Wigan Athletic: The 12th Man - ‘We’ve reached the point in the season where we should be doing less analysing and more celebrating...’

Alan Rogers:

Straight after the game against Burton on Good Friday we went travelling...arriving back just a few hours before the Port Vale fixture. During our time away it was bliss. Not the holiday - it never stopped raining - no, it was bliss not reading the noisy minority having a Latics meltdown on social media (it doesn’t matter what the latest result was, there’s always someone having a meltdown). Most of the time we were away we struggled to get a signal, but even when we could, I didn't bother checking on the usual ranting. Maybe we all need an occasional holiday from Twitter but that's probably a story for another day. Anyway, while we were away I met Phil Mealey. For those of you who may not know who he is, he co-wrote and starred in Early Doors and won a BAFTA for his work on the Royle Family (not the William and Kate show, the Dave and Denise version…) At this point, I've probably lost a lot of you...what the hell does this have to do with the Latics, you'll be muttering. Well please bear with me, and I will try to explain. Phil said that for many years before he became a professional script writer, he worked in engineering. He went on to reveal that he didn't particularly enjoy his job but, perhaps more importantly, he also wasn't very good at it. The stuff he produced was quite often substandard, but he was a decent enough worker and was quite well-liked. His boss came up with a solution - Phil was promoted! This may seem strange, but it does happen in all walks of life...usually politics. If someone can't do their job, they are often promoted out of the way. By now I've definitely lost most of you, but I'll get to the Latics 'connection' ASAP! Bizarrely, Phil was given the rank of inspector, so he was actually checking the work of people who were much better at their jobs than he could ever be! He then went on to compare his position - and the editor of this page will love this! - with that of a journalist. Journalists may cover all walks of life, sport, business or perhaps showbiz, but Phil claimed that, in 'real life', the vast majority of journalists couldn't do the job of say a footballer or comedian. Because if they could, they would be doing that job rather than writing about it. Even ex-professional footballers who may now offer their journalistic opinions can no longer hack it on the pitch. The skills of a journalist lie in reporting credibly, and legibly, on what they see and hear.

And that, rather laboriously, brings me round to the Latics link. I reckon the vast majority of you may have given up by now, but here’s the point I’m trying to make. After listening to Phil, I suddenly realised most Latics fans - myself included - have now become 'inspectors'. In fact, I suppose this could be applied to football fans in general. We sit there each week and pass judgement on what we see before us...but what are our qualifications to do so? Most football fans could never play football at a professional level so, for example, why do we listen to a chubby, middle-aged man claiming he 'could run rings around yon mon!'? To be honest, we have always had 'experts' in the crowd, but it seems that nowadays everyone is an expert. Now I’m not suggesting we sit in silence and never offer criticism – that would be totally counter-productive. But we need to offer constructive criticism, because obviously there can be both good and bad criticism. Some weeks, especially recently, we can’t shy away from the fact we haven’t played well, and this needs to be expressed in a reasonable manner. Similarly, when the team plays well, we should offer the correct amount of praise. And this just doesn’t apply to the playing staff. A number of people have, in my opinion, unfairly criticised Shaun Maloney this season. How many of them seriously think they can do better? Unfortunately I know a small number of people who are convinced – even though some of them have never kicked a ball in anger – they could do a better job, or at least they know someone who could! And to spread the net even further, we have a self-made, billionaire owner who has saved the club – who I think may know a little bit more about running a business than (please insert any self-important expert/fan you may know in this space.) Given the circumstances, I think we’ve had a great season. Now that’s just my opinion, and I know some people reading this won’t agree with me, and that’s fine. But what we need to continue to work on is how we express our different opinions. Anyway, I’ll get down from the pulpit now and make a proper couple of football points (I mainly shoehorned the above lecture in just to make sure everybody knows I met Phil Mealey and had my photo taken with a BAFTA!). First of all, the first goal at Lincoln on Saturday was absolutely sublime. The ball was played out from the edge of our own box, crisp one-touch passing, and an amazing finish. A definite contender for goal of the season. The majority of people were thrilled, but we still had some comments along the lines of 'why haven’t we been doing that all season?' For the answer to that, please re-read my above sermon (next week I’m going to try to do something with loaves and fishes).

And finally, a more personal point. During and after the game against Lincoln last week, I was sent a number of photos from the ground. During Covid, we - along with many others - paid to have our cut-outs placed at the side of the pitch in an otherwise empty DW Stadium. The cut-outs were returned to me when the pandemic ended and, when my younger brother sadly passed away suddenly, his mates asked if they could have his cut-out. They’ve continued to keep him with them and last week he was a prominent feature in many of the celebrations at Lincoln. It was quite emotional for us as a family, but also yet another reminder that we have so many loyal and caring people among our fanbase. Thank you so much. Andrew loved Latics and equally hated ignorance and intolerance. He also loved Early Doors and would have been thrilled to meet Phil Mealey! So I’ll sign off this week with quite an apt phrase: 'To the Regiment, I wish I was there!' We wish you were here too, Andrew.

