Wigan Athletic boss Leam Richardson is hoping his side can kick on and achieve promotion back to the Championship with positive results over their next nine games, starting this weekend against Bolton Wanderers.
Wanderers make the short journey to the DW Stadium to take on the Latics this Saturday in League One.
The 12.30pm kick-off sees automatic promotion chasing Wigan take on a Bolton side sitting midtable and with slim play-off hopes.
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Wanderers are 11 points from the top six as things stand with seven games of their season remaining, while Leam Richardson's side are battling it out with Rotherham United for the League One title.
The Latics can do the double over Ian Evatt's side with victory this Saturday, as when these two sides last met at the University of Bolton Stadium in October, the Latics picked up all three points in a 4-0 victory.
Richardson has association with both clubs, having been a player at Wanderers and helping the club being promoted to the Premier League, as well as now being a manager at the Latics.
And the Latics boss is looking forward to the derby clash with his links to both clubs as he is targeting consistency at the DW Stadium betweeen now and the end of the season to build on their positive work so far this campaign in a bid to achieve promotion back to the Championship.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” he told the club website.
“Derby Days are fantastic for the supporters and the players. I’ve been fortunate to work at both Clubs, and I had a great time at Bolton Wanderers to help them get promoted to the Premier League, to now working at Wigan where I’ve been for a few years.
“Fingers crossed we can continue to make those small steps forward to be in that place where we want to be.
"The energy levels are going to get tested and the enormity of the games are going to grow from the outside.
"If we get our consistency and behaviours correct and keep them very similar to the whole season, we will be fine.
“Hopefully for the next four weeks and nine games, we can come together collectively and get to a place where we want to be.”
