What do Chelsea know about...Wigan Athletic?

14th August 2005, JJB Stadium, Wigan.

17.53: Deep in injury time, Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo receives ball on the right hand side of the Wigan Athletic penalty area and superbly strikes the ball superbly into the high left hand corner of the Wigan goal. Its more than Chelsea deserve and breaks Wigan fans hearts. Chelsea earn three points even though they possibly shouldn't of had any.

14th April 2008, Stamford Bridge, London

21.48: Deep in injury time, Wigan's Jason Koumas receives the ball out on the left hand side of the pitch and swings the ball into the Chelsea penalty area where it is met by striker Emile Heskey who places it past Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal. Its more than Wigan deserve and breaks Chelsea fans hearts. Wigan earn a point even though they possibly shouldn't of had any.

Chelsea's recent history with Wigan would seem to involve a fair amount of last minute goals (the game at the JJB stadium in 2006/07 season was also resolved by a last gasp Chelsea winner from Arjen Robben) but the two goals listed above had more impact on Chelsea fans than most.

The Crespo goal represented a burning desire within the side. That even though they hadn't played well they could still win because they had that champion spirit.

Heskey's goal was a crushing blow to their spirit. It was for many, the moment they conceded the Premier League title.

There have been just 11 games between Chelsea and Wigan Athletic, 7 of those in the last 3 years. The first time the two clubs played each other was an FA Cup third round match at Stamford Bridge in 1980, with Wigan providing an upset winning 1-0. Wigan repeated the trick nearly two years later winning 4-2 at Stamford Bridge in the League Cup. They were drawn together again in the FA Cup in 1985 with Chelsea the victors this time, with a 5-0 win following a replay. The two sides wouldn't meet again for over 20 years with major events happening at both clubs.

Chelsea's story hardly needs telling. After a period of success in the 90's, the club ran into huge significant debts before being bailed out by a certain Mr Roman Abramovich. Chelsea were Premier League champions within two years.

Wigan, since their election to the football league in 1978, constantly flitted between the two lower tiers of English league football. The turning point came in 1995 when the club was bought by local millionaire and owner of JJB sports Dave Whelan who stated his intention of taking the club from their present position in Division Three (nee League Two) into the Premiership. Within 10 years, Whelan fulfilled that dream. This is even more impressive in a town that is dominated by Rugby League and with a football club that was in its 5th incarnation.

Games between Chelsea and Wigan in the premiership have typically been tighter than one would have thought, the only real exception being Chelsea's 4-0 romp in January 2007. Even Chelsea's FA cup win in January was a tense affair in the last few minutes thanks to a late Wigan goal despite Chelsea looking comfortable throughout.

Wigan may not be as strong as other teams in the league but the closeness of past matches at the JJB Stadium and Heskey's injury time goal in April mean Chelsea will know not to take them lightly.