Nice but of lunch time reading to warm your cockles!

menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... _their_own

The pie capital of the world appears to savouring a resurgence in popularity of the famous ‘cherry red’ filling!

When Wigan Athletic gained Premier League status, the appetite was for blue and white as football rode the crest of a wave.

But the tide has again turned and all the ingredients for the balance of power to swing back to the oval-ball game are very much in place with Wigan Super League’s top dogs.

The proof of the pudding will be seen in February when 24 hours after Manchester United’s visit to the DW Stadium, champions Wigan Warriors will stage the World Club challenge.

A clash with the Aussie champs is expected to be a 25,000 sell-out – overshadowing United’s visit for a high profile Premier League clash.

Plenty of Reds are likely to swell that crowd to a degree, but, generally, Latics are struggling to pull bumper crowds.

And club bosses cannot do much more – Latics have the best deal in the Premier League for season tickets and they are a fine welcoming club. Yet an upturn in fortunes for the Warriors has clearly swung the balance of interest.

Wigan is a town hit hard by recession and the people possibly only have enough cash to support one club.

Warriors are already reporting season ticket sales ahead of the new season.

And a sizeable crowd even stood out in the pouring rain for an open training session ahead of the grand final.

It has been said many times that rugby league is a religion in Wigan and the Warriors fans certainly had their prayers answered last season.

They hold the bragging rights – and have more bums on seats.

Fortunately for Latics, last weekend’s derby with Bolton attracted the highest attendance of the season at the DW.

Liverpool are next up so the coffers will be further boosted but an empty stand for the mid-week Carling Cup clash with Swansea confirmed Latics support levels are limited.

Swansea brought more than 4,000 fans from the valleys – a display of support that must make the Latics envious.

In Super League, clubs like Salford relish home games with Wigan Warriors because they know a huge crowd is guaranteed. Warriors fans have again come out of the woodwork and are marching as a force.

Latics rely on their loyal die hards and still have plenty of support outside Wigan.

Maybe former Latics supporter Barry Knowles, a Wigan lad, hit the nail on the head when he said possibly more people would watch Latics if more local lads were in the team.

Latics have become a league of nations squad under Roberto Martinez whereas Wigan Warriors have again nurtured home grown heroes in plentiful supply

Nice but of lunch time reading to warm your cockles!

menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... _their_own

The pie capital of the world appears to savouring a resurgence in popularity of the famous ‘cherry red’ filling!

When Wigan Athletic gained Premier League status, the appetite was for blue and white as football rode the crest of a wave.

But the tide has again turned and all the ingredients for the balance of power to swing back to the oval-ball game are very much in place with Wigan Super League’s top dogs.

The proof of the pudding will be seen in February when 24 hours after Manchester United’s visit to the DW Stadium, champions Wigan Warriors will stage the World Club challenge.

A clash with the Aussie champs is expected to be a 25,000 sell-out – overshadowing United’s visit for a high profile Premier League clash.

Plenty of Reds are likely to swell that crowd to a degree, but, generally, Latics are struggling to pull bumper crowds.

And club bosses cannot do much more – Latics have the best deal in the Premier League for season tickets and they are a fine welcoming club. Yet an upturn in fortunes for the Warriors has clearly swung the balance of interest.

Wigan is a town hit hard by recession and the people possibly only have enough cash to support one club.

Warriors are already reporting season ticket sales ahead of the new season.

And a sizeable crowd even stood out in the pouring rain for an open training session ahead of the grand final.

It has been said many times that rugby league is a religion in Wigan and the Warriors fans certainly had their prayers answered last season.

They hold the bragging rights – and have more bums on seats.

Fortunately for Latics, last weekend’s derby with Bolton attracted the highest attendance of the season at the DW.

Liverpool are next up so the coffers will be further boosted but an empty stand for the mid-week Carling Cup clash with Swansea confirmed Latics support levels are limited.

Swansea brought more than 4,000 fans from the valleys – a display of support that must make the Latics envious.

In Super League, clubs like Salford relish home games with Wigan Warriors because they know a huge crowd is guaranteed. Warriors fans have again come out of the woodwork and are marching as a force.

Latics rely on their loyal die hards and still have plenty of support outside Wigan.

Maybe former Latics supporter Barry Knowles, a Wigan lad, hit the nail on the head when he said possibly more people would watch Latics if more local lads were in the team.

Latics have become a league of nations squad under Roberto Martinez whereas Wigan Warriors have again nurtured home grown heroes in plentiful supply