Ian Evatt wants a collective effort on and off the pitch to help Wanderers redress the balance against local rivals Wigan Athletic and deliver an eagerly awaited derby win, writes Pete Oliver.
Wanderers have lost their last two home League One meetings with the Latics 4-0 and have beaten their neighbours in a league game at the Toughsheet Community Stadium just once since a Premier League victory in 2010.
That’s a run Evatt and the present Wanderers’ players are determined to improve in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off.
And despite the current form of the respective sides – eight league wins for the Whites and just three for Wigan since mid-September – the Wanderers’ boss knows he needs everyone on board to do it.
“We're looking forward to it and we know what it means to the fans, to the town, the bragging rights etc,” said Evatt. “We haven't got the right results against them in my tenure here, but I think it goes further back than that. We have to make sure we start to put that right.
“Football tends to give you opportunities and we've got that opportunity on Saturday. We know, regardless of league table standings and current form, derby games throw up strange results and different types of performances and we're expecting them to be right at it, so we have to be the same.
“We have to win all of our duels, whatever that looks like, whether it be out on the grass with the players, one-v-ones, the 11 against 11, I need to make sure I win the battle against Shaun (Wigan manager Maloney), staff the same, and fans, not physically against each other, but making sure in terms of volume we are creating a raucous, intimidating and intense atmosphere that makes it very difficult for them. If we can put those things together, hopefully, we can get a good result.”
A win would potentially lift Wanderers, unbeaten in nine games at home with seven wins and two draws in all competitions, into League One’s top six ahead of a visit to leaders Wycombe Wanderers next Friday night.
But Evatt is looking no further forward than the visit of the 19th-placed Latics and what’s needed to beat Maloney’s men and secure a sixth home league win of the campaign in front of close to 25,000 fans and Sky Sports TV audience.
“This is why we’re in football, for these types of games, these types of events,” Evatt told Wanderers TV. “And we've got to embrace it and enjoy it. The players have to be in that mindset. This isn't about worrying, it's not about under-performing, it's about making sure in the big moments we can bring out our very best and hopefully on Saturday we can do that.
“We can't guarantee anything. I can't guarantee three points, unfortunately, but what I can guarantee is the players will give it absolutely everything. I will give it absolutely everything and hopefully the fans will do the same, which makes it very difficult for the opposition.
“Win, lose or draw that has to be our bare minimum. We're going to compete, we're going to fight and we're going to do what's right to try and get three points and if we do that, fantastic.
“We've all got a part to play; the players, myself, staff, the fans and everyone just play their role and play it to the best of our abilities. If we can do that, it’s about making this place - our house, our home - really intimidating and really raucous for the opposition.
“That's everyone's responsibility, not just ours, it's the fans as well, and together if we do that I know it will make it very challenging for them.”
Watch the manager’s full pre-match interview on Wanderers TV HERE