Shaun Maloney reflects on 'uphill battle' as he leads the Wigan Athletic rebuild

Three wins in a row against Lincoln, champions Portsmouth and Bristol Rovers saw Latics close the season with a flourish, to secure a 12th-placed finish.

It was a far cry from the state of play last summer, when Maloney's men started off eight points behind the rest due to an EFL sanction for financial issues relating to the club's previous ownership.

That meant the goal was always to stay in the division, and lay some foundations for coming campaigns, leaving Maloney well satisfied with his first full season in charge.

"To secure League One status by the March international break, which simply had to be the aim given our eight-point deduction and transfer embargo, was really pleasing," he said.

"What is frustrating is that without the minus eight, we would have been five points off the play-offs with seven games remaining.

"That would have completely changed the dynamic and feeling around the club after the international break.

"The minus eight points meant it was very difficult to keep the players and support stable because it was such a unique thing to fight against.

"And it really did feel like an uphill battle. Every defeat was magnified due to our ‘false’ league position.

"Despite wiping out that deficit in our first four games, we were still bottom of the table...(but)...what I have liked is that we've consistently found a way to win enough games to achieve our objective."

Having revealed there were several points last summer when he felt the club was in danger of going to the wall - before the takeover by Mike Danson - Maloney is more aware than anyone of the need to walk before attempting to run.

"We were in the Premier League when I was here before," he said. "What I see now is that we lost the training ground we purchased (Euxton), and we're now back at the training ground we were at previously.

"That is just an example of why everything on and off the pitch must be geared towards us being self-sustainable. A big part of my job is trying to drive that. I want to stay here a long time, but I want to leave the club in a better place than I found it."