It was a perfect end to the season for Wigan Athletic at the weekend as they closed with a third win on the bounce against, in truth, a very poor Bristol Rovers outfit.
But make no mistake, to finish in the top half of the table – given everything that’s gone on during the last 12 months – is well worthy of celebration.
Furthermore, it was evident from the moments that followed the game on the lap of appreciation that this is a team with a promising future.
It remains to be seen if many of the players who were on the pitch at the end are part of that future.
As is customary these days, we heard from a few players whose contributions to the cause this term cannot be understated within 24 hours of the last whistle. However, their futures may very well lie elsewhere.
Stephen Humphrys and Jordan Jones both expressed gratitude for the support they’ve gotten from the club, the supporters, and – most tellingly – the manager in their remarks.
Interestingly, both seemed to be saying farewell, but they left the door slightly open, as if they might stay on.
In actuality, if we were playing by “normal” regulations, both players would have been re-signed up long ago.
However, nothing about the past 12 months—which span from the end of the Phoenix era to the start of Mike Danson’s new era—has been “normal.”
We have yet to learn what the financial scene will hold come summertime and beyond.
their capacity for income.
We’ll see which way these two guys go this summer, and we want the best for them both.
However, when one door closes, another one or two open, so there should be cautious optimism about the recruitment gains that can be made this summer.
Two major benefits that Latics did not have last summer will be available to them.
First of all, they won’t have to operate under the restrictions of a transfer embargo, which has kept them from paying fees for the previous two windows.
Although we are aware that transfer costs won’t be enormous, Latics were unable to invest even a little amount on players they had found on the market, and regrettably, they are now likely beyond their means.
Second, when players leave, room must be created on the salary sheet, and this summer’s free agents included a number of players at the top of the balance sheet.
Some of them were players who weren’t very active this season and whose absence won’t be noticed too much on the tea.
