Wigan Athletic chairman responds to fan anger over Manchester United tie

[josie andrews]

Wigan Athletic chairman Ben Goodburn has responded to criticism from the club's fanbase regarding the decision to hand over the East Stand to Manchester United supporters for next month's FA Cup third-round tie at the DW.

The 'away end' for the fixture will move from the North Stand for the night, in an attempt to take advantage of the Old Trafford outfit's enormous travelling army.

However, the East Stand contains the loudest section of the Latics support - not to mention thousands of season ticket holders who will be forced to give up their regular seats.

Social media has been full of disgruntled fans voicing their displeasure, with a number threatening to boycott the fixture

Which has led to Goodburn taking the unusual step of explaining the thought process via the club's own social media channels.


“Firstly, I understand what Wigan Athletic Football Club means to our fans and how passionate our fan base is and I want to thank all our fans who have supported the club this season home and away," he said.

“I understand that Latics’ fans like to sit in their own seats where possible.

However, this is a unique one-off cup game and, having reviewed previous big home fixtures such as the 2018 Manchester City fixture, we want to ensure we maximise its potential whilst also ensuring we get as many Latics fans in the stadium as we think is possible.

“Season ticket seats in the West and South Stands have not been reserved for this fixture as we felt it was important to give every season ticket holder, including those in the East Stand, a fair chance of purchasing a seat in an alternative stand.

“It has been clear during the current 2023/24 season that our stadium has been significantly under capacity.

"Our average attendance is down across all stands, including the East Stand, with an average attendance in our home stands of less than 40 per cent so far this season.

“None of this season’s attendance metrics illustrate our ability to fill the East Stand, including for the Emirates FA Cup fixture against Manchester United.

"Moreover, the fixture has been selected for broadcast on terrestrial television on a Monday evening, which doesn’t help with our ambitions to fill the stadium for big fixtures and improve the atmosphere.

“The reality is that our club has made, and continues to make, significant financial losses that will continue in the long term unless we make some tough decisions which some fans may not agree with.

"Although the decision to move the away fans into the East Stand for this specific fixture was not an easy decision, we feel it is the right one in terms of maximising attendance, improving our stadium’s atmosphere and taking positive steps to improve the financial health of the club.

We want to create a great atmosphere for all Wigan Athletic fans and we look forward to engaging more actively with our fans on stadium initiatives.

"We’ve acted on previous requests to have home fans behind both goals which we believe will play a big part in the atmosphere inside the DW Stadium on what will be a memorable night in the club’s history.”

https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/footba ... ie-4438825

[josie andrews]

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN TO THE FANS…

Chairman Ben Goodburn has explained the Club’s reasoning around the decision to allocate Manchester United the East Stand ahead of the upcoming Emirates FA Cup third round tie.

“Firstly, I understand what Wigan Athletic Football Club means to our fans and how passionate our fan base is and I want to thank all our fans who have supported the Club this season home and away.

“I understand that Latics’ fans like to sit in their own seats where possible. However, this is a unique one-off Cup game and, having reviewed previous big home fixtures such as the 2018 Manchester City fixture, we want to ensure we maximise its potential whilst also ensuring we get as many Latics fans in the stadium as we think is possible.

“Season Ticket seats in the West and South Stands have not been reserved for this fixture as we felt it was important to give every Season Ticket Holder, including those in the East Stand, a fair chance of purchasing a seat in an alternative stand.

“It has been clear during the current 2023/24 season that our stadium has been significantly under capacity. Our average attendance is down across all stands, including the East Stand, with an average attendance in our home stands of less than 40% so far this season.

“None of this season’s attendance metrics illustrate our ability to fill the East Stand, including for the Emirates FA Cup fixture against Manchester United. Moreover, the fixture has been selected for broadcast on terrestrial television on a Monday evening, which doesn’t help with our ambitions to fill the stadium for big fixtures and improve the atmosphere.

“The reality is that our Club has made, and continues to make, significant financial losses that will continue in the long term unless we make some tough decisions which some fans may not agree with. Although the decision to move the away fans into the East Stand for this specific fixture was not an easy decision, we feel it is the right one in terms of maximising attendance, improving our stadium’s atmosphere and taking positive steps to improve the financial health of the Club.

“We want to create a great atmosphere for all Wigan Athletic fans and we look forward to engaging more actively with our fans on stadium initiatives. We’ve acted on previous requests to have home fans behind both goals which we believe will play a big part in the atmosphere inside the DW Stadium on what will be a memorable night in the Club’s history.”

https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/footba ... ie-4438825

[josie andrews]

Pathetic from these so called loyal & diehard fans IMO

It’s one game ffs!

It’s as if they would prefer the club to lose massive amounts of money from the sale of tickets & purchases on the concourses of the East stand from Man U supporters for one game just so they can sit in their own seat.

