Paul Cook delighted with Wigan’s survival in the Championship

Posted on June 11, 2019 in WAFC

Wigan Athletic manager Paul Cook has expressed his delight after the club managed to beat the Championship drop with two games to spare. The Latics have found themselves in a relegation heap in the past few months but they have managed to survive the threat with back-to-back triumphs over Leeds United and Preston North End.

Speaking after the win over Preston, Cook said: “We’re delighted. When you start off a season like we did, so strong and playing so well, we all thought staying up might be a formality. But then you get into the winter, injuries kick in to key players, and it’s a really tough time for the club. In the lowest moments we all thought about possibly getting relegated. But football is a long, long season, and you have to stay the pace. League tables don’t tell lies, everyone finishes where they deserve to finish, and we’re delighted to be staying up.”

Wigan have been poor on the road over the course of the season but they managed to secure only their second triumph away from home during their recent clash against Leeds. The Latics were down to 10 men within 14 minutes of that game, but they made a stunning comeback with a Gavin Massey brace handing them a 2-1 victory.

Against Preston, they had the better luck with the opposition finding themselves a man down after 30 minutes and this assisted them in securing a 2-0 triumph which has ensured their Championship status for next season. Wigan conclude their campaign with games against Birmingham City and Millwall, and they could still play a role in deciding the relegation fate of the latter. Millwall are currently three points ahead of the drop zone with a game in hand, but they require another three points to fend off a late comeback from Rotherham United.