Preston North End will make their sixth league visit to the DW Stadium on Saturday lunchtime, looking to record just their second win at the ground now entering its third decade of use.
It is the 40th league meeting between the sides overall, since our first league clash – back on New Year’s Day 1983 – with North End leading the head-to-head with 15 wins to the Latics’ 12.
That first meeting was at Deepdale, with PNE running out 4-1 winners, before doing the double over their local rivals in the middle of May with a 1-0 success at Springfield Park.
Our biggest win at Wigan’s old stadium came in November 1997, when pacey right winger Lee Cartwright proved the main tormentor.
Gary Peter’s side started the game brightly and were one up by half-time, Carts’ first goal coming mid-way through the opening period.
And he doubled the visitors’ advantage eight minutes into the second period, only for home midfielder Ian Kilford to reduce the deficit just before the hour mark.
But two goals in the space of three minutes were enough to allay any fears for the big away following, with Lee Ashcroft and then a rare goal from Ryan Kidd giving them the bragging rights with a 4-1 success.
Our only other win in Wigan since then came on that famous night in April 2000, when a man who had also started in that 4-1 success grabbed the only goal of the game – Michael Jackson – as David Moyes’ side got closer to promotion and the division two league title.