Wigan Athletic will be promoted 'without a doubt' - Shrewsbury boss

It’s not the first time in recent weeks a rival manager has thrust such superlatives on Leam Richardson’s side in the lead-up to a game.

After missing out on securing a spot in the top two by a single goal in each of their last three outings, Latics will know they must their talking loud and clear out there on the pitch in Shropshire.

"Obviously it’s a big day for Wigan," Cotterill told the official Shrewsbury website. "They deserve to be top of the table and probably deserve to be promoted, if I’m honest.

“A big congratulations to Wigan and to Leam. I think they’ve had a really solid season.

They've gone and got results especially away from home - their away form is better than their home form - so that’s something we need to be mindful of.

“It’s going to take an awful set of results as far as Wigan are concerned for them to not get promoted.

"They’ll get promoted at the weekend without a shadow of a doubt.

"I can’t see all the other results going as badly for Wigan as they need to, so I think Wigan will be promoted.

"But they’re going to want to come here and win the title – I would want to do the same – so we know there will be a lot of emotion involved.

"I know it’s a bit early to congratulate them, but I think that’s what will happen for them at the weekend.

"We’ve just got to make sure we’re in the game as much as them, that’s what we’ve got to try and do.

"We can’t worry about what Wigan are going to do and then also worry about what we’re going to do, because that’s too much, we can only worry about what we’re going to do."