During the 2004–05 English football season, Wigan Athletic F.C. competed in the Football League Championship.
Season summary After only 27 years as a Football League club, Wigan Athletic won promotion to English football's top flight for the first time in their history, securing promotion on the final day of the Championship league campaign as runners-up in their division. This was also their highest-ever finish in the Football League in their history. It was also only Wigan's second season in the second tier of the English league, having just missed out on the playoffs a year earlier.
Wigan's league success did not translate to the domestic cup competitions: they only played one match in each cup before being knocked out. This may have turned out to be beneficial to Wigan, as it allowed the club to focus on the league rather than a cup run.
First-team squad Squad at end of season
Left club during season
Transfers In +DateNameClub FromFeeReference24 May 2004Per FrandsenBolton WanderersFree16 June 2004David GrahamTorquay United£215,00028 June 2004David WrightCrewe AlexandraUndisclosed4 August 2004Emerson ThomeBolton WanderersFree15 September 2004Gareth WhalleyCardiff CityFree8 January 2005Andreas JohanssonDjurgardens IFUndisclosed4 March 2005Graham KavanaghCardiff City£400,000
Out +DateNameClub ToFeeReference26 May 2004Jason de VosIpswich TownFree23 June 2004Andy LiddellSheffield UnitedFree28 July 2004Peter KennedyPeterborough UnitedFree7 October 2004Neil RobertsDoncaster Rovers£90,0006 December 2004Tony DinningBristol CityFree19 January 2005Per FrandsenRetired2 February 2005Michael FlynnGillinghamFree
Loans in PlayerPosFromStart DateEnd DateNotes Brett Ormerod FW Southampton 18 March 2005 26 April 2005
Loans out PlayerPosToStart DateEnd DateNotes Tony Dinning MF Ipswich Town 9 August 2004 1 October 2004 Paul Mitchell DF Swindon Town 3 September 2004 21 October 2004 Tony Dinning MF Bristol City 27 October 2004 27 November 2004 Paul Mitchell DF Milton Keynes Dons 9 December 2004 9 March 2005 Jason Jarrett MF Stoke City 7 January 2005 7 February 2005 David Moore FW Bury 21 January 2005 15 March 2005
Pre-season + Pre-season friendliesDateOpponentVenueResultScoreScorersAttendance 13 July 2004 KFC Verbroedering GeelAW3–1McCulloch, J. Roberts, Vieira 15 July 2004 Patro MaasmechelenAW4–0Flynn, McCulloch, Graham (2) 20 July 2004 SouthportAD1–1J. Roberts 21 July 2004 Leigh RMIAD1–1N. Roberts 24 July 2004 BuryAW4–0J. Roberts (2), Ellington (2) 27 July 2004 Halifax TownAW3–0Bullard, J. Roberts, Ellington (pen.) 28 July 2004 BurscoughAW5–4N. Roberts (2), Dinning, Moore, Vieira 1 August 2004 BlackpoolAW5–0McCulloch, Frandsen, Ellington (2), Graham2,890
Results Football League Championship + Championship match detailsDateOpponentVenueResultScoreScorersAttendance Nottingham ForestHD1–1McCulloch12,035 MillwallAW2–0McCulloch, Roberts10,660 West Ham UnitedAW3–1 Ellington (2), Roberts23,271 Brighton & Hove AlbionHW3–0Ellington (2), Frandsen8,681 SunderlandAD1–1Roberts26,330 Cardiff CityHW2–1Ellington (pen.), Roberts9,004 Wolverhampton WanderersAD3–3Jackson, Ellington, Roberts (pen.)26,790 BurnleyHD0–09,746 Sheffield UnitedHW4–0Ellington (2), Roberts (2)10,682 Derby CountyAD1–1McCulloch26,113 WatfordAD0–011,161 Rotherham UnitedHW2–0Roberts, Mahon7,937 Plymouth ArgyleAW2–1Roberts (2)14,443 Crewe AlexandraHW4–1McCulloch, Ellington (2), Bullard7,547 Coventry CityHW4–1Mahon, Graham, Ellington, Flynn9,632 Leeds UnitedAW2–0Mahon, Bullard27,432 Stoke CityAW1–0McCulloch15,882 Plymouth ArgyleHL0–210,294 Queens Park RangersAL0–115,804 Leicester CityHD0–010,924 ReadingAD1–1Mahon22,114 Preston North EndHW5–0McCulloch, Mahon, Ellington (2), Roberts (pen.)10,565 GillinghamHW2–0Ellington, McCulloch8,451 Ipswich TownAL1–2Baines28,286 Derby CountyHL1–2Roberts12,420 BurnleyAL0–116,485 Sheffield UnitedAW2–0McCulloch, Ellington21,869 Wolverhampton WanderersHW2–0Ellington (2, 1 pen.)10,335 Rotherham UnitedAW2–0Teale, Roberts9,050 WatfordHD2–2McCulloch (2)9,008 Stoke CityHL0–19,938 Crewe AlexandraAW3–1Roberts (2), Ellington (pen.)7,981 Leeds UnitedHW3–0Ellington, Roberts, Mahon17,177 Coventry CityAW2–1Teale, Ellington12,130 GillinghamAL1–2Ellington7,209 Ipswich TownHW1–0Ellington (pen.)16,744 MillwallHW2–0Ellington (pen.), Roberts9,614 Brighton & Hove AlbionAW4–2Bullard, McCulloch, Teale, Roberts6,306 Nottingham ForestAD1–1McCulloch24,008 West Ham UnitedHL1–2Roberts12,933 SunderlandHL0–120,745 Cardiff CityAW2–0Roberts, Mahon16,858 Leicester CityAW2–0Ormerod (2)23,894 Queens Park RangersHD0–012,007 Preston North EndAD1–1McCulloch20,221 ReadingHW3–1McCulloch, Roberts, Ellington19,662
FA Cup
Wigan were drawn against Derby County in the third round of the FA Cup. The Latics took the lead in the first half, but were ultimately defeated 2–1 by their opponents. Jewell admitted after the game that he had rested several key players in order to concentrate on the league. + FA Cup match detailsRoundDateOpponentVenueResultScoreScorersAttendance Third Derby CountyAL1–2Mahon14,457
League Cup
Wigan were defeated in the first round of the League Cup by their League Two opponents Grimsby Town. + League Cup match detailsRoundDateOpponentVenueResultScoreScorersAttendance First Grimsby TownAL0–1 3,005
Notes
References