WHEN York City resided in the Football League just five places separated Wigan Athletic and the Minstermen - alphabetically speaking, that is.

But while the gap that spanned Wimbledon, Wolves, Wrexham, Wycombe and Yeovil was quite short, playing-wise the clubs stand light years apart now that the Latics have crashed into the Premiership as the latest in an enthralling footballing fairytale.

Wigan, yes, that same fag-end butt of a raucous line of comedians' jokes, the home of a pier immortalised by George Orwell, are in the big-time.

The town has been more appreciated of late as a rugby league stronghold and the birthplace of that limb-flinging phenomenon, northern soul. But the heartbeat of Wigan boasts a fresh sporting and studded pulse. The Latics of the JJB Stadium will next season bop till they drop against the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal, as well as tripping the derby light fantastic against Merseyside neighbours Everton and Liverpool.

What an intoxicating cocktail of images that already conjures up. This summer's close season in Wigan will surely be one of increasing fevered frenzy at the prospect of tangling with the elite, especially now that jubilant Wigan owner Dave Whelan has promised a war-chest of £25million to ensure Wigan's ascent is more than just a one-season fling.

Besides the cash resources of their benefactor, Wigan also boast the acute acumen of manager Paul Jewell. And if the manager of the year award was not already destined for Chelsea's Jose Mourinho, Jewell would be among the leading alternative candidates alongside Everton's David Moyes.

Jewell's stewardship of Wigan is the second such power surge he has galvanised. He led the Bantams of Bradford City into the Premiership, keeping them there for a second season with a gallant last-day downing of Liverpool. Unfortunately, that achievement could not be seen through, his sad exit from Valley Parade precipitated by the demands of then chairman Geoffrey Richmond.

But after a dispiriting spell at Sheffield Wednesday - a triumvirate of Mourinho, Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson would have been hard pushed to rescue the debt-ravaged Owls - Jewell shipped up at Wigan, where he has had unparalleled success capped by this week's automatic promotion to the top-flight a mere 27 years after the club gained admission to the Football League.

It is just six years ago that Wigan last played the Minstermen in a League clash. That was in the old Second Division when the Latics followed up a 5-0 drubbing of City by toppling their Yorkshire hosts 3-1 at Bootham Crescent. Six weeks later City descended into the bottom-flight. Though Wigan and City's paths crossed again early in the next campaign - Worthington Cup interest ending at the first hurdle for City with a 3-1 aggregate defeat - as the Latics' star has risen City's has not so much waned as tail-spinned into the lower reaches of the Conference.

However, the success of Wigan should be embraced as well as envied. Their feat has rekindled the desire to aspire. Smaller clubs can dream again of the ultimate elevation.

Of course, it helps to have a multi-millionaire as a backer, but Wigan's whoosh to the top reinforces the belief that run sensibly and responsibly - and provided you have got a good squad out there on the park - then the stars can be espied, can be reached, can even be touched.

That fantasy appeared to have perished with Wimbledon's demise, but now it has been reinvigorated.

You can bet the likes of Hull City, Yeovil and Doncaster Rovers have looked at Wigan and been suitably energised. You can almost hear the mantra: "let's give it a go."

You can almost also detect the sag of regret from the Crescent. If York City had shown the same ambition when their team was on the up a decade ago, City might not now be a naught in the noughties.

What better time to look along the road to Wigan cheer.

Updated: 11:09 Tuesday, May 10, 2005