Wigan Athletic – Robin’s View

So Tuesday 14th May 2013 was the day it all was confirmed. Wigan Athletic were relegated from the Premier League. It was always going to be a tough ask at the Emirates, but after a superb FA Cup win over Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City and with the stat that no team had ever gone down that had won the cup, optimism was high. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be, but we have claimed one of football’s greatest prizes and we’re well and truly on that map.

Plus, the lure of European football may convince Roberto Martinez to stay at Wigan Athletic, as it may some of our current players, but no doubt some may move on already.

Eight years in the Premier League is an incredible feat and nobody can take that away from us proud Latics fans. Our relegation may bring some mixed feelings from certain quarters, but we have the FA Cup, had an excellent run in the EPL and beaten all the top teams. What’s left to do? Some teams I would imagine haven’t even beaten all of those teams in all the years they’ve been in existence.

Whilst this season we have been formidable going forward, we have been vulnerable at the back and conceded some costly goals, but injuries have not helped, either. It is a cruel irony that a team that plays football the right way gets relegated, but nobody said the game was a fair one.

However, optimism is still high as we have the FA Cup parade to look forward to (sadly, I shall miss it since I live in Basingstoke), the European League and also a host of championship fixtures, plus some very feisty derbies, not least with our best friends, Bolton, who very narrowly themselves missed out on the play-offs from last season and will be a strong contender for that scenario again this year, maybe one step better.

I don’t imagine that our ride in the championship and the European League will be an easy tenure and I am also not overly convinced we will return at the first hurdle, though I do think in time we will return – but that all depends if Roberto stays and what happens to the club during the summer. The fact that Dave Whelan is staying is also a huge plus to the club.

Personally, my favourite moment in the Premier League was finally beating Manchester United 1-0 at the DW Stadium last season as we had suffered some unpleasant defeats at their hands, so that was an all satisfying night. There have been plenty more memorable moments, but beating the champions was a particular highlight for me. Despite our drop to the Championship, we will get to play the ‘bright lights’ again.

For me, as another member on here posted, I do believe the English Premier League has lost a portion of its spark as money will only keep a handful of clubs in the league and the other clubs will only be waiting in the form of a line before they drop too. I do believe the clubs who get promoted should have a shout at glory, just like us and our FA Cup success – I would’ve been very unhappy if we dropped with a whimper because that would have been cruel, despite the fact we had no divine right to win the cup, but in the end, it was a deserved and happy success for all concerned.

We are also financially sound, playing in the Europa League, have a good chance of holding onto Roberto Martinez and with a positive summer, we can make a good stance in the Championship come next season and possibly make it back to the Premier League, but to be honest, it doesn’t matter where you are as long as you are a Latics fan, through thick and thin!

Lets get behind the lads for our final home game for now in the EPL and look forward to the ‘bright future’ that Roberto has promised and hopefully, will come to fruition.

UP THE LATICS!!!!