Friday 29 April 2022

What A Season - What A Club - Wigan Athletic

This has been some season, what a ride once again supporting Wigan Athletic, but this time it’s been a little different.

We are now in a new era, following the turbulent 10 months of administration and 18 months of not being able to attend games through the pandemic, a new era with new owners and a renewed optimism running through the club.

What has unfolded this season must be looked at in the context of what went before, down and out, literally no money and no players, a manager who was operating with both hands tied behind his back.

We have bounced back so effectively that we now stand on the verge of promotion back to the Championship and a full reset from two years ago.

 

The turnaround is testament to the hard work of all involved, Leam Richardson and his new coaching staff have been phenomenal, they have brought in 17 new players to the squad got them to gel and perform at the top of their performance levels from the word go. Making the top four of League One before August was out and staying there all season, sensational.

We have suffered injury losses to key players throughout the campaign, Wyke, Cousins, Tilt, Magennis and McClean all out for a length of time, but we still managed to keep the results coming in.


Off the pitch the hard work and dedication shown by CEO Mal Brannigan cannot be understated, new initiatives like the Believe Fans Fund, early release of Season Tickets, working tirelessly on projects to get the club back on its feet following the devastating effect of having the administrators in.

 

 

It is though what we do on the pitch that matters most to the supporters of the club and my word have we shone, at home but especially on our travels. Some of the away days this season have been legendary, the absolute annihilation of Bolton in their own back yard will stay with the Latics fans for many years.

There have been others too. Accrington and their fan zone was excellent, a trip to the Fylde Coast never fails to disappoint and that comeback after being two down with Tilty grabbing the winner in front of the away end, I could go on and on, Plymouth, Oxford, Wycombe and many more.

Just lately we have stuttered as we reach the climax to the season, but so too have our nearest rivals, it is tense and teams undoubtedly raise their game against ‘the top of the league’ sides, no one wants to be the team that lost and got so and so promoted, but it is more than that.

Shrewsbury will be the 61st game of this season, that is some going and it is understandable that the lads are a little jaded, no doubting their effort and they are clearly fired up for each game, but a long season does take its toll.

So we go into the game at the New Meadow looking to ensure we don’t see the extremely unlikely event of a seven goal swing to MK Dons occur and also at least match Rotherham’s result away at battling Gillingham, to be crowned the Champions of League One.

Champions of League One.

Writing that down feels so surreal considering the journey we have travelled over the past 12 months or so, it may not come about, we may be pipped, but we are certainly in the driving seat going into the weekend games and that will do for me.

It is almost, almost a certainty that we will be promoted and who wouldn’t have taken that last summer, to get the title too will be an achievement to rank with the best we have achieved over the years.

 


Leam Richardson deserves ever plaudit coming his way, a gentleman, a leader and already a Latics Legend.

So here’s to you Leam Richardson, Wigan really does love you more than you will know, thank you to Talal for your enthusiasm, drive and belief in our club and our town and thank you Mal for pulling it all together behind the scenes and giving us the opportunity to stand tall once more.

 

I'll shed more than a couple of tears tomorrow, so proud of my club, our club Wigan Athletic

 

Up the tics!


Any Previous? - Shrewsbury v Latics

Latics and Shrewsbury Town have met 22 times down the years.

 

The first meeting coming back in 1974, 23 November, non-league Latics were drawn away to Division 4 Shrewsbury Town in the first round of the FA Cup, midfielder Johnny King scored for the ‘tics at Gay Meadow in a 1:1 draw and the Shrews were brought back to Springfield Park for the replay.

 

Monday 25th November 1974, 11,860 spectators crammed into Springy witnessing goals from Tommy Gore and Albert Jackson to send the Latics through to round 2 with a great 2:1 victory. Shrewsbury would finish that season as Runners-Up in Division 4 and earn promotion.

 

 Game In Focus - Meeting Shrewsbury always gives us a chance to revisit that sensational win away at the New Meadow in April 2016, after going behind to a Sulley Kaikai goal early in the game, the Latics responded magnificently, Conor McAleny banged home a stunner, followed by goals from Jason Pearce, Yanic Wildschutt and a double from Will Grigg giving us a monumental victory at a promotion rival. What a day out that was.

Highlights – Shrewsbury Town 1:5 Latics

 

Last Meeting

Latics won the reverse fixture at the DW Stadium 2:1 against Shrewsbury back in December, Tendayi Darikwa scoring after 2minutes, the Shrews equalised 5 minutes before half-time and it looked like the game was heading to a draw until Thelo Aasgaard stepped up in the 2nd minute of stoppage time to lash home from 20 yards.

