Talking football: Has Lady Luck finally boarded the Wigan Athletic 'Believe' bus?

But one of the most commonly-used in football has come to the fore in the last week or so.

‘They say luck evens itself out over the course of the season...’

Up until last week, however, it had been more hard-luck stories than you can shake a stick at.

But maybe, just maybe, the worm has turned.

Cast your minds back just over a week to the Middlesbrough game, when Latics were on the receiving end of THE poorest refereeing performance I have had the misfortune to witness.

It speaks volumes when BOTH managers – Paul Cook and Jonathan Woodgate – feel hard done-by, and refuse to discuss Oliver Langford’s performance.

But there’s no question Cook had the greater gripe, with Boro somehow managing to avoid having a man sent off for a blatant professional foul (at 1-0 down), then Latics themselves being reduced to 10 men within 90 seconds for a soft second yellow, and Boro then equalising thanks to a deflected free-kick.

After falling behind, Latics somehow managed to drag themselves level thanks to a dramatic own goal...from Harold Moukoudi, who had escaped the red card.

And if that was a welcome piece of fortune, fast forward to the weekend, and the trip down to the Welsh capital.

Cardiff manager Neil Harris reckoned all FOUR major talking points in the game favoured Latics, who were generally good value for their 2-2 draw.

* Harris felt Lee Evans should have been sent off in the first 15 seconds for a lunge on Will Vaulks.

* Although the Bluebirds boss agreed Wigan’s first-half penalty for handball was probably right, not every referee would have awarded it to the visiting side.

* Having given Latics the benefit, referee John Brooks then denied Cardiff a similar call in the second half, which Harris felt would have evened things out.

* Then, in stoppage-time, Cardiff saw a winning ‘goal’ chalked off for a supposed foul on goalkeeper David Marshall, which seemed generous in the extreme.

Has Lady Luck finally located her blue and white scarf in good time for the home straight?

If so, it’ll be a welcome ‘signing’ for the final quarter of the campaign.

The Championship table may still make for bleak reading, but anyone who’s seen Latics in action of late will know they are still in with a big chance of avoiding the drop.

Since the turn of the year, the results have been mid-table level, and a continuation of that until May would see them stay up comfortably.

While some sections of the fanbase pressed the panic button weeks ago, fair play to Cook – and Jonathan Jackson, and Darren Royle – for not getting carried away.

For trusting the process and the system they invested in to the tune of £9million last summer.

And credit too to the players for stepping up in recent weeks and showing what they’re made of.

The squad held a meeting last month at Euxton to get everything out in the open, in a bid to get everyone pulling in the same direction.

Since then, the side has beaten Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds, lost to Preston, before drawing against both Middlesbrough and Cardiff.

Only in the Preston game did they not give a good account of themselves – and even then they came close to rescuing a point.

With all their relegation rivals to come over the next few weeks, it’s all to play for – and the lads have got the bit between their teeth.