Wigan Athletic take on Arsenal this lunchtime at the JJB Stadium. But 27 years ago they were in the same league as Hereford United.
The first game for the two clubs of the 1978/79 season in what was then League Division Four was a match at Edgar Street. The result was 0-0 and over 1,000 Wigan fans made the trip to see their club's first game in the League. The return game later that season was also drawn 0-0. However Wigan finished the season in sixth position whereas the Bulls were in 14th place.
However it took Wigan until the end of the 81/82 season to gain promotion to League Division Three. Now they are in second place in the Premiership. Quite an achievement for what is a relatively small club.
This morning Five Live has been at Wigan's JJB Stadium and inevitably their first match in the league against Hereford United was mentioned.
"Wigan were abysmal," said the former manager Ian McNeil at the time.
There are other connections between the two clubs. Frank Lord was manager at Hereford from November 1979 to the end of September 1982 when he was either resigned or was sacked.
However in early 1996 Lord was appointed care-taker manager at Wigan and won his first game 4-0. He had three Spanish players in his side brought to the club by the former manager Graham Barrow. Wigan were one of the first clubs to bring Spanish players to the UK. They were known as the 'Three Amigos'. One of the players was nicknamed Jesus.
"We had the Lord and Jesus on our side!" said Barrow to Five Live.
There is one other Hereford connection of note.
One day the Wigan highest attendance record may be beaten but this morning it stands at 27,529 against Hereford United on December 12th 1953. They played at Springfield Park in those days. It was on the occasion of a second round FA cup game which Wigan won. The record attendance is also the highest for two, at the time, non-league clubs excluding Wembley finals.
Text at top (next game etc)
Next Game: Rushall At Home In The League On Saturday 30th November At 3.00pm