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65-451: The stadium also hosted the majority of Catalans Dragons home matches in the rugby league club's first two seasons in the Super League in 2006 and 2007 . The Dragons have since renovated their own ground, Stade Gilbert Brutus , and now play all their home matches there. The stadium has been expanded from a capacity of 13,500 to 14,593 in a project that ended in 2008. The stadium has

130-652: A 33–16 victory for the Dragons. On 28 January 2020, Catalans Dragons announced that they had signed Israel Folau despite him holding to the Biblical teaching that those who practice homosexuality without repenting will go to hell (going so far as to suggest that the 2019–20 Australian bushfires were God's judgment on Australia for allowing same sex marriage and abortion). Wigan Warriors responded by saying that their next game against Catalans would be named Pride Day. In 2021 , Catalans won Super League's League Leaders' Shield for

195-470: A crowd of 36,895 at Central Park for an unofficial World Club Championship (though many who were at Central Park still claim the attendance was closer to 50,000). It was the first time an English club side had beaten a team of Australians at rugby league since the 1978 Kangaroo tour . After Lowe left in 1989, Australian John Monie , a former premiership winning coach with the Parramatta Eels , continued

260-482: A player, for Wigan was at Mount Pleasant , Batley , on 23 February 1946. He remained at Central Park for another six seasons as coach. In 1948 Wigan took part in the first televised rugby league match when their 8–3 Challenge Cup Final victory over Bradford Northern was broadcast to the Midlands. In another first this was the first rugby league match to be attended by the reigning monarch, King George VI , who presented

325-515: A professional rugby league club from Perpignan , Pyrénées-Orientales department, France. Despite being based in France the club competes in Super League , the top tier of British rugby league Formed after the merger of XIII Catalan and AS Saint-Estève , they have won one French Championship and two Lord Derby Cups . In Britain they have never won the League Championship but have won

390-435: A record of three wins and three draws. An inability to recruit enough regular and quality players led to many members of Upholland Football Club joining the club in 1876. This was a significant boost to the playing ranks. The club changed its name on 20 October 1876 and became Wigan & District Football Club to represent the new influx of players which had joined from the outskirts of town. The Upholland club disbanded due to

455-460: A record £280,000 profit but by 1993 this had become a loss of £300,000 on a turnover of £3 million, in no small way to the cost of the Whitbread Stand that had been built at the clubhouse end of Central Park in 1991–92 at an estimated cost of £1.3 million. By March 1994 Wigan's wage bill topped £2 million a year. John Dorahy became coach for the 1993 season. Despite supervising Wigan through to

520-539: A reserve team for the club. The club set a target for 75% of the players be qualified to play for France . The Catalans are the second French side to play in the Super League. The first, Paris Saint-Germain , lasted only two seasons. Both rugby codes have their stronghold in the southwest of France, with the north favouring association football . To ensure that the Catalans had the best French players available to them,

585-540: A row (1988–1995) and winning the World Club Challenge on three occasions including the club's win against Brisbane Broncos at Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre with victory in 1994 . On 21 November 1872, Wigan Football Club was founded by members of Wigan Cricket Club following a meeting at the Royal Hotel, Standishgate. The meeting saw around 50 members enroll into the club most of whom were members of

650-479: A string of high-profile signings from Australia, including Clint Greenshields, Casey McGuire, Jason Croker and Aaron Gorrell, all seasoned NRL campaigners. Gorrell, a goalkicking hooker, impressed in the first month but sustained a bad knee injury in February's win over Leeds and missed the rest of the season. On 10 March 2007, it was announced that Newcastle Knights hooker Luke Quigley would cover Gorrell's absence for

715-457: Is a multipurpose stadium used occasionally for other sports and events. The Stade Gilbert Brutus was opened in 1962 and has hosted mostly rugby league and union and hosted numerous test matches involving the France national team . It was previously the home to Northern Catalonia rugby league team. When the Dragons moved in the capacity was just over 4,000. The Catalans have redeveloped and expanded

