MATT Peet put smiles on faces in Wigan as he masterminded their way to an awesome foursome of trophies – but knew they would not stay long.
He knew for many it would be soon back to ‘constant battle’ of helping those with challenges of making ends meet, of paying the bills, of not letting the cost of living crisis prove too much.
Which is why top of his to do list was to make the Warriors an even bigger part of the community they serve.
Official figures show suicide rates in the Greater Manchester town rose by more than 50 per cent from 2020 to 2022 and almost a quarter of children are living in poverty.
So while on field success – winning the Super League, World Club Challenge, Challenge Cup and League Leaders’ Shield – has shown what Wigan can do competitively, the work to tackle societal issues is just as important to the coach.
Peet, mentioned as a contender for the Coach of the Year award at tonight’s Sports Personality of the Year Awards while his side can add another Team of the Year gong, knows all too well about the bigger picture.
He said: “Those issues will absolutely still be there. I know and know of people who have them.
“Anyone in the town, any of the players, would probably know someone who’s going through hard times.
“The statistics about rates of a few issues in Wigan as a town – suicide and child poverty are higher than they should be, unemployment’s higher too.
“I’ve had some of the stories and it’s becoming more commonplace. People struggling for finance or housing in the past would be just unemployed people.
“Now what’s happening with the cost of living crisis, people with full time jobs are still struggling to make ends meet – that brings all sorts of other issues around looking after children, mental health and substance abuse.
“It’s a constant battle. We’ve got to recognise where we come from and that there are people who are doing it tough.
“We’ve an opportunity to try and use some of our influence to make people’s lives better.
“The best thing about having success on the field is it inspires more people – they see the team, get to enjoy it and get to events or watch big events on TV.
“That brings more buy-in and more visibility. The players become more recognisable and that means they can inspire more people.
“And it gives us a purpose as a club. You can stand for something and make a difference. Winning games is great and we all love that but if we can combine that with making a positive impact on the town and its people, it builds goodwill and inspires our players – they enjoy doing it.”
The latest stage of Wigan helping its community saw its Night Under The Lights last Tuesday, with more than 900 people joining players in donating to local anti-poverty charity The Brick and The Multibank, who seek to eradicate hygiene poverty.
And Peet revealed more is being targeted, even though the work will never stop.
He added: “The club’s engaging on lots of different levels. I know there’s discussions going on with the council and our board.
“I know the players are out and about doing all sorts of activities, whether it’s with The Brick, the local homeless charities, we’ve got involved with Wigan and Leigh Hospice, the schools and community clubs.
“And our community foundation team is going from strength to strength. We’re building it and that’s what we want.
“It’s never going to be a finished project but it’s a priority of the club to interact and connect, not just with the supporters but the people of the town.”
