'Our fingerprints on Shaun Maloney sacking', admits Wigan Athletic skipper

Last weekend's 2-1 home defeat to Reading was Maloney's last game at the helm, with the axe being wielded on Sunday morning after 25 months in charge.

And Kerr - who was made club captain last summer by his fellow Scot - says he and his colleagues have to take some of the responsibility.

"I think we've all got our fingerprints on it," he said. "There's definitely times we could have done better, and it does feel like we let him down a little bit.

"Especially at the end of the game against Reading...it really wasn't us. We felt like we were going in the right direction, with the fixtures we had and the wins we had.

"It's been really tough for everyone involved. I was shocked, I think everyone was, when we found out on Sunday. But that's football, these things happen, it is what it is.

"It's never easy losing a manager, for anyone involved, especially when it's one all the lads loved and respected.

"I loved playing for him, he was a really good manager and a really good coach...and a really good guy as well. But because of the fixtures, though, we've had to crack on and try to get past it as quickly as we could."

Kerr revealed he has already spoken to Maloney to express his thanks for the last couple of years of working together.

"I've spoken to him on the phone, he seems pretty positive, and I just wished him all the best," said Kerr. "He's been massive for me since he's been here, I thanked him for playing me again after my injury, and for giving me the captaincy.

"When he came in (in January 2023), I was still sidelined having done my ACL (sustained at Swansea in November 2022), and he gave me all the reassurances I needed that I would come back stronger.

"He kept that promise to me and he's been massive in me coming back as good as before. When he made me captain, I felt like I had a responsibility to get across everything that he wanted, and I like to think I did that to the best of my ability."

Kerr is also determined to do everything he can to help interim manager Glenn Whelan steer the ship towards calmer waters.

"Glenn may be a rookie coach, but he's spent a lot of time in football and he's been around a lot of senior players and clubs," he said.

"I've really liked what he's done since he's been with us as a coach, all the boys really respect him and he knows what he's talking about.

"There'll be a lot of knowledge in there but, as captain, I'll be trying to step up and help him as much as I can...along with some of the others like Will Aimson, Ollie Norburn and Cal Mac."