PART TWO: Wigan Athletic: The 12th Man - 'I was very sceptical when Mr Danson took over, but they're making all the right noises...'

Caddy from the 5:

Well here we go again, another season that'll no doubt be mundane, uninspiring and finish with a damp squib...'yeah right'! It's Wigan Athletic, we do absolutely none of the above, I've no idea what the next nine months will bring, but I can guarantee it won't be boring - it never is! The close season has seen players come and go...I'm winging it here because, to be honest, I take no interest in the summer months. There's cricket, the Euros, beer gardens and general life outside Wigan Athletic...just like the players, you need a rest from it! Doing my hasty homework while skiving at work, I see we've signed Manchester United's best striker, Liverpool's best left-back has returned for a full season, Sam Tickle and Charlie Hughes are still here - both a massive bonus. Let's hope we can get one more year out of them before their big-money moves to top sides. I've seen Hughes linked with Hull...no idea why he'd want to go there, unless it's because they've a Waitrose in Willerby...they're hardly Real Madrid! I read the letter that came with the season ticket from the chairman, and it was written very well, outlining what they want for the future, and I hold my hands up...I was very sceptical when Mr Danson took over, but they're making all the right noises, sustainability and stability being at the forefront. The boom under Talal's gang was good, but the bust really wasn't. Mr Danson is building slowly with the Premier League being the ultimate goal. Will we get there again? Who knows. But we'll get there at our own pace if we do. As for this season's predictions...you can't see past Birmingham, they're throwing the cash about like they want to 'smash it and get 100 points'. Yeah lads, we've been there and done that. The rest of the division is wide open, with Horwich finishing bottom, Ian Evatt back at Barrow as the kitman and throwing darts at a pin-up of James McClean on his dinner. As for us, well I've already backed us to go up! You didn't think I'd settle for mid-table, did you? So get yourselves down on Saturday for the opener, not forgetting it's a 5.30pm KO...yeah cheers, Sky! And as Steven Gerrard once said...'We go again!'

Alan Rogers:

To celebrate the start of a new season, I think we will have an Elvis Presley theme! But more of that later. In many respects, it seems like a long time since the last game of last season. We've had the Euros, World Cup Cricket and now the Olympics...and that's just the sporting world. Personally, now I'm a lazy pensioner, I managed to watch the vast majority of the Euro games, a lot of the cricket, and my eyes are square from watching the Olympics. But I also managed to occasionally get out of the house. I've been to gigs and theatre performances, watched my granddaughter play cricket, played a bit of crown green bowls - and of course, I've been to the races. We haven't even had a chance to have a holiday yet! So have I missed watching the Latics? Well if I'm totally honest, no, I haven’t really missed it that much. It's been a draining few years down at the DW/Brick, and I was happy to take a break. Of course it's not the same for everyone, and quite a few people have been active on social media, mainly worrying about the lack of incoming players. I don't really agree with their concerns, but I do respect their points of view. My opinion is the new owners and the management team seemed to be getting their act together nicely as last season went on, so I’m more than happy for more of the same this season. Elvis once famously said: 'Take care of the fans and they will take care of you'. Apparently he was off his head on burgers at the time, but I do agree with the statement. The new regime seemed to have largely listened to the broader fanbase and hopefully this will continue to bear fruit.

But the main reason I've droned on about all the activities that have taken place this summer is that I chuckled when I compared this close season to Springfield Park days. Back then, we really hated the summer break! No football, no social media, usually rubbish weather, nothing to do and no news coming out of the club. Obviously, at the time we knew no better but looking back it was always a boring summer! And we couldn't wait for the first friendly of the season. Anyway, whether you've missed watching the Latics or not, it all starts again on Saturday so what do we all want from the new season? Let's start on a positive note - with a moan! First game of the season...5.30pm KO! We've known for a long time the big broadcasting companies now virtually own football, but this is a horrible sign of yet another season of moving dates/times around to suit their schedules. No thought whatsoever for the fans. But getting back to hopes and aspirations, I guess we all simply want success. It's just in our perceptions of success that we differ. Most Latics fans are fairly grounded, and as long as the team offers 100 per cent, then they will be content. But others aren't so forgiving and, given the current climate in England, that worries me. I've worked extensively in Russia, Siberia, China, Mongolia and other less liberal parts of the world over the years, and I know how precious the right to free speech is. A lot of people in this country just don’t understand exactly how great it is to have the freedom to write some rubbish like this every week, or to be able to post virtually anything on social media. But with such privilege comes great responsibility. X/Twitter has now become a sewer inhabited by anonymous cowards and troublemakers. The problems of that platform could easily be solved by forcing every account to be identified and verified but that looks very unlikely to happen.

So, on that cheery note, what do I personally want from the coming season? Well, as usual, I will be putting my money where my mouth is and hoping we finish at least in the play-offs (I lost heavily on all bets last season...there's a reason that Stoke's owner is so rich!). But to be totally honest, I just want the team to play to the best of their abilities and to entertain us. Oh, and to beat Horwich, twice. We have to beat them! It's more off the pitch that I have my fingers crossed. There are some great people at Wigan behind the scenes supporting the club, the town and worthy organisations such as the Brick and Community Trust. I hope they go from strength to strength. And to the keyboard warriors who will inevitably emerge from the shadows, please think twice before pressing the send key. We need to have constructive criticism regarding the team – healthy debate usually improves things – but please keep it civil. It was Elvis (once again) who said: 'Don't criticise what you don't understand. You never walked in that man's shoes'. I never realised he was such a deep thinker. Anyway, good luck to everyone for the coming season and I'll finish off with even more from the King (Elvis not Charles). He said: 'People think you're crazy if you talk about things they don't understand.

