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Heinz workers past and present will be at the JJB Stadium in their thousands tonight to cheer on Wigan Warriors.
The company has booked the entire North Stand for its staff, pensioners and relatives to watch the Warriors take on the Harlequins as part of the Kitt Green plant's 50th anniversary celebrations.
The special fixture follows a visit to the factory yesterday by the entire team who met employees, signed autographs and posed for photos.
They are the latest in a series of Heinz festivities which previously included Wigan Athletic players' popping in and was of course crowned by the recent royal visit.
Tonight's fixture, however, is all about the workers, their predecessors, contractors and their families and friends.
The first 300 Heinz retirees to have snapped up free tickets for the game are also being treated to a re-union hotpot supper in the Marquee function suite beforehand.
Heinz has long had links with Wigan rugby, not least because several of the team's ex-players have ended up working there, including the legendary Tommy Bradshaw.
But it has also sponsored the club's junior section and been involved in various charitable-sport partnerships with the famous club.
Factory development manager Chris Humphries said: "These events are very much about thanking past and present staff for their hard work.
"We were limited in who we could bring for Her Majesty's visit because of security but tonight's match gets as many people as possible involved.
"If everyone turns up there should be 4,000 people in the stand.
"Because Harlequins tend not to bring a lot of fans up from London the North Stand is usually shut, but we hope to fill it and everyone will be given a special Heinz "try" card to wave around when Wigan score, so it will look like thousands of baked bean tins are being held aloft!
"We particularly wanted to do something for the pensioners because, after all, they helped build the factory into what it is today.
"The response has been great and they have been forming long queues outside the JJB Stadium.
"As for the visit to our factory, we were delighted to welcome some of the Wigan Athletic players a few weeks ago, but were bowled over when we heard the entire Wigan Warriors squad were coming."
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Weather for Blackpool
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 7 C
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Wind direction: West
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Temperature: 6 C to 8 C
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