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780-415: The 1911–12 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and won. On 12 May 1921, Wigan became a limited company. In June 1922 Jim Sullivan joined Wigan from Cardiff RFC when he was only 17. His cash value was put at £750, which was a staggering signing-on fee for an adolescent who had not yet played 13-a-side rugby (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £137,700 in 2015). His first game

845-601: The 1923–24 season when they beat Oldham 21–4 in Rochdale . In 1933 the Prince of Wales attended Central Park , becoming the first royal to watch a rugby league match. On 25 October 1938 Australian Harry Sunderland arrived in Wigan to take up the duties of Secretary-Manager at Central Park. On 28 September the following year, Sunderland's contract was terminated and he and the club parted company. The outbreak of World War II disrupted

910-451: The 2007 season in tenth place. In 2008 , the Catalans secured their first playoff berth by finishing third in the league. They thrashed Warrington 46–8 in their first-ever playoff match on 13 September in Perpignan, but 20 September saw Wigan end up victorious in what had been a close game in the second half of their elimination final, with Wigan winning 50–26. Coach Mick Potter left

975-621: The 2018 Challenge Cup Final , in the process becoming the first non-English team to win the competition. During the 2019 season , Catalans Dragons held their home match against Wigan at the Camp Nou in Barcelona . The match was the first Super League game in Spain and attracted a record attendance for a Super League game, outside of the Grand Final or Magic Weekend , of 31,555. The game resulted in

1040-600: The Challenge Cup and the Rugby Football League Championship , Dorahy was dismissed in May 1994, only days after the club's return from Wembley . In a statement by the club, Dorahy was said to have been sacked for "gross misconduct". Graeme West was appointed as coach, after fans petitioned for him to get the job. In his first month as coach, at the end of the 1993–94 Rugby Football League season West secured

1105-413: The Challenge Cup once. Catalans play home games at Stade Gilbert Brutus . Their traditional home colours are white red and gold. The club was founded in 2000 after the merger of two teams in the area of Perpignan , XIII Catalan and AS Saint-Estève . The merged team took the name Union Treiziste Catalane, often abbreviated to UTC. XIII Catalan were founded in 1935 and thus were founding members of

1170-532: The French Championship . During their run, they won 11 French Championships and 11 Lord Derby Cups . AS Saint-Estève were founded in 1965. They won six championships and four Lord Derby Cups. There were two other clubs in the twelve-team competition in Pyrénées-Orientales: Pia XIII and Saint-Cyprien. In 2002 Saint-Cyprien joined the merged UTC side. UTC won the 2005 French Championship and

1235-661: The Rugby Football League Championship but Wigan continued to play in the Lancashire War League and the Emergency War League. During the war years the club went through the 1940–41 season unbeaten although they lost the Championship final. They lost the 1944 Challenge Cup Final over two games to Bradford Northern 8–3 but made up for it beating Dewsbury in the Championship Final. Jim Sullivan's last game, as

1300-520: The 'A' team. He later became one of the most successful and famous Wigan players of all time. Eric Ashton signed for Wigan for £150 in 1955. Wigan went to Wembley six times in the Boston / Ashton era and won three times. The visit of St. Helens on 27 March 1959 produced Central Park's all-time record attendance of 47,747 which is still a record for any rugby league game in Lancashire . Wigan went on to win

1365-645: The 1905–06 season they won their first cup, in rugby league, the Lancashire County Cup . Between 1906 and 1923 Wigan won the Lancashire League another seven times and the Lancashire Cup another four times. Wigan were the first winners of the Lancashire cup. Wigan played New Zealand on 9 November 1907 and ran out winners by 12 points to 8 in front of a crowd of around 30,000. Great Britain, then known as

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1430-528: The 1966 Lancashire Cup Final. Billy Boston played his last match in the cherry and white, against Wakefield Trinity at the end of April 1968. Wigan celebrated the centenary year of the club in November 1972, with a match against Australia at Central Park, on Saturday 17 November, the result finished as a 18–18 draw. Wigan pulled off a surprise victory 19–9 over Salford in the Lancashire Cup Final which

