Joe Hinnigan - Player Profile

Joseph Peter Hinnigan signed for Wigan Athletic in July 1975 from non-league outfit South Liverpool.

The fee involved was muted to be £1,200 and that figure represented a fine piece of business by the then Wigan manager Ian McNeill.

After struggling to break into the team in the early days and actually, at one point, finding himself transfer listed Joe went on to become a huge fan favorite with his attacking instincts often to the fore as he added height and physical presence at set pieces.

Joe was born on 3rd December 1955 in Liverpool and was to score Wigan's first ever league goal following their election to the Football League when he scored against Newport County on the 2nd September 1978 as well as being a starter in the first ever game in the League against Hereford United.

Joe was renowned for his tough tackling and eye-catching forward runs and it was not long before scouts started to appear in the stands at Springfield Park as they monitored his development.  

The inevitable happened in February 1980 when Sunderland paid a fee of £135,000 as they looked to grab promotion to the top flight.

The signing was to prove a master stroke by the manager Ken Knighton as the Black Cats went on an unbeaten run that was to secure their promotion.

After making 63 appearances for Sunderland Joe moved back to the North West when he signed for Third division Preston North End in December 1982.

In August 1984 Joe signed for Gillingham where he clocked up over 100 appearances.

He was to join an old Wigan team mate Graham Barrow in 1988 when, after a short spell at Wrexham, he signed for Chester City.

Joe finally called time on his playing career in 1990 and began the first of four spells as a physiotherapist and coach with Chester City.

He also worked at Wigan Athletic, Rochdale and Bury (all alongside manager Graham Barrow), before moving to become physio at Shrewsbury Town in October 2006.

He then became the physio at Accrington in 2008.

Joe is often seen at The Brick Community Stadium cheering on the Latics, and the older Wigan fans, who remember that 1979-80 season, will always wonder what would have happened if he had not signed for Sunderland, as Latics only narrowly missed out on promotion themselves.