Ryan Lowe sings the praises of Wigan Athletic fans with post-match emotion explained
Ryan Lowe admitted he was emotional at the final whistle against Port Vale, as Latics ended their six-game winless run with a hard-fought 1-0 victory.
Latics had been slipping down the League One table since their emphatic 3-0 win over Doncaster more than a month ago. Their previously strong home form had unravelled with back-to-back league defeats at the Brick Community Stadium, compounded by two more losses in Cup competitions.
So when the final whistle blew on Saturday, Lowe made a beeline for the Latics supporters – fans he felt played a crucial role in securing the result.
“I loved it,” he smiled. “I’m the head coach of this fantastic football club, and I want to do well by it.
“I don't look at social media, I don't read any of it, I'm not on any of it, so I don't see it. But I know the disappointment because I'm a fan myself.
“When there’s disappointment for the team you support, you get disappointed, don't you? But what I will say, they stuck with the lads there, there were more numbers than there’s probably been.
“You could see the crowds, when the lads come in, Glenn Whelan said to me, ‘there looks a lot out there,’ so fair play to them.
“They’ve come out in the numbers to support the lads, and I can get a little bit emotional as well as excited, and I got a bit emotional and excited because that was for the players and the fans.
“I thought our fans were brilliant and there was a lot more in today, so fair play to them. Wherever they've come from, that was the support they’ve shown us, because when we went down to 10 men, I remember the fans were singing, and that's what we want from our fans, and that's what they'd give us.
“I know I’m crediting the players for the performance and the three points, but I've got to credit the fans for that as well because they’ve seen it, they knew what we needed, getting behind the lads, and it's massively important, honestly.
“When you're after that support and when they're getting behind you, it acts as an extra man for you, and that's what they did today, so fair play to them.”
Lowe believes the manner of the win shows his side has the potential to turn the corner and leave their poor run behind.
At the same time, he reiterated his belief in the players to come through the tough patch.
“It’s big, of course,” he said. “We don't want to be in a bump in the road too long, but I had full belief in the players that they can get themselves out of it because last year I think we had one of the best defensive records in the division.
“I think Sam (Tickle) had 18 clean sheets, so we know we can do that. At the top end of the pitch, we’ve been creating chances, all the underlying numbers, which I'm not too sure people look at.
“When you do look at that, it bodes well knowing that it will come good. Look, I get we were down to 10 men, and it wasn’t pretty in the second half.
“We knew we had to do a job, and what we asked the lads to do, they did. But take nothing away from the performance in the first half before Dara (Costelloe) gets sent off, because we had chances to score as well.
“So if we're not creating chances and we're not keeping the back door shut and the football's not good, but I never felt that once while we were in that dip, because I think we should have come away with a result against Wycombe definitely, and the other games, I think we shot ourselves in the foot in certain elements.”