1495-566: The 2004 and 2005 Lord Derby Cups . In 2006, UTC transferred from the French to British rugby league system , joining the Super League XI following a successful application in 2005. They were selected ahead of Toulouse Olympique and Villeneuve Leopards . The club was named Catalans Dragons, while a new club, Saint-Estève XIII Catalan , was formed in the French Championship to serve as

1560-636: The Dragons at the end of the 2008 season to replace Daniel Anderson at St Helens. In 2009, they were involved in two historic milestones for the sport of rugby league in Europe. During their match away to the Welsh club Crusaders on 23 May, the two clubs played the first Super League match to not feature an English team. History was also created on 20 June, when the club played in the first Super League game to be played in Spain, at Barcelona 's Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys ,

1625-679: The First Division Premiership Trophy against Castleford, and then traveled with the team to Brisbane, guiding them in their 1994 World Club Challenge victory over Australian premiers, the Brisbane Broncos in front of a WCC record attendance of 54,220. At the end of his first full season, he and the team won the League Championship, Challenge Cup, Regal Trophy, and Premiership—the 'Grand Slam' of all 4 trophies. Even though Wigan dominated rugby league from 1985 to 1995, it

1690-567: The French rugby league decided to let them sign players from other French clubs without paying a transfer fee. The RFL also made them exempt from relegation for their first three years in Super League . Many at the time believe the Catalans would be joined by other French clubs, but the idea of expanding into France had critics. The Catalans won their first ever Super League match 38–30 against Wigan on 11 February 2006, at Stade Aimé Giral . The club encountered difficulties in their first season in

1755-499: The Lancashire Senior Competition. Wigan became sub-tenants of Springfield Park, which they shared with Wigan United AFC, playing their first game there on 14 September 1901. A crowd of 4,000 saw them beat Morecambe 12–0. During this season Wigan won the Lancashire Senior Competition. Wigan's record crowd at Springfield was 10,000 when they beat Widnes on 19 March 1902. The last game was on 28 April 1902 when Wigan beat

1820-750: The Lancashire league. With automatic promotion and relegation, they faced dropping down a division, and potential financial ruin. In 1895 Wigan joined with other clubs from Yorkshire and Lancashire to found the Northern Union which led eventually to the sport of rugby league . This was a result of the breakaway from the Rugby Football Union . The County Championship was introduced in October 1895 with Cheshire entertaining Lancashire. The Red Rose side contained three players from Wigan: Winstanley (full back) and Unsworth and Brown (forwards). In 1896–97, due to

1885-533: The Northern Union, played their first-ever test against New Zealand on 25 January 1908. James "Jim" Leytham , Bert Jenkins and John "Johnny" Thomas of Wigan were in the home side and Leytham scored a try. Jenkins and Thomas had previously played in the first Welsh game against New Zealand on 1 January 1908. On Saturday 28 October 1911, Wigan played a match against the Australasian team which visited England on

1950-452: The Rest of Lancashire Senior Competition. Two meetings were held by Wigan members during the season to discuss the possibility of turning the club into a Limited Company but the idea did not take off. On 6 September 1902, Wigan played at Central Park for the first time in the opening match of the newly formed First Division. An estimated crowd of 9,000 spectators saw Wigan beat Batley 14–8. In

2015-466: The Super League. Many of less experienced French players suffered from tiredness towards the end of an injury-marred campaign. A particular loss included captain Stacey Jones, who missed much of the season with a broken arm. The team finished bottom of the table, but the three-year exemption from relegation kept them in the Super League. The year 2007 saw a strong recruitment by new coach Mick Potter with

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2080-485: The board accepted his decision "with reluctance". Vince Karalius then took over but was sacked in September 1979, he was replaced by Kel Coslett . In 1980, Wigan were relegated from the top flight for the first time in their history and Coslett was replaced by George Fairbairn as player-coach. During the second division season they recorded a record average attendance for the division of 8,198. Wigan won promotion back to

2145-404: The cherry and white colours it is now synonymous for in 1885 and adopted these colours on a permanent basis in late 1888. The club has won 24 league titles (17 first division and 7 Super League ) , 21 Challenge Cups and 5 World Club Challenges . Wigan's most successful period was during the 1980s and 1990s, with the club winning seven consecutive league titles, eight Challenge Cup finals in

