Wigan Athletic: The 12th Man - 'We’re not playing the Wigan way...and that is more than half the battle'

Matt Auffrey:

Two matches took place at the Brick last week, four days apart, and produced two very different scorelines. Yet, despite facing opponents from separate divisions across separate competitions, several major themes remained consistent between the two affairs.

Latics were ‘gifted’ first-half goals in both matches and entered the half-time break with a lead. We also saw our levels drop significantly in the second half of both matches. The major difference was that Barrow were more clinical in front of goal than Burton and punished our defence twice - once from the run of play and once from a set-piece.

In turn, Will Aimson could not have picked a better moment to score his first goal for the club, as his 89th-minute equaliser completely revived a crowd on the verge of mutiny. While we did little to show off an edge in quality during 120 minutes, we did prevail in penalty kicks for a second consecutive round of the competition.

As underwhelming as our performances have been against lower league competition so far in the tournament, what’s most important is we survived and advanced to the third round. We are now one of eight League One teams still alive in the FA Cup.

While we weren’t rewarded with a ‘Goliath’ in the third round, we still ended up with what is, arguably, the most enticing opponent outside of the Premier League that we could’ve faced. However, we have six league fixtures to get through before we make the trip up the M6 to Deepdale in early 2026.

The first of those six fixtures has the potential to springboard us into what could potentially be a top-eight position in the league table should we win on Saturday. Huddersfield were a popular choice to win the league over the summer, with rookie manager Lee Grant adding striker Alfie May from Birmingham for a seven-figure fee and bolstering his squad with several other accomplished players with Championship pedigrees.

Yet, they enter this weekend winless over their past four league matches, and only hold a two-point edge over Latics in the league table, while playing an additional game. Indeed, Ryan Lowe may as well be Sir Alex Ferguson in the eyes of Latics fans compared to the views that Huddersfield fans currently hold about their own manager.

Needless to say, all signs point towards right now being an ideal time for Latics to visit the Kirklees Stadium. Hopefully some extra time off after the Barrow match will allow our squad to enter Saturday healthy and well rested.

It has officially been two months since we have lost a match and, while the product on the pitch has been far from remarkable for large portions of that stretch, our ability to churn out results should not go unnoticed. There are many aspects of our play that will need to improve if our nine-game unbeaten run is going to reach double digits. Yet, the players’ confidence in themselves and each other should remain steadfast.

We have proven in spurts that every one of our position groups has the proper quality to compete with the division’s best. It’s now on the gaffer to get those groups in sync for longer periods of time across a full match.

We finally broke the duck at Wimbledon several weeks ago and won our first away match of the season. When you couple that feat with our current unbeaten run, there are many reasons to be optimistic about our chances on Saturday.

We may not be easy on the eyes, but we consistently ‘find a way’ to get the results we need. I won’t waste any words trying to predict what’ll happen this weekend, but I’m confident we’re due for another positive outcome. Keep the faith!

Martin Lally:

Another week, another questionable performance. Once again Ryan Lowe’s Latics have found themselves competing in a game of thirds. In the first third, they dominate and look like a team capable of competing for promotion. In the second third, they lose all confidence in themselves and allow even substandard teams to return to a game. And in the fina,l third they collapse and tend to lose some terrible goals.

There seems to be a mentality issue at the minute that is not resolving itself but yet, despite this, we sit comfortably in the middle of League One and look forward to a return for Lowe and of course, the Wigan faithful, to Deepdale in the FA Cup.

My first visit to Deepdale saw a memorable debut for Jason Roberts and an immediate return on his arrival at the-then JJB Stadium. As the away end erupted and I lost the long-awaited hot-dog I was very much looking forward to tucking into after a few beers on the train journey up, and a long police corden to the ground. Those were the days!

A few weeks back, I stated our season would have a shape by the end of the Bolton game in January, and I still believe that. I sound so negative this week, but I do believe in the majority of this team and, if we could just progress in the first third, performances deep into a game we would be a challenge for anyone - including Preston.

I look forward to a short hop to Huddersfield this weekend, my first away since Lincoln. It’s been a while, but come on boys, let’s press on!

George Arkwright:

Ego. It can make us do some truly ridiculous things and behave in ridiculous ways. The FA Cup has a long history of giant-killings; not in some small part down to the ego of the more esteemed of the two opponents on many occasions.

Even as late as this season, when Grimsby Town dumped Manchester United from the League Cup, I’m sure the Red Devils went into that game with an air of inevitability. The problem is, it’s difficult not to have an ego when the team you’re playing is of far more humble climes than yours.

Fans are guilty of it, players are guilty of it, and it seems that in the case of Wigan Athletic of late, maybe the management is too. I think in some places it is necessary to have this ego; if you don’t back yourself, no one else will.

