Wigan Athletic: The 12th Man - 'However, through the ups and downs, one consistent trend...'

Matt Auffrey:

After Latics made a slew of new signings several weeks ago - all targeting positions of need - there was inevitably going to be some drop-off in the frequency of new additions. The not-so-secret loan signing of goalkeeper Joe Walsh was announced last week in addition to the even less-concealed news of Chris Sze resigning for another season.

Walsh arrives with a valuable half-season of Championship experience, having served as QPR’s number one between the sticks from January to May. The 24-year-old will provide strong competition for Tom Watson, should the academy graduate continue to be our top option to serve as freshly-departed Sam Tickle’s long-term replacement.

There has been some debate about giving Sze another year to prove himself at League One level. There is no question that the 22-year-old’s career hasn’t panned out in the most ideal manner, after he scored his first professional goal for the club in the EFL Trophy just weeks before his 18th birthday in late 2021.

However, through the ups and downs, one consistent trend has been that multiple Latics managers have seen enough from Sze to give him additional opportunities to prove himself at the first-team level. Now, with Harrison Bettoni’s departure to Chelsea all-but confirmed, it makes it all the more important that we not let any more starlets leave the club a moment too soon.

Sze’s 12 goals in 23 appearances for Southport over the second half of this past campaign only reinforced the idea that he has talent to flaunt at the professional level. We will get a proper look at the squad’s collective talent for the first time when Port Vale visit the Brick this weekend.

Because the result of our first behind-closed-doors kick-about of the summer remains a secret at the behest of the two clubs, we go into Saturday with little knowledge about how we’ll line-up and who will feature in different parts of the pitch. Fans will not only see our new signings in action for the first time, but will also analyse how many returning players take on bigger roles compared to last season.

Our opponents will hope to yo-yo their way back into this division after experiencing two promotions and two relegations over the past five seasons. They will surely use this fixture as some form of a measuring stick to gauge their chances of competing with League Two’s best over the months ahead.

One week from now, the World Cup will be several days behind us, and the good news is that we’ll be that much closer to our first competitive fixture of the season on August 8.

Finally, in this week’s edition of 'There’s Always a Wigan Link - US Edition', my dad and brother saw Burnley FC take on their local MLS side, FC Cincinnati, after I bought them tickets for the first stop of the Clarets' three-city American pre-season tour. They unknowingly got to see ex-Latic Josh Laurent play 45 minutes in midfield.

Don’t be hard on yourself if you’re struggling to remember him in blue and white, as he only made one league appearance for the club - a forgettable 17-minute cameo off the bench - after signing during the whirlwind of Deadline Day in winter 2017.

Nonetheless, my dad and brother saw the home team win the friendly 3-1 and left the match very satisfied with their evening out - especially considering they likely won’t take in another match for the next year or so.

Needless to say, a match with low stakes can still deliver an entertaining product, and hopefully Gary Caldwell’s men can establish that trend at the Brick this weekend.

Soccerates:

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” - Socrates

The Unified Project: Why Wigan Athletic’s Off-Field Synergy Holds the Key to On-Field Success

For too long, the narrative surrounding the Brick Community Stadium has been one of firefighting. We have endured regimes defined by disconnect - where ownership ambitions, recruitment strategies, and managerial philosophies felt like gears grinding against one another rather than turning in unison.

But as we stand on the precipice of the new campaign, the air around Christopher Park feels entirely different. There is a quiet, deliberate authority to Wigan Athletic’s summer business. This isn't just a collection of new signings; it is the blueprint of a unified project.

Alignment at the Core

A football squad is only ever as organised as the architecture behind it. When Gary Caldwell returned to the club, his immediate task was stabilisation. This summer, however, has been about synchronisation. By restructuring the backroom staff, Caldwell has eliminated the friction that so often derails promising seasons.

Bringing in trusted lieutenants like Mike McBride and Kevin Miller from Exeter City isn't just about familiarity - it’s about implementing a cultural shorthand. These are professionals who explicitly understand Caldwell’s tactical demands, his physical expectations, and the standard of discipline required day in, day out.

Simultaneously, elevating Joe Riley to head of recruitment and transitioning the legendary Graham Barrow into a senior advisory role bridges the gap between modern, data-driven talent identification and invaluable, old-school football wisdom. For the first time in recent memory, the recruitment department, the medical room, and the dugout are speaking the exact same language.

A Squad Built by Design, Not Attrition

This structural unity is already reflecting beautifully on the pitch. The early transfer business paints a vivid picture of what 'Caldwell’s Wigan' is meant to be: young, dynamic, technically sharp, and fiercely hungry.

The permanent acquisition of Sonny Perkins is a statement of this shared vision. He represents the exact profile a forward-thinking League One club should target - elite youth pedigree, massive upside, and a point to prove. Paired with the athletic intensity of Connor Barrett and the invaluable, culture-setting homecoming of Max Power, the squad feels balanced by design, rather than assembled by financial convenience.

Add to this the integration of our Under-18 Professional Development League champions, and the pathway from the academy to the first team looks clearer, even more so in fact once you factor in new deals for the likes of Joe Adams and Chris Sze, themselves with a point to prove.

Looking Ahead

To build something entirely new, the old fractures had to be healed. The coaching staff, the recruitment team, and the players are finally pulling in the exact same direction, punctuated by their joining the Park Run recently.

Martin Lally:

The inevitable has happened. As much as you're guaranteed a rollercoaster ride with our beloved Wigan Athletic, the World Cup heartbreak continues as England depart to an old enemy once again.

As I say quite regularly, it’s the hope that breaks your heart. The tactical dissection begins now as debriefs continue over the manager's decision-making and the regular football season comes ever so closer.

It’s almost like Latics slowed down to allow centre stage for the World Cup, but the unveiling of the new away kit this week was a nice surprise, and many of the Tics faithful certainly seem to have given it the thumbs up. The story behind the shirt - that it references my family of miners - is my personal favourite touch.

The contract extension signed by Chris Sze received a mixed reception. Personally, I'm really happy with this piece of business. I followed Chris at Southport last year and, despite the level, showed some flashes of what we have seen before.

There is certainly a player in there and, with the quite unusual and somewhat surprising move of Harrison Bettoni to Chelsea, I think under Gary Caldwell, Chris will get some deserved minutes, and I really hope he can push on this season.

It’s also reported that we remain interested in re-signing Ryan Trevitt, who now finds himself a free agent. If Trevitt was to regain fitness and get a bucket load of luck, which the lad has not had yet deserves, that would be a fantastic addition to the squad for next season.

With the addition of Max Power and a new contract for Jenson Weir, perhaps Trevitt's minutes could be managed better to maximise his potential in his outings for the Tics. There is undoubtably a great player in there..

Although England's journey is over for now, our new hopes for a positive campaign begin on Saturday with an opportunity to see us for the first time at home to Port Vale. I’m looking forward to a return to the Brick Community Stadium, and a chance to have the first look at Gary's blue and white army for 2026/2027.

At the conclusion of England's loss to Germany in 1996, the BBC left us with the final highlights outro package overlaid by 'Walk Away' by the Merseyside band Cast, a personal favourite. In 2026, it was Harry Styles and, in what is certainly a sign of the times, let’s not hate too much, but dust ourselves down, and return to some League One action.

We are lucky that our little club has had the smallest taste of success over the years, and those moments, you never really forget. Up the ‘heartbreak continues’ Tics!