NEIL BAILEY – MAURO BOSELLI
BAILEY, Neil
DOB: 26th September 1958
Other clubs: Burnley, Ashton United, Newport County, Vaasan Palloseura, Stockport County, Blackpool, Manchester United (youth coach), Sunderland (reserve team manager)
Neil, who was born in Wigan, arrived at Springfield Park in October 1983 from Newport County on a free transfer. He made his Latics League debut on 8th October 1983 when he came on as a substitute in the home game against Lincoln City which resulted in a 2-0 victory for the Blues. He made 31+10 League appearances without scoring before spending a sting in Finland with Vaasan Palloseura before signing for Stockport County in July 1986.
During his stay at Springfield Park Neil played in EIGHT different positions! His last post within the game was as the assistant manager of Sunderland.
BAINES, Leighton
DOB: 11th December 1984
Other clubs: Everton
Honours: England Under 21’s (16 caps, 1 goal),
England (9 caps)
Second Division Championship winner 2003 (Wigan Athletic)
Leighton was in his second year as a trainee at the club when he played his first competitive game for the club. This came against West Bromwich Albion in a second round Worthington Cup game on 2nd October 2002. He came on as a last minute substitute for Neil Roberts by which time Latics had already beaten their Premiership opponents 3-1. His first full game for the Blues was on 22nd October 2002 when Latics beat Notts County 3-2 in a Leyland Daf Vans Trophy first round game. He played his first full game in a FA Cup first round game against Non League outfit Hereford United at Edgar Street on 16th November 2002 which Latics fortunately won 1-0 due to a last minute Scott Green goal. He made his Latics League debut on 14th December 2002 against Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park, a game which the Blues won 2-0.
By the end of December he had signed a professional contract with the club lasting for two and a half years. On 26th August 2004 he was called up for the England Under 21’s squad to face Austria and Poland In Euro qualifying games. In doing so, he became the first ever Wigan Athletic player to be called up for England at this level.
He played the full game against Austria which resulted in a 2-0 win for England and thus became the first Wigan Athletic player to play for England. He also played against Poland after impressing manager Peter Taylor and he went on to become a regular in the side. A member of the squad that won promotion to the Premiership for the first time in the club’s history, he had made a total of 70+3 League appearances and scored 1 League goal by the end of season 2004/05.
Leighton made 34+2 Premiership appearances during the following season and played for Latics in their first major Cup Final when the Blues were beaten by Manchester United 4-0 at the Millennium Stadium. As at the end of season 2005/06 he had made 104+5 league appearances and scored once. On Friday 6th October 2006 he scored his first England goal, a 30 yard stunner that won the game for England Under 21’s against their German counterparts. Days later he was part of the team that beat Germany 2-0 in Leverskerken to enable England to compete in the Euro Under 21’s Championship in Holland in 2008. He completed his second Premiership season by winning the Player of the Year Award.
He moved to Everton on 6th August 2007 for a fee of £5.000.000 which was a club record for a ‘home grown’ player. In total he played 140+5 league games (70+2 in the Premiership) for Latics, scoring four league goals (3 in the Premiership) in the process.
In May 2009 he reached the FA Cup Final with the Toffees, but once again, finished on the losing side in a major cup final when Chelsea defeated Everton 2-1 at Wembley. As predicted by many during his time at the JJB Stadium he made his full England debut on 3rd March 2010 against Egypt at Wembley.
BALMER, Stuart
DOB: 20th September 1969
Other clubs: Celtic, Charlton Athletic, Oldham Athletic, Scunthorpe United, Boston United, Clyde (asst/manager), Hamilton Academical, (asst manager),
St Mirren, Ross County (asst manager)
Honours: Auto Windscreens Shield winner 1999 (Wigan Athletic)
Stuart, a former Scottish Youth International, joined Latics on 18th September 1999 from Charlton Athletic for a fee of £200,000. His Latics League debut was on the following day when Latics beat Macclesfield Town 2-0 at Springfield Park. Also making his League debut for Latics on the day was Michael O’Neill. He made 99+2 League appearances and scored 3 League goals and he left the club on 21st May 2001 after being released. Latics’ loss was definitely Oldham Athletic’s’ gain and he signed for the Boundary Park outfit on 7th July 2001. His former Latics team mate Darren Sheridan joined him five days later. Stuart is currently (July 2012) the assistant manager of Ross County.
