PART TWO: Wigan Athletic: The 12th Man - 'It may feel like giving up is the best option here. But it isn't. We need to fight...for people to whom Wigan Athletic was – and is – their all...'

Sean Livesey:

Over the last few weeks, and certainly the last few days, my faith has been shook. The seismic events that have been a slow burn since last Autumn are seemingly coming to a head. What we know is Phoenix 21 are on their way out. Already gone are Mal Brannigan, Oliver Gottman and Tom Markham and, frankly, good riddance. What we don't know is the form the club will take in the future. If any. It's been a distressing time over the season, with numerous missed payments, numerous points deductions, and numerous ridiculous decisions – both on and off the pitch – which sees an ownership group lauded for saving us just two short years ago now being driven out of town as charlatans. The constant speculation of whether we’ll will make it through the Summer, and whether we will find a saviour (‘Fizzy Pop Mon’ or otherwise) is damaging for people's mental health. It's been damaging for everyone all season and, frankly, on Tuesday night I felt like giving up. But then on Wednesday, I attended a funeral of a great friend of the family. Geoff Scott passed away the day before we played Rotherham. He was Latics through and through, one of the first people I remember as a child stood on the St Andrews side at Springfield Park. He made sure I was okay while in the daunting atmosphere of the Supporters Club at Springfield Park. He was there through thick and thin for his club. From watching us through the rise up the non-leagues to the Premier League, the FA Cup win, the European tour, and the bouncing between League One and Championship over the last decade. When I attended the service to celebrate his life, I was surrounded by Wiganers, and Latics fans of all ages, of all genders...all there to celebrate the life of a Latics fan. Only just into his sixth decade, he was taken far too soon from the people who loved him. As the Monkees’ 'I'm a Believer' played out at the end of the service, it made me think we are worth fighting for. Wigan Athletic is so important to so many people. Too important. We can't see it fail. If Latics fail, so does our town. So does football. We need to fight and we need to ensure that, whatever happens, we have a football club to watch at the end of this.

There seems to be a glimmer of hope on the horizon. There seems to be interest in the football club (‘Fizzy Pop Mon’ notwithstanding). While the owner (not to be confused with the chairman) held a Zoom summit with extremely worried staff on Monday, and assured them their remaining salaries would be paid this week, and that they would continue to fund the football club until a takeover is completed. Now we've been told this story before. In fact, endless times this year. Why should we believe it now? Well there's a difference here. This is now the owner (finally) taking some control. It could still be complete nonsense and, if it is, we are indeed up that creek without a paddle. But now is the time we need to fight, organise, and get ready for a ridiculously bumpy summer. The hope is we can convince the EFL we can indeed start the season, and actually finish it. If we can't provide those reassurances, we won't start the season, and our fate will be as every bit as worse as Bury's was in 2019. It may feel like giving up is the best option here. But it isn't. We need to fight for our football club. We need to fight, because of all those people, going back to the 1930's, who fought to establish football in the town of Wigan. Those who fought so valiantly for admission to the Football League, and all of those who have come before us. People like Geoff, to whom Wigan Athletic was – and is – their all. We need to fight to make sure we, and our children, and our grandchildren, have a football team in their town. Their football team. It's going to be the fight of our lives, but we've done it before, and we'll do it again. For Geoff Scott 1962-2023.

Colin Garner:

It's never dull being a Wigan Athletic fan, is it? Can we please just have a 'normal' club to support? Phoenix 21 have really pulled the wool over our eyes, haven't they? And I'll include myself in that. I was all singing and all dancing for them at the beginning. I was, I suppose you'd all call it, a 'happy clapper'. Well not any more! The sooner we are sold the better, but not to 'Pop Man'. I'm hearing of more interest now coming in, and for the love of God I hope the EFL scrutinises each one, because we've been burned too many times now. I really don't think the current owners realise what they are doing to people's wellbeing. They've sold false promises to players, fans and staff. And it's the staff I genuinely feel sorry for, not getting paid on time (if at all). We need to remind ourselves these people are everyday 'normal' people who have mouths to feed, and bills to pay. A few of us fans have joined forces to help the best we can. And I'm seeing the Supporters Club and the local media getting criticism on social media. They can only do so much! We need to stop these divides and unite the fanbase to show potential buyers what the club means to us as fans, as a community and as a family! Talal, Mr Al Jasmi...you're messing with people's livelihoods! Stop now! Do the right thing and get out of OUR CLUB! To the staff, if you see this, we are with you, we support you, and we thank you!

Mike Goodman:

FAO Talal Al Hammad & Abdulrahman Al Jasmi. If you have any compassion for the staff, players and supporters of the club, then do the right thing. Pay the outstanding wages now, facilitate a sale to the most credible group, pay all running costs on time until a sale is concluded, and at least part ways amicably. This is people’s lives you’re playing with. It’s been going on for too long now, so close this off in the best way possible for us and for you.

