Wigan Athletic can be confident of 24/25 promotion push after Posh, Bolton and Lincoln evidence: View | OneFootball

League One observers will be accustomed to seeing Wigan Athletic compete at the very top of the table, after the Latics won the third tier title in 2016, 2018 and 2022.

However, such a promotion push has not been possible for the Latics during the 2023/24 League One campaign, as the club have encountered a number of obstacles.

Shaun Maloney's men began the campaign on a points tally of -8, following a deduction courtesy of the financial mismanagement overseen by the side's previous ownership group.

Due to former owner Abdulrahman Al-Jasmi's consistent failure to pay both playing and non-playing staff during the 2022/23 campaign, the Latics also faced a transfer embargo which spanned both the summer and January transfer windows, which led to the club being reliant upon free signings, loanees and academy products.

But, all things considered, Maloney and co have had a very decent campaign, and have guided themselves to safety with two league games remaining, while a top-half finish could still be in their sights.

Furthermore, the Latics have proven their ability this season with victories over promotion chasing sides such as Bolton, Peterborough and Oxford coming earlier in the campaign, while Lincoln City were the latest victims to Wigan's ability to produce the goods in unlikely circumstances.

Latics trend bodes well for 2024/25 season

Even under the severe constraints of an eight point handicap and a transfer ban, the Latics have been able to defeat some of League One's finest outfits on a consistent basis.

The first such triumph for Maloney's men came on the opening day of the season, as they defeated Derby County 2-1 at Pride Park, thanks to a Charlie Wyke brace.

Paul Warne's Rams have gone on to be automatic promotion contenders, so the Latics showcased their ability to beat some of the very best teams in the third tier, even at the first time of asking.

The finest triumph of the season for the Latics also came in August, as they crushed local rivals Bolton Wanderers 4-0 at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

Ian Evatt's men are battling with the Rams for League One's only remaining automatic promotion spot, after Portsmouth won the title, but fell to their second Greater Manchester derby defeat in February, as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at the DW Stadium to their bitter rivals Latics.

Fellow top four side Peterborough suffered the same fate as Wanderers, as Maloney's men have done the double over them, with victories in both November and February.

Remarkably, the Posh did not suffer any league defeats between their away loss to the Latics on 7th November, and their loss on home soil to Maloney's side on 3rd February.

Wigan's trait of defeating tough opposition was proven once again with a win over the Imps last Saturday, and such victories demonstrate that the Latics are capable of beating high-quality opposition, which could suggest that a successful 2024/25 campaign is in store.

The summer transfer window could be key for the Latics

Despite their impressive victories this season, the Greater Manchester outfit have struggled for consistency, and have fallen to losses against some sides in the League One relegation battle.

For example, an Easter Monday defeat to Cambridge United came as a setback to Maloney and co's hopes of obtaining a top-half spot this season.

But it has been a difficult season for a youthful squad, who lack depth due to the club's transfer embargo, while the fact that England youth internationals such as Sam Tickle and Martial Godo have been two of the side's finest assets this season demonstrates the side's infancy and quality in equal measure.

If Maloney uses the summer window to effectively bolster his squad, then victories over top-six outfits this campaign show that there could be nothing to stop the Latics challenging for promotion next season.