A bit of Stuart Balmer trivia – did you know that Stuart holds the record as the first outfield player be allocated a number one jersey? This came about when his then club Charlton Athletic, decided to give out shirt numbers in alphabetical order!
BARACLOUGH, Ian
DOB: 4th December 1970
Other clubs: Leicester City, Grimsby Town, Lincoln City, Mansfield Town, Notts County, Queens Park Rangers, Notts County, Scunthorpe United,
Scunthorpe United (asst manager), (manager), Sligo Rovers (manager)
Honours: Lincolnshire Senior Cup winner 1992 (Lincoln City)
Third Division championship winner 1998 (Notts County)
League One championship winner 2007 (Scunthorpe United)
League One play offs winner 2009 (Scunthorpe United)
Ian, a former England youth international, arrived at Springfield Park on loan from Leicester City on 22nd March 1990. His Latics League debut was on 24th March 1990 against Huddersfield Town at Springfield Park and Latics lost 1-2. His final game was on 24th April 1990 against Preston North End at Springfield Park. The game resulted in a 0-1 defeat. In total he made 8+1 League appearances for the club and scored once before returning to Filbert Street.
Ian was sacked as manager of Scunthorpe United on 15th March 2011 for whom he had taken over the managerial hot seat since the departure of former Latics goalkeeper Nigel Adkins, who had taken the manager’s vacancy at Southampton on 11t
h September 2010.
He is currently (July 2012) the manager of Sligo Rovers for whom he signed on 27th February 2012. One of his competitors for the job was ex Latic Kevin Kilbane.
BARLOW, Stuart
DOB: 16th July 1968
Other clubs: Sherwood Park, Everton, Rotherham United, Oldham Athletic, Tranmere Rovers, Stockport County, Bury, Morecambe, Southport, Fleetwood Town, Skelmersdale United, Bamber Bridge, Colwyn Bay (asst manager)
Honours: Auto Windscreens Shield winner 1999 (Wigan Athletic)
Stuart signed for Latics from Oldham Athletic on 26th March 1998 for a fee of £45,000. His Latics League debut was on 28th March 1998 in a game against Preston North End at Deepdale Road which ended in a 1-1 draw. He made 72+11 League appearances and scored 40 League goals. He left the club at the end of the 1999/2000 season after failing to agree to a new Latics contract during a six month dispute with the club/John Benson. He joined Tranmere Rovers on a free transfer on 5th July 2000. Towards the end of season 2004/05 Stuart was playing for Bury, who were managed by ex Latics player and manager Graham Barrow. Things didn’t work out for him at Gigg Lane and on 17th January 2006 he joined the non league ranks with Morecambe.
However, he hadn’t played his last game involving Latics as he signed for Southport on 2nd August 2006 and made his Sandgrounders debut on the same evening against Paul Jewell’s mainly reserve team. Things didn’t work out for him at Haig Avenue and within a few weeks he put pen to paper for Fleetwood Town.
He is currently (Juy 2012) the assistant manager of Colwyn Bay as well as running his own Executive Travel business . He was also a member of the Wigan Athletic Grand Masters team in June 2007, but then defected to the all conquering (2008/09/10) Tranmere Rovers team!
A bit of Stuart Barlow trivia – did you know that Stuart’s only appearance for Rotherham United was expunged from Football League record books? He appeared as a substitute for the Millers against Aldershot who were liquidated half way through season 1993/94.
