Tonight, I am proud to be a Wiganer.

The season has come to a end, but I actually think I am finally seeing a decent Wigan team being patched together. Hopefully a new coach will spark that little bit extra into them for next year.

Its not all bad news, the younger players have stepped up to the mark this year, Flanagan (who is leaving unfortunately), Mossop, Ainscough etc - none more so than Sam Tomkins. Add these to the experienced ones such as Lockers, Bailey and Richards - and hopefully that final piece of the jogsaw will come next season.

Tonight, yet again was one stage to far but only by a small margin, margins such as 'did Sean Long' get that ball down?' or 'why did Joel go on the outside?'

Thanks for the memories Mr Noble, we was battling relegation when you arrived, we are now well and firmly back in the play off mixer, after getting knocked out at the last hurdle 3 years running. All the best Brian.

Ancient and Loyal.

I am proud to be a pie, as usual

Seriously though, we are a team on the up I can feel it in my water.

Stains on the other hand .......

Are in yet another grand final at the expense of the old up and coming enemy.

But don't worry, when all is said and done we too hear your banter about our decaying style of play, whether it be coaching style or our lack of forward presence from impact to general lack of biff, serious flaw of creativity from our halfs to an aging full back we know its a transition period we are going through from lack of money to funding for a new ground but be that as it may we can still cut the mustard and make a grand final

Are going to the Grand Final?

A thumb and four fingers?

We're seeing the beginnings of the change. We've done what Leeds did, invested in our youth, and look where they are now.

Next season we'll be there in the running, we'll open up our lead over St Helens again, and Tomkins will get Man Of Steel.

I posted something similar on another thread earlier. Your youth are currently the spine of tour team and as a Saints fan I have been saying something similar for four years now. Looks like a nice cohesion through your back play but like Saints you also need some forwards to create that space to allow back play

I think the tides are turning.

I am also proud, I got a lift home with some saints fans and I was dreading it if we lost but I didn't care, we played well. We didn't do alot wrong and any other day we would of won.

I am always proud to be a Wiganer, no matter what!!!

Sometimes I get a little stressed and depressed but always proud.

Tonight the boys gave it their all a little bit of luck, it could be us next saturday. Unfortunatley its Saints good luck to them, but I hope Leeds smash them.
I would take a re-run of the last Saints - Leeds game. Its only the fans that dont get on between us and them. But Saints n Leeds its the players, who hold a grudge. This could be a good tear up.

Well said.

Don't think we've done a bad job ourselves this year with regards to home grown players playing their part at some point. I make it 18 of them

You wiganers have been saying this exact same sentence since 1999

In the cold light of day, you sum it up nicely, it was indeed a fine margin between victory and defeat.
But yes there is pride back in the shirt !

Thats what is usually is in sport though, a very very fine margin between success and failure.

I remember a few seasons back, Latics stayed up because they had scored one more goal than Sheffield United through out the whole season.

We missed big game experience and we just couldnt take our chances, we bombed too many chances for me.