Joe Hinnigan


Joseph Peter Hinnigan is an English former professional footballer. His clubs included Wigan Athletic, Sunderland, Preston [North End F.C.|Preston North End], Gillingham, for whom he made over 100 Football League appearances, Wrexham and Chester City.

Playing career

Hinnigan joined Wigan Athletic from South [Liverpool F.C.|South Liverpool] in August 1975 for a fee of £1,200. After initially struggling to make the first team at the club and being transfer-listed, he turned his career around and played in 120 Northern Premier League games before Wigan's election into the Football League.
As well as playing in Wigan's first ever Football League fixture, he was also the scorer of the club's first ever Football League goal, against Newport County on 2 September 1978. Hinnigan soon attracted the attention of bigger clubs and was signed by Sunderland for £130,000.

Post-playing career

After finishing his playing career in 1990, Hinnigan began the first of four spells as a physiotherapist and coach with Chester City. He also worked at Wigan Athletic, Rochdale and Bury. He re-joined Chester City as an assistant manager in February 2006, before moving to become physio at Shrewsbury Town in October later that year. He became the physio at Accrington [Stanley F.C.|Accrington Stanley] in July 2008.