Wigan Warriors

Wigan Warriors logo

Wigan Warriors [1] are an English rugby league club based in the town of Wigan, Greater Manchester . They are current members of the professional top-flight European competition, the Engage Super League.[2] Wigan are one of the most successful clubs in English rugby league and won the Championship 7 times in a row from 1989/90 to 1995/96.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Honors[3]
* 2.1 World Club Challenge Winners
* 2.2 Super League Winners[4]
* 2.3 National Championship Winners
* 2.4 Challenge Cup Winners
* 2.5 Charity Shield Winners
* 2.6 Regal Trophy Winners
* 2.7 Lancashire Cup Winners
* 2.8 Lancashire League Winners
* 3 Notes & references
* 4 See also

## History[edit]

Team coach Brian Noble (centre) meets Wigan's new owner Ian Lenagan at the JJB Stadium

Although a Wigan F.C. rugby club was founded in 1872 it was disbanded less than two years later because of financial problems. The present club owes its roots to the formation of the Wigan Wasps in 1879. The Rugby Football Union (RFU) suspended Wigan for breaking the strict amateur code by making broken-time payments which were necessary to avoid undue hardship for working class players.

In 1895 Wigan joined the twenty other clubs in the breakaway Northern Rugby Football Union following a meeting of clubs at The George Hotel, Huddersfield. Although full-time professionalism was illegal players were now allowed broken time payments of up to a maximum of six shillings per day for loss of earnings through playing rugby and reducing the number of players from fifteen to thirteen. Some other changes were made in an attempt to make the game more interesting for spectators but the use of a round ball was eventually dropped after some trial games.

In 1902 the club moved to Central Park a new purpose built ground where they stayed until 1999. During that time the club won many trophies which included 1 Grand Final Trophy, 17 League Championships, 16 Challenge Cups (including a record eight straight wins between 1988 and 1995), 20 Lancashire Cups and 3 World Championship wins.

With the inauguration of the Super League in 1996, Wigan R.L.F.C. became Wigan Warriors. In 1999 the club was bought by sports equipment magnate David Whelan and moved to a new home at the JJB Stadium which they share with Wigan Athletic F.C.. The JJB Stadium has all-seated capacity of 25,135.

Wigan began their life playing in blue and white hooped jerseys but in 1886 changed to the now famous cherry and white hooped shirts with white or red shorts.

On December 1, 2007 ownership of the club was transferred Harlequins RL chairman Ian Lenagan.

## Honors[3][edit]

### World Club Challenge Winners[edit]

* 1987-88
* 1991-92
* 1993-94

### Super League Winners[4][edit]

* 1998

### National Championship Winners[edit]

* 1908-09
* 1921-22
* 1925-26
* 1933-34
* 1945-46
* 1949-50
* 1951-52
* 1959-60
* 1986-87
* 1989-90
* 1990-91
* 1991-92
* 1992-93
* 1993-94
* 1994-95
* 1995-96

### Challenge Cup Winners[edit]

* 1923-24
* 1928-29
* 1947-48
* 1950-51
* 1957-58
* 1958-59
* 1964-65
* 1984-85
* 1987-88
* 1988-89
* 1989-90
* 1990-91
* 1991-92
* 1992-93
* 1993-94
* 1994-95
* 2002

### Charity Shield Winners[edit]

* 1985-86
* 1987-1988
* 1991-92
* 1995-96

### Regal Trophy Winners[edit]

* 1982-83
* 1985-86
* 1986-87
* 1988-89
* 1989-90
* 1992-93
* 1994-95
* 1995-96

### Lancashire Cup Winners[edit]

* 1905-06
* 1908-09
* 1909-10
* 1912-13
* 1922-23
* 1928-29
* 1938-39
* 1946-47
* 1947-48
* 1948-49
* 1949-50
* 1950-51
* 1951-52
* 1966-67
* 1971-72
* 1973-74
* 1985-86
* 1986-87
* 1987-88
* 1988-89
* 1992-93

### Lancashire League Winners[edit]

* 1901-02
* 1908-09
* 1910-11
* 1911-12
* 1912-13
* 1913-14
* 1914-15
* 1920-21
* 1922-23
* 1923-24
* 1925-26
* 1945-46
* 1946-47
* 1949-50
* 1951-52
* 1958-59
* 1961-62
* 1969-70

## Notes & references[edit]

1. ↑ Official club site
2. ↑ Super League official web site
3. ↑ Club trophy room
4. ↑ Super League statistics

## See also[edit]

* History of rugby
* Rugby league

v • d • e

Teams of the European Rugby Super League

Bradford Bulls • Castleford Tigers • Catalans Dragons • Harlequins • Huddersfield Giants • Hull FC • Hull Kingston Rovers • Leeds Rhinos • St. Helens • Wakefield Trinity Wildcats • Warrington Wolves • Wigan Warriors