Manager Steve Robinson cannot wait for the 2016/17 Sky Bet League One season to kick off this weekend as he takes his side to the capital to face Millwall.
Robinson, who was appointed on July 9, has had four weeks to assemble a brand new squad of players which can compete in the league this season.
14 players later, and more in the pipeline, he now takes his side to last season’s play-off finalists looking to upset one of the favourites for promotion next season.
He said: "It is exciting. You spend all the pre-season and summer months getting ready and prepared for the new season. We’ve been preparing for it now for three and a half weeks and we’re hopefully ready to go.
“We’ve managed to put a squad together who I think have the right attitude, the right character and that gives you a good chance to start with.
"We’ve littered it with good ability as well. We are still well aware that we need three or four to sprinkle a bit of magic on it but in terms of the boys we have brought in, I’m happy with the boys that are here.
"Some have come from higher levels, some have come from lower levels but they will be given the opportunities. They have the right character and right mentality and that gives us half a chance.”
Millwall came close to securing promotion to the Championship last season but fell at the final hurdle, and Robinson believes his players should relish the challenge.
“I’ve played many games at the Den and it’s not the nicest place to go in the world but that’s what you have to do in this division, you have to cope with that,” he explained.
"As a player, I actually looked forward to going. These are the grounds where you get big crowds, good atmosphere and it’s a good day down in London as well.
“If you can take anything away from the game then it’s a great journey back home again."
Earlier this week, Latics were linked with Kilmarnock striker Josh Magennis and the manager confirmed a bid had been lodged for the player.
“Josh is a player that we are interested in,” he admitted. “We spoke to a member of staff at Kilmarnock who indicated their may be a deal to be done. We made them an offer but I’m not getting in a tit-for-tat thing.
“The offer was more than they put out into the press and I’m a little disappointed it was leaked there in the first place but Josh is a good boy who I’ve worked with for a long time since he was 19 years old so he’s someone we’d like to have at the club but at this moment in time, it doesn’t look like it will happen."
Watch the full interview on Latics PlayerHD.