Matt Auffrey:

Last Saturday's trip to Lincoln marked one of those special days where everything just ‘clicked’. Latics won 2-1 at Sincil Bank off the strength of a ‘performance of the season’ candidate by the entire team. Maybe, it could have been attributed to starting the match with a flat back four after several of our previous starting XIs featured three central defenders. Or maybe, the team was lifted by the sentiment that we would have to raise our game in order to compete with an opponent that hadn’t lost in 16 matches. Perhaps, the free-flowing and fearless performance could’ve been the byproduct of going into the match knowing our league status was 100 per cent secure and we had nothing to lose. Identifying the primary catalyst for last weekend’s triumph probably doesn’t deserve too much thought or energy. We’ve reached the point in the season where we should be doing less analysing and more celebrating. I personally took great joy from the fact that seven of the 11 players who started the Lincoln match, along with two of the four substitutes, are under contract with Latics beyond this season. The average age of those nine specific players is just over 22 years old. Six of those players are products of our Academy. If you can’t get excited at the prospect of our young core continuing to develop as a unit and hopefully leading this team to greater heights next season, then I worry you might not enjoy this next era of Latics football very much. That’s not to discredit the uncertainties that linger ahead of this summer. Little information has been shared about next season’s budget. We have no idea if we’ll be able to retain any of our out-of-contract players, yet alone bring in new players to strengthen the squad. We don’t know if prized assets such as Charlie Huges and Sam Tickle will be sold or not. This summer will bring about another transfer window where we could finally receive a significant cash influx from the sell-on fee of Antonee Robinson’s next move. How much of that fee would be reinvested back into the playing squad? With all of this in mind, I’m not going to let any prospective summer developments stop me from enjoying these last two matches. Saturday’s trip to Fratton Park should provide a party-like atmosphere as Pompey will be just four days removed from clinching the League One title against Barnsley on Tuesday. Latics will reunite with two familiar faces in Callum Lang and Lee Evans - a duo that made over 250 combined appearances for us. It will also mark another opportunity for our young squad to test themselves against an accomplished opponent - one that will be playing Championship football next season. If the Pompey squad wants to ‘celebrate’ all the way up until kick-off on Saturday, they are more than welcome to do so as far as I’m concerned. They have had a long and winding road since going into administration in 2010. They deserve to enjoy a very special achievement as a club. Our fanbase has also more than earned the right to enjoy our football at this point in the season. Let’s appreciate the progress we’ve made since August as we continue to build positive momentum heading into the offseason. Up the ‘Tics!

Billy H:

Bounce 1... Well what a sight we had last Saturday away at Lincoln, a display we've all been yearning for. It's the sort of display we all know the team have in them, yet frustratingly most games we only see that in 10-20 minute patches. Saturday, however, was up there with Bolton away and that scintillating first half at Carlisle. Our first goal was a joy to watch, crisp pass and move at speed with a peach of a finish from Jonny Smith. None of this 'boys on the beach' was on show and hopefully it continues for the remaining two games.

Bounce 2... I was fortunate to be able to attend the season ticket presentation, which I must say was very well presented and lots of questions allowed after the presentation. I was expecting a price increase for season ticket renewals and was surprised they have frozen it for 'early bird renewal', so fair play to the club on that front. It was very informative in how they see the future of the club and the various initiatives they are going to try. One which always seems to cause controversy is the away ticket allocation, especially on the smaller grounds, so it was good to hear the club is setting up a points system. Yes, I know it won't please everyone, but in my opinion it's been a long time coming. Hopefully moving forward the club will hold meetings with fans regularly as this one certainly felt more engaging.

Bounce 3... Three on the bounce, and hopefully the third is a similar display this Saturday against the newly crowned League One winners Portsmouth, like we did against Lincoln last week. Yes, it'll be a tougher ask, but that's when we tend to be at our best, when it's a top of the league team. Having had a rest midweek and Pompey over celebrating their promotion means another away win could be on the cards. I know the title says '3 on the Bounce' but…

Bounce 4... Stop being greedy, but a nice last game of the season home win would also be good.