Latics – Amos; Darikwa, Whatmough, Tilt, Bennett; Cousins, Naylor; Massey, McClean, Keane; Lang

Subs – Jones, Kerr, Jordan Jones, Edwards, Watts, Humphrys, Aasgaard

Attendance – 8,098


Shrewsbury Current Form

The Shrews currently sit 17th in League One with 50 points from 45 games, their recent form is, LDLDL.

 

Pompey’s last game was a 3:1 home win against Gillingham on Easter on Saturday 23rd April.

 

Home Form

Shrewsbury’s 22 home games so far this season have brought 34 points, with 9 wins, 6 defeats & 7 draws, scoring 30 goals and conceding 22.

 

Player To Watch – Luke Leahy

 

Luke Leahy

The 29 year old Midfield man is enjoying life at the New Meadow following his move from Bristol Rovers in the summer.

 

Coventry born Leahy made his name in Scotland with Falkirk following a move north from Rugby Town in 2012. After five seasons at Falkirk, which included the 2015 Scottish Cup Final, Leahy moved back to the Midlands, signing for Walsall in 2017, before moving onto Bristol Rovers in 2019.

 

Luke Leahy is comfortable at left back, left wing back or attacking midfield, he is a dead ball specialist and a leader on the pitch, so far this season Leahy has scored 8 league goals from 68 attempts, with 23 efforts on target, Leahy also has 7 assists and has made 165 crosses, 2 of his 8 goals have come via penalty kicks.

Picking up 12 yellow cards, Leahy has committed 47 fouls and drawn 43, he has completed 43 interceptions and won 51 tackles.

 

Full Record v Shrewsbury

Played – 22

Won – 9

Drawn – 8 

Lost – 5

 

The Last Six Meetings

Date

Competition

Result

08 Dec 2021

League One

Latics 2:1 Shrewsbury

10 Nov 2021

EFL Trophy

Latics 2:0 Shrewsbury

20 Apr 2021

League 1

Shrewsbury 1:2 Latics

26 Dec 2020

League 1

Latics 1:1 Shrewsbury

26 Dec 2017

League 1

Latics 0:0 Shrewsbury

09 Sep 2017

League 1

Shrewsbury 1:0 Latics

 


Fancy a chance to win a unique piece of Latics memorabilia?

This signed pencil drawing of Callum Lang up for grabs, check out how to by reading this article on our blog Click Here


Thursday 28 April 2022

Meet The Ref - Shrewsbury v Latics

It’s arrived, the final League One game of the 2021/22 season.

Latics travel the scenic route down to Shrewsbury Town on Saturday sat proudly at the top of the pile, there may be a twist and turn to come, hopefully not, the referee for the game is Staffordshire based official, Steve Martin.

 

Steve Martin

Martin has been working in the EFL since the 2012/13 season, his potential was quickly noticed and he had his first Championship game in his first season, he is now part of the Select Group 2 body of referees.

 

Over the 10 seasons since his debut, Steve Martin has taken charge of 347 games, issued 796 yellow and 31 red cards., not too bad an average just around 3 per season, though he did issue three in one game back on the 14th April 2015, Latics defeat away at Millwall, Jason Pearce and Martin Waghorn seeing red for us with Ed Upson going for an early bath for our hosts in what was a turbulent end of season game.

 

Steve Martin has been in charge of fourteen Latics games previously, the last one coming in the 2019/20 season at the DW Stadium when we suffered defeat to Bristol City in a Championship game.

 

Martin has refereed Shrewsbury on six occasions. The last one coming in March 2018, a 2:0 home win over Walsall in a League One fixture.

 

Last Game

Steve Martin’s last game in charge was the Championship fixture between West Brom and Coventry City at the Hawthorns on Saturday 23rd April, the match ended goalless, 2 yellows were 1 to each side 

 

