Wigan vs Chelsea
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Wigan Athletic won promotion to England's top flight for the first time ever in 2005 and have stayed a Premier League club ever since.
Remaining in the top half of the table for almost the entire 2005/06 campaign, the Latics finished 10th and reached the League Cup final for the first time in their history.Wigan's rise has been swift. Playing in the old Third Division when local millionaire Dave Whelan purchased the club in 1995, his Premier League ambitions were realised in just 10 years.
Wigan found the 2006/07 season more taxing and were pulled into a relegation dogfight. However, they survived on the final day of the campaign after a 2-1 win against relegation rivals Sheffield United. Manager Paul Jewell chose to step down after survival had been guaranteed and was replaced by his assistant Chris Hutchings.
However, after a run of six consecutive defeats at the start of the next term, Hutchings was sacked in November 2007. He had lasted just 12 matches. Steve Bruce, who had briefly managed the Latics in 2001, was lured away from Birmingham City to take over and helped the club avoid relegation and finish a respectable 14th.
In March 2009, the club announced the JJB Stadium would be re-named the DW Stadium from 1st August 2009. Bruce guided the Latics to a decent 11th place finish at the end of 2008/09 - their second best finish in the Premier League. In May 2009, Bruce moved on to become manager of Sunderland and he was replaced by former Wigan player Roberto Martinez from Swansea City.
Wigan suffered some heavy defeats over 2009/10 including a 9-1 thrashing by Tottenham Hotspur and 8-0 to Chelsea but Martinez guided them to safety.
Club Heritage
The club was formed in 1932 following the demise of Wigan Borough the previous year. With Wigan County, Wigan United and Wigan Town also failing to establish themselves, this was fifth time lucky as far as Wigan Athletic were concerned.
Wigan hold the record for the biggest cup win by a non-league club over a league club. In the 1934/35 season, they defeated Carlisle United 6-1 in the FA Cup fifth round. This was achieved when playing in the Cheshire County League and it was not until 1978, and after appearances in the Lancashire Combination and Northern Premier League, that Wigan were elected to the Football League.
This came after numerous failed election attempts and a controversial application to join the Scottish League Second Division. They finished runners-up to Boston United in the Northern Premier League, but the latter's ground and facilities were deemed unsuitable for the Football League, and the Latics were put forward for election.
Wigan took their first step towards the Premier League in 1997 when they won the Third Division under John Deehan. Paul Jewell then earned promotion to the First Division with a points tally of 100 in 2002/03, just his second season at the club.
Chelsea have regained the Premier League crown after finishing second to Manchester United in the last three seasons. Former manager Jose Mourinho, bankrolled by owner Roman Abramovich's millions, brought the first title to Stamford Bridge for 50 years when the Blues lifted the trophy in 2005. Chelsea became only the second team to win back-to-back Premier League titles when they clinched it a year later. Mourinho left the club by mutual consent in September 2007.
Although Chelsea reached the FA Cup final in 1994, they hardly set the world alight in their early Premier League days. Ruud Gullit became manager in 1996 and steered the Blues to an FA Cup triumph in 1997, while his successor Gianluca Vialli guided the team to victory in the League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup in 1998.
Shortly after, he led the team to the UEFA Super Cup after a 1-0 win over Real Madrid. The FA Cup followed in 2000. Vialli was replaced by Claudio Ranieri in 2000 and he led Chelsea to another FA Cup final appearance in 2002.Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought the Blues for £140m. After a trophyless season, he appointed Mourinho as new Chelsea manager and there was instant success. In 2005, Chelsea won the Barclays Premiership and League Cup, along with a Champions League semi-final appearance.
And Mourinho retained the Barclays Premiership crown the year after, equalling the club's own Premier League record of 29 wins set the previous season. They were league runners-up in 2006/07 and also claimed the FA Cup and League Cup double.They were also runners-up in the 2007/08 campaign, but by this time Mourinho had left the club. He was replaced by Avram Grant who led the Blues to the final of the Champions League and Carling Cup.
Grant left Stamford Bridge at the end of the season and was replaced by Luiz Felipe Scolari who was tasked with bringing the title back to the club. However he was sacked in February 2009 and replaced by Guus Hiddink who agreed to take charge until the end of the campaign while continuing to coach the Russian national side. He was hugely popular with fans and players and he led them to success in the FA Cup final, beating Everton 2-1.
His decision to stick with Russia saw Chelsea bring in former AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti who enjoyed a stunning first season in English football, guiding Chelsea to the Barclays Premier League title in some style. They hit 103 goals to set a new Premier League goalscoring record with Didier Drogba notching 29 to claim the Barclays Golden Boot.
Club Heritage
Chelsea were formed in 1905 and were elected into the Second Division of the Football League. They just missed out on silverware 10 years later with an FA Cup final defeat. The Blues had to wait for their first major trophy in 1955, when under manager Ted Drake, they won the league title. Chelsea claimed the League Cup for the first time in 1965 and were defeated in the FA Cup final two years later.
Featuring the likes of Ron 'Chopper' Harris, Ian Hutchison and Peter Osgood, Chelsea overcame Leeds to win the FA Cup in 1970. In the following season, they clinched the European Cup Winners' Cup with a replay victory over Real Madrid.Financial problems meant the Stamford Bridge club dropped into the Second Division, and at one point they were close to falling to the Third Division.
They eventually won their place back in the top flight in 1984, but their stay only lasted four seasons. They clawed their way back to the First Division again as Second Division champions in 1989 and have remained in the top flight ever since.
