by JUSTIN MARVILLE
APPARENTLY DAVE WHELAN wants to bring more of Wigan to Barbados.
Turns out showcasing the FA Cup wasn’t enough, as the multimillionaire Wigan Athletic owner has plans to create a Wigan Boys and Girls club here to help develop Barbados’ youth in sport and culture.
Whelan announced his intentions while delivering the feature address of the National Sports Awards Ceremony on Saturday at the Frank Collymore Hall.
“The first thing I thought when I got that Cup is that I want to take it to Barbados. This is the island my wife and I absolute love. We always think about Barbados,” the wealthy owner noted.
Wigan Boys Club from a young age signed Whelan to Blackburn Rovers at 17 years as a full-time professional.
“I went through the Wigan Boys and Girls club from a young age and I know what it did for me. I just feel that this island would appreciate and love a Boys and Girls club for youngsters from the age of eight to 19,” said the Bradford-born Englishman, who was raised in Wigan.
“I have mentioned it to the Minister [of sports Stephen Lashley] who is very, very keen on it because this island does so much for youngsters. In the Wigan Boys and Girls club we concentrate on sport and music, two of the great things in life. We also teach the girls how to cook, to hairdress, to do nails and the boys learn how to play football and they all play music.
“It’s an idea I want to push and pursue as there is great talent on this island, so what we want to do is put it together, get the youngsters playing football, cricket, tennis, all the sports, enjoying themselves and give them an opportunity to play sports and to learn,” he added.
It’s not the first sporting initiative Whelan – who also owns the local Lone Star Restaurant and Hotel – as the frequent visitor brought the FA Cup to Barbados two years ago after his club won football’s oldest trophy in 2013.
Whelan also has a further connection to the island through Bajan footballer Emmerson Boyce, who captained Wigan to that historic FA Cup success.
“This island is going to and will produce some really, really quality football players and we’ve already got one in Emmerson Boyce,” he said.