BARNWELL-EDINBORO, Jamie
DOB: 26th December 1975
Other clubs: Coventry City, Swansea City, Cambridge United, Rushden and Diamonds, Stevenage Borough, Doncaster Rovers, Goole AFC, Scarborough, Hinckley United, Brigg Town, North Ferriby United, Denaby United,
Hall Road Rangers, Scarborough Athletic, Hall Road Rangers
Jamie arrived at Springfield Park at the beginning of February 1996 on loan from Coventry City. He made his Latics debut on 3rd February 1996 against Preston North End in a home game that resulted in Latics losing 0-1. His final game for the club, and the only one in which he was in the starting eleven, was on 28th March 1996 against Rochdale at Spotland with Latics running out 2-0 winners. He made 1+8 League appearances for Latics and scored one League goal before returning to Highfield Road. He joined Cambridge United on a free transfer in March 1996.
He then played for a multitude of non league clubs and after plying his trade at Hall Road Rangers for a second time he then became the head of the Hull KR RLFC Education and Sports Trust in 2011.
BARROW, Graham
DOB:13th June 1954
Other clubs: Chorley, Southport, Altrincham, Chester City, Chester City (manager), Wigan Athletic (manager), Rochdale (manager), Notts County (coach), Bury (coach), Chester City (asst manager), Altrincham (asst manager)
Honours: Alliance Premier League Championship 1980, 1981 (Altrincham)
Freight Rover Trophy winner 1985 (Wigan Athletic)
Nationwide Variety Club Trophy winner 2001 (Chester City)
Graham arrived at Springfield Park during the pre season of season 1981/82 from Non League outfit Altrincham for a fee of £10,000. He made his Latics League debut on the opening day of that season, 29th August 1981, along with John McMahon, Kevin Sheldon, Les Bradd and Clive Evans. The match was against Bradford City at Valley Parade and ended in a 3-3 draw. He played 173+6 League games for Latics and scored 35 League goals before leaving Springfield Park to team up with ex Latic manager Harry McNally at Chester City.
Graham of course became the manager of Wigan Athletic in September 1994, taking over the reigns from the departed Kenny Swain. From being a club on the verge of dropping into the Football Conference Graham transformed the team so much that with just a month of that 1994/95 campaign to go there was talk of Latics reaching the play-offs. However, one year and one month later, following a 2-6 defeat by Mansfield Town at Springfield Park, Graham was relieved of his duties.
On 16th June 2009 he left his post as assistant manager at Altrincham to return to the club for a third time following new Latics manager Roberto Martinez’s decision to appoint him as the manager of the Reserves, a position that he still holds to date (July 2012)
BEAGRIE, Peter
DOB: 28th November 1965
Other clubs: Marske United, Middlesbrough, Sheffield United, Stoke City, Everton, Sunderland, Manchester City, Bradford City, Everton, Scunthorpe United, Grimsby Town
Honours: England Under 21’s (2 caps),
England B (2 caps)
Peter, who won two caps for the England B and Under 21’s teams, arrived at the JJB Stadium from Braford City on 16th February 2001. He made his Latics debut the following day in a League game against Bristol Rovers at the JJB Stadium. The game resulted in a 0-0 draw. By the end of the season, on 21st May 2001, he found himself surplus to requirements and left the club along with Carl Bradshaw, Roberto Martinez, Gino Padula, Darren Sheridan, Stuart Balmer and Gareth Griffiths. He made 10 League appearances for Latics and scored 1 League goal.
He started the following season (2001/02) as player/coach of Third Division outfit Scunthorpe United, his ex Latics team mate Carl Bradshaw also made the move to the Glanford Stadium a few days later. In October 2006 he announced his retirement from the game as he and Grimsby Town parted company. He now appears regularly on Andy Townsend’s regional TV football show.
Some Peter Beagrie trivia – did you know that Chris Kamara once ran Peter’s fan club?
