Loot for Latics fund-raising auction in memory of Wigan football fan

Items owned by an avid Wigan Athletic supporter went under a virtual hammer online following her death to raise more than £1,000 for the club.
Ian and Sheila GregoryIan and Sheila Gregory
Ian and Sheila Gregory

Sheila’s Loot for Latics was organised by Rebecca Cunningham and her cousin Rachael Finnerty after Rebecca’s mum Sheila Gregory lost a long battle with breast cancer last month.

Rebecca discovered a large number of products her mum had bought when she started going through her possessions. She decided that as Hindley mum Sheila was a massive Latics fan dozens of the objects could be auctioned off to help the club she loved in its current plight.

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Rebecca’s husband Dan Cunningham said: “My wife’s mum was a bit of a hoarder and there were a lot of products unwrapped and with the labels still on.

Rebecca Cunningham with some of the items which were auctionedRebecca Cunningham with some of the items which were auctioned
Rebecca Cunningham with some of the items which were auctioned

“She had a lot of perfumes and beauty products as well as clothes.

“Sheila loved Latics and was a season ticket holder so Rebecca and Rachael decided it was a good idea to auction some of the stuff off and the money raised would go towards saving Latics.

“She was quite upset when it was in the news that the club was struggling. She was saddened by the prospect of the club folding.

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“She knew she wouldn’t get to see the outcome but we think she would be pleased by this money being raised in her name towards the club’s future.”

The auction took place over two days last week and raised just over £1,200 for the football club, with more than 90 items being sold.

Sheila, who was 66 when she died on August 5, had been battling triple negative breast cancer for just under five years.

She worked as a book keeper at Clarks Shoes and had been a fan of Wigan Athletic since the club’s non-league days, following the team home and away for years through all their ups and downs.

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She also introduced her and her husband Ian’s grandchildren to the delights of going to the football and even persuaded Dan, a Manchester United supporter, to watch Latics a couple of times.

Sheila’s family says anyone inspired by her story who would like to donate further to the efforts to save Latics can give to the crowd-funding drive by the supporters’

club.