No, he had no connection to the group.

With regard to the above - Good!
To all of you who do know me then you will obviously understand why I have to be careful about what I do/don't say & Bearing mind I've pretty much remained silent since Nov/Dec 2011 and haven't posted anything on the subject (As far as I can remember)for fear of being deemed to be stirring it with the ones who wanted to go "Their own way" around that time.

I'll keep it as short & Sweet as I can

I stopped being involved end of 2011 for this very reason and despite numerous warnings to 4 or 5 of them that despite my belief that none of them wanted to be involved in any violence/hooliganism element there actions were attracting this very element to them. I & others tried to express our concerns over numerous issues and at the last meeting I attended with them I made it clear that I would not be involved any more given their determined "ultra" stance.
I made the club aware that I would only be involved in erecting and taking down the Gantry flags and that would be it, Conroy (Hope you don't mind me mentioning yourself) on the other hand perservered for far longer than me and tried to talk some sense but to no avail.

Saturday was enough for me to break my silence and to some of those who received my texts immediately after the game I make only slight apologies for my anger in those texts.
Although I know you guys weren't at the game I still believe that some of your stance & actions of 18/24 + months ago are a direct link to the "Element" that are now prominant figures in these problems.
The details of this stance and these actions were done to death at the meetings 2 years ago and so much so I stayed till gone 12pm on a couple of occasions to try & persuade a different stance but to no avail.

There was to be No concession on "The Ultras" tag and for that reason alone I wanted no more to do with it.

In Hindsight I can sit here and think "i could have done more" to stop it, I could have explained my concerns to the club more back then than I did (And yes I did tell the club the reason I didnt want to be assosciated with anything other than the Gantry flags anymore), I should just have stopped doing the Gantry flags to bring the issue to a head.
I didn't and I'm quite prepared to take stick for not doing more (Albeit I was in a very difficult position) although those of you that know me know how vocal I was and the lengths I went to to discourage this.

For those of you that don't know me there have been one or two perceptive posts about something changing at the end of 2011, Some of the original people who wanted the flags etc walked away (After numerous attempts to curb the way some were going).

Whilst under 1 banner a few of us were involved in the Fund raising and charity stuff such as the £400 donation to Macmillan nurses (That some the the more Ultra element didnt want anything to do with) and the £500 raised for Wigan & Leigh Hospice (Which again I took stick for as some didnt want it to go to charity!).

I can however sit here and deep down know that when we had the meeting in late 2009 and set up the Flag group (As it was known then) 95% of the original people involved did so with the most positive of intentions and slowly 1 by 1 they walked away as they could see that some used this as a vehicle for promoting the more "Ultra" side.

Well you got what you wanted, I just only hope you don't hide behind the "it wasn't us" and "we don't condone this behaviour" stance previously taken. Not being at the game is not a defence.
Your words & Actions previously brought this on despite many,many warnings that were ignored.

I have lkeft numerous messages with the club this morning and I am waiting for a call back.
When they do I will tell them everything I saw and who these people are assosciated with, this may be uncomfortable reading but it will happen.
I saw everything that happened Saturday and couple with the other reports from Huddersifeld town centre I am appalled and can stay silent no more.
I will stay away from much more comment on here unless I have to but this has to end NOW.

Excellent news.

Well said Jukesays

It's a real shame that all of the hard work done by you, MattyB, RG et al to get the original (and successful) concept off the ground has been damaged by idiots with different motives. In the short term it's probably best for everyone to take a step back while the dust settles and allow the club to act as it sees fit. Hopefully in the future we'll get back the great vibe that came from the original efforts - supporting the club, not damaging it!

Positive leaders abandoning the Brigantes seems to me the root cause of the groups decline. Maybe if these leaders stuck around then these problems wouldn't have occurred because the group would still of had that positive influence. Instead a good thing has gone bad where the once negative minority now run amok and have greater influence on a group of fans.

I think the old leaders should return to the Brigantes and try to turn the groups fortunes around. If it was a good thing before then it can be a good thing again.

I'll leave it at that..

It seems to be true unfortunatley. Full marks to the Wigan fans (espcecially Jukesays) who is standing upto to this and not trying to brush it off. As I've said previously it is a real shame.

I agree entirely.

well said pal

Due to the Taylor Report a fair few football/rugby league stadia, including the DW, were built all seater. Not being able to sit with your mates, or like minded people, has seriously diluted the atmosphere and not just at Wigan.

