Wigan Athletic should be a Championship club, but an instant return may be beyond their capabilities

Back in July, one of the most despicable acts football has seen took place as Wigan Athletic were relegated from the Championship, despite racking up enough points for a comfortable mid-table finish.

It was announced that the Latics would be deducted twelve points after their final game of the season at home to Fulham, meaning that they had to win to stay up as their total of 58 wouldn’t be enough when reduced by twelve.

Wigan could only muster a 1-1 draw and were thus cruelly relegated to the third tier of English football, despite picking up enough points that would’ve seen a comfortable 13th placed finish.

The points deduction was given as punishment for the Greater Manchester club going into administration in early July after their new Hong Kong-based owners declared that they couldn’t support the club financially.

The fact that the EFL allowed such an organisation to acquire majority shares in a Championship football club is beyond unethical and is another example of allowing a great football club to rot.

Alas, Wigan Athletic find themselves a League One club once again. As expected when a club is relegated, players left Wigan in the summer. However, it wasn’t a case of a handful of key players returning to the Championship, it was a case of losing almost an entire squad.

Wigan’s case is a unique one.

Usually when a club is relegated a vast majority of players haven’t performed to the level required. But the Latics had had a good season and numerous players performed to a good Championship level, hence why so many felt that their ability was beyond the third tier.

A club with limited funds, Wigan were able to make some signings, but mainly promoted from within to replace their lost heroes. 

They also lost their manager Paul Cook who resigned after seeing the club promoted back to the Championship and have two decent campaigns during his tenure at the DW Stadium, albeit the latter ended in relegation.

Cook was replaced by EFL journeyman John Sheridan on a short-term deal. The 56-year-old has managed numerous clubs across the Football League, spending no more than a season with the majority. This suggests that he won’t be around at the DW Stadium for very long.

After four games in League One the club find themselves in tenth position after two wins over Portsmouth and Doncaster and two defeats to Ipswich and Gillingham. 

On Saturday they travel to Crewe Alexandra, a club who were two leagues below Wigan last term but were promoted on points per game following both Leagues One and Two being declared null and void due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The League One new boys have had a decent return to the third tier after a four year absence, winning last time out against MK Dons after a tricky start with losses to both Charlton and Hull City who were relegated from the Championship alongside Wigan.

However, the Railwaymen have played a game less than Wigan after their trip to Oxford United last week was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Having enjoyed a strong campaign last term which saw the Latics on the verge of a top-half finish, suddenly being a mid table League One side must be a real shock to the system. 

The club deserves to be in the Championship and will target as quick a return to the second tier as possible. However, with limited resources, the Latics may have to settle for mid-table obscurity in League One for this season and seasons to come until their ownership predicament is sorted.

Our reporter Dan Hargraves will be at The Alexandra Stadium on Saturday covering the League One match between Crewe Alexandra and Wigan Athletic for us.

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