Do you know this for a fact, or are you just hooting like a kettle?



This is a genuine question, because I feel there is a lot of hooting going on at present in various quarters.



Lots of people on here claim to know stuff. It's difficult to work out who does and who doesn't, but until proof is offered I'd council browsers against taking every bit of bad news they see on here as gospel. Too many of them do.

Give over Throbber



Example of Jobs for the boys



Lam - The jury's still out

Edwards - What a fiasco

Radlinski - out of his depth

Johnson - look at the state of our fitness

Betts - least said the better



Add to that several players that should have been let go at some point but for some reason get nice shiny new contracts



He should only get a coaching role if he can prove himself, Not because he was one a great player (2009-2016)

If this club is to move on then it needs to sever ties with former players and only bring in the best qualified persons for those jobs,



You need to take of those tinted spectacles fella

Utter Bollox. Not a single issue you’ve listed is anything whatsoever to do with Lockers.

He’s been coaching the academy for years and is heavily involved with the U19s and 1st team. How do u know he he hadn’t already proved he’d be a suitable assistant coach? You don’t!

I’ll not be replying to you again. You’re just a clown who posts negativity to get a bite. You got one this time so congratulations. You’ll not get another from me. What a n0b!

Of course we are, we attract the most trolls from other clubs on here so we must be, you have proved me right.

i'm on about Jobs for the boys in general Mr Throbber, As for Lockers maybe we should bin Lammy off and give Sean the job due to his heavy involvement with the U19's

Andy Goodway was a superb player, in fact one of my fav players of all time. However when it came to coaching he was absolutely dire.

The best players don't necessarily make the best coaches.

I couldn’t agree more Hatty, you only have to look at Kieron Cunningham for a more recent example. The difference is that Lockers isn’t jumping into the head coach role. He’s certain of a position in the coaching set up but that could be Academy, U19s etc. His role is not stipulated yet.

OK I'll bite



Won the Championship final to get Huddersfield promoted to Super League

Won two Grand Finals with Leeds (including their first in 32 years)

Won the World Club challenge with Leeds (their first ever)

Whitewashed New Zealand 3-0 when Great Britain coach

Won three Challenge Cup Finals with Warrington after a 19 year drought



Obviously he couldn't get Warrington their Grand Final win, but there's 10 massive games he's coached teams to win. Most of which were teams that hadn't won trophies in a long time prior. Not to mention all the knock out games his teams will have won to get to that point. Smith as Director of Rugby with Lam working under him doesn't sound like a bad idea at all to me.

I'm tempted to berate people for not turning up to support their team, but I can't. There are lots of reasons why individuals don't, and in most cases it would be none of my business.



But I do wonder how, at Wigan, winning silverware doesn't necessarily mean that more people will pile onto the terraces. No one could have known that 2019 was going to be such an onfield damp squib. We started the season as champions after a storming finish to last season, with massive World Club Challenge looming, and yet ... we also started with crowds down.



If that's not a worry, it should be, as it may lead our owners to wonder why they bother.



Does it happen to other clubs, or is it just a Wigan thing?



I'd love to understand the psychology of this.

I think attendances at this club (along with success) is cyclical. We do seem to have higher average attendances following lean periods over a number of years as we see a resurgence then big dips post success. Yes I know we could still be classed as being successful (current champions) but definitely feels like we've peaked and are heading for a lean period.





Early to mid 80's (mild success following dire 70's) - up to 10k

Mid 80's to Mid 90's (Glory years) - up to 14k

Late 90's to late 00's (Post Glory Years) - down to 9-12k

2010 to 2014 (Maguire/Early Wane Years) - up to 16k

2015 to 2019 (Late Wane years) - down to 10-11k





Could we see a resurgence in attendances if say we don't win anything for a decade and then become a force again (similar to Maguire years) is that what it takes?



Do we have that long? Sky deal, the sport long term plan.... Etc?

All clubs see attendance go down when they don't perform. There may be exceptions like when we faced relegation in 2006 but not by much.

I'm going to try to answer my own question here. Not only do I think success on the pitch has an affect to attendances but also the players who have contributed to that success:



Exciting, talented players that put bums on seats. During our glory years we had these in abundance.



Starting off with Gill, Ferguson & Kenny.



Then Hanley, Gregory, Robinson, Offiah.



During the Maguire years we had Sam Tomkins and Charnley genuine World Class players. I also think the 'Melbourne Three' contributed to the resurgence in attendances.



Does anyone remember that challenge Cup semi final against Saints at the HJ. Still to this day probably the best atmosphere I've seen from our supporters away from home.



Farrells last minute win on Good Friday in front of a full house? You couldn't get a ticket 2 days before the game.







Now look at our squad and honestly name me a player that genuinely excites.



I'm struggling. Burgess now and again possibly? We have a few backs that can get us going now and again. But the in effectiveness of the forwards compounds this, we can't get out of our own thirty these days.