Wigan Preview

I'm just about old enough to remember Wigan being a non-League club (and by definition Southport as a League club), but it has just dawned on me I didn't really have a clue where the town was. It's just kind of 'up North', and as with the likes of Blackburn or Bolton, just don't ask me for directions.

They clearly represent one of the success stories of the past decade or so, perhaps only rivalled by our own I guess, but the rugby-obsessed locals are decidedly unimpressed with only 16,235 showing up for what I now realise was a local derby with Man City. Indeed they failed even to sell out for the Man Utd game two weeks ago. Hence I fear (for them) that tomorrow's crowd could be just 13-14,000 or so.

Although they are many differences between the clubs, it ought to serve as a reminder to our own Board that the 'Premiership' is not the selling point it once was, and it's hard to 'create' fans out of thin air regardless of the opposition. Let's not build any more seats until we know if we can fill them (I think they've finally got the message anyhow).

Our performance there last season was so poor that it served as the catalyst for me to argue that Curbs ought to go, so surely anything that happens tomorrow should be an improvement. We arrive on the back of three Premiership clean sheets and a hard-fought morale-boosting Cup win, and really should have nothing to fear particularly playing in a half-full stadium. The Hasselbaink goals in midweek will present Dowie with a decision to make but I would hope he keeps the increasingly impressive Reid in the 'hole' and reverts back to 4-5-1.

Derek 'Killer' Hales (KillerWatch© -£82) is opting for a draw at 9/4 and I'm inclined to think he may well have found a 'spot of value' as he puts it, but I will demonstrate my increasingly bullish view on Dowie's approach by backing a win that sees us finally move off the bottom. NY Addick predicts: Wigan 1 (Camara), Charlton 2 (Bent D, Reid)