Ten years ago this weekend Wigan Athletic and Bolton Wanderers faced each other in the Premier League.
Fast forward a decade and the greatest derby (that you may never have heard of) takes place in the third tier.
On the face of it, the decline of these northern neighbours looks stark. It’s frightening how much despair has inflicted this pair.
Both have suffered relegations and administrations before life-saving takeovers.
Just seven and a half miles separate these two former top table clubs.
If anything, both sets of supporters share a common resilience and spirit. An ‘us against the world’ mentality.
Bolton took 4700 to Wigan in the league cup
But there will be no half and half scarves and few friendly handshakes when the rivals meet at the University of Bolton Stadium on Saturday.
Off the field this is one of the most volatile fixtures in British football. The two sets of fans don’t like each other very much.
At times the rivalry boils over. When Bolton travelled to Wigan earlier this season in the Carabao Cup missiles were hurled at full-time between home and away sections.
This marred an otherwise magnificent evening when a crowd of more than 12000 created a tremendous atmosphere. The game ended 0-0 and Wigan ran out winners on penalties.
This rivalry is relatively young by other derby standards.
Bolton and Wigan first met in 1983. There is no grudge stretching to the 19th Century.
They have faced each other just 48 times. Wigan have the edge with 18 wins to Bolton’s 17.
There have been just 13 draws giving the fixture a “winner takes all” edge.
For years, fans of well-run Wigan mocked the financial woes of their neighbours as they sang:
“This is how it feels to be Wigan, this is how it feels to be small, Bolton owe millions, we owe nothing at all.”
It wasn’t my best bit of parenting taking my then four-year-old to his first Wigan away fixture at Bolton in March 2014.
A bruising 1-1 draw was matched with fireworks outside the ground as rival groups clashed.
Post-match we dived for cover into a cab as I urged the driver: “Just take us anywhere mate – away from here…”
I’ve attended Merseyside derbies and Celtic V Rangers and to be honest, I’m not sure those fixtures can today quite match the under-the-radar intensity of Wigan V Bolton.
This may be down to smaller allocations in the Premier League. These days the Glasgow derby sees just 750 away fans attending – which dilutes the atmosphere completely.
Wigan will bring 4000 to Bolton on Saturday. The demand is so high the match will be beamed back to the DW.
For a tenner Latics fans can watch the game on the big screen surrounded by home comforts with a pie thrown in too.
The four thousand Latics fans attending the actual match have been told to expect an increased police presence and will each be searched on entry. It’s unclear if alcohol will be served in the away section concourse.
Despite the fact Saturday’s clash takes place in League One, both clubs share a parallel trajectory to happier times.
Both are booming with new owners and fresh hope among fans. Bolton are in ninth while Wigan are third.
Latics will be eyeing a win which could take them top of the table – just like the town’s indie band The Lathums who sit at number one in the album chart.
Bolton and Wigan are both on the up.
With new owners, fresh aspirations and renewed grit, they are creating a modern day industrial revolution.
Bolton recently banned gambling kiosks from its stadium. A move which says the club cares about the well-being of its community.
Meanwhile Wigan are set to print the names of each season ticket holder onto the side of a stand. These are two clubs totally in-tune with their supporters.
With two young managers at at the helm – Ian Evatt at Bolton and Leam Richardson at the DW – both clubs are playing exciting, winning football.
Both Evatt and Richardson could lead their respective clubs to automatic promotion.
Saturday’s match will go some way to indicating who has the metal to go all the way.
Fans of both clubs are smiling again and – importantly – believing anything is possible.
(Dickie Felton is a Wigan Athletic season ticket holder)