Wigan Athletic Preview

By Mark Heys
April 5 2007

The Wanderers hope to begin the Easter period with a bang as they take on local rivals Wigan Athletic at the JJB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Bolton are fresh from beating Sheffield United last weekend and they are aiming to make it two wins in as many games against a side which they have failed to beat since both teams requianted their rivalries in the top flight two years ago.

The Trotters picked up just one point from a possible six in the two corresponding matches last season and back in November a late goal from Lee McCulloch ensured that Wigan's hoodoo over the Wanderers continued.

Wigan are unbeaten at home in over two months but a defeat against relegation rivals Charlton Athletic the last time out was not the ideal preparation for Paul Jewell's team.

Jewell could see his side sucked further into the relegation zone if they are defeated whilst a Bolton win will nudge them further ahead of the likes of Everton whom they come face to face with on Easter Monday.

Wanderers will be without the suspended Ivan Campo and Kevin Nolan so Andranik Teimourian could be called up from the substitutes bench with Gary Speed taking on the role of team captain.

Ex-Wigan midfielder David Thompson could also come into the reckoning against his former club after impressing for the reserves in midweek but it's likely that Andranik will get the nod to partner Speed and Abdoulaye Faye in the midfield.

The Latics have goalkeeper Chris Kirkland still out of action with a finger injury so veteran John Filan will once again continue in goal. Austrian international midfielder Paul Scharnar is pushing for a starting place after getting more match action in the game against Charlton.

PREMIERSHIP RECORD

02/10/2005 WIGAN ATHLETIC 2 (Camara, McCulloch) BOLTON WANDERERS 1 (Jaidi)

04/02/2006 BOLTON WANDERERS 1 (Giannakopoulos) WIGAN ATHLETIC 1 (Johansson)

04/11/2006 BOLTON WANDERERS 0 WIGAN ATHLETIC 1 (McCulloch)

PREMIERSHIP FORM GUIDE:

Played: 3

Won: 0

Drawn: 1

Lost: 2

CONNECTIONS

John Ball, Malcolm Barrass, Brian Bromley, Paul Comstive, Walter Crook, Ernie Corfield, Wayne Entwistle, Simon Farnworth, Gareth Farrelly, Dave Felgate, Per Frandsen, Scott Green, Ken Grieves, Ralph Gubbins, Derek Hennin, John Higgins, Paul Jones, Tony Kelly, David Lee, Paul Lodge, Dave McKearney, Tommy Neill, Neil Redfearn, Bruce Rioch, Ian Seddon, Geoff Sleight, Stuart Storer, Greg Strong, Steve Taylor, Emerson Thome, Chris Thompson, David Thompson, Gavin Ward, Stuart Whittaker, Roy Wilkinson, Tom Woodward.

IT HAPPENED WHEN BOLTON PLAYED ATHLETIC

Experienced striker Bobby Campbell scored a hat trick for Wigan to send them through from the First round of the League Cup in August 1987. Bolton's Jeff Chandler suffered a serious ligament injury in that game and was ruled out for the majority of the Wanderers promotion campaign from Division 4.

Ex-Wigan midfielder Tony Kelly made a bustling run from the Bolton midfield to score in the last ever meeting at Springfield Park.

Jason Roberts, now of Blackburn Rovers, scored twice against Wanderers last season to send Wigan Athletic into the Semi Finals of the Carling Cup for the first time in their history

Swedish midfielder Andreas Johansson scored his first ever Premiership goal against Bolton when the two teams met at the Reebok Stadium just over twelve months ago.