[Archived] Ice Skating At Wigan

[Roversider]

Apart from the football, which was good, then bad, I now have an abiding memory of Wigan. How tight is Dave Whelan? Already with a game against Bolton postponed due to conditions around the ground they boasted of spending a five figure sum to get the Rovers game on. If the state of the footpaths and the car park is an example the spending must have included pence in the five figure sum.

The conditions were dreadful under foot and I wouldn't be surprised if there were some bumps and injuries. Today the St Helens Wigan game is off because although the pitch is playable, the car parks and footpaths around Knowsley Road are unsafe. How bad must it be given our experience at the DW? Probably worse than Scott faced on his epic Polar expedition!

Perhaps it was safer for the home fans and they didn't give a toss for us visiting Rovers fans. If so we should install an artificial ski slope in the Darwen end for the 'Latics visit. It doesn't need to be too big because there won't be many Wigginers coming.

Anyway, roll on Sunderland and a a happier Ewood Park.

[cn174]

The car park was quite horrendous - surely a bit of grit wouldn't have gone a miss. They'd been on telly last week saying how they'd cleared the surroundings to make it safe for fans - they must've been talking about the 5 metres around the stadium. We stayed behind for a while after the game, not sure how fun it would've been trying to get off the carpark at teh same time as 100s of others!

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Even the car park stewards were complaining that although attempts had been made to clear some car parks, the paths from car parks were very dangerous but nothing had been done about them. Anybody who parked near the Brickmason Arms across the canal would have had great fun on the side street getting to the canal as that was just shear ice.

[roversmum]

It was a disgrace. Even around the stadium itself there was ice. There are quite a few Rovers fans who, although ambulant, are unsteady on their feet and need walking sticks or crutches, to say nothing of those in wheelchairs who did not come on the Disabled Supporters' mini bus. Luckily someone had the sense to move the coaches onto the road for boarding after the match. The excuse was that the car park was shingle... and there is absolutely NO excuse for the footpaths from the car parks to the stadium.

I don't understand how, our last home match was very nearly cancelled because of ice issues around the stadium (which the club acted upon and all was well) and how this match was allowed to go ahead in the dreadful conditions.

[Hasta]

Maybe Wigan couldn't afford to have two games cancelled in the space of 5 days and the police wanted their boxing day overtime. Mainly facetious but probably part true.

[RIML]

The car park was an absolute joke, they had no idea, they waved us into the car park before the game, we were told to keep going up the hill then they stopped us on the slope when there was plenty of room on the flat surface, the car in front got stuck it was just stupid, the staff totally clueless.

I waited in the pub for the traffic to die down and as I walked back to the car park I saw a few Wigan players in their cars, notably Jason Scotland who was texting on his mobile, ok the traffic wasn't moving much but still naughty naughty

[Claytons Left Boot]

Anybody who parked near the Brickmason Arms across the canal would have had great fun on the side street getting to the canal as that was just shear ice.

We were just up the road at the Prince of Wales where we had a couple after the match. Never experienced anything like that ice in my life. We'd had a few beforehand so it was a bit of a laugh but after the match, in the dark, it was a different matter. One of our lads went down and suffered concusion after banging his head on the ice. We went down trying to get him upright and at one point I had to crawl on all fours just to get myself off the road and onto the pavement. Nearly as much of a nightmare as the match.

[jonv]

these forums have really become a depressing site

[boris bear]

The state of the car park where they made the away coaches park was an absolute disgrace, it was extremely difficult walking off there to get to the ground and I'm surprised nobody was injured. What made it even worse was their claim that they had made sure the surrounding area was safe, which was absolute rubbish. Anyone less mobile who relied on their misinformation about the safety of the area would have been in for a nasty and possibly painful shock. Where's elf and safety when you need them?

[jonv]

you'd whinge about a beer being too tasty if you had the chance

[Majiball]

We're British, we love a good moan!!!

[broadsword]

you'd whinge about a beer being too tasty if you had the chance

What absolute nonsense.

We didn't get our roads gritted around here for a few days, trying to walk anywhere was precarious. I saw about half a dozen ambulances over the course of two days - there's a lot of old people where I live and a fall like that could easily mean a broken limb for them. I'm not sure about you but I don't fancy face-planting at speed into thick ice.

If you can't think of anything decent to say, button it.

[Neil Weaver]

It was a disgrace. Even around the stadium itself there was ice. There are quite a few Rovers fans who, although ambulant, are unsteady on their feet and need walking sticks or crutches, to say nothing of those in wheelchairs who did not come on the Disabled Supporters' mini bus. Luckily someone had the sense to move the coaches onto the road for boarding after the match. The excuse was that the car park was shingle... and there is absolutely NO excuse for the footpaths from the car parks to the stadium.

