YOU could win an argument with the reasoning that it would be great for rugby league in France if Catalans Dragons could win their Carnegie Challenge Cup semi-final clash with Wigan Warriors at The Halliwell Jones Stadium.

And therefore that would be justification enough for Wolves' fans to help out their French friends (Perpignan hospitality and all that!) to cheer on Les Catalans at Wolves' den on July 29.

But let's not beat about the bush!

In my view, there does not have to be any reason to avoid supporting Wigan because the Pies are quite simply Warrington's enemy in sporting terms. Always have been, always will be.

It would do my head in to settle down in my armchair next month and have to watch Wigan playing a starring role in rugby league's return to Wembley.

Just in the same way, as a Manchester United supporter, I could not watch Liverpool on TV in the Champions League Final earlier this year.

Here's my reasoning, you don't have to agree, but this is the way I feel as a follower of Wolves' fortunes and misfortunes for 30 years.

I think I would be right in suggesting we want to see happy faces at the new Wembley on August bank holiday, not Wigan faces.

Amazingly, after Wigan beat Warrington to win the Challenge Cup Final at the old Wembley in 1990, the cherry and white supporters were the ones not smiling outside the ground. In fact, some of them probably did the Wigan Walk' and left early to avoid the traffic rather than watch Shaun Edwards and company lift the cup.

It still riles that they were able to dominate rugby league in this country for so long in the 1980s and early 1990s.

I believe success goes round in circles, with Saints being the top dogs now while Warrington had their spells in the 1950s and 1970s, but Wigan were so fond of rubbing everyone's noses in it.

The great big gleaming smiles on the faces of the likes of Ellery Hanley and Joe Lydon after tries at the Fletcher Street End at Wilderspool Stadium, deliberately winding up the Wire, were tough to take. It seemed it was like that in every game Warrington played against them.

They always got the call of the referees, such as THAT penalty from Russell Smith under the posts that helped to hand Wigan the league title in 1994.

Luck was always on their side, too - Joe Lydon never did kick another 60-yard drop goal, which knocked the stuffing out of Wolves' 1989 Challenge Cup bid at Maine Road.

It was amazing how many players became instant internationals when they left clubs to join Wigan and somehow the disciplinary committee always seemed to be lenient on them.

They beat Warrington in Wolves' last Challenge Cup semi final appearance in 2004, as well as coming out on top in Warrington's first play-off clash of the Super League era.

Just like many Warrington worshippers, I haven't forgotten any of these things - and let's not even mention the salary cap in recent years.

Mike Gregory will never forget the way his time as head coach of Wigan ended (read his book), while their current coach, Brian Noble, refused to select Wolves skipper Lee Briers for Great Britain when it was obvious to everyone else in the country that the scrum half's creative and kicking talents could have gone a long way towards helping the Lions win one of the Tri-Nations series.

Anyone want any more reasons why I believe Wolves fans could do worse than getting behind Catalans Dragons, filling the West Stand, making loads of noise and helping former favourite Jerome Guisset and his teammates knock Wigan out of the cup at The Halliwell Jones?

It'll be a laugh, too, but maybe I'm just jealous.

Allez-allez Catalans!