Ian Lenagan

[No straw damn us]

What a man, what a family.

I hope he has a long, healthy and happy retirement. Thank you and all your family for bringing OUR club back to where it belongs. He made some bold decisions, most of them worked.
Despite many doubters/critics the 2018 trip to Aus to play Hull is one I will treasure forever.

I would love to read that book that Rads wrote for and to him when IL announced he was leaving his position at Wigan.

[Wiganer Ted]

A big thank you to Ian Lenagan from me for the success he brought to the club.

Just prior to him taking over we lost a C Cup semi to Catalans at Warrington and it was a case of where do the club go from here. Maurice and DW seemed like they had run out of ideas and their race had been run. Mo gave DW notice he was to leave the club and Whelan put the club up for sale.

We as supporters got lucky that Ian Lenagan bought the club. From the early days of Brian Noble coaching us to semis, IL replaced him with MM and he started coaching us to Finals and winning them. MM soon left and IL's appointment of Waney was controversial but unquestionably the best. The team kept winning.

He is now leaving the club with a very exciting future with an excellent squad and an immensely talented coaching team.

Ian Lenagan is leaving the club in a massively better state than he found it when he first took over. Surely that is one way to prove he has been a great owner for Wigan RL.

Thanks Mr Lenagan.

[widdenoldboy]

I would like to start with an apology. In 2008, I was in Sydney for the World Cup and was (inadvertently on my part) mistaken for him by the owner of an NRL club - and treated very well indeed. During the evening I had the privilege of being introduced to one of my all time heroes: summoned by said owner to meet the Wigan representatives. As I exited the scene, I happened to pass him on his way up the stairs. I often wonder how that panned out later…

For my part, he has never stopped investing in the club and doing what he believed was best. In any walk of life, everybody can do your job better than you can, and when you have to make dozens of judgement calls some of them will be wrong. I have enjoyed the vast majority of the time under his tenure (though the lows were very low). Good luck to him. He leaves us in a very strong position, and an exciting future. Which is the sign of wonderful stewardship.

Great story and a fantastic thank you, very well written.

[DaveO]

I wish him a happy retirement and was pleased to see him lift the GF trophy at OT but overall his tenure was not very good. Saints won the GF four years in a row. We had sporadic success after he took over.

Madge was an inspired signing but we’d already suffered Noble too long. After he left Wane had success initially but it went down hill after that bar another GF win.

I can’t put my finger on it but I never felt he was the ideal owner.

[fozzieskem]

I wish him a happy retirement and was pleased to see him lift the GF trophy at OT but overall his tenure was not very good. Saints won the GF four years in a row. We had sporadic success after he took over.

Madge was an inspired signing but we’d already suffered Noble too long. After he left Wane had success initially but it went down hill after that bar another GF win.

I can’t put my finger on it but I never felt he was the ideal owner.

I rather suspect most teams would kill for the "sporadic" success Wigan enjoyed under Lenegans tenure of course he made mistakes the most glaring was chasing Edwards which many on here supported even though he had no experience whatsoever in league coaching for 20 years or so,it wasn't a dream it was bloody daft.

[Karl Carpenter]

Ian Lenagan honours with Wigan Warriors as Chairman & Owner:

Super League Grand Final Winner – 2010, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2023
Super League Runners Up – 2014, 2015, 2020.
Challenge Cup Winner – 2011, 2013, 2022.
League Leaders – 2010, 2012, 2020, 2023.
World Club Challenge Winner – 2017.

That’s not a bad record at all and one I think most supporters would be happy with.

Enjoy your retirement, Mr. Lenagan and thank you.

[Wintergreen]

I wish him a happy retirement and was pleased to see him lift the GF trophy at OT but overall his tenure was not very good. Saints won the GF four years in a row. We had sporadic success after he took over.

Madge was an inspired signing but we’d already suffered Noble too long. After he left Wane had success initially but it went down hill after that bar another GF win.

I can’t put my finger on it but I never felt he was the ideal owner.

I rather suspect most teams would kill for the "sporadic" success Wigan enjoyed under Lenegans tenure of course he made mistakes the most glaring was chasing Edwards which many on here supported even though he had no experience whatsoever in league coaching for 20 years or so,it wasn't a dream it was bloody daft.

No, the most glaring mistake was rolling out Edwards to the press without actually having signed a contract.

That was without a shadow of doubt the most incompetent actionI have ever seen in professional sport.

As said, Madge was the best thing he did.

Overall he did "okay" imo.

[fozzieskem]

I wish him a happy retirement and was pleased to see him lift the GF trophy at OT but overall his tenure was not very good. Saints won the GF four years in a row. We had sporadic success after he took over.

Madge was an inspired signing but we’d already suffered Noble too long. After he left Wane had success initially but it went down hill after that bar another GF win.

I can’t put my finger on it but I never felt he was the ideal owner.

I rather suspect most teams would kill for the "sporadic" success Wigan enjoyed under Lenegans tenure of course he made mistakes the most glaring was chasing Edwards which many on here supported even though he had no experience whatsoever in league coaching for 20 years or so,it wasn't a dream it was bloody daft.

No, the most glaring mistake was rolling out Edwards to the press without actually having signed a contract.

That was without a shadow of doubt the most incompetent actionI have ever seen in professional sport.

As said, Madge was the best thing he did.

Overall he did "okay" imo.

You know something I'd forgotten they'd had the Edwards press conference yes not good was it but that ying to the Maguire Yang it all balances out grashopper

[josie andrews]

End of an era: Ian Lenagan steps down as Wigan chairman after 16-year family ownership

The start of December marks a new era for Wigan Warriors with Mike Danson becoming 100% owner of the club following 16-years of family ownership under Ian Lenagan.

Lenagan saw his Warriors claim 13 trophies since buying the club from Dave Whelan at the end of 2007, finishing in style with the 2023 Super League Grand Final triumph over Catalans Dragons.

He officially resigned on November 30, with professor Chris Brookes becoming the new Wigan chairman.

https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby- ... 103?page=3


* Follow the link to see Mr Lenagan’s 16 years in photos

[Wes]

Including 2007 saints have won 16 trophies
Leeds 14 and us 13.

Not bad considering. Maybe we shouldn’t act so self entitled