WIGAN and Bolton Wanderers stars were embroiled in a huge on-pitch melee last night that saw both managers also get involved.
The Latics claimed a 1-0 Lancashire derby victory over the Trotters thanks to Stephen Humphrys’ 69th-minute goal.
That was enough to seal Wigan a double over their promotion-chasing League One rivals this term.
However, tensions boiled over after the full-time whistle between the neighbours when the celebrations from the hosts proved to be too much for visiting Bolton at the DW Stadium.
And that led to a huge melee between players and staff from the two ex-Premier League clubs.
The trouble started when Bolton’s Icelandic striker Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, 31, confronted opponent Jason Kerr before several other home team players rushed over to push him away.
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Stephen Humphrys was also involved in shoving the Trotters ace away but the real row erupted several moments later on the edge of the area in front of the away supporters.
The camera did not catch exactly what triggered it, but all of a sudden hordes of players from both Wigan and Bolton were pushing and shoving Callum McManaman, a member of the 2013 FA Cup winning Wigan side, looking to be in the centre of it.
The argy-bargy continued as more people got involved, before Humphrys was eventually ushered away and things began to calm down.
Both teams could now potentially face punishment from the FA.
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Bolton boss Ian Evatt claimed afterwards that the row started due to Wigan celebrating and winding up the away supporters.
He said: “We won’t accept one of their players celebrating in front of our supporters.
“Go and celebrate with your own fans, no issue with that, but not ours.
“You certainly shouldn’t be celebrating when you are mid-table.”
Meanwhile, his opposite number Shaun Maloney said: “I think their manager thought one of our players was over-celebrating in the far corner.
“But there’s no hard feelings on either side, these are just emotional moments.”
The result left Bolton third in the table and outside of the automatic promotion spots on goal difference.
Wigan are 13th, 11 points above the relegation spots and 15 off the play-off places.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