2210-597: The club after 23 November 1877 that year as the club disbanded. Many of the members who joined Wigan from Upholland eventually returned to the Upholland club which was re-formed following the Wigan club being disbanded. On 22 September 1879, the club was re-formed as Wigan Wasps Football Club by new members at a meeting in the Dicconson Arms. The main instigators of the re-formation of the club anew were W.L. Baldwin, J. Slevin , J. Underwood, Joe Wardle and others. Mr. Underwood

2275-400: The club anymore but Mr Marsden felt it would be courtesy to ask what their intentions were in relation to football. The secretary of the cricket club wrote back saying it was completely justified for Wigan Wasps to become Wigan Football Club again as the cricketers had no intention of forming another football club with that name or being involved with football at all and as such the club remained

2340-481: The club was renamed as the Wigan Warriors. Wigan's dominance came under threat with the new league now fully professional and the introduction of the salary cap and the 20/20 rule. After going out of the Challenge Cup to Salford in 1996 and St Helens in 1997, they returned to Wembley for the final time in 1998. Still undefeated in the league and the fact coach John Monie —in his second spell at Wigan—had never lost

2405-547: The club's general manager about using a new high-speed link between Perpignan and Spain, supposed to start running within two years. In 2016 Catalans Dragons celebrated ten years in the Super League competition. After a recruitment drive, which saw a number of transfers from the NRL, expectations were high. After opening defeats to Wigan and Hull FC, the Dragons edged Leeds 32–28 in round three and then took seven wins from their next eight matches. Following their 42–32 win over Salford at

2470-401: The competition. Catalans would go on to lose the 2023 Super League Grand Final 10-2 against Wigan . Catalans became the first team since the Super League era began in 1996 to not score a try in the final. The Catalans moved into the stadium in 2006, when they were accepted into Super League . They ground shared with rugby union side USA Perpignan , which own and operate the stadium, but it

2535-424: The cricket club. The following committee was selected: T.R. Ellis, H.V. Kyrke, J. Sayers, E.R. Walker, J. Smith, J. Souter, H. Wall and R. Procter. The recently re-elected Mayor of Wigan Mr Nathan Eckersley was made club President. Many of the club's founding members were well-to-do; some owned businesses or were solicitors, magistrates and suchlike. Wigan F.C. played on Folly Field, near Upper Dicconson Street and used

2600-451: The end of April, Laurent Frayssinous' side sat second in the table, level on points with leaders Warrington. However, a series of injury setbacks to key players in the second half of the season saw them drop down the table. Catalans lost their final six regular season games which meant they headed into the Super 8s two points adrift of fourth-placed St Helens. Five defeats from seven saw them finish

2665-418: The first time, following a 31–30 golden point extra time victory over reigning champions St Helens during Magic Weekend . On 9 October 2021, Catalans played in their first ever Super League Grand Final with the opponents being reigning champions St Helens. Catalans lead the match in the second half but a try late to St Helens saw Catalans lose 12–10. In the 2022 Super League season, Catalans finished 4th on

Stade Aimé Giral - Misplaced Pages Continue

2730-476: The game 19–14 after holding off a Saints comeback. Mick Sullivan moved to Wigan for a then record £9,500 fee in 1957. Joe Egan returned to coach Wigan and during his time they won the Championship play-off final in 1960 defeating Wakefield Trinity 21–5, the Challenge Cup in 1958, 1959, 13–9 against Workington Town and 30–13 against Hull F.C. respectively before losing in 12–6 to St. Helens in 1961 which

2795-660: The ground to 13,000 since they moved here. Head coach Assistant coaches Wigan Warriors Wigan Warriors are an English professional Rugby League club based in Wigan , Greater Manchester . The club competes in the Betfred Super League , the top tier of the British rugby league system . Formed in 1872, the club is a founding member of the Northern Rugby Football Union following

2860-629: The increased number of Northern Union teams the Northern League was abandoned in favour of two County Senior leagues. The second half of the season saw the introduction of the Northern Union Cup (later known as the Rugby League Cup). Wigan reached the third round before being knocked out by St. Helens. In 1904, fourteen clubs resigned from the two county leagues to form a new Northern Rugby League for season 1901–02. Wigan, however, remained in

