no matter where I started in the pop stand always ended up behind the bl00dy great big posts.

saving my pint for the first try just so I could aim it at the bloke who pressed the hooter.

super kel against featherstone

going to sully's bar and coming out the wrong side which resulted in half an hour of trying to get through the crowd.

drinks in the griffin

nettling myself walking down the alley from said above pub

entry of the gladiator

lydon last one out for warm up due to having a smoke

very cold knees on boxing day

doylie and his amazing three pie and a pint balancing act.

aisla the sheep


loved that place

more fond memories :-

watching NZ vs GB from the pop stand (no spare seats) and having got to my seat near the back realised it was under a huge hole in the roof, got wetter that day than if I had stood in the pen.

being caught up in a bottleneck at the top gate (Wigan Lane) after a match (forget which),due to some bloke on crutches, an older gentleman infront of me, turned to his also elderly mate and said ' there is a cripple in the way !' - I just love the non-pc things and old sayings that the older generation use (much like the person who posted about a 'couloured' winger, only last week)

how come A.N. Other never plays any more? - was a regular at central park


sitting on the concrete wall when I was about 7 (felt like I was about 30 feet from the ground)

I can remember the first game that Greg Dowling played and earned his nickname 'the wall'


still gutted I didnt take my seat from the pop stand.

the birth place of northern soul in wigan was the social club on friday nights, russ winstanley was the resident DJ and it was fully two years before the casino all nighters.

I vowed never to go back too. When I met Stuart and introduced to RL I told him all about CP and my history with Wigan.
I went back one day with him to the old souvenir/lotto shop to show him where CP used to be. As a grown woman I am a bit embarassed to say I had to get back in the car because after all this time i couldn't fight the tears. I was ok until i walked around the corner and saw Tesco!! I could still close my eyes and picture the ground on a match day, even with Binder selling his programs outside


Stuart now knows that I won't go back and I think he also understands why.

Anyone else still refuse to go into tesco in wigan?

I still havent been in and never will

I know a few people that refuse to go but will readily visit Tesco's elsewhere.

What's done is done.

I did for about a week but then I realised how many people walk around Asda with their bedies on!

It isnt the fact that its tesco. Its the fact its a Central Park burial ground

I did at first - but had to go in one day and when I did I saw Craig Smith and Terry O'Connor shopping in there



I think Terry was taking him to see Central Park



Now I enjoy going tbh - brings back some crackin memories

I have never been back since crying that time I took Stuart, not sure I really want to either.
I do have a close friend who has never shopped in a tesco since it all happened! I once bought her a christmas present from Tesco and left the tag on, she gave it me back

Fair point.

By the way, its an easy place to pull off a "cheap petrol scam".

Half-fill your tank with petrol then replace the nozzle back in the pump.

Go back into your car on the pretence of collecting a wallet or something.

Proceed to completely fill car with petrol.

When you get to the till, they'll only charge for the latter petrol!

I remember a match in the late 60's when we were playing like a bunch of tarts and the crowd were booing and very restless - when all of a sudden there was a massive crack of thunder and this guy shouts out from the back of the Popular Side " And thats what he thinks of it as well".
Remember the opening night of the floodlights in 1967 when the lights went out time after time and the crowd all lit up matches.
Getting into the ground with your Dad waiting at the gate of the Hen Pen.
The sevens match when Dave Regan got sent off with some guy for fighting and they carried on fighting all the way to the tunnel and all the way up it.
Fantastic days but I have to say there have already been some great times at the JJB.