Three wins in a row against Lincoln, champions Portsmouth and Bristol Rovers saw Latics close the season with a flourish, to secure a 12th-placed finish
It was a far cry from the state of play last summer, when Maloney’s men started off eight points behind the rest due to an EFL sanction for financial issues relating to the club’s previous ownership.
That meant the goal was always to stay in the division, and lay some foundations for coming campaigns, leaving Maloney well satisfied with his first full season in charge.
“With seven games left, we would have been five points out of the playoffs without the minus eight, which is disheartening.
“After the international break, that would have fundamentally altered the club’s energy and atmosphere.
Because the minus eight points was such a novel foe to contend with, it was exceedingly challenging to maintain stability among the players and support staff.
“And it did felt like a struggle uphill. Our “false” league position amplified every setback.
“Despite wiping out that deficit in our first four games, we were still bottom of the table…(but)…what I have liked is that we’ve consistently found a way to win enough games to achieve our objective.”
Maloney is more aware than anybody of the necessity to walk before attempting to run, having disclosed that there were multiple occasions last summer when he thought the team was in danger of going to the wall – before to Mike Danson’s takeover.
“We were in the Premier League when I was here before,” he stated. “As of right moment, it appears that we have lost the Euxton training ground that we bought and are back at the original training ground.
That is only one illustration of the need for everything, both on and off the pitch, to be focused on our ability to support ourselves. Trying to drive that is a huge part of my work. Though I intend to stay here for a while, I want to leave the club in a better state than when I arrived.”
