We’re on the way to Wigan

Jan 24, 2025 | News

The 32nd league meeting between Bristol Rovers and Wigan Athletic takes place on Saturday 25th January with Rovers having won 11 of the previous 31 encounters, while Wigan have won 13 and there’s been seven draws. Rovers have scored 47 goals against Wigan’s 45.

The first league meetings between the clubs took place in 1982/83 and the first meeting ended 4-0 in Rovers favour, on 16th October 1982, thanks to goals from Graham Withey (2), Paul Randall and Geraint Williams. The return fixture at Wigan’s then home, Springfield Park, saw Rovers go one better and win 5-0. That was on 25th February 1983 and Withey again scored twice, Randall also scored two and Nicky Platnauer was also on the scoresheet.

Last season’s match at The Memorial Stadium saw Rovers record a 4-1 win on 25th September 2023 when Luke Thomas, Jack Hunt, Aaron Collins and John Marquis were on the scoresheet while Charlie Wyke replied for the visitors.

The return fixture, on 27th April last year, was the final game of the season and Wigan, thanks to goals from skipper Josh Magennis and Jonny Smith ran out comfortable 2-0 winners. This season’s meeting at The Mem saw Wigan win 4-0 as Joe Hughill (2), Theo Aasgaard and Luke Chambers were on target for the visitors.

One game between the clubs, still talked about to this day, came on 2nd December 1997 when Rovers lost 3-0 against at Springfield Park, and finished the game with only seven men following a bizarre refereeing display by Kevin Lynch.

On a cold and frosty evening Mr Lynch sent off four Rovers players and one from Wigan. If one more Rovers player had been sent off, the game would have been abandoned but, hard as they tried, they couldn’t persuade Mr Lynch to get his cards out again!

A handful of players have turned out for both clubs, including current Rovers club captain Scott Sinclair who joined Wigan in August 2009, on loan from Chelsea and went on to appear in 18 league games for the Latics, all but one of which was from the bench. Larry Lloyd, Nathan Ellington, Jason Roberts, Les Bradd, Steve Morgan, Leon Clarke, Lee Nicholls, and Paul Tait have also represented both clubs.

Kofi Shaw became the sixth player to make his Rovers league debut against Wigan last April, and the 1,006th player to appear in the league for Rovers while others to

have made their Gas league debuts against Wigan are Francis Joseph, Simon Stapleton, Vitalijs Astafjevs, Matt Glennon and Marc Bola.

Whilst it was Shaw’s first league game for Rovers, it was the final match in a Rovers shirt for Harry Vaughan and Elkan Baggott (pictured here with Kamil Conteh) and Brandon Aguilera.

Wigan have been particularly busy in the transfer market this month and have, at the time of writing, signed five players.

Defender Josh Robinson, an England Youth international, was the first to arrive after spending yen years at Arsenal without making a first team appearance. Nest to arrive was forward Joe Hungbo, from FC Nurnberg and he was followed by striker Will Goodwin, on loan from Oxford United.

Defender Jon Mellish arrived from Carlisle United while their latest signing is former Rovers midfielder Ollie Norburn, who has arrived on loan from Blackpool.

Outgoings have seen loanees Calvin Ramsay and Hughill return to their respective parent clubs, Liverpool and Manchester United respectively. Ramsay was an 80th minute substitute for The Latics in their 4-0 win at The Mem last September, while Hughill scored two first half goals in that game. Ramsay has now joined Kilmarnock on loan, while Hughill has signed for Carlisle United, also on loan.

Wigan lost 2-1 in their home game against Burton Albion on Tuesday evening, a result that sees them in 17th place in the League One table with 30 points from 25 games, two points and one place better off than Rovers who have also played 25 games.

Rovers travel to Wigan looking to record a third successive league victory after beating Cambridge United and Barnsley in their last two League One outings.

We wish all travelling Gasheads a safe journey to and from Wigan’s Brick Community Stadium.