1997 Wigan Warriors season

1997 #ff0000 #ffffff Super League Super League II 4th 14 0 8 683 398 Won Premiership Final Challenge Cup 4th round Central Park 1996 1998 yes List of Wigan Warriors seasons The 1997 Wigan Warriors season was the 102nd season in the club's rugby league history and the second season in the Super League. Coached by Eric Hughes, the Warriors competed in Super League II and finished in 4th place, but went on to win the Premiership Final at Old Trafford against St. Helens. The club also competed in the 1997 Challenge Cup, and were knocked out in the fourth round by St Helens. Background The inaugural Super League season in 1996 was a disappointing year for Wigan. Although they finished the year with a victory in the 1996 Premiership final, the club ended the league season as runners-up to rivals St Helens, the first time since 1989 that they had failed to win the league, and their nine-year unbeaten run in the Challenge Cup had come to an end. From the start of the 1997 season, the club became known as Wigan Warriors.New name for Wigan https://archive.org/details/NewsUK1996UKEnglish/Oct%2031%201996%2C%20The%20Times%2C%20%2365723%2C%20UK%20%28en%29/page/n43/mode/2up?view=theater The Times 31 October 1996 45 The club was struggling with financial problems, and was reportedly over £3 million in debt. Dave Whelan, owner of the town's football club Wigan Athletic, had offered to buy the rugby club's ground, Central Park, which would be redeveloped into an all-seater stadium and shared by both clubs. In January 1997, Wigan Warriors' shareholders voted in favour of accepting the offer,Hadfield Dave Rugby league : Wigan vote to stay at home https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-league-wigan-vote-to-stay-at-home-1282854.html The Independent 2 June 2024 12 January 1997 but two months later the board instead decided to sell the ground to Tesco, who had offered considerably more money than Whelan, and the club intended to share the newly built Reebok Stadium with Bolton Wanderers until it could build its own new stadium.Hadfield Dave Rugby League: Wigan exiled by £12m Central Park sale https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-league-wigan-exiled-by-pounds-12m-central-park-sale-1271381.html The Independent 2 June 2024 6 March 1997 The decision led to the departure of director John Martin, who had backed Whelan's proposal.Hadfield Dave Resignation adds to Wigan's troubles https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/resignation-adds-to-wigan-s-troubles-1280759.html The Independent 2 June 2024 26 February 1997 The shareholders, unhappy that the club was being moved out of town, demanded the resignation of two of the club's board members, Jack Robinson and Tom Rathbone.Wigan chief under fire https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/6184855.wigan-chief-under-fire/ The Bolton News 2 June 2024 14 March 1997 Following months of continuous protests by shareholders and supporters, Robinson and Rathbone resigned in August, with Arthur Thomas taking over as chairman.Hadfield Dave Rugby League: Reviled Robinson steps down at Wigan https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-league-reviled-robinson-steps-down-at-wigan-1246433.html The Independent 2 June 2024 19 August 1997 Thomas resigned in October, and the club was taken over by Mike Nolan, a local businessman and former rugby league player with Rochdale Hornets and St Helens.Rugby League: Takeover saves Wigan from going to the wall https://archive.org/details/Independent1997IrelandEnglish/Oct%2031%201997%2C%20Independent%2C%20%233442%2C%20Ireland%20%28en%29/page/n31/mode/2up?view=theater The Independent 31 October 1997 32 The plan to move in with Bolton Wanderers was dropped, and the club announced they would share a proposed new stadium at Robin Park with Wigan Athletic as of the start of the 2000 season.Hadfield Dave Rugby League: Wigan plan to ground-share with football neighbours Athletic by year 2000 https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-league-wigan-plan-to-groundshare-with-football-neighbours-athletic-by-year-2000-1295020.html The