Quote: MattyB "As a parent of a lad who (although played for a great team a few years ago) was never going to make it into any scholarships I did notice that 'some' parents of 'some' kids that did make it into Wigan's scholarship year 1 suddenly acquired that certain swagger of "my lad has made it with Wigan". From a group of 6-7 from our amateur club all but one were let go by year 2.
I've heard that at this level Wigan can be seen as quite ruthless, heard accusations that they don't treat all the lads that well, have favourites.. etc (which I found funny as this is something we had to put up with at amateur level). Some moved to Saints & Widnes as they 'treat their lads better' whether this is true or not I don't know.
Yes it's ruthless at Wigan....and so it should be.
I think it was Rads book where he said back in the day he came through he had to work extra hard as he wasn't the most skilful player in the reserves but there were others striding around town thinking they'd made it that were lost to the game a few years later, whilst he was winning honours.'"
I can speak from experience here. I was on the books at Wigan once upon a time, coming through with the likes of Sam Tomkins, a load of Wigan St Pats & Leigh Miners lads. It was a tough, tough time. Head of Youth back then was Brian Foley who was a top bloke but ruthless when he needed to be.
It was hard, so much was demanded of you; extra training, right nutrition, hard worker in school (ultimately my downfall), early for training, looking the part and most important of all acting the part which is where Shaun Wane came in. He wanted all the scholars to act professional. We were the future of Wigan RL, if we didn’t we’d be gone quicker than your Grandad could throw his slipper at you.
Ultimately I left Wigan, poor school performance, and went on to play for Widnes then Salford‘s academies (where the Leon Walker reference comes in below), which were far lower in expectations/demands than Wigan before being lost to the game for a few years and coming back with Wigan St Pats, Leigh Miners and then my first club Ashton Bears.
Now you might think I’d be sat here saying the demands the club puts on these young lads is too much but in my honest opinion it isn’t. You’ve got to remember the club wants the next generation to take Wigan to success. These players have to have it drilled into them from the second they sign their scholarship papers until the day the retire that Wigan’s expectations and demands from you are at the highest level. Without those standards we couldn’t produce players such as Sam, Micky Mac, Liam Farrelll, Oliver Gildart etc.
I failed to meet that standard, I was released. Quite rightly too. Would I ever have made it? Probably not, perhaps had a shot in the Championship maybe but my life has panned out well. I’ve finished up playing now anyway, body has had enough of 20+ years at prop!