Previously, if you wanted to sing and stand at games, you congregated on a terrace and away you went. Now, it's pot luck who you're sat next to and whether you're in a part of the stand that gets behind the team more, in a vocal sense.

Had it not been for the Taylor Report, there would have been no need for the Brigantes to start up in the first place. Not knocking the original concept at all. It seemed to work well initially.

Fair play then to the new builds at places like Warrington and Saints where if you want to sit, you sit and if you want to stand (and sing a bit more) you stand. Common sense prevailed, but you get a bit of common sense if you move away from assocation football.

I was sat just to the left of the Brigantes at Huddersfield and the moronic drum banging made it sound like we were on a Boys Brigade outing. Singing at Rugby League should be spontaneous depending on the flow of the game, who's winning, who's losing, time left and so on. Never orchestrated.

I missed the smoke bomb and scuffles as I left bang on the hooter. I did have a great bit of banter with a young Giants fan and his dad in the Yorkshire Rose before the game. The sort of behaviour by the (few) Wigan 'fans' would have put that little fellow off and that's not we want in Rugby League at all.

Your a bell mate.

In terms of songs with bad language.. Although parents don't want their children to hear it, it will happen. The disliking of other fans the rivalry and in a minor way... The hatred. Is what makes derby games such as wire Vs Wigan, Wigan Vs Saints ect. Worth watching... It eeks atmosphere. Its how its created.

Now in NO WAY am I condoning hooliganism, Foul language, or saying families or young children should not attend the games if they don't like it. All I am saying is that's what happens. Its always happened.

If every club had a family stand then children or people who don't want to hear foul language would not be subject to it. But at the same time I can understand why people shouldn't have to move to enjoy the game. But it's an idea.


The whole 'gang culture' that these Brigante/Ultra d**k heads are doing however is bang out of order. Yes wire and Wigan dislike each other but I know I can still go into a pub after a match and have a laugh and banter.

After Wigan's friendly I was walking into central station to get the train home with a group of around 15 lads. About 11-15, 6st wet through. Banging a drum and hurling the abuse. What a bunch of T*t heads i thought, these are going to get worse and worse.

The fact by the sounds or it they are letting of smoke bombs, wearing balaclavas, posting pictures of them in balaclavas?!?? They're trying to copy and be something they're not. It sounds like they want to be the green brigade. With a little noisy corner. Giving themselves a name. Its stupid. They'll be banned or they're going to get bored once people stop acknowledging people.

Some have said they have to be rugby fans. They've paid their money so they must have an interest. The sad truth is they don't have an interest. There were plenty fights at the GF and i would put my house on it that 9/10 hadn't been to a game all season. Maybe the odd exception going to a 'big' game. They go for an excuse to get tanked up and act like they're in a firm. It's quite sad how the majority are actually 21+ who do this.


More and more things are cropping up each year. And its not just one club or fans as a whole, every team has had bad press each season. Lets remember though RL was quite bad before we entered the 90's so its not a recent issue, We have calmed down. I just don't want it to flare up again.





I think from all of the the real issue is.... Some people always have to take things to far... Simple as. Some people don't know when to walk away from the pub or bookies. Some people arn't satisfied with small time drugs and move on to heroine. These people aren't just happy with the songs and flags. They want more. and this is where the trouble has started.

Something needs to be done and quick.

Damo, I think your choice of words leaves a lot to be desired (abandoning), you seem to be putting the blame for the so called Ultras going out of control on the genuine fans who started the flag thing with only the best intentions.

It is almost like saying that it was the school teachers fault when a former pupil finishes up in jail for criminal offences.

I think the old leaders need to return to the the group. Get rid of the ultras name and get the brigantes name back and that name only. The old leaders were doing a fantastic job. I use to look forward to away games not only to watch Wigan but for the atmosphere what was created. These days I don't enjoy it as much. The lads that are running it at the moment need to go. They're beyond embarrassing and are beginning to ruin the reputation of the club.

Ridiculous. The former leaders of the group probably don't want to return to it. Their good intentions have been completely destroyed by a bunch of idiots hi-jacking the whole thing. The current trouble makers need to be stamped on hard and permanently, or the problem will persist.

By the sounds of things, the idiots from Saturday are going to be dealt with and hopefully they will get lengthy bans. If they are hit with bans, the club should announce how they've dealt with the situation and maybe people will think twice about throwing smoke bombs, causing trouble and verbally abusing people. The old leaders then maybe able to go back to the Brigantes, get the group back on right track and continue the good work they started before they left.