However I think this ego, among other things, has been our demise on multiple occasions this season, and this hasn’t been exemplified in a more evident capacity than in the FA Cup.

Now I suppose demise in this sense is not quite the right word to use, considering we are through to an interesting tie with Preston North End in the third round, but nonetheless, we began our ‘run’ against sixth-tier Hemel Hempstead. A game my ego says we should’ve been winning comfortably. Cricket scores, I think is the phrase.

Now, this was quite possibly the biggest single event in their club’s history and, while we provided the adequate fanfare befitting of some classic ‘cup magic’, Wigan went into that game with what I would imagine was a sense of it being a foregone conclusion. After all how could the former cup-winners be losing to minnows such as these?

Similarly, Barrow arrived at the Brick 18th in League Two. Now this is maybe of a less gaping chasm than that between League One and the National League South, but I would assume the same logic applies; turn up, put a few past them, home in time for ‘Strictly’.

In both instances, we have arrived looking like the far more imposing force and were quickly humbled. Bundle it in early on, assume it’s all over, only to be pegged back with little in the way of quality on the ball and concede before scraping through on penalties. Against teams that are currently 29 and 66 places below us.

To me, the fault lies in our attitude. Yes, if Dara Costelloe scores more, then we win more, or Christian Saydee, or Paul Mullin...these are not bad players after all. Honestly, I would say that this is probably the strongest we’ve been technically in many years.

But short of complete tactical ineptitude, which I don’t think Ryan Lowe can be described as having, the only thing that’s left to hang our collective hat on is application and ethos. It seems Lowe’s mentality; his sweeping whiff of superiority that is so evident on occasions - his lack of attendance at some ‘lesser’ matches, and his unwillingness to step up to the mark to defend his players due to their inability to complete his requests on the pitch, has rubbed off.

Looking back to successful teams of the last decade; they have all played with an assuredness; a willingness to take risks and be incisive, knowing that they’re capable of fending off a staunch attack but allowing themselves the fluidity to push forward and try to create as a unit.

That does not seem to be the case this season. Yes we defend, but we are not capable of putting our foot on the ball, as was so aptly pointed out by Latics Legend Tommy Gore, and imposing ourselves on the game.

In a league that evidently lacks quality, we afford even our lowliest opposition too much respect. Every match seems to follow a pattern of reservation until around 70 minutes, when we panic at points spurned, and try to churn out a result in the last quarter.

Lowe is the man in charge of these tactics - seemingly arrogant, ego-driven enough to think his tactics and his team should be enough to find the three points, but simultaneously portraying a complete lack of confidence in what we’re capable of.

He doesn’t believe in the team he has and he’d rather play pragmatically - boring, dense and uninspiring football - than take the handbrake off and push for results that he then laments we’re not getting.

If we don’t go into games believing we need to fight for every single point, battle with gritted teeth and furrowed brow for every single place on that table, and actually feel like we can win, then personally I feel that something is majorly wrong.

We have rarely had a team that feels like this - at least not in my three decades supporting the club. We have always been little Wigan - flying high and achieving the unimaginable, even when we’re by far and away the best in the league, and mostly when we’re languishing near the bottom.

We are a humble club that has perennially overachieved, almost habitually, and even when we deserve our plaudits, after so many years of hurt, it is maybe our nature to keep ourselves grounded in the face of both adversity and praise.

Lowe doesn't seem to appreciate this and to me, therein lies the issue. I don’t think he’s a bad manager, I don’t think he’s a bad person, and in many ways I admire his bullish discourse, He is not a man to mince words...but I’m unsure if he’s the right fit for the club, the team, or the town.

I don’t believe he gets it, and I think that with a team like Wigan Athletic, you sort of have to. Our relatively diminutive stature hides passion and heart and solidarity and footballing heritage. We are not a charity-case - happy to sit and watch drab football and be thankful someone has thrown us a bone.

We are Wigan Athletic, the streets won’t forget...FA Cup champions...prime Barclays...Mudhutters...rollercoaster team of the millennium...and we’ve had far more success in the last two decades than most teams have in their entire history.

So personally, I think respect is due - not the patronisation of a ‘big day out’ as mentioned by Lowe in his most recent presser. For many, we ARE the big day out, Ryan...lest you forget.

He might end up proving me wrong - after all, football is fickle beyond measure. I am as wanton as they come regarding my footballing opinions and it’s more than likely as simple as a convincing win or a run of a few, away from me being back to singing his praises.

However, currently, and for much of this season, it has felt as though we have stagnated, and on occasions regressed under his leadership. Yes we’re picking up points, and that’s all well and good, but we’re not playing the Wigan way...and that, it seems, is more than half the battle.