BLIMEY, I really do seem to have struck a nerve with my criticism of the low attendance at Wigan Athletic's recent home game against Crystal Palace.
Of course the ones who were offended by my remarks were the very Wigan supporters I WASN'T referring to. I have the utmost respect and admiration for the lads and lasses who turn up regularly at the JJB Stadium in all weathers.
It's the armchair fans who can't be bothered to get behind Paul Jewell and his team that I'm trying to get off their backsides.
If my comments have upset the true Wigan supporters then I apologise but, I'm sorry, no amount of hostile correspondence is going to make me change my mind.
Poor reward
A crowd of under 7,000 for a league match when you are sitting at the very head of the First Division is a poor reward in my book for the magnificent achievements of Jewell's bonny team so far this season.
Forgive me if I'm wrong. But hasn't Jewell himself wondered aloud this season what more his team has to do to attract bigger gates?
Yes, in many ways that disappointingly low attendance against Palace was a one-off because the match was screened live on TV.
And, yes, I do know that Wigan's average attendance for home matches this season is beyond the 9,000 mark. But the club would have to increase that attendance threefold to have even an outside chance of surviving in the Premiership.
Anyway I can promise Hince-haters in Wigan an increase in attendance at the JJB Stadium in the very near future because our sadistic sports editor Peter Spencer is dispatching me there to run the rule over Jewell's Premiership hopefuls.
Which match am I going to watch? Don't be daft. Do you think I'm going to answer that after being buried under a mountain of hate-mail? Offensive, lazy and ignorant I may be. Suicidal I'm not.
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Can't wait for you to turn up at the JJB!
Mr Hince,
You must have an Honours Degree in mising the point. You say that Wigan's attendances will need to rise above the 9,000 average for us to survive in the Prem. Seeing as they've risen 2,000 this season from last year, what makes you think they won't continue to go up? It stands to reason that more people will come to see us against the likes of Arsenal than Rotherham. Also, you can factor in derby matches against United, City, Bolton, Blackburn, Liverpool and Everton and huge away followings from the likes of Newcastle. I have no doubt that Wigan's crowds would average around the 18,000 mark should we reach the Premiership. Respectable, in other words, and greatly in excess of our Rugby League friends.
The JJB holds 25,000 max, pray tell Football Oracle how we are supposed to increase our gates of 9,000 threefold (making 27,000 in my book)... Anyway Fulham seem to have survived ok with less than the (obviously mandatory) 27,000.
I don't know you Citeh boys, only concerned with being 'Massive' off the pitch and not actually bothered about what goes on it, judging by the performance against Leicester anyway!
Shouldn`t your headline read.
*i stand by my criticism of the people that dont go watching the latics*
Just a thought.
When i think about it you're right - most of Wigan doesnt deserve Wigan athletic they will always live in past glorys of wigan rugby shaun edwards etc. My past glory was watchin latics in freezin cold on a tuesday nite with the worst rain ever watchin us beat Scarborough 7-1 and the nite we clinch division 2 pat mcgibbons header and memories of greame jones at torquey and 3 amigos.
lots of people have missed this and will never know how much it mean to be so high up BUT if the press and club get behind them and get the message across that they are a great club and been through things you can write a book about then maybe people mite take note and start going and get the addiction.
Cheers