Meet the opposition | Wigan Athletic
As Swansea City head to the DW Stadium to face Wigan Athletic on Monday, we take a closer look at the Latics.
What’s their story?
Established in 1932 Wigan Athletic spent over 40 years of their existence plying their trade outside the top four tiers before being elected to the Football League in 1978.
They would enjoy the finest period of their history following the takeover of the club by local entrepreneur and former footballer Dave Whelan. They moved to the JJB Stadium - now the DW Stadium - and the club climbed from the fourth tier to the heights of the Premier League by 2005.
They would remain in the top-flight for eight years, and won a number of plaudits for their style of play under former Swansea boss Roberto Martinez.
He would guide them to FA Cup success in 2013 as they shocked Manchester City at Wembley to secure the club's first major honour, but just days later they suffered relegation from the Premier League.
Recent years have seen the club bounce between League One and the Championship with the club winning the League One title on three occasions.
The most recent of those occasions came last term under Leam Richardson, when they pipped Rotherham United to the title on the final day of the season.
How’s their form?
Tough. The Latics have won three of their last 20 games in the Championship and are propping up the division as time runs out.
Not helped by a three-point deduction for a failure to pay staff and players, Wigan are eight points from safety with time fast running out.
However, a victory over fellow strugglers QPR has kept hopes alive of a great escape.
Who’s the gaffer?
Shaun Maloney. The Scot is the third manager in the DW Stadium hot seat this season, following the departures of Leam Richardson and his successor Kolo Toure.
The former striker was part of the Belgium coaching staff under former Swansea and Wigan boss Roberto Martinez, but left his position following Euro 2020 and went on to become Hibernian boss in December 2021.
He left Easter Road in April 2022, and returned to the dug-out with the Latics in January.
As a player, Maloney came through the ranks at Celtic and won five league titles with the Bhoys, and was part of the side that reached the Uefa Cup final under Martin O’Neill in 2003.
He moved to Aston Villa in 2007 but returned to Celtic a year later and remained at Parkhead until 2011, when he joined Wigan and helped them win the FA Cup in 2013 prior to their relegation from the Premier League.
He had a four-year stint with the Latics, and rounded off his playing days with Chicago Fire and Hull before moving into coaching, initially in the Celtic academy set-up.
Who’s the captain?
Zimbabwe international defender Tendayi Darikwa is the skipper of the Latics.
The 31-year-old - who can operate in the middle of the park as well as in defence - has been at the Lancashire club since January 2021 after leaving Nottingham Forest on a free transfer.
Darikwa has been a regular throughout his time at the DW Stadium, making 112 appearances in the process.
The former Burnley and Chesterfield player has been captain of the club since the start of the 2021-22 promotion winning season.
Who are the key men?
Former Manchester United striker Will Keane has been Wigan’s main goal threat for much of the campaign.
Last season’s top scorer's 26 league goals fired the Latics to promotion back to the Championship after a two-year absence, and secured Keane the League One golden boot.
A player with Championship experience at various clubs including Hull City, Preston North End and Ipswich Town, it’s at the DW Stadium where the Republic of Ireland international has shone most scoring 46 goals in 113 league games since his arrival from Portman Road in 2020.
Brother of Everton defender Michael, Keane is currently top scorer for the Lancashire club with 10 goals this campaign.
Birkenhead-born winger Max Power is in his second spell at the club after reuniting with previous manager Leam Richardson ahead of the 2021-2022 season.
The right-sided speedster started out his career at Tranmere Rovers, who he joined at the age of eight and went on to make over 100 senior appearances for.
Power was a regular in his first spell at the Latics after moving in 2015, making 127 league appearances in four years.
He was a key member of the teams that won promotion to the Championship in 2016 and 2018.
Power then joined Sunderland on loan, with the move eventually turned into a permanent deal. He suffered play-off final heartbreak with the Black Cats in 2019, but is back in the second tier having rejoined Wigan ahead of last season's promotion push.
He netted his first Championship goal from the penalty spot in the recent win over QPR.
Another player in his second spell with the Latics is combative veteran midfielder James McClean.
A player with a wealth of international, Premier League and Championship experience from his time with the likes of Stoke City and West Brom, McLean rejoined the Latics - who he had a previous spell with between 2013 and 2015 - at the beginning of last season.
The Republic of Ireland international is closing in on 100 appearances for his country having represented them at two European Championships in 2012 and 2016.
He has three goals and six assists to his name so far this season, and recently revealed he had been diagnosed with autism at the age of 33.