Wigan Athletic chief on the milk turning sour at Accrington

“Exactly.”

One of the iconic adverts of all-time – for the Milk Marketing Board – and proof of how far the East Lancashire club has come in recent years.

This weekend, Stanley will arrive at the DW Stadium only a point off the League One play-offs – and six off automatic promotion – with at least two, and in some cases three, games in hand on their promotion rivals.

It’s a far cry from just over a decade ago, when Stanley were hit with a winding up order over an unpaid £300,000 tax bill.

For a certain Accrington defender at the time by the name of Leam Richardson, it was an early taste of the off-field problems that he would experience again at Wigan.

“I certainly saw a few things at Accrington...some of which I wouldn’t even be able to talk about,” the Latics acting manager recognised.

“But that gives you the grounding in the game, and makes you the person and the coach you are today.

“Some of the experiences we’ve gone through at Wigan in recent months, I’ve been able to look back on what we went through at Accrington and it has stood me in good stead.

“I turned up one day as a free agent, for what I thought would be one training session... and I was there seven years.

“Sometimes you wouldn’t know if you’d be getting paid, or if the kitman would have the correct equipment.

“But it was never for the lack of trying or effort or the honesty of anyone at the club.

“It was probably seven of the best years of my career, I made lifelong friends who are still there now.

“I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

Richardson is looking forward to be reunited in the technical area with John Coleman – now back at Accrington after short spell with Rochdale, Southport and Sligo Rovers.

“For John to have picked up the manager of the month award this month, he’s got to be one of the most under-rated managers in the whole of the EFL,” enthused Richardson.

“And they’ve certainly gone a long way towards redressing that old adage of people looking down on Accrington Stanley and disrespecting them.

“Nobody does that any more, they’re fully respected throughout the game and they’re now a very well-established, strong football club.

“I’m very fortunate to have spent many happy years there, where I’d probably filled most roles by the end...playing all over the field, coaching, caretaker manager, bus driver...and everything in between!

“But it remains a club that’s very close to my heart, and it’s fantastic to see them doing so well this season.”

Latics go into the game still waiting to hear whether the EFL will approve the latest bid from the Spanish investors to take control at the DW.

For Richardson, it’s something he’s determined to keep in the back of his mind.

“I’m probably slightly different to everyone else, in that I probably know even less than everyone else,” he acknowledged.

“I purposely try and stay out of it, so I can focus all of my energy to educate the young lads and keep leading the group in a positive way.

“But fingers crossed a positive resolution can be reached sooner rather than later.”

Read unlimited Wigan Athletic and Wigan Warriors stories for less than 70p a week by subscribing to our sports package here