Wigan Athletic chief on 'valuable lesson learnt' on last Reading trip he'll never forget

Shaun Maloney thanks the travelling fans after Latics' relegation was confirmed at Reading last season

Shaun Maloney returns to the venue he learnt his biggest lesson as a manager this weekend as Wigan Athletic travel down to Reading.

It's almost eight months since Latics were last at the Select Car Leasing Stadium - a match that finally sealed their relegation from the Championship.

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And the manner of the agonising 1-1 draw has left a longstanding impression on Maloney and how he goes about his business in the technical area.

"I learnt a very valuable lesson that day, one I'll never forget," he said. "We scored very late on, through Charlie Hughes, around the 81-minute mark.

"Then they scored in the 93rd minute to level it, and it also relegated us. That is maybe why you will never see me celebrate each goal now as wildly as previous to that game.

"The biggest thing I learnt that day was firstly this game can hurt you right until the final whistle. And secondly my job, until that final whistle, is to be as stable as I possibly can be.

"It hurt that day but, if I'm honest, looking back now, it was an achievement to even take it to the penultimate game of the season. It was a credit to the players and the staff - with everything going on - that they were able to do that for the club."

Latics are looking to get back to winning ways, having surrendered a nine-game unbeaten run at Port Vale last weekend.

All the damage was done in the first half, with a spirited second-half showing bringing the scoreline back to 2-2, before Vale pinched a late winner.

“I definitely got a response in the second half, and we need another big response this weekend," added Maloney..

“After the match, I spoke about how disappointed I was in the first half, but I have to be aware of how brilliant the players have been for a couple of months.

“Reading is a big game for us. But again, every game feels big for us at the moment.

"We’re fighting as hard as we can to get away from the bottom four places.

“Reading will have the ball but I want to see us be as aggressive as we can in certain areas to win it back.

“We need to understand if we are to win games, we have to have a certain mindset from the first whistle."