2925-514: The large number of players who joined Wigan. The club moved and played its home games at the Wigan Cricket Club at Prescott Street just off Frog Lane. The first game at Prescott Street was played against St. Helens on 25 November 1876 which Wigan won comfortably. The club did not fulfil all its fixtures in the 1877/78 season. The club played its last match that season against Liverpool Wanderers on 17 November 1877. There are no current records of

2990-452: The league game 82–6 at Maine Road , but lost the return union game 44–19 at Twickenham . In July 1996 Andy Farrell was named the Wigan club's captain. Farrell enjoyed a fantastic 1996 and was rewarded with the Man of Steel Award . Eric Hughes became coach of Wigan Warriors, replacing Graeme West in February 1997 following an early exit from the Challenge Cup in 2 consecutive years. In 1997

3055-410: The league, this led to an upsurge in the fortunes of the club. Between February and October 1987, under new coach, former New Zealand coach Graham Lowe , Wigan won a record 29 games in a row as follows: 20 Division One matches, 3 Premiership Trophy matches, 4 Lancashire Cup matches, 1 Charity Shield final, 1 World Club Challenge Final. Wigan defeated Australian club Manly-Warringah 8–2 in front of

3120-451: The most important player for Wigan during this era. He made a total of 290 appearances, scoring 131 tries and was involved in the club winning 8 trophies. Wigan, Leigh and Salford were suspended by the RFU for breaking the strict amateur code despite their argument that broken-time payments were necessary to avoid undue hardship for their working class players. The clubs were placed joint bottom of

3185-478: The name of early club fly-half Aimé Giral , who died during the First World War . Seven USA Perpignan players died during this war. List of rugby league test matches played at Stade Aimé Giral. This article about a French sports venue is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Catalans Dragons The Catalans Dragons ( French : Dragons Catalans , Catalan : Dracs Catalans ) are

3250-425: The nearby Dicconson Arms Hotel as a HQ. The first match took place on 30 November when members played against each other in a practice match at Folly Field the match attracted around 2,000 spectators. After a series of trial and practice matches, they travelled to Warrington to play their first competitive match on 18 January 1873. The game ended in a draw. The club played six games in its first season finishing with

3315-679: The only rugby football club in town at that time. In 1883, Wigan won its first trophy, the Wigan Union Charity Cup. The club won the West Lancashire and Border Towns Union Cup in 1884 and the Wigan Union Charity Cup again in 1885. The club played in cherry and white jerseys for the first time on 26 September 1885. In 1888 they hosted the touring New Zealand Maoris. During this era Wigan were represented by some iconic players. James 'Jim' Slevin , Ned Bullough , William 'Billy' Atkinson and John 'Jack' Anderton . Jim Slevin arguably being

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3380-401: The remainder of the campaign, but a number of players sustained injuries throughout the campaign. On 29 July 2007, the Catalans became the first French side and first non-British side to reach the final of the Challenge Cup after beating Wigan 37–24 in the semi-final. The Catalans lost the 2007 Challenge Cup Final against St. Helens at Wembley Stadium on 25 August 2007. They finished

3445-470: The schism in 1895. The club is currently the most successful club in the history of world Rugby League having won 163 trophies in total (8 of these were won prior to the formation of the Northern Rugby Football Union ). The club has played its home games at the Brick Community Stadium since 1999. Before this time, the club's home was Central Park and had been since 1902. The club first wore

3510-507: The season in sixth place and miss out on a play-off spot. After a difficult two years at Huddersfield, Jodie Broughton's move to the south of France saw him kick-start his career. The winger scored 19 tries in 2016 including four in the Dragons' 30–12 win over St Helens in April. Todd Carney was released after two seasons at Catalans. On 25 August 2018, Catalans Dragons won their first British Rugby League trophy, after defeating Warrington 20–14 in

