Manager reflects as ten men Latics win 1-0 win at Birmingham City.

Leam Richardson | “The lads represented themselves terrifically well”
Wigan Athletic manager reflects as ten men Latics win 1-0 win at Birmingham City.
Richardson on returning Charlie Wyke: “You know my thoughts on the person – nevermind the footballer – and I know how hard he has worked from nine months ago to get back in training and get back on the pitch. There was never going to be anybody who could stop him.”

Wigan Athletic manager Leam Richardson heaped the praise on his players as they battled for over 80 minutes with ten men to earn a 1-0 victory at Birmingham City.

Joe Bennett was controversially sent off in the early stages at St. Andrew’s, though Latics showed resilience in abundance once again to protect a clean sheet and grab the win thanks to substitute Nathan Broadhead’s first goal for the club.

Reflecting post-match with Latics TV, Richardson said:

“I thought the output the lads gave today [was fantastic]; everybody who went onto the pitch, with the information that they had to carry out to go and get that victory, I thought they represented themselves terrifically well and deserved the win.

“It wasn’t [an ideal start]; and I’d rather not comment on refereeing decisions because they have a lot of moving parts, some they get right, some they get wrong. I’d rather be positive and look at Charlie Wyke coming back on the pitch, Jamie Jones with a clean sheet, Nathan Broadhead’s first goal, the lads carrying the job out terrifically well and the captain setting the example around the pitch. The distance covered by the team collectively was fantastic.

“I think we prepared as well as we could this week and within the change and the sending off, I still felt we could control large parts of the game in certain areas and we could control large parts of the game out of possession as well and we were comfortable with that at times, although we had to be respectful of the quality of player that was on the pitch because they had a lot of Premier League and Championship experience on the pitch.”

On Wyke, who made his first competitive appearance for Latics after suffering a cardiac arrest nine months ago, Richardson added:

“You know my thoughts on the person – nevermind the footballer – and I know how hard he has worked from nine months ago to get back in training and get back on the pitch. There was never going to be anybody who could stop him.

“All I had to do was support him and give him that platform to do that – I thought his touch was fantastic so he has obviously been doing something while he’s been away! His assist was great as well.”

Watch the full interview FREE on Latics TV above.

Leam Richardson | “The lads represented themselves terrifically well”