Wigan Debate: Is It Better to Win a Cup Final and Get Relegated, or Vice Versa?

The FA Cup was supposed to have lost its magic. Just last week, this writer wrote a lengthy lament on this theme.

On Saturday at Wembley, however, there was a spark of enchantment once again. Thanks to an injury-time header from Ben Watson, Wigan were awarded the first major trophy of their 81-year history, leaving their moneyed rivals Manchester City with empty hands this season.

It was a true tale of an underdog triumph. Wigan have only been a league club for 35 years, and their squad cost just $17 million to assemble. The Citizens have 11 players who cost more than that individually (statistic via CNN).

As a Wimbledon fan, I can certainly appreciate the story of a small club beating a heavily favoured title contender in an FA Cup Final with a header from a set piece.

Unlike the Stoke side that faced City in the final two seasons ago, the Latics played positive, attack-minded football and were awarded with a memorable day for their fans.

But as the celebratory hangovers subside, a sobering reality is about to hit Wigan fans.

If they fail to secure at least a point at Arsenal on Tuesday, they will be relegated from the Premier League.

Seeing as Arsenal have the second-best form in the league and a 16th-consecutive appearance in the Champions League to play for, the future looks bleak for Roberto Martinez's side. To compound this misery, the Spaniard who has managed to keep them in the top flight in the past few seasons looks set to take the helm at Everton (via The Guardian).

The bittersweet situation in which Wigan find themselves sparked this furious debate among my friends: Would you rather win an FA Cup and be relegated, or lose the final and stay in the Premier League?

Those friends with a pragmatic point of view immediately sided with staying up.

As FA Cup winners, Wigan will receive £1.8 million in prize money for the final, around £1.6m for the rounds leading up to it, TV rights payments and gate receipt money. At a conservative estimate, perhaps that will bring in £5 million.

According to the Express, this season's relegated clubs will stand to lose around £200 million. This is the slice of the £1.5 billion TV rights pie being served to Premiership clubs next season, and further losses will come in the form of lower ticket revenues and less sponsorship opportunities.

Clearly, it does not take an economist to see that losing £1.8 million of prize money is better than losing a share of a £200 million bounty and all the other financial perks that come with life in the Premier League.

Also supporting this side of the debate is the fact that the league should always be a club's main focus. It is the main reason for a club's existence, and the opportunity to stay in the world's most watched and biggest-earning division is nothing to be sniffed at.

In terms of securing the continued prosperity of the club, it seems clear Wigan should have focused their energies on the 38 Premiership games, rather than the six cup matches they played to reach Wembley.

Based on these facts, a right-thinking person might say staying up and losing the cup final is the correct answer in this debate.

But personally, I would choose to win the FA Cup and take the plunge. Without hesitation.

Wigan are very unlikely to ever win a league title, or to progress particularly far in Europe (next season permitting). This FA Cup win might realistically be their only shot at silverware, aside from the less favorable League Cup.

In 25 years time, Wigan will proudly be able to say they won the FA Cup in 2013. It is an indelible mark on football history, and something that will always be in their heritage. In 25 years, being relegated may not ultimately matter.

Incidentally, it is the 25th anniversary of the year Wimbledon famously beat Liverpool at Wembley, and, with the possible exception of promotion to The Football League as AFC Wimbledon a few seasons ago, that win is still the most important moment in the club's history.

Much has happened to the Dons since then in terms of league position—including dissolution of the entire club—but their FA Cup legacy still prevails.

The day at Wembley is a memory that Wigan fans and officials will hold with them forever. It is a trophy that cannot be taken away for another year. And it is a trophy that guarantees a potentially exciting foray into Europe next season.

Having a special day in London isn't the only benefit for a fan in Wigan's situation. The Latics have watched their side lose 19 times in the league this season, shipping in an average of nearly 2.5 goals in those games.

Watching a team be relegated from the Premier League can be depressing (trust me, I have done it). The Championship, by contrast, will be a breath of fresh air, where Wigan fans will be treated to a lot more wins and the potential excitement of chasing the playoffs or automatic promotion.

It is also worth noting that the Championship is a rather fantastic division, which has certainly been more exciting than the Premier League this season. At the end of the season, just 14 points separated playoff side Leicester and relegated Peterborough. That is a reflection of a closely fought league where anything can happen.

If you ask me, I'd rather watch Championship football as an FA Cup holder than endure another stressful campaign of fighting relegation—with no silverware to show for it.

Ultimately, this debate is a simple matter of head vs. heart. The head says it is far better to lose the FA Cup Final and stay up. The heart steers you toward the romance of climbing the stairs at Wembley to watch your team add a new chapter to its own folklore.

For me, the heart wins every time.

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