Ed Bazeley:

Saturday’s win at Lincoln demonstrated all the positives of Wigan Athletic’s 2023/24 campaign in one enjoyable package! The determination to keep going until the end and find a late winner once again showed this club’s never-say-die spirit, and it was very fitting that such a moment came from Charlie Hughes, one of several Academy products who have been expertly nurtured by boss Shaun Maloney. Furthermore, the opening goal of the afternoon was not only a delightful finish by Jonny Smith, the one-touch passing in the build-up was so easy on the eye, and showed that when played at its very best, Maloney’s football really is a tribute to the old 'Wigan way' - the way of the glory days, the Roberto Martinez way. On top of all that, Latics have proven once again our ability to to beat even the most testing of League One opposition, by defeating a Lincoln side in and around the play-off battle, a feat also completed against the likes of Peterborough and Oxford this campaign, while we have defeated automatic promotion hopefuls Derby, and of course did the double over Bolton this season! Up next there is an away trip to Portsmouth, which gives Latics another opportunity to defy the odds, and given Pompey have already been crowned champions, John Mousinho’s men could have an air of complacency about them. On the subject of Portsmouth, what a campaign it has been for our old boys, with Callum Lang becoming a key player for Pompey following his move to the south coast in January. I for one was very amused by Langy’s antics for Portsmouth at Bolton on Saturday, as he intentionally took his sweet time to leave the field when subbed off, while being booed by a Tough Sheet Community Stadium crowd who will be sick of the site of a man who has won 4-0 on two of his last three visits to Horwich. Newly crowned League Two champions Stockport County provide another example of an ex-Latics hero doing well, as Nick Powell can add a fourth tier title to his impressive number of EFL accolades, while the legendary James McClean earned promotion with Wrexham, and capped off a great campaign for the Red Dragons with a hat-trick of assists during a crushing 6-0 win over Forest Green for his side. Also well done to Chesterfield on their return to the Football League, and it’s nice to see Paul Cook, his assistant Gary Roberts, and the likes of Will Grigg, Tom Naylor, Michael Jacobs and Ryan Colclough enjoying their football, and long may it continue for them, despite their dramatic drop-off in form since winning promotion a few weeks ago. Up the Tics and former Tics!

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Red Ned:

On behalf of @indieLatics, we welcome the latest initiative by the club regarding season tickets prices. We also welcome the move by the club’s owners to share details and engage with supporters on the issue. This is a positive step and will hopefully see both club and supporters forge a secure and positive relationship that helps the club and team grow both on and off the pitch. Everyone is well aware that most people are still facing the effects of a prolonged cost of living crisis, and it is a serious commitment for working people to fork out for season tickets when there are so many other priorities for people and families to consider. We feel the club has just about got the balance right in terms of pricing correctly for long-standing supporters and also securing revenue that ensures the club’s viability in a financial sense. A sensible approach seems to have been adopted by the current board and we hope this will secure the club’s future on a stable financial footing.As a club and a group of supporters, we have enjoyed success and tremendous memories for the best part of three decades but, more so than ever, modern football cannot be sustained on one person's pipedream, and a club such as Wigan needs to be founded on financial reality. That is not to say the club should lack ambition - clubs such as Rotherham, Luton, Peterborough, etc have enjoyed decent successes themselves in recent years. And if we continue to invest in our youth set-up, and align that with sensible long-term investment in the first-team squad, there is no reason why we cannot attain similar successes going forwards.One initiative we would like the board to consider is that of family tickets. There can surely be some flexibility of pricing using the capacity in the South Stand, to offer discounted season and matchday tickets to supporters purchasing adult/s and child/children's tickets together. We feel this is a key area that can help the club grow revenue and attendance in the future. Up the Latics!

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Sean Livesey:

It's amazing how quickly the positivity levels can return. A hard-earned point, that really should have been all three, in London was followed up by one of the performances of the season, and a win to upset the form book at play-off chasing Lincoln. After a handful of poor performances following the international break, it was great to see the Latics we know is there at Lincoln. This is a young side, and that's why performances can sometimes be inconsistent. But when they have clicked, they've shown they're a match for anyone. Safety was virtually assured against Blackpool - perhaps one of the reasons why performance levels have dipped in recent weeks – but the draw with Charlton and the win on Saturday absolutely guaranteed our League One status.It's not what we're used to in League One, but it's a huge achievement, make no mistake about that. Shaun Maloney, Stephen Crainey, Graham Barrow, Max Rogers and Gregor Rioch deserve all the plaudits that will undoubtedly come their way. Off the pitch, Latics revealed season ticket prices for next season, and they've been met with near universal approval.A freeze for season ticket holders, discounts for Future Fund members, and reductions in the price of kids tickets, while matchday tickets next year have been reduced with a cap of £28 in place and the £30 category abolished. The club have been roundly praised on consulting with supporters ahead of the release and, despite comments from elsewhere, it seems the club is more than willing to take on feedback from supporters.It was also good to see Lucas Danson take an active role in the ‘reveal’. To see the Danson family take an active role in the club like this can only settle people's minds as the search for a CEO is still ongoing.Danson also confirmed that budgets for next season are now in place, along with targets for each position. Listen, we know we've been to hell and back as supporters this last few years. Two, well technically three, failed ownership groups have made supporters wary of false promises, but I believe the Danson family are in this for the right reasons.There's still an ongoing cost of living crisis in this country and certainly in an area such as Wigan. To lay out over £300 - more if you're a family – is a huge financial commitment to make. But if you can afford to do so, invest in a season ticket for next season, and show our owners and indeed our management what this club can do when it pulls together.