3575-465: The success at Central Park. From 1988 to 1995 Wigan won the Challenge Cup 8 seasons in a row including their 27–0 win over St Helens in 1989, the first time any team had been held scoreless in a Cup Final at Wembley; this period was Wigan's most successful period to date. They also won the Championship seven times, League Cup four times, Premiership Trophy three times, Charity Shield twice and three World Club Championships. In February 1990, Wigan announced

3640-404: The table and qualified for the playoffs. The club would be eliminated from the playoffs in the first week, suffering a shock 20-10 loss against Leeds. In the 2023 Super League season, Catalans finished second on the table, equal on points with Wigan who finished first. They would eventually reach the grand final after beating St Helens in the semi-final which ended the clubs four-year dominance of

3705-428: The top flight the following season but Fairbairn lasted no longer than May 1981 before moving to Hull Kingston Rovers . Maurice Bamford took over as coach of Wigan before being sacked in May 1982 and was replaced by Alex Murphy . Maurice Lindsay came to Wigan in the early 1980s to join directors Jack Robinson, Tom Rathbone and ex-player Jack Hilton. Wigan became one of the first teams to go full-time professional in

3770-416: The town centre as a HQ a few years later. In 1881 the club reverted to its original name of Wigan Football Club. It had been suggested that the club should do so but this was finally decided when Club Secretary William Marsden wrote to Wigan Cricket Club to see if they would be forming another football club in the near future as they had done when originally creating Wigan. The cricketers weren't involved with

3835-443: The trophy. On Saturday 27 October 1951, 33,230 spectators saw Wigan beat Leigh 14–6 in the final of the Lancashire Cup at Station Road , Swinton . In 1952 Wigan won their sixth consecutive Lancashire Cup. Wigan were also featured in the first league match to be broadcast, a clash with Wakefield Trinity at Central Park on 12 January 1952. In 1953 Wigan signed Billy Boston for £150. 8,000 fans saw Billy Boston début for Wigan in

3900-576: The venue for the 1992 Summer Olympics , against Warrington . The Dragons led 10–6 at halftime, but Warrington finished as the winners 12–24. The purpose of the latter fixture was to promote the sport in Catalonia , with around 1000 tickets being sold in the local area, and the game was televised on the Catalan channel El 33 . Immediately after the game, Walters commented that the event in Spain could become an annual one, apparently complementing comments made by

3965-436: Was at home against Widnes on 27 August 1921, and he scored ten points in a 21–0 win. Almost inevitably, Jim Sullivan scored the first points in the first Challenge Cup Final to be played at Wembley Stadium , kicking a penalty after only three minutes of the inaugural Challenge Cup Final against Dewsbury in 1929 in which he led Wigan to a 13–2 victory. Sullivan became player-coach in 1932. Wigan won their first Challenge Cup in

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4030-465: Was played at Wilderspool , Warrington on Saturday 13 October 1973. Cup holders Salford had lost only one match prior to the final, against the touring Australians. Ted Toohey became coach of Wigan in May 1974 before being sacked in January 1975, this would set the pattern of coaches lasting one or two seasons before being replaced. Star coach, Joe Coan then took control until he resigned in September 1976,

4095-578: Was secretary and Mr. Alfred Hodgkinson was named as the treasurer. Many of the new members involved in the re-establishment of the club had also been involved with the Hare & Hounds running club and were of a more working-class background than the cricketers who had originally founded the club. The club moved back to Folly Field and used the Dicconson Arms Hotel as a HQ again before using the Legs of Man Hotel in

4160-485: Was the only season the club achieved this feat. This would be somewhat surpassed in 2024, with Wigan winning all 4 trophies available to them in the same season, the World Club Challenge, Challenge Cup, League Leaders Shield and Super League Grand Final. Wigan played in a special 2 match challenge series against Bath RFC in 1996, with one game played under league rules, and the other under union rules. Wigan won

4225-489: Was to be his last game in charge. Wigan continued to have regular success in both league and cup competitions until 1974 when Wigan went eight seasons without winning any leagues or cups. Eric Ashton coached Wigan from 1963 to 1973. In 1966, Wigan locked television cameras out of their ground in the belief that they affected attendances. They were fined £500 by the Rugby Football League . Wigan beat Oldham 16–13 in

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