Wigan Cricket Club is an English sports club in Lancashire founded in 1848. [1] Located at Bull Hey, Parsons Walk, near the town centre of Wigan, its members voted in 2009 to change its name to Wigan Sports Club in recognition of the multiple sports it now hosts. [2]
As of 2024, the club fields three senior sides in the Liverpool and District Cricket Competition, with the junior sides playing in the Wigan and District Cricket League. [1]
In 1864, Wigan Cricket Club was one of 13 clubs that founded the Lancashire County Cricket Club. [1] [3]
In 1872, its members also founded Wigan Football Club, a rugby club now known as the Wigan Warriors. [1] The cricket players kept themselves active in the winter by playing rugby. [1] In 2023, the Wigan Rugby Heritage Society presented the Wigan Cricket Club with a trophy certificate and documentation in recognition of the club's role in bringing the game of rugby to the local community. [4]
Sir Bradley Wiggins's Wigan Wheelers Cycling Club is based at Wigan Cricket Club. [5] [6]
Wigan Warriors is an English professional rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester.
Liam James Botham is an English former professional sportsman who played both codes of rugby football and cricket. He is the son of former England cricketer Ian Botham.
Shaun Edwards, OBE is an English rugby union coach and former rugby league player, who is the defence coach for the France national team. A scrum-half or stand-off, Edwards is the most decorated player in rugby league history, with 37 winner's medals. In 2015 he was the 25th person inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame.
Gary John Connolly is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s as a fullback and centre for St Helens, Canterbury Bulldogs, Wigan Warriors, Leeds Rhinos and for the Great Britain national side. He also played rugby union for Harlequins, Orrell and Irish side Munster.
Andrew Platt is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop and second-row forward in the 1980s and 1990s.
Kelvin Skerrett is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s, and coached in the 2000s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and Wales, and at club level for Hunslet, Bradford Northern, Western Suburbs Magpies, Wigan and the Halifax Blue Sox, as prop or second-row, and coached at club level for Oulton Raiders ARLFC, and Methley Royals ARLFC.
Andrew Goodway is a former English professional rugby league footballer and coach. He played for Oldham, Wigan and Leeds in the Championship and Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the NSWRL competition. He played as a prop, second-row or loose forward. He is a former Great Britain and England international.
Stephen Hampson is a former rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played as a fullback in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and coached rugby league in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s.
The History of the Wigan Warriors stretches back to the club's foundation in 1872. It was one of the founding members of the Northern Rugby Football Union after the schism from the one code of rugby football in 1895. At the elite competition level, Wigan is the most successful club in the history of British Rugby League, measured by total of trophies won. The club has won 22 Rugby Football League Championships, 20 Challenge Cups and 4 World Club Challenge trophies.
Billy McGinty is a Scottish rugby union coach and former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played in the forwards for Wigan during the period in the 1990s when they dominated the sport, and later for Workington Town.
David Myers was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played as a reserve at representative level for Great Britain in non-Test matches on the 1992 tour of Papua New Guinea, Australia, and New Zealand, and at club level for Widnes, Warrington, Wigan, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Bradford Bulls, Western Suburbs Magpies and Salford City Reds, as a wing.
A. Edward Toohey was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, and coached in the 1970s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Wigan, Barrow, Leigh and Liverpool City, as a centre or scrum-half, and coached at club level for Wigan.
Neil Holding is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and coached in the 1990s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Lancashire, and at club level for St Helens, Oldham and Rochdale Hornets, as a stand-off or scrum-half, and coached at club level for Rochdale Hornets.
Anthony Karalius was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, and at club level for Widnes, St Helens, Wigan, Fulham RLFC and the Cardiff City Blue Dragons, as a hooker.
David Willicombe was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and Wales, and at club level for Halifax and Wigan, as a centre.
Steve O'Neill is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and coached in the 1990s and 2000s. He played at representative level for England, and at club level for Wigan, Widnes, Salford, and Swinton as a prop or second-row, and coached at representative level for Ireland.
John Roland Stephens is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. He played at representative level for England and Lancashire, and at club level for Wigan, St Helens and Widnes as a prop.
David Lyon is an English former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer who played as a fullback for Widnes, Warrington, St Helens, Sheffield Eagles and the Leigh Centurions. He switched to rugby union in 1996 and finished his playing career with Orrell.
Mark Preston is an English former rugby league and rugby union footballer who played as a winger. He started his career with Fylde RFC in rugby union, and represented England B. He switched to rugby league in 1988, where he played for Wigan, Halifax and Widnes, and also represented Lancashire.
Joshua Ashton Boyden is an English cricketer who plays for Lancashire and previously played for the England national under-19 cricket team. He is a left handed batsman and left arm medium fast bowler. In July 2022, he signed a professional contract for the first time with Lancashire County Cricket Club.