Last week I was really looking forward to the Saints game. Everyone was excited in the build up to the game and I was expecting a big atmosphere for a semi final against the old enemy. Having spent all year being bored silly by our tactics (see my sig) I hoped for a decent game.

On the day of the game we turned up over an hour early to get a decent spec so my 12 year old could see amongst the Wigan speccies.

The game was close, we lost.

However, what disappointed me most was the poor tunrnout and particularly the low key atmosphere. This was Saints and we had a decent chance of winning.

I went home as disillusioned as I have been many times this year - we do not have the winning mentality!

At the end of the game I made my way out of the "ground" and as I got to the middle of the terracing Nobby came towards the Wigan crowd to salute us and held up a finger. Oh no he has been given another year, I thought. This was as bad as losing to Saints.

Sitting on the car park near the ground for best part of an hour waiting for the traffic to clear, we learnt Nobby had gone.

I spent the coming days praying for MM and SW to be appointed.

The big announcement came and I was chuffed as a butty.

In the coming days I heard the views of IL, MM and eventually SW. Shaun's interview was inspirational. Its what we have all wanted for many a year - commitment, passion, leadership.

What I cant quite work out is less than a week after losing to that lot I am buzzing. Hats off to Mr Lenegan, I am optimistic for the first time for quite a few years!

Lets not be too insensitive to the Leeds and Saints fans don't you know there is a Grand Final on, the world and its dog might be talking about us but,
o' sod it, i cant take it seriously anymore. WHAT A WEEK!!!!!!!!!! The future looks bright, the future looks Cherry and White.

What did Nobby mean when he raised the finger whilst appluading the fans?

My best guess would be first class fans?

He said first class in an interview afterwards but I presumed the actual finger pointing may have been saying "number one".

Well whatever he meant it was a deserved ovation and I was pleased the fans demonstrated how much his work has been appreciated by the majority.

Indeed, the results may not have been the best when it came to it but you can't fault the work that Nobby put in. I for one will miss Nobby, had a few good chats with him when we was over in Oz and he wasn't afraid to say what he thought on different topics that came up in conversation with a few other members off here, one who got shot down in flames big time when on the topic of Micky Higham.

I respected him alot more after those conversations and he truely had alot of passion for Wigan in his tone and had he of won just 1 trophy in his time, who knows how different things may be now but we can only look to the future and get behind MM and SW as they are both young coaches who will make mistakes just like any other coach do but they need our full support and not end up having a divide like we did with Noble.

He saved us from relegation and moved us up the table, put us into semi-finals and gave us a hope of winning a trophy. He has built the foundations with which we can build on. For that I am truly grateful.

I am not sure what you mean by that but Higham's replacement has not been any better so if Noble thought the reaction from some against the move was wrong we have seen that at best this season it has been out of the frying pan and into the fire.



The only reason we were divided on Noble is the stubborn refusal of some to see what IL clearly saw as the problems with Nobles tenure here.

Noble got the support of 99% of the fans when he arrived and it only went down hill when what happened in 2008 followed what happened in 2007 and 2009 followed what happened in 2008. Some were quicker to spot the problems than others or perhaps a better way to put it is they were not prepared to brush what they saw under the carpet so readily just because they thought Noble was a nice chap, talked the talk, what happened in 2006 or whatever.

I can't get my head around the fact some on here were still calling for him to be given a new deal beyond this season.

Dave

And if the same thing happens again in 2010?

I have no problem with BN and respect him for stabilising the club. However, I think IL was 100% right to make the change. He has been very patient after 3 years of failure.

The winning culture that Waney demands is what built Wigan into a great team. It will not happen overnight. It will be a gradual thing.

I do not believe our current squad can match Leeds so we need to improve gradually. As fans we need to recognise this and be patient.