I can confidently say that, having (unfortunately) been on the inside during their finest hours, they always considered their absolute hardcore to be c4,500 when they were first relegated from the Premier League, and I doubt that has changed much.
Latics spent YEARS trying to target new fans in Leigh and Atherton but I can confidently report that we would quite comfortably outnumber them probably 10 to 1, if not more. Probably doesn’t scratch the surface compared to armchair City/Utd/Liverpool fans, mind.
There was never much intention to target Westhoughton, but they were always very keen on trying to pick up new fans going towards Chorley.