokes that all football clubs need and without his help and support the club may well have gone under. It was a very different relationship between players and club officials back then and there were many of us from that 1980s side that turned to Stan for not just help but support, advice and guidance as well. All the players respected him and he was looked upon as a member of our team."

When hard times fell on the club in the early 1990s Stan really came to the forefront and helped lead a supporters-based campaign to keep Wigan Athletic alive. It was a time when being a Latics fan meant that you not only supported the club, you were the club and figures like Stan were key in making sure that passion and commitment was harnessed to make sure Wigan Athletic didn't go under.

Current Chief Executive Brenda Spencer was Club Secretary in 1994 when Wigan Athletic was on the brink. Her tribute to Stan sums up his contribution perfectly; without him Wigan Athletic would not be where are they are today.

"We literally had nothing, not even enough to pay the players wages. We had to do everything we could to make sure the club was in existence from one day to the next and Stan was a big part of that. As Secretary I was the one responsible for the day to day running of the club and Stan was one of the people I could turn to when times were really hard.

"I remember he paid the wages out of his own pocket on a couple of occasions and never made a song and dance about it, that wasn't Stan's way. When we signed players he would lend them a car and never ask anything from them in return.

"He epitomised the fighting spirit of Wigan Athletic in those days. Everyone connected with the club then gave blood, sweat and tears to keep us alive, from the directors box, to the admin offices to the terraces at Springfield Park. We were in it together.

"However, his biggest contribution was undoubtedly the part he played in persuading Dave Whelan to get involved in Latics. Stan personally went to the JJB Sports head office and asked Dave to come to our rescue. The rest, as they say, is history and we have never looked backed since."

When Dave Whelan completed his takeover in 1995 Stan Jackson became Club President, a position he described as one of the greatest honours in his life.

The Chairman is among those devastated that Stan will no longer be with us supporting Latics.

"If there was anyone in the world who loved this club more than Stan Jackson then I have never met them! When he came and asked me and JJB Sports to get involved he spoke from the heart and you could see then he was man who lived and breathed Wigan Athletic every minute of the day.

"I can't believe he won't be there to greet us in the boardroom on Saturday against Portsmouth. It just won't feel the same without Stan.

"My overriding memory will be of Stan clutching my hand minutes after we won promotion to the Premier League and saying 'well done'. He, as much as anyone, played a part in the club achieving top flight status and Wigan Athletic will remember him for that."

His enthusiasm for Wigan Athletic never diminished. As the club moved to its new home, the JJB Stadium, Stan was the perfect host to anyone who visited, be it Latics supporters or fans of other clubs.

Stan Jackson was immensely proud of Wigan Athletic and in his later years proved to be a great ambassador for the club. He always spoke with great pride about the journey the club had taken over the years but there was never any mention of his personal sacrifice in ensuring that the club remained afloat in those difficult days.

On Saturday Wigan Athletic face Portsmouth at the JJB Stadium in the Premiership. Before kick off there will be a minutes silence to remember Stan Jackson.

On behalf of everyone at Wigan Athletic we send our heartfelt condolences to Stan's family.

Stan Jackson, 1930-2007. Sadly missed by everyone associated with Wigan Athletic Football Club.

[Lockers15]

Remember it is half of latics' ground aswell. But I do feel that if they were to name a stand after him they would have to name a stand after Billy Boston.

[ancientnloyal]

I have never heard of him.

There was a guy who had been to every (allegedly) wigan rlfc home match at central park since th 1920s until he died in the late 1990s. Even as a kid apparently he went to the old kop end before there was a stand and nick coal off the coal heap for a fire at home. blah blah you get the picture. thats dedication.

But if a stand was to be named it would have to be 50/50 rugby league and football. The East and West stands should not have names, as they are bigger and more 'important'.

We had a billy boston stand at CP, which didnt last too long before we moved to JJB.

We should rename the south stand: The Bell Stand after Dean Bell: "And it's Wigan now coming out the Bell End, reaching the climax and a great last push"

[Likely_Lad]

Never heard of the guy. Although it is sad someone so dedicated to the town of Wigan has passed away, I don't think it is practical to name a stand after him.

There's been so many sporting greats come out of our little town, and only four stands in our stadium. There's no point naming stands after people, all it will cause is conflict between the two sets of supporters and maybe also between the supporters of the same clubs.

R.I.P. nevertheless

[warrior till i die]

ancientnloyal posted:
I have never heard of him.

There was a guy who had been to every (allegedly) wigan rlfc home match at central park since th 1920s until he died in the late 1990s. Even as a kid apparently he went to the old kop end before there was a stand and nick coal off the coal heap for a fire at home. blah blah you get the picture. thats dedication.

But if a stand was to be named it would have to be 50/50 rugby league and football. The East and West stands should not have names, as they are bigger and more 'important'.

We had a billy boston stand at CP, which didnt last too long before we moved to JJB.

We should rename the south stand: The Bell Stand after Dean Bell: "And it's Wigan now coming out the Bell End, reaching the climax and a great last push"

Would sound funny in commentry. Name the north stand under their man and the south stand the boston stand.

[ian.birchall]

Yes. Lactics fans were few and far between until they reached the promised (Sky) land. Name a street after him on the old Lactics site if you must, lets not confuse football with sport.

[Matthew]

Can't they name a hospitality suite after him?