WASC News

It’s now seven years since that famous day at Wembley when Wigan Athletic lifted the FA Cup. Latics fans will never forget Ben Watson’s injury-time header that secured one of the biggest Cup Final upsets in football history.

But to many, it already seems an eternity ago. After all, we’ve seen two relegations and a promotion since that day and the men that brought glory to the DW Stadium have since departed for pastures new. But where are they now?

Joel Robles

Robles made nine appearances on loan for Latics from Atletico Madrid – and kept that all-important clean sheet at Wembley, before joining Everton on a permanent deal. The Spaniard now plies his trade with Betis in La Liga.

Emmerson Boyce

A true Latics legend having racked up more than 250 appearances, including a mammoth defensive performance in the Final. Boyce moved onto Blackpool in 2015 before retiring from professional football a year later.

Paul Scharner

The eccentric Austrian was another Latics loanee, joining from Hamburg, having enjoyed a previous spell of more than 140 appearances. Scharner hung his boots up four months after the Final, aged just 33.

Antolin Alcaraz

Alcaraz’s time with the Latics was coming to an end by the time the FA Cup Final arrived and he secured a move to Everton later that Summer. The Paraguayan then continued his career in Spain with Las Palmas before returning to league football in Paraguay, where he remains active aged 37.

#Libertadores | Olimpia se adelantó en el marcador a los 5’ PT con este gol en contra de Luis Cangá, tras el cabezazo de Antolín Alcaráz. 1-0 pic.twitter.com/w1N7VLUFuI

— Walter Estigarribia (@Estigarribiapy_) March 5, 2020

 

 

Roger Espinoza

 

 

The Honduran midfielder or wing-back made more than 40 appearances for Wigan before returning to Kansas City in the MLS from who he’d first joined. Espinoza remains with Sporting, though he recently retired from international football.

 

 

James McCarthy

 

 

Irish internal McCarthy came of age as a player at Wigan, eventually heading to Everton after 120 appearances for the Latics. McCarthy remains a Premier League player with Crystal Palace and a key playmaker and enforcer for the Emerald Isle.

 

 

James McArthur

 

 

Sitting alongside McCarthy in the Palace squad is James McArthur and incredibly both players also started their professional careers with Hamilton Academical. McArthur has retired from international duty for Scotland, but remains an option for Roy Hodgson.

 

 

Jordi Gomez

 

 

The exciting Spaniard is another to clock up more than a century of appearances for Wigan during the club’s recent years at the top level. He left to join Sunderland before returning to the DW Stadium for a brief spell in 2016. He now plays for Omonia in Cyprus.

 

 

Callum McManaman

 

 

Though they are among the favourites for relegation in the Championship betting, Callum McManaman remains a key playmaker for Luton Town. He left Wigan in 2015 before joining for a second spell in 2018 and then left for the Hatters at the end of last season.

 

 

Arouna Kone

 

 

Kone is another of the contingent that made the short trip to Everton with Roberto Martinez, before heading to Turkey with Sivasspor in 2017. Now 36, Kone’s best days are behind him, but he remains active at club level.

 

 

Shaun Maloney

 

 

The diminutive attacking midfielder has progressed into coaching and is now an assistant to Martinez with the Belgian national team. Maloney played for Chicago Fire in the MLS after leaving Wigan, before returning to the UK with Hull City.

 

 

Ben Watson has scored two vital winners in the past month, but can he continue his recent match-winning heroics at the DW Stadium… 📺 Watson’s former club Wigan host Forest live on Sky Sports on Sunday from 13.50pm! pic.twitter.com/4UIwpsYoYS — Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) October 18, 2019

 

 

 

Ben Watson

Watson was Martinez’s only substitution that day, but he secured his place in Wigan folklore thanks to his goal-scoring cameo appearance. The midfielder left Wigan for Watford in 2015 and now plies his trade in the Championship with Nottingham Forest.