Can see why they did it, but moving the bloody coaches meant I came within a few seconds of not getting back to Blackburn!

You're right that the car/coach park was completely unsafe, mum. Before the game - when it was light - getting down the sloping car park from the coaches to the road was manageable if a complete joke. But then after the game I slipped and scrambled back to where the coaches were, only to find they'd gone! Cue another 5 mins of sliding all over the place to find em on the road. So then walked the length of the convoy and no sign of the coach I'd arrived on, by which time the drivers thought it must be about time to leave.

So motored back and knocked on a couple of coach doors, only to be met by a stream of f words from the driver who at least opened the door, others wouldn't even open the door. Thanks very much. So after giving up any hope, saw one coach hadn't left, wandered up to it and sure enough it was the right coach (and last to leave). Pulled away before I sat down, so if I'd been a few seconds later that would have been that.

So good idea to move the coaches? It very nearly wasn't for me.

[jonv]

What absolute nonsense.

We didn't get our roads gritted around here for a few days, trying to walk anywhere was precarious. I saw about half a dozen ambulances over the course of two days - there's a lot of old people where I live and a fall like that could easily mean a broken limb for them. I'm not sure about you but I don't fancy face-planting at speed into thick ice.

If you can't think of anything decent to say, button it.

are you the queens mother

[broadsword]

are you the queens mother

Are you Osama bin Laden's knob jockey?

[jonv]

Are you Osama bin Laden's knob jockey?

how did you know what one would look like

no but seriously, I'm just relieved that a fresh topic on how unhappy we all are about anything to do with this club has arose in the previous 48 hours. i was about to reach for the brown paper bag and begin heavy breathing exercises a new thread was taking so long

[stuwilky]

how did you know what one would look like

no but seriously, I'm just relieved that a fresh topic on how unhappy we all are about anything to do with this club has arose in the previous 48 hours. i was about to reach for the brown paper bag and begin heavy breathing exercises a new thread was taking so long

Where is anyone blaming Blackburn Rovers?

[jonv]

it's not about blaming rovers but more about the tons of people kicking up a fit if wigan canceled the game and threw everyones plans into array.

[stuwilky]

On a day where numerous other matches were postponed due to the condition of the surrounding areas - including Preston North End - is it not right that people ask questions about the safety of the area at Wigan - especially just days after a match was postponed there for the very same reason. We should not be reading about people suffering concussion simply by trying to get to and from a football ground. sarcastic comments don't help. It makes a light distraction from reading about Keith Andrews.

[jonv]

we should ban away travel to liverpool all together, its even more dangerous than a cold day at wigan :!:

[Majiball]

we should ban away travel to liverpool all together, its even more dangerous than a cold day at wigan :!:

And whatever do you mean by that?

[brian_gallagher85]

Where's elf and safety when you need them?

I hope this was intentional

[AggyBlue]

And whatever do you mean by that?

Have you ever walked away from Anfield across Stanley Park in the dark?

[JAL]

First time visit to the jjb or DW as its now called, must say what a pleasant place it is to go and watch a game of football despite the icy conditions.

Wigan seems to have a bit of a negative image or low opinion when it comes to football, which is highly unfair, as they play decent football, have excellent facilities and fans that were or are good natured people.

Judging the low home crowds though, it would appear that their premiership status wont last forever and with this, think it would be a good strategic decision if Rovers were to form a stronger bond with Wigan and Wigan Athletic in order to widen the Blackburn Rovers brand.

[cn174]

First time visit to the jjb or DW as its now called, must say what a pleasant place it is to go and watch a game of football despite the icy conditions.

Wigan seems to have a bit of a negative image or low opinion when it comes to football, which is highly unfair, as they play decent football, have excellent facilities and fans that were or are good natured people.

Judging the low home crowds though, it would appear that their premiership status wont last forever and with this, think it would be a good strategic decision if Rovers were to form a stronger bond with Wigan and Wigan Athletic in order to widen the Blackburn Rovers brand.

The DW is better when Wigan Rugby are playing and you can sit in your seat drinking a nice beer

I think that football in Wigan is always going to be a hard sell. For a long time a lot of people I know from round there supported a team such as Liverpool, Man U, even Rovers and classed Wigan as their second team because that is where they were from. Obviously they converted quite a lot of these when they first got promoted to the premiership but slowly the novelty is wearing off.