Wigan’s eight-year Premier League stint ended in 2013 and, after a turbulent period, we now find ourselves in League One.
Several managers have come and gone and it is now former Portsmouth boss Paul Cook who has been charged with the task of taking the Latics back into the Championship.
The most important thing now for the club is stability, as the rotating door policy of changing managers on a whim has clearly not worked, and it is time to back the current incumbent to deliver the goods.
Early signs are promising as Latics sit sixth in the standings and have won four of six league games played with just one defeat to Shrewsbury Town a couple of weeks ago.
Scoring goals was the real problem last term, with only 40 from 46 games played, and Cook’s men have already notched 11 this time around.
We were one of the best defensive sides in last season’s Championship, with only the top two of Newcastle and Brighton conceding fewer goals, and that has continued with only three shipped to date.
The task now is to keep it going as there are bound to be spells when the results do not go as planned and it will be up to the manager and coaching staff to keep morale high at a club desperate to get back to their former status.
Summer recruitment is always key and, in Gavin Massey, Cook seems to have landed a player who can make a real difference.
It was always going to be a gamble but the 24-year-old has started all six games and bagged two goals along the way, and keeping him fit for the duration of the campaign will be vital.
The Watford-born winger has never been that prolific in front of goal but it may be another string that he adds to his bow while at the DW Stadium.
Getting the right blend of youth and experience is what all managers seek and so bringing back Alex Bruce is a plus in that respect.
The 32-year-old has not played too much this season but is a seasoned performer that will not let anyone down when called upon.
Cook has set his stall out and stamped his authority on the club and he now needs to get Will Grigg firing and back among the goals.
The man with his own theme tune notched 25 as Wigan gained promotion from League One in the 2015-16 season but has yet to get off the mark back in the same division.
The Northern Irishman has been used mainly from the bench in the early matches and it will surely be only a matter of time before he finds his scoring boots.
League One will not be easy to get out of but both the club and the manager know how to go about a promotion campaign as Cook guided Pompey to the League Two title last season before moving to Wigan.
This will be a tougher challenge but Wigan are among the favourites to go up and those who like a punt on League One football should check out all the best sites and odds available at Bethut.
There seems to be belief around the club that the Latics can bounce straight back and Cook must be given all the time he needs to achieve his aim.
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