BEASANT, Dave
DOB: 20th March 1959
Other clubs: Edgware Town, Wimbledon, Newcastle United, Chelsea, Grimsby Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Southampton, Nottingham Forest, Portsmouth
, Tottenham Hotspur, Bradford City,
Brighton and Hove Albion, Fulham, Northern Ireland (goalkeeping coach)
Honours: England B (7 caps),
England (2 caps)
Fourth Division championship winner 1983 (Wimbledon)
FA Cup winner 1988 (Wimbledon),
Zenith Data Systems Cup winner 1990 (Chelsea)
First Division Championship winner 1998 (Nottingham Forest)
Dave arrived at the JJB Stadium on 25th October 2002. He signed for the club on a non-contract basis after being released by Bradford City. He was signed as cover for John Filan and thus ended a month long search for a deputy keeper following the enforced retirement of Stewart Kerr. His major claim to fame was the saving of the first ever penalty in a FA Cup Final in 1988 when he saved a John Aldridge (Liverpool) penalty ensuring Wimbledon won the coveted trophy.
He played his first Latics game on 12th November 2002 and in doing so became the oldest player to ever play for the club. The game itself was a Leyland Daf Trophy second round game at home against Non League outfit Doncaster Rovers. Unfortunately for Dave the game resulted in a 0-1 defeat for the Blues. He is currently (July 2012) the goalkeeping coach at the Glenn Hoddle Academy, where his duties also include coaching the outfield players!
Some Dave Beasant trivia – did you know that Dave was once seriously injured when he dropped a jar of mayonnaise on his foot?
BEAUSEJOUR, Jean
DOB: 1st June 1984
Other clubs: Universidad Católica, Universidad de Concepción, Servette, Gremio, Gent, Cobreloa, O’Higgins, Club America, Birmingham City
Honours: Chile (43 caps, 3 goals)
Chilean Premier League champion 2002 (Universidad Catolica)
Football League Cup 2011 (Birmingham City)
Jean, full name Jean Andre Emanuel Beausejour Coliqueo who had been capped 43 times by Chile, was signed for an undisclosed fee from Birmingham City on 24th January 2012. He signed a two and a half year contract and manager Roberto Martinez had finally got his man after two previous transfer window attempts.
He made his Premier League debut on 31st January 2012 against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane in a game that resulted in a 1-3 defeat for the Blues. He then became a virtual ever present in the team and at the end of season 2011/12 he had made 16 Premier League appearances without scoring.
BEESLEY, Paul
DOB: 21st July 1965
Other clubs: Altrincham, Marine, Leyton Orient, Sheffield United, Leeds United, Manchester City, Port Vale, West Bromwich Albion, Blackpool, Chester City, Ballymena United, Stalybridge Celtic, Worksop Town, Buxton, Leeds United (youth team coach), Notts County (trainer and scout), Stockport County (kit man and scout)
Honours: England Semi-Pro International (1 cap)
Paul arrived at Springfield Park from Non League side Marine on 22nd September 1984. His Latics League debut came on 29th September 1984 when Latics lost 1-2 at Springfield against York City. Also making his debut for Latics on that day was Ray Redshaw. He made 153+2 League appearances and scored 3 League goals before he was surprisingly sold to Third Division rivals Leyton Orient for a £175,000 fee on 20th October 1989, a club record for the O’s.. Paul represented England at Semi Pro level whilst at the Deva Stadium and he was last heard of (August 2010) as being employed as the kit man and scout at Stockport County.
BENJAMIN, Ian
DOB: 11th December 1961
Other clubs: Sheffield United, West Bromwich Albion, Notts County, Peterborough United, Northampton Town, Cambridge United, Chester City, Exeter City, Southend United, Luton Town, Brentford, Kettering Town, Bury Town, Chelmsford City, Corby Town, Raunds Town, Warboys Town (player/manager), Northamptonshire Under 18’s (manager)
Honours: Fourth Division Championship winner 1987 (Northampton Town),
Fourth Division Championship winner 1990 (Exeter City)
Ian, a former England Youth International, arrived at Springfield Park from Brentford, in September 1994, making Wigan Athletic his twelfth professional club. The journeyman striker, signed by Graham Barrow, made his Latics debut on 1st October 1994 against Scarborough at Springfield Park and the game resulted in a 1-1 draw. He made 15+5 League appearances and scored 6 League goals before retiring from full time football.
