To understand what it means to win promotion back to the Championship, it is important to know what Wigan have been through in less than two years.
When the coronavirus pandemic hit, few considered them at risk of imminent financial instability.
In July 2020, however, they entered administration when their Hong Kong owners conceded they could not support them financially, throwing an already chaotic season into further disarray.
With a 12-point deduction looming, the Latics had six games left to build a cushion on the relegation places to avoid the drop to League One.
Under former boss Paul Cook they put up quite the fight, including beating Hull City 8-0 to equal the biggest victory in Championship history, losing just once in their final 15 games, but their spirited efforts were not enough.
A failed appeal against the points deduction followed, as did a fan-led crowdfunding campaign to save the club – leading to more than £600,000 being raised.
Cook – and many of the club’s squad – left the Latics just before they tentatively began the 2020-21 League One season.
In March 2021, Bahraini businessman Abdulrahman Al-Jasmi bought the club after an ill-fated deal with a Spanish consortium collapsed, ending nearly a year of financial uncertainty, and the club later avoided relegation to League Two by just a point.
This season, under Richardson’s stewardship, the club has reached the FA Cup fourth round – as well as the semi-final of the Papa John’s Trophy – as the turnaround began.
Just one defeat in their final 13 games saw Richardson claw them over the line to restore their place in English football’s second tier.
