Many fans often complain that they can’t get tickets for home games because they haven’t been to four previous home matches which seems to be the policy.
Of course it is understandable that the club wants to prevent opposing fans getting in amongst the home support.
However, it is clear to see that there are spaces all around the ground that need to be filled.
Not by away fans granted, but the issue of new Latics fans wanting to get tickets and not being able to needs to be addressed.
With another season confirmed in the Premier League, the club today announced that new fans could get season tickets for £270 for a limited period.
But what will happen if people just want to go to a minority of games and can’t because they’re not on the database.
It will be a waiting game to see what happens, but as a Latics fan I am of the belief that we need to fill as many seats as possible to continue inspiring the team.
Delving into the clubs attendance history it is interesting to see how the rise of the club has seemed to peak and drop within a matter of a few years.
Over the past 10 years Wigan have had the most diverse attendance averages in English football.
In the 2000-2001season the Latics had pushed themselves into the then Division Two playoff-spots ,with an attendance peaking at just 10,048 against Bristol City. The average for that season was a lowly 6,861.
Move on just four short years and a sea of blue shirts had finally broken free in the town. The Latics fans smashed the stadium attendance record as 25,023 people were crammed in to watch the clash between Wigan and Liverpool in the Premier League.
It is obvious to say that it has been an incredible journey in such a short space of time. With attendances in the 2005-06 season averaging at 20,610 it looked as though the club would maintain a high volume of fans for the foreseeable future.
However, the honeymoon period ended quite abruptly and the average attendance for this season is the lowest in six years at just 16,813.
The Latics are heading into a recession of history and the number of fans going through the gates is in danger of dropping back down the levels obtained in 2000.
The recent performances against Everton, Aston Villa, West Ham and Stoke, which has seen the boys in blue go four games unbeaten and claim a place in the Premier League next season, could be the catalyst needed to bring fans back into the DW Stadium.
Hopefully, the ticket system will become clearer next season and attendance levels can once again rise.
