By Ossian Shine
LONDON, March 8 - Unassuming Wigan Athletic have
waited 73 years for the right to welcome illustrious neighbours
Manchester United, Liverpool and Everton to their home town.
Formed from the ashes of the defunct Wigan Borough in 1932,
the team from the rugby league stronghold town has endured
decades of mediocrity sweetened by two moments of obscure
knockout glory -- the Freight Rover Trophy in 1985 and the Auto
Windscreens Shield in 1999.
Now that Wigan are in a position to snatch the most
glittering and lucrative of prizes in English soccer with a spot
in the elite Premier League, a bitter wrangle over matchday
policing costs threatens to shred their chances of the big time.
At the centre of the row is Wigan chairman Dave Whelan.
He is holding back money -- thought to be around 300,000
pounds (