Up for the fight

BULLISH MOOD . . . Athletic manager John Sheridan.

ATHLETIC won’t lay down and submit to Wigan says bullish manager John Sheridan.

A nine-match unbeaten run and goals galore have pushed Gary Caldwell’s hosts to within touching distance of an automatic promotion spot..

Despite the raft of talent throughout Caldwell’s squad, it is a simple game of 11 men against 11 at the DW Stadium tomorrow, says Cheridan — and Athletic will be out for three points.

“We have to try to win the game as well,” said Sheridan. “We are not going there to draw or to try to nick a point. I have a lot of respect for Wigan and they are a good team. But we just have to go there and, on a big pitch, affect the game our own way.

“I won’t look at excuses. We have good enough players and if we perform the way we can, then we can get something.”

Blackpool, Athletic’s opponents on Tuesday amid a run of four away-days in the next five fixtures, are at home to Shrewsbury tomorrow. Both clubs lie just outside the relegation zone and if Athletic were to upset the applecart by winning this weekend, there is the prospect of Sheridan’s side finding themselves clear of the bottom-four in the next four days.

The Athletic boss reckons that in a division with so little between the teams, such runs aren’t so outlandish.

“I can see sides at the bottom going on runs of winning four or five games. We have to look after ourselves,” he said