Wigan chief admits music series has been ‘10 years in the making’ with economical boost predicted for the whole town

Richard Ashcroft, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, James Arthur and The Lathums have all been confirmed as part of a five-night music series next July at the club’s training facility.

The multi-million pound venue can hold up to 12,000 people, with Radlinski admitting it has been a long but rewarding process that includes two huge homecoming shows for legendary ‘The Verve’ frontman Ashcroft.

“For me personally, this has been 10 years in the making,” Radlinski explained.

“I’ve been trying to get Richard for that long. I was at The Verve 26 years ago which is etched in the memory of Wiganers.

“The music at that time was so important to us all. I actually went to the concert with Gary Connolly, who had a plastic pigeon strapped to his shoulder all day for some reason.

“That’s the one I’ve always been trying to get. I got close to Simon Moran through Warrington, and the way Super League meetings work, it’s always alphabetical, so I’d always be sat next to him.

“He knew I had an interest and I would always ask about Richard and The Verve.

“About two months before the end of the season, I got a call from SJM Concerts and they told me there was a chance we could get Richard and I was buzzing.

“When I went on holiday after the Grand Final, I was told that they had Richard and a couple of others, but they wouldn’t tell me who.

“Then they told me about The Lathums, which is huge for the town, James Arthur and then Noel Gallagher.

“Five nights is obviously quite disruptive to our team in that point of view, so I’d have to look after them. But SJM are coming in and we’ll charge a rent to take over that period of time. It’s then over to them.”

Radlinski, who was appointed as the club’s chief at the beginning of the year after nine years as executive director, believes the five nights will have a huge impact on the whole town - not just the rugby club.

“We always had a vision for Robin Park to be about the community and then the pandemic slowed down that progress” he continued.

“But we want to develop it even more, put more events on and I’d like to think it could be an outstanding venue.

“We can get 12,000 in here, so if you think five nights of that for the economic impact on the town, the bars around the town, the restaurants… It puts Wigan on the map.

“Everyone is super buzzing about this.

“Wigan has got a ridiculous history with northern soul, and the Rolling Stones have been here in the past. But to do it now with the names as big as you can get – rock royalty – it’s huge.

“It’s just a brilliant opportunity for us and it’s not about the rugby club, it’s about Wigan. It’s fantastic.”