Philliskirk on Latics' cup replay
Caretaker Manager Tony Philliskirk is happy for Latics to be underdogs in tonight’s FA Cup with Budweiser, fifth-round replay at Everton.
It will be a case of everything to gain and nothing to lose for Latics who are the lowest-ranked team still remaining in the competition.
Philliskirk said: "We are under no illusions that it is going to be tough. Usually when you play Premier League clubs, you get one chance, and that is not me being defeatist.
"The draw here in the first game was fantastic from the club’s perspective financially.
"I am looking forward to the experience (of taking the team to Everton) and I am sure the players are."
Philliskirk expects Everton, who have not won in their last four games, will be fired up to halt their recent disappointing run which included a 2-1 defeat to an injury-time goal at Norwich on Saturday.
And following his conversations with Toffees’ manager David Moyes, Philliskirk is convinced Everton will be deadly serious.
He said: "I am sure Everton will see it as a massive banana skin which is why David will give us the utmost respect.
"We caused them problems late in the game here and I am sure they will expect a tough game, and hopefully we can give them one.
"David came to our home game against MK Dons, he has had every one of our games watched and he told me he had watched DVD’s of us in each round of the FA Cup.
"He had done his homework and he got what he thought he would get, a very tough game. I am sure that will also be the case in the replay.
"It is a massive game for Everton and a great opportunity for them and I am sure they believe they can make a Wembley appearance if they get past us and Wigan."
Philliskirk is already breaking new ground in the FA Cup because, as a player, he never progressed as far as the fifth round – he remembers losing 1-0 with Bolton at Old Trafford where Mark Hughes scored a late winner for Manchester United.
And of that fourth-round tie in 1991, he recollects the late Les Sealey making an "unbelievable save" to deny him when the game was goalless adding it was his biggest stage in the FA Cup.
Philliskirk’s other highlight was scoring five goals for Peterborough against non-league Kingstonian and having them chalked off when the game had to be replayed after a coin thrown from the crowd hit the keeper on the head.
"I think the score was 6-0 when the keeper decided he wasn’t well and walked off. The FA made us replay the game behind closed doors so that result was chalked off from the record books which was disappointing.”