Roberto Martinez has called for Barclays Premier League strugglers Wigan to harness their experience from last season as they bid to ensure top-flight survival.
The Latics manager is preparing for the arrival of West Brom on Saturday, knowing that with 10 league games remaining, Wigan must repeat their heroics from 12 months ago if they are to climb from the foot of the table.
Last season, Wigan narrowly avoided dropping into the npower Championship with a final-day win against Stoke, and Martinez expects his players to call on that experience this term, starting with West Brom's trip to the DW Stadium. Martinez said: "The last campaign we were in a similar position, probably a worse position with 10 games to go."
He continued: "We know exactly what we have to get through and what level we have to reproduce. The hardest thing in football or in life in general is going into the unknown. We would prefer to be in a different position but the truth is we know what to expect and we know what to do and we can control our destiny by performing well.
"The last campaign was a really good experience. The youngsters at our football club are ready to cope with what's ahead of us and that's a real strength. Experience is a big word and sometimes it's difficult to describe it but clearly it's a strength now.
"We know what to expect and how thin the margins are and that's something we need to push ourselves and force us to be as good as we can as we know what it's going to be like in the next 10 games."
Wigan have only won one league game at home this season and Martinez is targeting a late run of form to transform his side's fortunes.
"We want to go all season having a better return at home," he said.
"One win at home is not going to be enough and we want to change that.
"We had big, big afternoons at the DW Stadium over the seasons. In the last campaign there were many twists and turns in the last 10 games and in this league you expect that.
Source: PA
