Sports   (Talk about balls here.)

'Wigan Athletic players have proved beyond all possible doubt that their hearts, as well as their pay packets, are in the very soul of Wigan. The whole squad have donated one million pounds of their 'staying up' bonus towards the building and upkeep of the proposed Wigan Boys and Girls Club.

The club is the brainchild of Latics chairman Dave Whelan who says he was set up in life by his experiences at a forerunner of the club. The proceeds of his autobiography 'Playing To Win" have been ploughed into the scheme and together with Martin and Bill Ainscough – he has already donated over half of the £6.5m development costs.

Designed by the Liverpool architects Austin-Smith:Lord, the youth centre will feature recreational facilities, sport, music and art studios, a climbing wall, all-weather pitches and improved public spaces.

The facility is badly needed in the Wigan area and this gesture by the players of Wigan Athletic FC will go a long way into making their chairman's dream a reality.

In these days of what people perceive as 'greed' with regards to players who play for top flight clubs it is uplifting for the people of Wigan to realise that Latics are not only paying lip service to their mantra of being a true 'Community Club'.'


A magnificent gesture by the Latics players,one we can all applaud.