Accentuate the positive

One defeat in twelve, nine of those wins – twenty three goals scored all whilst a number of our automatic first teamers are out injured.

No one can underestimate the positive effect that Shaun Maloney has had on this football club, from the flames of last season’s nonsense to overturning the minus eight in a matter of weeks this season.

All of this done without a transfer budget and blooding more academy graduates than any other side in the country.

It’s now three wins in a row and progress in two competitions that will greatly change the financial landscape of a club still reeling from what went on last season under Phoenix 21.

York was an interesting one, Latics went full strength and had to work hard to reach the third round without ever really looking in danger of heading out.

Though it was difficult to tell in the ice and the fog, the reward for progression in the FA Cup is of course the plum home tie with Manchester United.

After a near decade of facing United (and getting beat) in the Premier League along with the circus that that game would bring to Wigan it’s not exactly a tie I would relish in normal circumstances but this season it’s all you could have hoped for.

It’s another game for the TV audiences and the money that would bring in, alongside ticket sales and the opportunity to showcase this new Wigan Athletic to the nation and for our lads who have done so much already this season to test themselves against some of the best.

It also means that wonderful goal from the gaffer back in 2012 will be on repeat until kick-off. Have Latics a chance? Well no one gave us one in 2013, 2014 and 2018 – don’t bet against us again this time.

In the ‘what are we calling it this week’ trophy a patched up Latics sealed progression to the last sixteen with a routine win over Stockport at the DW that also saw the return of one Nicholas Edward Powell.

Earlier in the week both Powell and Maloney revealed how close Powell was to returning to Latics in the summer but sadly the madness surrounding the ownership meant that the deal couldn’t be completed.

Cheers Talal!

No point crying over spilt milk, Powell is clearly happy at Stockport and it’s meant another opportunity for our lads that they’ve clearly taken with both hands.

Now the cup’s get parked until the New Year it’s time to focus on the league again.

There’s a lot of walking wounded at the DW at the moment. With the news of Martial Godo’s absence for the next couple of months nothing could be more timely than Jonny Smith’s goal and performance against Stockport on Wednesday.

One has to hope he can take the opportunity like Jordan Jones did at the end of October. Add in to the mix Matt Smith, Charlie Wyke, Tom Pearce, Stephen Sessegnon, Thelo Aasgaard & Jason Kerr missing and Latics are having to do it the hard way at the moment.

Saturday is the first 3pm home match since the end of October and the win over Shrewsbury, with the progression in the cup it means Bolton on a Saturday is also postponed.

I’d wager there hasn’t been a season with as many Tuesday’s home matches as we’ve had this season. I dread to think the money we’ve lost out on in terms of lost ticket sales and lost money from the corporate sales that is undoubtedly lower on a Tuesday evening.

But it’s just another challenge we have to overcome and we know we will, odds against us? Wigan Athletic will always triumph.

Get behind the lads on Saturday, they’re giving us a season that’s scarcely believable compared to just 12 months ago.

Sean Livesey

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