It’s as if they’ve forgotten about the times they’ve gone into liquidation because of the mis management of their club. Whelan almost ran the rugby into the ground just for the sake of the football. They need to take heed I think & try & support the people who are trying to get the football back competing in a higher division.

I’ve also seen on Twitter the outpouring of abuse because they have had to move one game for the WCC & that Mike Danson has only bought the Latics to give the money to the rugby.

Have these lot got a brain? Or at least one between two of them

I can’t comprehend their logic.

They are also complaining at the cost of the match tickets of £30!

[Mike]

Pathetic from these so called loyal & diehard fans IMO

It’s one game ffs!

It’s as if they would prefer the club to lose massive amounts of money from the sale of tickets & purchases on the concourses of the East stand from Man U supporters for one game just so they can sit in their own seat.

It’s as if they’ve forgotten about the times they’ve gone into liquidation because of the mis management of their club. Whelan almost ran the rugby into the ground just for the sake of the football. They need to take heed I think & try & support the people who are trying to get the football back competing in a higher division.

I’ve also seen on Twitter the outpouring of abuse because they have had to move one game for the WCC & that Mike Danson has only bought the Latics to give the money to the rugby.

Have these lot got a brain? Or at least one between two of them

I can’t comprehend their logic.

They are also complaining at the cost of the match tickets of £30!

Well they'd have to be making money for that to be the case wouldn't they?

[ancientnloyal]

They should get out of their bedrooms and Xbox and stop drinking energy drinks and support the ‘Tics then the east would be full - but they won’t.

[doc]

They rarely filled the ground when they were in the Prem and their gates this season are well down on what they were getting then. They have to accept like we have that no owner can afford to be losing millions a year and that they have to make the club a viable business. I understand why their fans are upset but this will give the club a better financial return while keeping the match in Wigan. They would really complain if they went for all out cash and switched the game to Old Trafford.

[fozzieskem]

Makes perfect sense to me giving the big stand to the bigger club there really are some boneheads in the athletic support the club shuts money for fun and the one game they can perhaps make a few quid the dopey buggers moan about that...

Not that I suspect the football club is high up on Danson's first thing to do list of a Monday morning but he will no doubt be keeping an eye on it and their baffling fans.

[DaveO]

Pathetic from these so called loyal & diehard fans IMO

It’s one game ffs!

It’s as if they would prefer the club to lose massive amounts of money from the sale of tickets & purchases on the concourses of the East stand from Man U supporters for one game just so they can sit in their own seat.

They would not lose money, just not make as much.

And if you were not allowed to claim the seat associated with your season ticket for a cup came you would not go ballistic? Of course you would!

We have much lower crowds for cup games and I am sure it would be cheaper to close the East Stand (which would amount to the same thing as giving it over to rival fans as is the case with Latics) so be careful flinging the brick bats in case it happens to you in future.

[josie andrews]

Pathetic from these so called loyal & diehard fans IMO

It’s one game ffs!

It’s as if they would prefer the club to lose massive amounts of money from the sale of tickets & purchases on the concourses of the East stand from Man U supporters for one game just so they can sit in their own seat.

They would not lose money, just not make as much.

And if you were not allowed to claim the seat associated with your season ticket for a cup came you would not go ballistic? Of course you would!

We have much lower crowds for cup games and I am sure it would be cheaper to close the East Stand (which would amount to the same thing as giving it over to rival fans as is the case with Latics) so be careful flinging the brick bats in case it happens to you in future.

If your club has been threatened several times with bankruptcy & the situation for the reasoning behind the decision is explained fully surely to God anyone who supports their club would understand their reasoning in the interests of the club for one game!

[fozzieskem]

Pathetic from these so called loyal & diehard fans IMO

It’s one game ffs!

It’s as if they would prefer the club to lose massive amounts of money from the sale of tickets & purchases on the concourses of the East stand from Man U supporters for one game just so they can sit in their own seat.

They would not lose money, just not make as much.

And if you were not allowed to claim the seat associated with your season ticket for a cup came you would not go ballistic? Of course you would!

We have much lower crowds for cup games and I am sure it would be cheaper to close the East Stand (which would amount to the same thing as giving it over to rival fans as is the case with Latics) so be careful flinging the brick bats in case it happens to you in future.

If your club has been threatened several times with bankruptcy & the situation for the reasoning behind the decision is explained fully surely to God anyone who supports their club would understand their reasoning in the interests of the club for one game!

Have to agree Josie,would I be annoyed if I lost my seat maybe but Wigan warriors haven't been as badly run as the football club so that's not unreasonable sacrifice.

But then again there are fans who see both clubs as owned by a billionaire who clearly became a billionaire by running round sport ground burning 100 quid notes...