Key

* Won via a end of season play off format.
(L) - Indicates Wigan played in a Lancashire only league during the particular year.
(LW) - Indicates Wigan played in a Lancashire War Emergency League during the paritcular year.
(W) - Indicates Wigan played in a War Emergency League during the paritcular year.
(R) - Indicates Wigan were relegated in the particular year.
(2P) - Indicates Wigan played in a second division and were promoted. In all other years Wigan played in top flight.

Trophies Explained

League Champions - The League Champions were the team that won the tournament that year. Sometimes this was achieved by winning an end of season play off format, other times by finishing top of the table at the end of the season. Between 1895-96 and 1905-06 the 1st placed team won the title except in 1903-04 when a top two play off decided the title. In 1906-07 a top four championship play off decided the league champions and this system remained until 1962-63, when the league split into two divisions. For two seasons the 1st placed team won the title again until the two divisions re-merged back into one in 1964-65. The league introduced a top 16 play off that year and that remained in place until 1972-73 when Dewsbury won became champions after finishing in 8th. 1973-74 saw two divisions introduced and again the 1st team place were declared league champions. That system remained until 1998 when the current Super League Grand Final play off system was brought in. This was decided by the top 5 sides from 1998 to 2001 and then increased to the top six from 2002 onwards. Between 1915-18 and 1940-45 the League Championship was not competed for due to the outbreak of World Wars. Between 1940-41 and 1944-45 this was replaced by War Leagues.

Challenge Cup - The Challenge Cup is rugby league's most prestigious knock out competition. It is decided by an open draw and straight knock-out matches leading to a final. In recent years the draw for the cup has become seeded with amateur clubs taking part in the early rounds and lower league sides and some foreign sides entering later and then top division sides entering last.

League Cup - This was a secondary cup competition which was introduced in 1971-72 and was last played for in 1995-96. It was initially for professional clubs only. However, in the latter seasons the cup was expanded to include leading amateur and French teams. The rounds were played during the early part of the season, with the final usually taking place before Christmas. It wasn't as prestigious as the Challenge Cup but was still a major trophy to play for. Over the years it has been known as the Player's No.6 Trophy (1971-77), the John Player Trophy (1977-83) and the John Player Special Trophy (1983-89), before becoming the Regal Trophy in 1989 until the competition ended in 1995.

Lancashire Cup - The Lancashire County cup was introduced in 1905-06 and was competed for until 1992-93 when it was abadoned due to the more successful clubs complaining about overloaded fixtures. Like the Challenge Cup it was decided by an open draw and straight knock-out matches leading to a final. It was supposed to be competed for by clubs based in Lancashire only although Cumbrian sides have taken part in some years and I remember Wigan once facing a Lancashire Cup away trip to London!

Lancashire League - The Lancashire formed a section of the Rugby League Championship for much of its history. Initially, the 22 clubs that broke away in 1895 played in one combined league, however the following season saw the addition of many clubs, and the League was split into two separate county competitions. This situation endured until 1901-02, when the top teams in each league resigned and formed a new combined first division. The following season, the remaining clubs formed a second division. From then until 1907, when there was another re-organisation, the county leagues were not played. The new structure initiated for the 1907-8 season saw the Lancashire clubs playing every other team in Lancashire home and away, and playing once each against the clubs from the other county. Results from all games counted towards the Rugby League Championship, whilst results within the county counted towards the Lancashire League. Basically this was a trophy awarded to the top side in Lancashire until it was abandoned in 1969-70.

World Club Champions - This trophy is decided by a one off match between the British League Champions and the Australian League Champions. The competition began unofficially in 1976 followed by another unofficial match in 1987. The first official World Club Challenge was held in 1989. It was again competed for in 1991, 1992 and 1994. In 1997 is was competed for in a 22 team competition. This resulted in the only all-Australian World Club Challenge final. In 2000 the competition was resurrected as a one off match, and it has been played annually in various venues in the United Kingdom before the commencement of Super League and NRL seasons.

BBC 2 Floodlit Trophy - This trophy was a competition held between 1965-66 and 1979-80. It was designed specifically for television, and the then director of BBC2, broadcaster David Attenborough, was instrumental in its creation. The tournament was played during the early part of the season. Each week one match would be played under floodlights on a Tuesday evening; it was this match that was televised by the BBC. Non-televised matches were played at various times, depending on clubs' commitments in more prestigious tournaments. Despite the title many matches did not take place under floodlights; clubs such as Barrow and Bramley (for example) did not possess adequate lighting.

Premiership Trophy - This was an end of season competition which began in 1974-75. It was introduced to maintain interest towards the end of the season for clubs who had no chance of finishing top to win the title. The first season saw 16 teams take part: the top 12 of the first division and the top four from the second division. The following season saw the title change to Premiership, and the format was altered so that only the top eight teams in the first division would compete. In 1996 a top-five play-off leading to a final, the Super League Premiership, was instituted as part of the Super League. This lasted just two years as in 1998 the current Super League Grand Final play off format was introduced.

Charity Shield - The Charity Sheild was a trophy that was competed for in a one-off match at the beginning of a new season. Normally the team that had won last season's championship would play the team that currently held the Challenge Cup. In years where the same team won both trophies the following season's Charity Shield was between them and the Premiership winners. In years where one team (Wigan) won all three competitions then the match would be between them and the second placed team in the championship.

Lancashire War League - This was competed for once in 1940-41 when World War II began.

War Emergency League - This was basically the same as the Lancashire War League but included Yorkshire sides. It was played during World War II between 1941-42 and 1944-45.

World Sevens - This was a tournament in Australia that Wigan were invited to take part in during 1991-92.