He then drifted into non league football and his last known post within the game was as manager of Warboys Town. He later went on to manage the Northamptonshire Under 18’s.
BENNETT, Gary
DOB: 20th September 1963
Other clubs: Kirkby Town, Chester City, Southend United, Wrexham, Tranmere Rovers, Preston North End
Honours; Freight Rover Trophy winner 1985 (Wigan Athletic)
Welsh Cup winner 1995 (Wrexham)
Third Division championship winner 1996 (Preston North End)
Gary was signed from Non League side Kirkby Town. Within days, on 19th October 1984 he made his Latics League debut against Cambridge United in what was Latics’ first ever game at the Abbey Stadium. The game resulted in a 1-1 draw. His last League game for Latics was against Reading at Springfield Park on 13th May 1985 in a game that resulted in a 1-1 draw. He made one more appearance for the Blues in the Freight Rover Final at Wembley in which Latics beat Brentford 3-1. In total he made 10+10 League appearances for the Blues and scored 3 League goals before being transferred to Chester City. He is currently (July 2011) the licensee of the Village Inn in Skelmersdale.
BENT, Marcus
DOB: 19th May 1978
Other clubs: Brentford, Crystal Palace, Port Vale, Sheffield United, Blackburn Rovers, Ipswich Town, Leicester City, Everton, Charlton Athletic, Birmingham City, Middlesbrough, Queens Park Rangers, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sheffield United, Mitra Kukar
Honours: (England Under 21’s 2 caps, 1 goal)
Marcus was signed by Chris Hutchings on 30th August 2007. He was Hutch’s second signing of the day as hours earlier he had secured the services of Sparta Prague winger Rachid Bouaouzan on a three-year deal. However, Marcus was signed on a season long loan deal from Charlton Athletic whose manager, Alan Pardew, had had a serious quarrel with Marcus the previous Saturday. He made his Latics Premiership debut 24 hours later in an away game against Newcastle at St James’ Park. He came on as a substitute for Jason Koumas as the Blues went down 1-0.
He ended the 2007/08 season with 25+6 Premiership games to his credit, along with 7 goals which earned him the annual Golden Boot Award as the club’s top league goal scorer. Steve Bruce promised to make his signing permanent should Latics retain their Premiership status, which they did.
But the signing never materialised following a disagreement with regards to personal terms and he returned to the Valley on 10th June 2008. However, he wasn’t back for long, signing for Championship outfit, Birmingham City for a fee of £1,000,000 on 16th July 2008. He has since been loaned to Middlesbrough, Queens Park Rangers, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield United.
He is currently (Juy 2012) out of the game after plying his trade with East Kalimantan outfit Mitra Kukar who disposed of his services in April 2012.
A bit of Marcus Bent trivia – Did you know that Marcus is a semi professional DJ called MC Bender and that he was a one time member of garage band So Solid Crew?
BIDSTRUP, Stefan
DOB: 24th February 1975
Other clubs: Helsingor, Lyngby, AaB Aalborg, Viborg, Elsinor (coach), Elite 3000 (manager), Elsinor (manager)
Latics signed Stefan from Lyngby on 9th November 2000 and beat off severe competition from SV Hamburg, Sheffield Wednesday and Bolton Wanderers to secure his signature. The fee involved was undisclosed but was thought to be in the region of £500,000 making him the second most expensive signing in the history of the club at the time. He made his League debut as a substitute in the home game against Cambridge United at the JJB Stadium on 11th November 2000 which resulted in a 2-1 victory for the Blues.
However, his season was beset by injuries and he made just 10+5 League appearances, scoring twice under the managership of Bruce Rioch, Colin Greenall and finally Steve Bruce during his six month stay at the JJB Stadium. His left the club by ‘mutual consent’ on 22nd May 2001, just a day after seven more of his team mates left the club. Within days he had signed a four-year contract with Danish Super League side AaB Aalborg where he replaced outgoing Sweden International Anders Andersson.
