Dirty Den

In every relegation battle there are nights that you know have been the ones that got away as soon as they happen. 

When our eight year stay in the Premier League came to an end in 2013 I had that feeling after losing at home to Swansea. Even now I have flashbacks to a ball whipped across the face of goal that James McArthur couldn't quite get on the end of which would have essentially wrapped up a win. And so even though I witnessed our final nail in the coffin at Arsenal, I knew our time was up before then.

Tonight at Millwall doesn't feel quite as bad; mostly because I'll always associate our failings this season with the Mackay era, but it certainly was a big opportunity missed.

With the news that Rotherham are facing a three-point deduction we had the chance to make a fight of this again. And that we did. Except when Gary Caldwell asked to see some fight from his players I don't think he could foresee them taking it quite so literally.

A friend text me at half-time asking how the game was going. My reply was this: "it's got 0-0 and two red cards written all over it." Turns out I gave too much credit to the Wigan defence and underestimated how much a scrappy game can make players' blood boil.

As a rugby fan as well as a football fan, I was a little embarrassed to witness some of the handbags on show at the Den. Ben Flower returns for Wigan Warriors on Thursday after his ban for his Grand Final red card, and he would be ashamed of some of the pushes that warranted jeers from the stands. Martyn Waghorn and Jason Pearce may have paid the price for their aggression tonight with red cards, but I don't think Shaun Wane will be tapping them up for a run out in Super League once the football season is done.

We were outdone by Millwall at the basics. Someone got on the end of a decent cross; Marc Antoine Fortune couldn't do the same for us. They hit us on the break and sealed the game; we tried to break away but had nobody there to finish any chances off.

And so is the story of this mad season. If only we'd had a striker. If only we could win at home. If only we'd had a bit of luck. Well, the potential Rotherham saga was a bit of luck, but we couldn't capitalise.

Don't let this be seen as a reverse of faith in Gary Caldwell - I still think he's the right man for the job. But we all must now accept he's the right man to bring us back up again.

Caldwell is Superman (maybe)

"Caldwell is Superman, Caldwell is Superman, Caldwell is Superman, Caldwell is Superman."

Us Wigan fans have always been a little flattering towards players with chants, and even though this can be added to a long list of ambitious songs, the sentiment was there tonight - in Caldwell we trust.

It was new era, same near-miss but heads were held high leaving Craven Cottage. Well, relatively speaking anyway. We haven't had much to be proud of recently.

Fans never stopped singing and although there were the ever-familiar groans at the missed passes, wayward shots and failure to spot whoever in space, the apathy was absent tonight. And it certainly wasn't missed.

At one point during the first half I overheard someone say "we're playing with width, I can't f**king believe it!" It's a sad indictment of what's being going on at our club this season; that classy football we once loved seems like a distant memory to tell the grandkids about.

It was the passion that I loved witnessing most. Jermaine Pennant and Gaetan Bong ran to the other end of the pitch to celebrate Pennant's equaliser, just to share it with the Wigan fans. There is a real sense that this group want to play for Caldwell; a stark contrast to the Mackay era.

Caldwell didn't get everything right of course. Not only did we fail to win, his selection of Marc Antoine Fortune wasn't overly popular. So much so that the ironic cheers for his substitution and replacement by Martyn Waghorn were almost as loud as those for the two Wigan goals.

Whilst I don't feel like the believer I have been in previous relegation battles, if this does end (inevitably) in League One football we can all be optimistic that Caldwell could well be Superman. Bring on the League One and JPT Trophy double.

He's One of Our Own

Anyone familiar with that scene in the Wizard of Oz with the song 'Ding Dong the Wicked Witch is Dead?' That's kind of how I imagine King Street in Wigan looked on Monday night after Malky Mackay was sacked.

Fast forward a couple of days and it might look a bit more like Dorothy and co skipping down the yellow brick road, full of optimism and excitement as Wigan fans start to look forward to what Oz will be like with Gary Caldwell in charge.

The Mackay era was a write-off to say the least. His appointment was the catalyst for a series of disastrous events at Wigan Athletic which ultimately resulted in Chairman Dave Whelan standing down. His sacking by new Chairman David Sharpe may have come on the same day that we effectively came to terms with relegation, but it was also celebrated as the time that the people running the club listened to the fans; enough was enough.

And that's enough about Mackay. He came, we lost, we suffered. But now the fans must back a new manager in a way that we haven't been able to do since Roberto Martinez took over in 2009. For Caldwell is one of our own.

In the news conference for Caldwell's appointment Sharpe described the former Club Captain as "one of us" and whilst I don't think Latics fans will be replicating the Spurs chant for Harry Kane (or perhaps I have just inspired Caldwell's first song as manager...), fans must surely be pleased that Sharpe has turned to someone from within to take the club forward.

And that's what it's about now. Looking ahead and going forward. Sharpe also said it would be a "miracle" if we stayed up this season and not even those with the strongest rose-tinted spectacles could disagree with him. This is a long-term appointment and we have to start thinking about a promotion-winning season in 2015/16.

Caldwell is here to pick up the mess that Malky left and if he acts on his proposed philosophy then I for one will be happy to see him stay at Wigan for the foreseeable. He has promised to bring back stylish football to the DW, but isn't naive with it. The quote that caught my eye most this morning was this: "I'm not silly enough to think playing nice football every week and losing is a good thing." And thank God for that.

So for now let's give it a good go, Wigan Athletic-style. I'll be at Fulham and Millwall and whilst I'm not expecting that miracle Sharpe referred to, I'll be backing Caldwell and co to see what they can offer. 

Next season isn't going to be glamorous, but should things to go to plan, what a pleasure it will be to see some flowing football, players that care and maybe even some victories. Now isn't that worth following the yellow brick road for...