But the town, made famous for the exploits of its rugby league team, and the people within it, are in uproar over the remarkable start the football team has made in their first ever Premiership season.

Four wins in their last six games has propelled the Lancashire side to the dizzy heights of fourth in the Premiership. On Saturday, they defeated Newcastle United 1-0 at the JJB Stadium and that is why Wigan Athletic are TheFA.com’s Team of the Weekend.

Traditionally, teams that are promoted from the Championship have struggled to make an immediate impact in the top-flight. But the Latics, who were many pundits favourites for instant relegation, have silenced their critics with a dream start to the season.

Graeme Souness and his rejuvenated Magpies travelled to Wigan on Saturday as they clashed for the first time in history. But the Scotsman saw his team beaten by a single Jason Roberts goal five minutes before the break after he angled a shot underneath Republic of Ireland international goalkeeper Shay Given.

It was no more than the 27-year-old striker deserved after he was unlucky not to put the home team in the lead after ten minutes when he hit the woodwork after outpacing Newcastle’s Robbie Elliot.

The Tyneside team fought back with Lee Bowyer hitting the post on 26 minutes. And they were unlucky not to equalise when former Three Lions captain Alan Shearer’s header from substitute Emre's corner appeared to have crossed the line before a scrambled clearance but the assistant referee was unmoved and Wigan held on for all three points.

Latics manager Paul Jewell is delighted with his team’s progress up the football ladder but refuses to get carried away so early in the season.

“We are here to stay up and everything else is a bonus,” said the mild-mannered Liverpudlian.

“If we get 24 more points, we will have 40 and hopefully that will be enough to keep us in this league.

“That’s not a negative attitude, it’s realistic and we know it’s going to be a long hard season for us.”

Other teams considered for Team of the Weekend were West Bromwich Albion for their first ever Premiership win over Arsenal and Bury after new boss Chris Casper got off to a winning start in his first match against Darlington in League Two.