Wigan Athletic - A fan's view
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Monday, 21, May 2007 04:33
Good, bad or just the same old, same old. What the fans made of the 2006-07 season.
Well - they stayed up. That's about the best thing to come from a season which, overall, was massively disappointing after the team's first foray into top flight football, in which they played with guts and gusto and well above expectations.
Perhaps the second time around was a case of reality bites, after losing the talismanic Bullard and Pascal Chimonda to London clubs, along with danger man Roberts, but it still left a bitter taste for much of the season. Although relegation was more a back-of-the mind worry than an outright fear, with West Ham, Charlton and Watford seemingly intent on their own destruction, the spectre loomed much larger after continually poor results towards the end of the campaign.
No more cup final-reaching heroics, no more beating relegation fodder with ease, this season was one of scrapping, scraping and the sight of Paul Jewell becoming increasingly animated with referees and opposition managers. Even Dave Whelan seemed to be feeling the pressure, threatening legal action against a resurgent Hammers side buoyed by the form of illegally-signed goal machine Carlos Tevez.
But hey, they stayed up!
Grade: C
High Point
The last day of the season - Jewell shaking his fist in joy alongside a despondent Neil Warnock as The Latics secured their survival. Marred slightly by relegating the good-value Blades, as West Ham got an unlikely win against a cut-price Manchester United side seemingly more intent on kissing the trophy than putting on a performance.
Low Point
Most of the season... but losing to Crewe in the Carling Cup, after reaching the showpiece final in the previous season, stands out as indicative of this year's sub-mediocrity.
Fan's Player of the Year
Emile Heskey
Although the official title was awarded to potential future England left-back Leighton Baines - who no doubt had a fine season, I think Emile Heskey's achievements of managing to score a few in front of a decidedly average midfield deserves some praise.
The previous year's heroics were marked by the oppositions' continual inability to cope with Henri Camara and Jason Roberts - a fact evident this time around when Roberts left for promotion-chasing Blackburn and Camara spent much of the season on the treatment table.
But pesky Heskey continued to put himself about this term despite woefully little service at times, scoring nine Premiership goals for his troubles and putting in a top-class, defence tormenting performance when it mattered most in the Bramall Lane cauldron on the season's final day. Heskey even switched to centre-back at points in the game, his muscularity and physical dominance helping to ward off the various threats of Sheffield United's front line.
Needs for Next Season
Where to start? With a new manager following the departure of Jewell, followed by Unsworth and skipper De Zeeuw saying their goodbyes, it's hard to envision anything but another grim fight for Premiership survival. Our salvation, as it often has been in recent years, may have to come from he chequebook of Dave Whelan - it's clear that quality is lacking throughout the side and must be brought in if the club is to have any chance against newly promoted big boys like Birmingham and Roy Keane's Sunderland.
Wesley Charnock
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