WIGAN FA CUP WIN 2013

When James McCarthy and James McArthur left Hamilton Accies nobody envisaged them winning the FA Cup with Wigan Athletic. In 2013 I was fortunate enough to travel to Wembley and see them win both the Semi Final and the Final

This all began with a trip to the then DW Stadium to meet the players before a game and present them with a copy of my book – Hamilton Accies Rollercoaster 1985 to 2010.

I visited Anfield on 17th November 2012 where Wigan lost 3-0 and Ben Watson suffered a broken leg

Wigan Athletic’s Cup run began in the Third Round –

THIRD ROUND

5th January 2013 – Wigan Athletic 1 Bournemouth 1

Wigan were drawn at home to League One high flyers Bournemouth and after the south coast side took a first half lead Jordi Gomez equalised to take the game to a replay at Dean Court. Manager Roberto Martinez had given youngster Danny Redmond only his second first time start as well as Roman Golobart who would move to Inverness and 20yo Fraser Fyvie signed from Aberdeen.

13th January 2013 – Replay – Bournemouth 0 Wigan Athletic 1

Wigan ended Bournemouth’s 18 game unbeaten run with a first half long range shot from Mauro Boselli found the back of Eddie Howe’s team’s net.

FOURTH ROUND

26th January 2013 – Macclesfield 0 Wigan Athletic 1

The Fourth Round draw saw Wigan drawn away to non league Macclesfield and it was a tricky tie. Macclesfield included John Paul Kissock who had a brief spell with Hamilton Accies three years earlier.

Jordi Gomez scored a penalty after 6mins of the all North West tie.

FIFTH ROUND

17th February 2013 – Huddersfield 1 Wigan Athletic 4

Wigan fielded a stronger team than in previous rounds with James McArthur in midfield and produced a great performance with Callum McManaman opening the scoring before Arouna Kone doubled the half time lead. The lead was extended early in the second half when James McArthur drilled home.

Lee Novak pulled a goal back for the home side before Kone scored a fourth for Wigan to ensure a comfortable passage to the Quarter Final for the first time in 26 years.

QUARTER FINAL

9th March 2013 – Everton 0 Wigan Athletic 3

Everton were without goalkeeper Tim Howard and he was replaced by Slovakian Jan Mucha , who would spend a brief spell with Hamilton Accies 5 years later.

Wigan with James McCarthy in place of James McArthur took a shock lead against Davie Moyes side when Maynor Figueroa headed in at the far post from a corner which Mucha had conceded saving from McCarthy.

Wigan then doubled their lead almost immediately when Phil Neville;s poor pass set Callum McManaman to score.

Incredibly Wigan raced into a 3-0 lead with all the goals coming in a four minute spell when Jordi Gomez netted from 18 yards in the 33rd minute to book a place in the Wembley semi final.

SEMI FINAL

13th April 2013 – Millwall 0 Wigan Athletic 2

Wigan were fortunate to draw Championship side Millwall and avoid the big guns of Chelsea and Manchester City.

Wigan wore an unusual all red kit.

Wigan opened the scoring with a great volley from a right wing cross by man of the match Shaun Maloney after 25 mins.

Wigan second goal came when Jordi Gomez slipped in Callum McManaman to round the goalkeeper and send Wigan Athletic into their first FA Cup Final.

FA CUP FINAL 2013

11th May 2013 – Manchester City 0 Wigan Athletic 1

There were 86,254 fans at the game with the unusual 5.15pm kick off time.

The game entered injury time and Wigan won a corner which Shaun Maloney delivered on to the head of substitute Ben Watson to head the winner and complete the fairytale of his return after his leg break at Anfield.