You Can't Beat This Footballing Treat

This evening’s game at the DW Stadium against Bristol City will make it three in just six days, wow, they come thick and fast in the Championship.

I cannot believe that during the summer I wasn’t really looking forward to this season, I have no idea why I felt that way, perhaps a little trepidation about the step up in class, but I have been genuinely surprised by the footballing treat that has been on display so far.

The games are on a knife edge right up to the final whistle, chances galore, goals, errors, great play, goal mouth action, quality players on display from both ourselves and the opponents, what’s not to like, brilliant stuff.

One of the new players has really caught the eye, I believe we are witnessing the emergence of a future England star and someone who can go on to be a giant in the game, Reece James, what a player, it is hard to believe that the Chelsea loanee is just 18 years old and – apart from a couple of Check-a-Trade trophy games - has only eight senior appearances to his name.

Each week his performances are improving, he is solid defensively, a real unit of a man, he has pace and a real quality delivery creating opportunities for our strikers, a standout performer so far this season, I wonder what the chances of striking a permanent deal would be? We can but dream.

Credit for where we stand at the moment on the pitch must go to Paul Cook and his backroom staff, a manager that wears his heart on his sleeve and gets his team to play the same way, he is loyal to his players and they return that in abundance to him.

These are exciting times at the Latics, the take-over edging ever closer – hopefully – a real positivity around the club, big away followings once again, 1,000 to Brentford was brilliant to see, definitely a club on the up, that preseason anxiety feels very much unfounded and silly now.

Before signing off this week I cannot do so without mentioning a little piece of history that we made five years ago, the 19^th September 2013 we played our first game in European football with the trip to Bruges to face SV Zulte Waregem.

What an adventure that was, so proud to be a Latics supporter and a Wiganer that day, the Grote Markt Square in the centre of Bruges was taken over by 3,000 fans decked in blue and white, fuelled by some extraordinary beer the mood was jubilant, a proper carnival atmosphere.

I bumped into the Kendrick’s with little Joe in the square, our lucky mascot, it was very uplifting.

The Europa League was a great adventure that our special club and supporters embraced; can we achieve that dream again? I hope so and certainly wouldn’t discount it with the direction the club is heading in.

Up the tics!