Oasis 'owe their success to Wigan Athletic'!*

The cover for the 1997 single 'All Around the World' featured the words of the title track being written in the sand on an as-yet unidentified beach.

It was based on a famous photo taken by George Harrison from a Miami hotel balcony of fans who had written messages to The Beatles in the sand on the beach.

Until now, the identity of the beach had remained a secret, until Brian Cannon - the Wigan-born designer who worked with the band on a number of projects - spilled the beans on social media.

"We shot it from the top of the Dorset Fire Brigade's extendable ladder on Bournemouth beach," tweeted Cannon.

"I chose Bournemouth because Wigan Athletic were playing there that weekend - true story, had they had Torquay we'd have gone there!"

Sadly - perhaps, typically! - Latics didn't fulfil their part of their bargain, losing 1-0 to the Cherries, at the beginning of the 1997-98 season.

Cannon worked with Oasis on many projects including the track 'D’You Know What I Mean?' - from the album 'Be Here Now' - with the front of the single’s release being shot in Darlington Street, near Wigan town centre.

It was Brian who chose the location featuring the now famous “Blind Steps”.

Recalling the 1997 shoot, Brian, originally from Pemberton, said: “We chose Wigan as the first place not because there’s anything particularly interesting about that scene, but because there were 40 or 50 extras.

“They were all my family or friends; my mum and dad were in there, my mates’ mums and dads were in there.

“So rather than ferry them to a location miles away, it just made sense.

“Noel (Gallagher) came and gave it his approval and we went with it.

“We hired out the Bellingham hotel where we ate and then shipped everyone down to Darlington Street."

* sort of