Wigan Warriors win prestigious Team of the Year honour as success recognised

Wigan Warriors are celebrating after being crowned Team of the Year – just days before the BBC Sports Personality of The Year awards.

At a glittering event at The Sporting Club’s Annual Sports Awards Gala Dinner in London last night, Matt Peet’s men were recognised for winning all four trophies this year.

Held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London, the plush event saw prestigious awards handed out to sporting legends including Daley Thompson, Sir Jackie Stewart and Sir Gareth Edwards.

Wigan head coach Peet, captain Liam Farrell, chief executive Kris Radlinski, chairman Professor Chris Brooks, club ambassador Martin Offiah and owner Mike Danson were all in attendance for the Super League champions.

The Sporting Club is a national business network which hosts regular events and was founded by former Mail on Sunday journalist Ian Stafford.

Their annual awards are decided by a panel of judges including sports stars and leading figures from the corporate world. Stafford told Love Rugby League: “Wigan were head and shoulders above everyone else as Team of the Year, weren’t they?

“It took no time to decide they were worthy winners of this award because the Warriors have enjoyed a clean sweep of all four trophies – a truly remarkable achievement.

“And it was nice to see a rugby league team absolutely in the spotlight and getting the plaudits that they deserve.

“We had Liam Farrell and Matty Peet up on stage, we interviewed them and showed a highlights reel of them winning all four trophies. Or as I said last night, you’ve now won five trophies!

“I said to Matt ‘how do you follow this season?’ and he replied ‘well, we’ve just got to do it again’. Matty and Liam shared the stage and rubbed shoulders with Sir Gareth Edwards and Sir Jackie Stewart, who won Lifetime Achievement Awards, and Daley Thompson who won a Services to Sport Award.

“Alex Yee, the Olympic triathlete champion, won the Sports Man of the Year and Heather Thomas, having become the first female British skipper to win a round-the-world yacht race, and her crew won the Special Achievement Award.

“Geoff Thomas, the former Crystal Palace and England midfielder, who was diagnosed with leukemia 18 months after retiring, was given three months to live.

“Well, he’s still here 21 years on and he’s raised over £20million for blood cancers, having done 21 Tour de Frances so he picked up a special award as well. Gary Player also won Speaker of the Year.”

Next Tuesday, Wigan will hope to be crowned the 2024 Team of the Year at the BBC Sporting Personality of the Year awards.

Stafford added: “Of course Wigan should win it, but whether they do or not is another thing. Our event is certainly much more fun than the BBC one. We had Toploader performing live on stage as well and it was just a brilliant night.”

Stafford has history with Wigan, having once played for them in a Boxing Day game against St Helens over two decades ago.

He explained: “I wrote a book which did very well called Playgrounds of the Gods, which was about me going around the world and playing sport with loads of famous teams and individuals.

“I followed it up with a UK version called In Your Dreams and in that book I played for Leicester Tigers and Everton Football Club.

“Wigan Warriors let me train with them for a whole week and then I got 20 minutes in their Boxing Day derby against St Helens.

“It was me, Andy Farrell, Gary Connolly Kris Radlinski, who of course was there last night in his capacity as Wigan Warriors CEO. I played against Scully, who has been a mate ever since, and Paul Wellens… and we won!

“I always say to the Wigan boys ‘you always win when I play for you’ so it was nice to give them an award over 20 years on.”