JJB Stadium
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| JJB Stadium | |
|---|---|
| The JJB | |
| Full name | JJB Stadium |
| Location | |
| Built | 1999 |
| Opened | 1999 |
| Owner | |
| Tenants | Wigan Athletic F.C. (1999-present) Wigan Warriors (1999-present) |
| Capacity | 25,135 |
| Field Dimensions | |
| 114 x 74 yards | |
The JJB Stadium (often referred to as The JJB) is a sports stadium located within the Robin Park Complex in Newtown, Wigan, Greater Manchester. It is the home ground of both Wigan Warriors rugby league club and Wigan Athletic F.C.. The stadium is named after its principal sponsor, the sporting goods retailer JJB Sports (whose former chairman, David Whelan, owns Wigan Athletic).
Contents |
[edit] The stadium
The stadium design is based on counter-levered prefabricated steel roof and terrace structuring. It is an all-seater arena with a seating capacity of 25,135.
The stands are rectangular and both ends have the supporting steel girders suspended from beneath the roof. The four stands are of roughly the same height, the stadium is not totally enclosed, all corners being open.
At both Wigan Athletic and Wigan Warriors matches away supporters are situated in the North Stand behind the goal. This stand holds approximately 5,400 spectators.
The pitch uses a sand-based matrix which contains an irrigation and under-soil heating system. The pitch is natural grass with a 2% synthetic fibre infusion which helps to stabilise the pitch profiles.
[edit] Stand Seating Capacity
- East Stand: 8,230
- West Stand: 6,096
- South Stand: 5,399
- North Stand: 5,413
[edit] History
Wigan Athletic had spent the previous 102 years playing at Springfield Park, before 1932 as Wigan Borough.
The stadium was built by Alfred McAlpine[1] and completed in August 1999. Wigan Athletic's first match at the JJB Stadium was actually a friendly against Morecambe, just before the stadium's official opening.
The stadium's inauguration was marked with a friendly between Wigan Athletic and neighbours Manchester United, who were then reigning European Champions, with Sir Alex Ferguson officially opening the stadium. The first competitive football match there took place on August 7 1999, with Wigan Athletic facing Scunthorpe United in a Division Two match. Simon Haworth scored twice, including the first competitive goal at the new stadium, as Athletic triumphed 3-0.
The first away team to win a competitive football match at the JJB stadium was Wigan Athletic. A first round FA Cup tie against non-league Cambridge City was played there due to City's ground being deemed unsuitable to host the tie. Wigan played in their change strip and used the away dressing room since it was technically a 'home' game for Cambridge City. A Stuart Barlow brace secured the win for Wigan.
Wigan Warriors lost their first game at the stadium on September 19 1999, which was a play-off match against Castleford Tigers. In 2001 Wigan Warriors never lost a competitive match at the JJB Stadium.
On March 7 2005 Greater Manchester police announced that they would stop policing Wigan Athletic matches at the stadium from April 2. This move would almost certainly have resulted in the stadium's safety certificate being revoked, effectively forcing the team to play behind closed doors. The move was part of an ongoing dispute between the police force and David Whelan surrounding £300,000 in unpaid policing costs. The police's decision would not have affected Wigan Warriors, whose games are stewarded instead of policed. The situation was temporarily resolved on March 8 with both sides reaching an agreement that would allow Athletic to play at the ground until the end of the season. Four months later, Wigan, facing the prospect of playing their home games in the FA Premier League in an empty stadium, grudgingly paid the money they owed to the police. However, the club are now appealing against the payments in court.
[edit] Average attendances
Wigan Warriors (Rugby League):
- 2000 Average Crowd = 10,536 in Super League (Europe)
- 2001 Average Crowd = 11,334 in Super League (Europe)
- 2002 Average Crowd = 10,436 in Super League (Europe)
- 2003 Average Crowd = 10,387 in Super League (Europe)
- 2004 Average Crowd = 12,434 in Super League (Europe)
- 2005 Average Crowd = 13,894 in Super League (Europe)
- 2006 Average Crowd = 14,464 in Super League (Europe)
- 2007 Average Crowd = 16,039 in Super League (Europe)[2]
- 2000/2001 Average Crowd = 6,774 in Football League Second Division
- 2001/2002 Average Crowd = 5,771 in Football League Second Division
- 2002/2003 Average Crowd = 7,283 in Football League Second Division
- 2003/2004 Average Crowd = 9,530 in Football League First Division
- 2004/2005 Average Crowd = 11,155 in Football League Championship
- 2005/2006 Average Crowd = 20,904 in F.A. Premier League
- 2006/2007 Average Crowd = 18,159 in F.A. Premier League
[edit] Records (Football and Rugby)
Record Attendance (Football): 25,022 v Liverpool F.C., February 11, 2006 (FA Premier League)
Record Attendance (Football): 25,017 v Manchester City F.C., December 26, 2005 (FA Premier League)
Record Attendance (Football): 25,004 v Arsenal F.C., November 19, 2005 (FA Premier League)
Record Attendance (Rugby): 25,004, Great Britain vs. Australia, November 13 2004
Record Attendance (Rugby): 25,004, vs. St Helens , March 25 2005
Record Attendance (Overall): 25,023 Wigan Athletic v Liverpool F.C., February 11, 2006 (FA Premier League)
[edit] References
- ^ JJB Stadium Facts & figures
- ^ "Warriors Set New Attendance Record", Wigan Warriors Official Website, 2007-09-15. Retrieved on 2007-10-31.
[edit] External links
- World Stadiums entry
- JJB Stadium official site
- JJB Stadium at Google Maps
- JJB Stadium at Footballgroundguide.co.uk
- JJB Stadium at Worldstadia.com
Super League venues 2008 |
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| Belle Vue • Craven Park • Galpharm Stadium • Headingley Stadium • Halliwell Jones Stadium • JJB Stadium • KC Stadium • Knowsley Road • Odsal • Stade Gilbert Brutus • The Jungle • The Stoop |
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