The list really could go on. It was a year full of pressure. I don't think it was ever going to match 2005 as a great calendar year. We gained promotion to the premiership and made the best start to a season any newly promoted club has but it has still been a year that we, as Latics fans, can look back on and smile.
January
We had had a topsy-turvy Christmas, 5 defeats in a row leading to 4 wins in a row, then that BUMP right at the end losing 3-0 to Blackburn at home.
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We welcomed Austrian defender Paul Scharner to the JJB, a relative unknown. Reto Ziegler was also landed on a loan deal. We had various other transfer targets in January, one being the now Portsmouth striker Benjani. Other targets included Pompey's Matty Taylor and also Cardiff's Cameron Jerome, both to no avail.
January is one of the busiest months for managers what with it being the only time mid-season the transfer window is open. Towards the end of the month Wigan landed two more signings on loan. David Thompson of Blackburn and Neil Mellor of Liverpool.
All 3 signings started very well. Scharner scoring on his debut against Arsenal in the Carling Cup and both Mellor and Thompson netting in our away win at Boro. We also kept those Evertonians to a 1-1 draw at the JJB, meaning they hadn't beaten us this season, which had given me some bragging rights!
The game was marred by two sendings off, Everton's Duncan Ferguson for committing GBH on Wigan new boy Paul Scharner and Wigan's Jason Roberts as the referee didn't like the idea that Wigan had a one-man advantage (the ref called it an elbow to the face though).
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I couldn't make it to Highbury myself, so watched it in the pub with some mates. We went down not thinking much of the game and sub consciously expecting to lose I suppose, little did we realise the emotions that night would bring.
The anger of some of the worst refereeing ever by Phil Dowd, the relief after Mike Pollitt's remarkable penalty save, the annoyance of Arsenals aggregate equaliser,Kerrea Gilbert setting up Henry. The heartbreak after Robin Van Persie's extra time free kick that seemed to have won it for the gunners.
The joy following Jason Roberts's late winner, the nerves leading to the full time whistle, the relief AT the full time whistle, the confusion as to whether we were through or not and finally the immense joy and pride when we realised we were there. So by the end of January, little Wigan Athletic were in their first ever major Cup Final, not a bad start to the year at all!
Oh yeah, then a few days later we got knocked out of the FA Cup away at Man City, oh well, can't win ‘em all can you!
Mon 02 Jan | A | League | L 0-2 | 29,189 | |
Sat 07 Jan | H | F.A. Cup | D 1-1 | 10,980 | |
Tue 10 Jan | H | League Cup | W 1-0 | 12,181 | |
Sun 15 Jan | H | League | L 0-1 | 17,421 | |
Tue 17 Jan | A | F.A. Cup | D 3-3 Wigan 4-2 On pens | 15,243 | |
Sat 21 Jan | A | League | W 3-2 | 27,208 | |
Tue 24 Jan | A | League Cup | L 1-2 Wigan win On away goals | 34,692 | |
Sat 28 Jan | A | F.A. Cup | L 0-1 | 30,811 | |
Tue 31 Jan | H | League | D 1-1 | 21,731 |
