Latics guest player column: Chey Dunkley

What we have to do is keep doing what we’ve been doing and make sure we stay there.

In terms of mindset, nothing changes as far as we’re concerned.

We need to keep the focus on what we’re doing, which is what we’ve always done to be fair.

Even when we were in second place for so long, and chasing Shrewsbury, it was never about what they were doing - only us.

You can never guarantee yourselves a result, but if all your focus is on what you’re doing, you can’t do any more.

It’s not just about Shrewsbury of course, because Blackburn have flown up the league in recent weeks.

That’s certainly come as no surprise to us, because they were tipped as one of the promotion favourites at the start of the season.

They’ve got a really good squad, they’re on a good run, and they’ll be thinking the same as us - can we maintain our form until May?

Having said that, you don’t want to be talking too much about other teams.

It’s all about what we’re doing, and not being sidetracked by what we can’t really control.

Ultimately we have a goal, which is to be promoted at the end of the season, and only we can achieve that.

My old club Oxford are obviously another team going well, and we know they’ll give us a very tough game on Saturday.

I obviously know a lot of the lads from last season, I still speak to a few of them, just general chit-chat.

Sometimes we look back on how we’ve done at the weekend, sometimes we don’t even speak about football.

It’ll be nice for me on a personal level to go back there, and see a few familiar faces.

But at the end of the day, it’s not about me making a grand return to the place.

I don’t know what kind of reception I get.

Fans can be fans - sometimes they love you, other times they hate you!

But to be fair, I’m not there to make friends. I’m just there to get the job done.

That’s my primary goal, that’s all that matters.

If I get a good reception, then thanks.

If not, then no hard feelings, we just move on.

It’s just another game, and just another three points we’ll be aiming to pick up.

They’re pushing to get into the play-offs at the moment, so they’ll have plenty of motivation themselves to win the game.

I wish them all the best in achieving their goals, but obviously not this weekend because all my loyalties are now with Wigan.

Oxford was a great club to be at, and I was proud to play my part in the success we achieved while I was there.

But sometimes it’s good to have a bit of a change, and it was a great opportunity for me to come to a big club like Wigan, who have big ambitions to go places.

That’s not to say Oxford don’t have ambition, but I was just so impressed by what Wigan were wanting to do.

Christmas is obviously near upon us, but there’s no time to be putting the feet up.

To be fair, it’s normal for us to be in over Christmas, it’s expected and it’s part of the life.

We’ll be in early on Christmas Day, we’ll also get time with our families.

But there’s always another game just round the corner - and that’s what the focus always has to be on.