Remaining in the top half of the table for almost the entire 2005/06 campaign, the Latics finished 10th and reached the League Cup final for the first time in their history.Wigan's rise has been swift. Playing in the old Third Division when local millionaire Dave Whelan purchased the club in 1995, his Premier League ambitions were realised in just 10 years.
Wigan found the 2006/07 season more taxing and were pulled into a relegation dogfight. However, they survived on the final day of the campaign after a 2-1 win against relegation rivals Sheffield United. Manager Paul Jewell chose to step down after survival had been guaranteed and was replaced by his assistant Chris Hutchings.
However, after a run of six consecutive defeats at the start of the next term, Hutchings was sacked in November 2007. He had lasted just 12 matches. Steve Bruce, who had briefly managed the Latics in 2001, was lured away from Birmingham City to take over and helped the club avoid relegation and finish a respectable 14th.
In March 2009, the club announced the JJB Stadium would be re-named the DW Stadium from 1st August 2009. Bruce guided the Latics to a decent 11th place finish at the end of 2008/09 - their second best finish in the Premier League. In May 2009, Bruce moved on to become manager of Sunderland and he was replaced by former Wigan player Roberto Martinez from Swansea City.
Wigan suffered some heavy defeats over 2009/10 including a 9-1 thrashing by Tottenham Hotspur and 8-0 to Chelsea but Martinez guided them to safety.
Club Heritage
The club was formed in 1932 following the demise of Wigan Borough the previous year. With Wigan County, Wigan United and Wigan Town also failing to establish themselves, this was fifth time lucky as far as Wigan Athletic were concerned.
Wigan hold the record for the biggest cup win by a non-league club over a league club. In the 1934/35 season, they defeated Carlisle United 6-1 in the FA Cup fifth round. This was achieved when playing in the Cheshire County League and it was not until 1978, and after appearances in the Lancashire Combination and Northern Premier League, that Wigan were elected to the Football League.
This came after numerous failed election attempts and a controversial application to join the Scottish League Second Division. They finished runners-up to Boston United in the Northern Premier League, but the latter's ground and facilities were deemed unsuitable for the Football League, and the Latics were put forward for election.
Wigan took their first step towards the Premier League in 1997 when they won the Third Division under John Deehan. Paul Jewell then earned promotion to the First Division with a points tally of 100 in 2002/03, just his second season at the club.
Chelsea have regained the Premier League crown after finishing second to Manchester United in the last three seasons. Former manager Jose Mourinho, bankrolled by owner Roman Abramovich's millions, brought the first title to Stamford Bridge for 50 years when the Blues lifted the trophy in 2005. Chelsea became only the second team to win back-to-back Premier League titles when they clinched it a year later. Mourinho left the club by mutual consent in September 2007.
Although Chelsea reached the FA Cup final in 1994, they hardly set the world alight in their early Premier League days. Ruud Gullit became manager in 1996 and steered the Blues to an FA Cup triumph in 1997, while his successor Gianluca Vialli guided the team to victory in the League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup in 1998.
Shortly after, he led the team to the UEFA Super Cup after a 1-0 win over Real Madrid. The FA Cup followed in 2000. Vialli was replaced by Claudio Ranieri in 2000 and he led Chelsea to another FA Cup final appearance in 2002.Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought the Blues for £140m. After a trophyless season, he appointed Mourinho as new Chelsea manager and there was instant success. In 2005, Chelsea won the Barclays Premiership and League Cup, along with a Champions League semi-final appearance.
And Mourinho retained the Barclays Premiership crown the year after, equalling the club's own Premier League record of 29 wins set the previous season. They were league runners-up in 2006/07 and also claimed the FA Cup and League Cup double.They were also runners-up in the 2007/08 campaign, but by this time Mourinho had left the club. He was replaced by Avram Grant who led the Blues to the final of the Champions League and Carling Cup.
Grant left Stamford Bridge at the end of the season and was replaced by Luiz Felipe Scolari who was tasked with bringing the title back to the club. However he was sacked in February 2009 and replaced by Guus Hiddink who agreed to take charge until the end of the campaign while continuing to coach the Russian national side. He was hugely popular with fans and players and he led them to success in the FA Cup final, beating Everton 2-1.
His decision to stick with Russia saw Chelsea bring in former AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti who enjoyed a stunning first season in English football, guiding Chelsea to the Barclays Premier League title in some style. They hit 103 goals to set a new Premier League goalscoring record with Didier Drogba notching 29 to claim the Barclays Golden Boot.
Club Heritage
Chelsea were formed in 1905 and were elected into the Second Division of the Football League. They just missed out on silverware 10 years later with an FA Cup final defeat. The Blues had to wait for their first major trophy in 1955, when under manager Ted Drake, they won the league title. Chelsea claimed the League Cup for the first time in 1965 and were defeated in the FA Cup final two years later.
Featuring the likes of Ron 'Chopper' Harris, Ian Hutchison and Peter Osgood, Chelsea overcame Leeds to win the FA Cup in 1970. In the following season, they clinched the European Cup Winners' Cup with a replay victory over Real Madrid.Financial problems meant the Stamford Bridge club dropped into the Second Division, and at one point they were close to falling to the Third Division.
They eventually won their place back in the top flight in 1984, but their stay only lasted four seasons. They clawed their way back to the First Division again as Second Division champions in 1989 and have remained in the top flight ever since.
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