'Frustrated' Wigan Athletic chief nears double signing

Latics have lost a number of senior players since submitting their initial squad at the start of the campaign.

Curtis Tilt (Rotherham), Matty Palmer (Swindon) and Darnell Johnson (Leicester) have returned to their parent clubs, while Joe Garner and Kal Naismith asked to be released from their contracts.

Viv Solomon-Otabor’s short-term deal ended earlier this month, and there were two more departures on Monday – Patrick Webber by mutual consent and Tom James, who joined Salford after completing his loan spell from Hibs.

There have been two arrivals this month – Tendayi Darikwa, from Nottingham Forest, and Callum Lang, who’s been recalled from his loan spell at Motherwell.

But with Academy graduates Kyle Joseph, Thelo Aasgaard, Harry McHugh and Luke Robinson having made their debuts since September – and now counting as ‘first-team’ players – there are only two squad places available for reinforcements.

One of those is expected to be taken by former Bolton midfielder Zach Clough, whose time with Nottingham Forest looks to be at an end, while a new centre-back is also on the hitlist.

“It’s my job, even with the restrictions we’ve got in administration, to try and bring in some new faces,” said Richardson, who named only a four-man bench – and no back-up goalkeeper – for Saturday’s draw at Rochdale.

“Let’s see, fingers crossed we can get some help in, and add some more quality to the squad in certain areas that’s already here.

“It’s certainly not for the lack of trying, we are doing our best on that score.

“When you work as hard as the lads did on the field on Saturday, you certainly deserve all the help you can get.”

Richardson has spoken before about having to do his job ‘with both arms tied behind my back’.

But he is determined to keep things in perspective, with so much more important stuff happening off the field.

“I don’t want to harp on about it too much, because so many people have felt so much hardship over the last few months,” he added.

“But even now, to be finding out certain regulations, certain decisions being made out of your control, it’s so frustrating.

“Because you’re so desperate to have as much effect as you can on the situation we’re in.

“I’ve said before that everything is so reactive, it’s so hard to be proactive when you’re in administration, and you’re on a certain pathway.

“But we’ll keep our heads down, working as hard as possible, and trying to make as best we can out of a difficult situation.

“Anything we do or don’t do is certainly not for the lack of trying.

“But we are involved in a process, and sometimes it is frustrating to be part of.

“Fingers crossed we can retain the spirit we have here and use it to galvanise the group as we go along.”

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