Wigan Athletic Football Club was formed in 1932 and gained election to the football league, beating Southport at the end of the 1977/1978 season. In 1995 local millionaire Dave Whelan took control of the club and said that he wanted the club to reach the Premier League in 10 years.
Two years after Dave Whelan took charge the club won the old Third Division Championship and won the Autowinscreen Shield in 1999. The old home of Wigan (Springfield Park) was to see its last season in the 1998-1999 season to pave the way for a 25,000 all seater stadium called the JJB Stadium, linking in with Dave Whelans ownership of JJB. The First game was in August 1999 against the Treble wining side of Manchester United.
Wigan reached the play off final in the 1999-2000 season and lost to Gillingham 3-2. Wigan had to wait three years to win promotion to Division One but when they did go up they went up in style, winning the league with 100 points. The manager to lead the club to this great achievement was Paul Jewell. Wigan then finished 7th in their first ever season in Division One and finished Runners Up in only their second season in the second tier of English football. The club won Promotion to the Premiership in May 2005, The club had met Dave Whelans aim to reach the Premiership in 10 years, a remarkable achievement.
Many tipped Wigan to be Relegated in their first season in the Premiership but the astounded critics by finishing 10th and reaching the Carling Cup final. Their second season was much tougher with the club narrowly avoiding relegation on the last day, surviving by only one goal on goal difference.
First Team Squad 2007-2008
1. GK Chris Kirkland
2. DF Ryan Taylor
3.
4. DF Andreas Granqvist
5. DF Fitz Hall
6. ST Antoine Sibierski
7. ST Henri Camara (On loan at West Ham)
8. MF Kevin Kilbane
9. ST Emile Heskey
10. MF Jason Koumas
11. MF Michael Brown
12. GK Mike Pollitt
13. GK Carlo Nash
14. MF Denny Landzaat
15. ST Julius Aghahowa
16. MF Luis Antonio Valencia
17. DF Emmerson Boyce
18. MF Paul Scharner
19. CB Titus Bramble
20. DF Salomon Olembe
21. MF Tomasz Cywka
22. ST David Cotterill
23. ST Marcus Bent
24. MF Josip Skoko
25. DF Mario Melchiot
26. MF Rachid Bouaouzan
27. MF Tomasz Kupiz
28. MF Peter Moore
29. MF Lewis Montrose
Transfer Budget
Can have up to £12.25m if you tell the board you can avoid relegation.
A good team to be if you want a challenge in the Premier League.
FM 2008: Official Wigan Athletic Thread 
Linear Mode
