Perkins having the season of his dreams

Perkins was Gary Caldwell’s first signing of last summer, having left relegated Blackpool at the end of his contract.

If his arrival at the DW was relatively low-key, his form on the field over the last eight months has been anything but.

A virtual ever-present, Perkins is one of the frontrunners for the club’s Player of the Year award after a catalogue of consistent displays.

Having spent most of his career battling at the wrong end of the lower leagues, Perkins admits he is making the most of an Indian summer with Latics closing in on 
promotion to the Championship.

“If I had to sit down at the start of the season and write how it was going to go, I probably wouldn’t have dared to dream of this,” he told the Evening Post.

“And I’m not really doing anything different to what I always have.

“I’m just in an good side surrounded by good players.

“That makes my job that little bit easier.”

Perkins has already penned an extension to the one-year deal he signed last summer, and admits he just wants to keep going as long as he can.

“I’ve found that as I’ve got older the seasons have tended to go quicker and quicker,” he revealed.

“Looking back it’s been an amazing season – I’d say it’s probably the most enjoyable season I’ve had.

“I’ve had some good seasons where the aim of the side was to to stay in the division we were in, and that was seen as success.

“That’s obviously different to the goals we have here, and even winning four matches on the bounce – I don’t think 
I’ve done that since I was about 18.”

One of the few low points in his Latics career was a 2-0 defeat at Coventry on the opening day.

It’s a loss Latics are looking to avenge when the two 
sides lock horns for the corresponding fixture this weekend.

“We were obviously disappointed with the result on the opening day,” Perkins added.

“I don’t think we played particularly well, but we allowed them to counter-attack us twice and it was game over.

“Hopefully we’ll be settling that score this weekend.”