He went on to play for Viborg and was the first team coach at Elsinor before becoming the manager of Elite 3000 in 2009, three years after ending his playing career. He is currently (July 2012) the manager of Elsinore for the second time in his career
BIGGINS, Wayne
DOB: 20th November 1961
Other clubs: Lincoln City, Kings Lynn, Matlock Town, Burnley, Norwich City, Manchester City, Stoke City, Barnsley, Celtic, Luton Town, Oxford United, Leek Town, Stocksbridge Park Steelers, Stocksbridge Park Steelers (manager), Buxton Town (manager)
Honours: Second Division Championship winner 1986 (Norwich City)
Autoglass Trophy winner 1992 (Stoke City),
Third Division Championship winner 1997 (Wigan Athletic)
Wayne arrived at Springfield Park after being signed by John Deehan for the third time in his career, from Oxford United on 17th November 1995. He made his Latics League debut the following day against Northampton Town at the Sixfields Stadium and the game resulted in a 0-0 draw. In total he played 31+16 League games for the Blues scoring 5 League goals. He once infamously went to the local press, who in turn notified the national press, and complained that playing at Springfield Park was akin to playing in a morgue!
He left Latics at the end of the 1996/97 season and signed for Leek Town on 1st August 1997.
BISHOP, Charlie
DOB: 16th February 1968
Other clubs: Stoke City, Watford, Bury, Barnsley, Preston North End, Burnley, Northampton Town, Ilkeston Town
Honours: Second Divison Championship winner 1986 (Norwich City)
Third Division Championship winner 1997 (Wigan Athletic)
Charlie arrived at Springfield Park from Barnsley on 28th June 1996 for a fee of £20,000. He made his Latics League debut on 17th August 1996 in the first game of the 1996/97 season. This was against Northampton Town at home and the Blues lost 1-2.
However, despite starting on a bad note the season was to end with Latics winning the Third Division Championship with Charlie making 20 League appearances. He left the club to join Northampton Town on 12th December 1997. In total he made 27+1 without scoring for the Blues.
BLACK, Tony
DOB: 15th July 1969
Other clubs: Bamber Bridge, Accrington Stanley, Chorley, Leigh RMI, Accrington Stanley, Stalybridge Celtic
Tony was signed from Bamber Bridge for a fee of £12,500 on 22nd March 1995. He made his League debut on 29th March 1995 against Hereford United at Springfield Park in a match that Latics drew 1-1. Unfortunately for Tony he suffered a terrible knee injury that enforced his retirement from the game and he was heartbroken to leave Springfield Park on 1st October 1997 after making just 17+15 League appearances.
Tony was a qualified chef and he combined this career with playing football on a part time basis after leaving the club.
BOSELLI, Mauro
DOB: 22nd May 1985
Other clubs: Boca Juniors, Malaga B, Estudiantes, Genoa, Estudiantes
Honours: Argentina Under 210’s (5 caps, 1 goal)
Argentina (2 caps)
Copa Sudamericana 2004, 2007 (Boca Juniors)
Copa Libertadores 2009 (Estudiantes)
Mauro was signed by Roberto Martinez from Estudiantes on 29th June 2010. He signed a four year deal and became the costliest player in Latics history when he signed for an undisclosed fee that was rumoured to be around the £6,800,000 mark.
His first game for the club saw him score twice in a pre season friendly against Swedish outfit Ostersunds at the end of a training camp in Sweden, Latics running out 3-2 winners. His Premier League debut came on the opening day of the 2010/11 season, a home 0-4 defeat against newly promoted Blackpool at the DW Stadium.
He was to make just 5+3 Premier League appearances without finding the net before securing a loan move to Genoa until the end of the season on 13th January 2011. After making a single goal scoring appearance for Latics against Ostersunds in a pre season friendly in July 2011, he returned to his former club Estudiantes for the whole of season 2011/12 in a loan deal.
He arrived back at the DW Stadium in July 2012 for pre season training.
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