Shaun Farrell:

In the words of Holly Willoughby… ‘Hi, how are you? Are you okay?’ If you ask any Latics fan this at the moment, I think the answer would be the same – ‘are you taking the you know what?’ Yet again as a fanbase we've had a roller coaster of a season, depending of your view of life, and then to top all that off, yet again our illustrious owners decided the people who actually run the club - who not only are fans but also the heartbeat – didn't deserve to be paid on time again, if at all. Imagine the stress and mental trauma that brings. Not only are these people, in the main, massive fans, but they are the ones who keep the club operating day in day out. The ones who greet you with a cheery ‘hello’ when you walk into the club shop. The ones who sort out the messes of an inadequate ticketing system (that the owners approved) week in, week out. The ones you've seen for years progress in the club and still give and receive the nod to every other week when we are at home, and the ones that have to put up with the rugby lot as well (just a joke, what with the current circulating rumours). A football club is nothing without its fans, but it’s not there without its staff. All of this is why a group of us have put together a fundraiser for the staff. It's there to help them if, in a few weeks, the wages don't come or are late. It's there to help them not be worrying as much over the next few weeks, and it's there so next season we still see those same faces. We know times are hard at the minute for everyone, and we are not asking everyone to donate out of their pocket if they choose not to. But a simple share of the link to your social media means we can get that message out. We are also here if you want to reach out or offer help. Or, of course, if any of you just want to chat. I've always felt the Latics fanbase is a family...a very dysfunctional family, but nevertheless a family who back each other. Lastly I want to say a massive thankyou to our fanbase. Not only have you donated in your droves, you've also helped get that message out there when others chose not to. This meant, in less than 24 hours, we hit the halfway point of our target! This is amazing, and you all deserve a pat on the back and more. To end this with another quote seems fitting in the words of the late great Scott Hall (aka ‘Razor Ramon’): ‘Hard work pays off. Dreams come true. Bad times don't last. But bad guys do...’ https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/wiganathleticstaff?utm_term=mrW5GGrmE

Tony Moon:

Here we are again pop-pickers, and what an unbelievable list of toe-tingling, timeless tunes we have in the charts this week! We’ve come off the rollercoaster ride of the past few weeks, we’ve been down the slippery slide, and now we’re onto the merry-go-round, where Jackie Graham, Spandau Ballet and Mary J Blige are all competing to spin us round and round, and round and round, and round and round…til we’re sick! Dead Or Alive got the wrong end of the stick, and just wanted someone else to spin them right round instead! So buckle up music fans, and prepare yourselves to pick your nose for what could be the last chart rundown for WAFC (we all flick crows), as we bring you the chart that’s all about YOU:

Just failing to tip into the top 10 this week, at 11, it's Go Now, by the (very) Moody Blues. At 10, it’s Don’t Play That Song For Me (You lied, Mr AJ) by Aretha Frankly-disgusted-with-them. In at 9, Don’t Come Around Here No More (Talal) by Tom Petty and THE HEARTBREAKERS. At 8, it’s Why You Treat Me So Bad by Club Nouveaux…please, yes, a nouveaux club. Shuffling up to 7, it’s Footsee (under the table at super secret meetings) by Wigan’s Chosen Few (you know who you are…and a big Fluff thank you to you all). At 6, it’s a surprising Wooden Heart (and Head) by Elvis (has left the building, and so have the board). Storming up to 5, we have There Are More Questions Than Answers by Johnny Nash and the WAFC hashtag…(and most of the questions aren’t really worth asking). Bubbling up to 4, I Talk To The Trees (and other wooden things) by Clint Eastwood (and Paul Kendrick on Twitter). And into our top three…at 3, we’re Holding Out For A Hero by Bonnie Tyler (and the whole Latics fanbase). Just missing out at 2, it’s a stonking double A-sider from Slade, with Look Wot You Done (Talal) and Mama, We’re All Crazee Now (scream Tics fans everywhere). And this week’s tip top, sitting pretty chart topper is a Casino Classics triple header, with the three before eight given a Tics twist...I give you your number 1: - Time Will Pass You By (if you don’t take in the sun while you can) by Toby Legend (where are you, Mr Whelan? … now there’s a real legend); - I’m On My Way (at last) by (move out of the way Dean Parrish) Mr AJ and Talal; and of course - Long After Tonight Is All Over, (we’ll all keep loving Latics) by Jimmy Radcliffe (but sadly, not the minted one who’s after buying Yernited)… So, there you have it. All chooned out. All right? Same time next week? Who knows. Maybe just arf a chance…