Latics are back in League One action tomorrow as they take in Swansea City on the first day of the brand new season.
John Sheridan and his side will be looking to go one better than last season after a painful play-off defeat against Blackpool, but the Swans will provide a stiff first-day test.
Boss Roberto Martinez is looking to mastermind a promotion assault this time around and erase memories of poor form last time around.
Swansea looked to be going nowhere when previous incumbent Kenny Jackett was sacked shortly after Latics' 1-0 win at the Liberty Stadium, but Martinez's form as a manager has been impressive so far.
He spearheaded a sequence of results which almost saw the once-floundering side into the play-offs. However, Latics advanced at City's expense following a tense dose of last-day action.
The Liberty Stadium side have lost several players during the summer -- including talismanic striker Lee Trundle.
Ex-Stalybridge man Trundle made the short trip across the Severn Bridge to join Championship side Bristol City in a £1million deal.
Tommy Williams, Izzy Iriekpen, Pawel Abbott and Andy Oakes also left, but Martinez moved to shore up his squad with a number of new additions.
The highly-rated Darryl Duffy joined from Hull City for a fee of £200,000, and Trinidad and Tobago international Jason Scotland arrived from St. Johnstone.
Ferrie Bodde (ADO Den Haag), Dorus De Vries (Dunfermline), Angel Rangel (Terrassa), Darren Way (Yeovil), Guillem Bauza (Espanyol) and Matthew Collins (Fulham) also came in as Martinez looked to shake things up.
Winger Leon Britton handed the Swans gaffer another boost this week when he inked a new three-year deal with the club.
Meanwhile John Sheridan was given a boost of his own when he finally completed his drawn-out move for Birmingham midfielder Neil Kilkenny (pictured).
The 21-year-old playmaker had been expected to seal a loan deal last week, only for the plans to be shelved after Steve Bruce cancelled his £3million move for Spurs midfielder Hossam Ghaly for "footballing reasons".
However, with Kilkenny keen to join Athletic, club officials resurrected the deal and the player should make his debut against the Swans.
With all relevant paperwork between the club and the player completed, top brass are now waiting for final clearance to arrive from the Football League.
If this appears in time, the Australian international will be given the green light to take his place in the squad.
Sheridan also concluded his hunt for a left back by bringing in 21-year-old Stuart Giddings on loan from Coventry City.
City boss Iain Dowie allowed the defender to move to Boundary Park on loan in a bid for first team football after a long spell out with injuries.
An England international at every level up to U19, Giddings saw his career stall after picking up a serious knee problem.
Now back to full fitness, the Coventry-born full-back is looking to prove himself in Athletic's colours after signing on a month's loan.
Giddings is likely to start on the left side of defence with Latics' cover in that area looking thin.
Stefan Stam (hamstring) and Kelvin Lomax (groin) are both ruled out, while the versatile John Thompson is required alongside captain Sean Gregan at the heart of the defence.
Lewis Alessandra (broken toe), Michael Pearson (knee) and Les Pogliacomi (knee) are all definitely out.
The game also comes too soon for Neil Wood, who has returned to light training after a cruciate ligament operation but remains some way from fitness.
Swansea will be without the services of Darren Way (shin) and long-term absentee Owain Tudur Jones (knee), while skipper Garry Monk (ankle) has returned to training but is unlikely to play.
Full match commentary from Boundary Park is available to Latics World subscribers.
Latics (from): Crossley, Eardley, Giddings, Kalala, Thompson, Ricketts, Allott, Davies, McDonald, Gregan, Wolfenden, Taylor, Liddell, Trotman, Smalley, Kilkenny, Bell.
Swansea (from): de Vries, Rangel, Tate, Lawrence, Painter, Britton, Pratley, Bodde, Robinson, Duffy, Scotland, Austin, O'Leary, Anderson, Bauza, Watt, Allen.