Steve Martin Latics Games

Date

Competition

Result

Latics Cards

11 Jan 2020

Championship

Latics 0:2 Bristol City

1 Y

14 Dec 2019

Championship

Latics 1:1 Huddersfield

1 Y

27 Apr 2019

Championship

Birmingham 1:1 Latics

1 Y

02 Mar 2019

Championship

Latics 0:0 Boro

1 Y

25 Aug 2018

Championship

QPR 1:0 Latics

1 Y

24 Apr 2018

League One

Bristol Rvrs 1:1 Latics

0

03 Feb 2017

Championship

Latics 0:1 Sheff Weds

1 Y

17 Sep 2016

Championship

Latics 0:0 Fulham

1 Y

06 Feb 2016

League One

Sheff Utd 0:2 Latics

0

17 Oct 2015

League One

Latics 5:0 Colchester

0

14 Apr 2015

Championship

Millwall 2:0 Latics

2 Y & 2 R

24 Jan 2015

Championship

Latics 0:1 Huddersfield

3 Y

26 Dec 2013

Championship

Latics 0:0 Birmingham

0

27 Oct 2013

Championship

Charlton 0:0 Latics

0

This referee has a ©Latics Love Factor of 25%

 

Steve Martin Card Watch 2021/22

Games – 32

Yellows – 92

Reds – 4

Penalty Awards – 11

 

Shrewsbury Town v Wigan Athletic
Referee –
Steve Martin
Assistants – Andy Dallison and Matt Jones
Fourth Official – Chris Sargison

 


Fancy a chance to win a unique piece of Latics memorabilia? A signed pencil drawing of Callum Lang up for grabs, check out how to by reading this article on our blog Click Here


Tuesday 26 April 2022

Any Previous? - Portsmouth v Latics

Latics and Pompey have met 21 times down the years, the first of which came in our inaugural season as a Football League club, 26 September 1978, over 13,000 fans at Fratton Park witnessed the Division Four encounter, Pompey coming out winners by the only goal of a very tight game.

 

We won the return fixture at Springfield Park 2:0 in February 1979, our paths didn’t cross too many times over the following seasons and it would be another 26 years before we would taste victory again against Portsmouth, this time the two clubs meeting in the Premier League, Bonfire Night, 2005, Pascal Chimbonda and Jason Roberts scoring the goals that took the Latics up to 2nd spot in the top flight.

 

Always a tight affair, just 41 goals scored in the 22 fixtures, and a fixture where home advantage doesn’t appear to count for much, three of our six victories against Pompey coming down on the south coast, whilst they have won five times up in Wigan.

 

Last season played these facts out, an early season win for the Latics at Fratton Park by 1:2, then Pompey winning by the only goal of the game at the DW Stadium back in April this year.

 

Last Meeting

Latics won the reverse fixture 1:0 against Pompey back on a sunny day in August, Callum Lang grabbing the only goal of the game at the DW Stadium.

Latics – Amos; Darikwa, Whatmough, Watts, Pearce; Cousins, Naylor; Jones, Lang, Keane; Wyke

Subs – Jones, Bayliss, McClean, Edwards, Massey, Humphrys, Aasgaard

Attendance – 9,571

 

Highlights Latics 1:0 Portsmouth

 

 

Portsmouth Current Form

Portsmouth currently sit 9th in League One with 70 points from 44 games, their recent form is, LWWDW.

 

Pompey’s last game was a 3:1 home win against Gillingham on Easter on Saturday 23rd April.

 

Home Form

Portsmouth’s 22 home games so far this season have brought 44 points, with 13 wins, 4 defeats & 5 draws, scoring 43 goals and conceding 23.

 

Player To Watch – Marcus Harness

 

Marcus Harness

The 26 year old winger is the current leading goal scorer at Fratton Park with 11 goals in League One.

 

Harness came through the ranks at Burton Albion making his debut at 17 in September 2013, he went on to spend the next seven seasons with the Brewers before moving to Fratton Park in July 2019.

 

Marcus Harness is a quality player in League One and he’s having an excellent season for Pompey, Harness has made 38 league appearances so far this campaign, scoring 11 league goals from 60 attempts, with 23 efforts on target, Harness also has 5 assists and has made 139 crosses.

Picking up 4 yellow cards and 1 red, Hardie has committed 40 fouls and drawn 28, he has completed 23 interceptions and won 35 tackles.

 

Full Record v Portsmouth

Played – 22

Won – 7

Drawn – 4 

Lost – 11

 

The Last Six Meetings

Date

Competition

Result

26 Aug 2021

League One

Latics 1:0 Portsmouth

05 Apr 2021

League One

Latics 0:1 Portsmouth

26 Sep 2020

League One

Portsmouth 1:2 Latics

02 Apr 2018

League One

Portsmouth 2:1 Latics

26 Aug 2017

League One

Latics 1:1 Portsmouth

14 Apr 2010

Premier League

Latics 0:0 Portsmouth

 

Fancy a chance to win a unique piece of Latics memorabilia?


This signed pencil drawing of Callum Lang up for grabs, check out how to by reading this article on our blog Click Here