Championship Pulse Check: How are the Sunderland old-boys getting on at Wigan?

Wigan Athletic. 12th P9 W3 D4 L2

Wigan of course claimed an automatic promotion spot last season, and with the likes of Max Power, Charlie Wyke, Nathan Broadhead and James McClean in their ranks they’re always going to be a team lads fans pay more than a passing interest in.

Here’s how the team from Wigan podcast Progress With Unity are feeling nine games into the Championship season...

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What’s gone well for you so far this season?

Away days, we’ve kept up our away form from last season with 3 wins and a draw from our 4 on the road so far.

We just appear to have the ability to grind out results on our travels, winning the 3 games with goals in the final 8 minutes of each game

And what’s not gone so well?

Our home form, 3 draws and 2 defeats have left the Latics faithful scratching our heads as to what it is that makes us so effective away, but struggling to win a game on our own turf.

We play very similar home and away, we have rode our luck at times away from the DW, whilst at home we haven’t had the rub of the green.

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Who’s been your standout player so far?

Over the last four games, Graeme Shinnie has forced his way into the starting XI and to be honest, he’s been excellent, also big Josh Magennis has made a very good start to the season winning his personal battles in each game and proving a handful for opposition centre backs.

Our young starlet, Thelo Aasgaard, had a couple of cameos and looked good, getting a 90th-minute winner away at Luton with a peach of an effort, he’s started our last 2 games and I think he is going to make a big impression this season.

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Who’s not quite been at the races?

I wouldn’t say anyone has really underperformed, Joe Bennett got red-carded at Birmingham, later rescinded, but he’s not been in the squad since, not sure if it’s an injury or not.

Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images

How’s the general feeling regarding your manager?

Leam Richardson can do no wrong. He guided us through our lowest point in the administration period then delivered the following season with taking us to the title. We’re lucky to have a manager like him – he leads from the front, is always respectful to the opposition, is very professional and a brilliant coach, job for life.

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Where did you think you’d finish before the season started, and has that changed?

I thought lower mid table, somewhere between 18th and 14th so plumped for 16th.

I haven’t changed my mind, I still believe that’s where we will end up, a bit of an anomaly this season for me, I’d say all 3 promoted sides will stay up

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And finally, what’s your impression of Sunderland been so far?

The final goal at Reading was something else! Great to see, along with ourselves and Rotherham, that Sunderland are making a mark in the Championship.

By the looks of things Sunderland will be in for a good season, though like us you need to get your home form sorted.