Billy H:

Apologies for the late, late entry for the 12th man...I was still busy mulling over the Euros, and the possibility that the dreaded 'It's coming home' England chant could in fact bear fruit. As a 'Jock', I have this fear every two years, either the Euros or the World Cup, where the inevitable will happen. And it will eventually 'come home', and England will win a major tournament. It's almost as bad a feeling as them lot from Horwich beating us at the Brick/DW Stadium. Anyway, onto more pressing matters, with my hopes and dreams for the Latics this coming season. It feels very much like a new team and one that looks fresh, young & full of running. I hope this transmits to the pitch, and we see a more high-tempo pressing game with more forward passes than last season's sideways, sideways back. Of course, we're an unknown quantity given the new signings and, with those already done, along with the re-signing of Luke Chambers on loan, I just hope we can hold onto Charlie Hughes and bring in a proven striker (?). My hopes are that we can play like we did at the back end of last season, get off to a good start, and be a threat both home and away. If we can manage that, I'd like to dream of beating Bolton three times - yep three times...both home and away then again at what was once our second home, Wembley, in the play-off final. To the sound of 'it's happened again'! It will then truly be 'coming home'…

Primary Stu

As I approach my 35th-ish season following Latics, it feels almost like many fans have turned a corner. Grateful for what we have and what we are as a club and, for me, having the chance to truly talk football with my boy. He’s been brought up with the Tics, from watching FA Cup success and European football as a baby, to doing away games and ultimately promotion at Shrewsbury. All great days together, but now he truly gets 'it', gets the club, gets the manager, gets the style of play, and gets what it means to be a Tic. I’ve been to more friendlies this year than ever before with the ‘dad latics are playing, why aren’t we going?’ Swiftly followed by yours truly booking tickets and checking out routes and times. And you know what...I’ve enjoyed it! Enjoyed watching what’s been built by Shaun and his team. Enjoyed the fact that for ages there’s no real anxiety or over expectation. Just knowing the club is in good safe hands at ownership, management and player level. I’m likely to be there earlier than ever (not that I was allowed to still be in the house two hours before kick-off anyway!) with Samuel successfully joining the Junior Latics media team, and it might even prompt a few more ramblings from me on here! But for now, enjoy what’s being built and get behind the lads. Until next time!

Sean Livesey:

So another season is upon us, and I've got to say it feels a lifetime since that win over Bristol Rovers completed our season. So much has happened in the last three months, but things on the good ship Wigan Athletic seem relatively calm for the first summer in a couple of seasons. The ownership has completed their deep dive into the terrible state our finances were left in after Phoenix departed. And for the first time in two seasons, we’ve been able to pay a transfer fee for a player. A budget that is mid-table will test the top-six aspirations of the owners, but there can be no doubt we’re in a far better place at the moment than when Mr Danson and co found us. The big earners from the Phoenix era have all moved on now, saving a big percentage of that budget. The only one of those signings to stay is Jason Kerr who, in signing his new contract, arguably gave Shaun Maloney his biggest boost of the off-season. There were departures obviously, most notably Stephen Humphreys, who Maloney had revealed had been looking to leave since January, and Jordan Jones. At the time of writing, neither player has a club which, with the EFL season beginning on Saturday, seems a bit strange to say the least. Maybe the wages we were offering weren't as bad as suggested after all? Latics have leant in heavily to the loan market, with a number of exciting Premier League talent arriving on season-long loans. Including a return for Luke Chambers, which feels ridiculous considering how well he performed for us in the latter half of last year. I thought he would find himself at a Championship club, and for him to return is an undoubtedly positive move. The other new names are too numerous to mention, but there is some serious talent in there that seem to point towards Latics under Shaun Maloney being seen as a good destination for Premier League clubs looking to find a home for their young talent to gain experience.

The movement hasn’t been limited to solely on the pitch matters either as, after reaching 70 years of age, Graham Barrow has decided to step back from his role as assistant manager and the day-to-day involvement of football. Maloney spoke of a concerted effort to get Barrow to change his mind - including the chairman and even Roberto Martinez! Which shows how crucial he has been to Maloney’s Wigan Athletic. Hopefully a position can be found for Graham to continue his involvement. But that departure opens the opportunity for Max Rogers to become assistant manager, alongside the arrivals of Tom Huddlestone, Shadab Iftikhar and Andy Lonergan to a new-look coaching team. How will Latics fare this season? There’s still arguably a couple of positions that need filling ahead of the close of the transfer window, with us looking particularly light up front. The squad will still be made up by our Academy graduates, but this time around they’ll have had a full 12 months under their belts. Also if we look at those around us, it will arguably be a stronger division than last season. Rotherham and Birmingham in particular have been spending like there’s no tomorrow in an effort to get back up to the Championship, and those who missed out last season will be expected to come back stronger. I think everyone would be happy with a play-off push, but that still feels ambitious. However, ambitious is the term the owners have used and what Shaun Maloney will strive towards. If we’re not ambitious, we’re in the wrong game. I would be delighted with a place in the play-offs that helps to showcase another year in the rebirth of our football club. So on that note, let's look forward to another nine months with the biggest emotional rollercoaster in the world.