Independent 2 June 2024 19 November 1997 Prior to the start of the league season, The Independent wrote that Wigan's squad was "thin on genuine quality", and predicted that the team would finish third.Rugby: Club-by-club guide to the Super League https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-clubbyclub-guide-to-the-super-league-1272658.html The Independent 2 June 2024 13 March 1997 Match results Challenge Cup Wigan were drawn against St Helens in the fourth round of the Challenge Cup. Wigan lost 12–26 against their local rivals, with the result eventually leading to the departure of coach Graeme West a week later.Hadfield Dave Rugby League: West resigns at Wigan after refusing new role https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-league-west-resigns-at-wigan-after-refusing-new-role-1279115.html The Independent 2 June 2024 17 February 1997 +RoundDateOpponentVenueScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceFourth8 February 1997St HelensAway12–26RadlinskiFarrell (4)12,262 World Club Championship Wigan were in Pool A for the 1997 World Club Championship. Group stage +GameDateOpponentVenueScoreTriesGoalsAttendance19 June 1997Canterbury BulldogsAway22–18Robinson (2), Haughton, A. JohnsonFarrell (2), Paul10,680216 June 1997Brisbane BroncosAway0–3414,833322 June 1997Canberra RaidersAway22–56Radlinski (2), Connolly, HallFarrell (3)9,098 420 July 1997Brisbane BroncosHome4–30Farrell (2)13,476528 July 1997Canterbury BulldogsHome31–24Connolly, Cowie, Farrell, Radlinski, RobinsonFarrell (5, 1dg) 10,28063 August 1997Canberra RaidersHome10–50HaughtonFarrell (3)12,504 Knockout stage +RoundDateOpponentVenueScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceQuarter-final3 October 1997Hunter MarinersHome18–22Ellison (2), RadlinskiFarrell (3)9,553 Table WIG Squad Source:Fletcher Raymond Howes David Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1998 1998 Headline London 978-0-7472-7683-8 137 Players marked * left the club during the season. NoPlayerAppsTriesGoalsDGsPoints 1 Kris Radlinski 33 15 0 0 60 2 Jason Robinson Jason Robinson (rugby) 31 20 0 0 80 3 Va'aiga Tuigamala * 1 0 0 0 0 4 Gary Connolly 28 15 0 0 60 5 Rob Smyth 0 0 0 0 0 6 Henry Paul rugby 27 7 4 0 36 7 Shaun Edwards * 1 0 0 0 0 8 Neil Cowie 27 2 0 0 8 9 Mick Cassidy 33 2 0 0 8 10 Terry O'Connor Terry O'Connor (rugby league) 28 1 0 0 4 11 Simon Haughton 31 15 0 0 60 13 Andy Farrell 33 9 146 4 332 14 Craig Murdock 18 4 0 0 16 15 Andy Johnson Andy Johnson (rugby league) 31 16 0 0 64 16 Danny Ellison 12 10 0 0 40 17 Stephen Holgate rugby league 31 0 0 0 0 18 Stuart Lester 8 0 0 0 0 20 Nigel Wright Nigel Wright (rugby league) 14 2 0 1 9 21 Daryl Cardiss 16 3 0 0 12 22 Paul Johnson Paul Johnson (rugby league, born 1978) 10 2 0 0 8 23 Ian Sherratt 0 0 0 0 0 24 Sean Long * 4 0 0 0 0 25 Gaël Tallec 28 3 0 0 12 26 Doc Murray 8 0 0 0 0 27 Martin Hall Martin Hall (rugby league) 18 2 1 0 10 28 Paul Koloi 5 1 0 0 4 29 Lee Hansen Lee Hansen (rugby league) 25 0 0 0 0 30 Tony Smith Tony Smith (rugby league, born 1970) 23 16 0 0 64 31 Ian Talbot 3 1 0 0 4 32 Neil Baynes 2 0 0 0 0 33 Lee Gilmour 1 0 0 0 0 34 Jon Clarke Jon Clarke (rugby league) 9 1 0 0 4 Transfers In PlayerPosFromFeeDate Tony Smith Scrum half Castleford Tigers £150,000 March 1997 Lee Hansen Prop forward Widnes Vikings Exchange April 1997 Paul Koloi Centre Canterbury Cardinals May 1997 Denis Betts Second-row Auckland Warriors May 1997 Tony Mestrov Prop forward London Broncos November 1997 Mark Bell Winger St. George Dragons November 1997 Robbie McCormack Hooker Hunter Mariners November 1997 Danny Moore Centre Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles December 1997 Out PlayerPosToFeeDate Kelvin Skerrett Prop forward Halifax Free January 1997 Va'aiga Tuigamala Centre Newcastle Falcons (RU) £500,000 February 1997 Shaun Edwards Scrum half London Broncos Undisclosed March 1997 Sean Long Scrum half Widnes Vikings Exchange April 1997 Matthew Knowles Widnes Vikings Exchange April 1997 References External links Wigan Warriors Rugby League Fan Site Super League II 1997 Wigan Warriors - Rugby League Project Category:Wigan Warriors seasons Wigan Warriors