'No boundaries in the Championship' - Wigan Athletic star

Latics are back in the second tier after two seasons in League One following their relegation in 2020, after being docked 12 points for being placed into administration.

Cousins was one of the new arrivals last summer who helped Latics finish top of the pile for the third time in six seasons at this level.

And he admits his year at Wigan has left him exciting about what lies ahead.

“It’s been a whirlwind of a year," he acknowledged. “From the day I joined Wigan, the vibe generated by the fans, players and staff has made me feel so loved.

"There’s no surprise that we had the success that we had given the whole culture of the club.

“Everyone is pulling in the right direction so for me, there’s no surprise we went on to win the title.

"And there are no boundaries that can stop us from doing well in the Championship - if we can keep that culture and togetherness.

“We’ve done tremendously well and, while people look at the 11 players on the pitch, the whole club should take a summer to reflect and be proud of themselves, because it’s been a real contribution from everyone.

“It was my first promotion as a player, and it was such a surreal experience.

"It was a great feeling and I remember taking time as we celebrated to soak in the moment.

“It’s a day I’ll never forget and I’m itching to feel that again.

"I understand what people say now when they win trophies because I’ve got that bug now and hopefully we can strive to win more stuff with Wigan.”

Cousins' memorable season continued last week when he made his debut for Jamaica against Catalonia in Girona.

“It was a very proud feeling, and something I have wanted to do for a very long time," he added.

“It was an honour to play for Jamaica, and it was definitely a proud moment for me and my family.

"My grandparents aren’t here anymore, but for their children to see me play for Jamaica was an emotional moment, because I know how much it means to them for me to represent the country of their parents’ birth.

“It was something that was also quite emotional for me, knowing that my grandparents would be looking down watching.

"During the national anthems, that’s all I could think about and how proud they would be of me representing Jamaica.

“My family are very proud and I know they are looking forward to hopefully seeing myself put on a Jamaican shirt a bit more throughout my career!

“International football enables you with the opportunity to play against players that you may not come across at club level, and it was an eye-opener to test myself against the very best.

"Even though the style of football is different, I think it will help me improve my game as a player."