Manager Richie Wellens has welcomed the club’s decision to invite under 18s to tomorrow night’s game against MK Dons for free.
Under 18s can gain free access to tomorrow’s game against MK Dons in the Jimmy Frizzell stand and Wellens hopes they can create a good atmosphere tomorrow night.
He said: “I’ve got kids who are young and they want to come to our Tuesday games but it can be quite difficult because they have to go to bed at a certain time.
“When you are off school now, it’s an opportunity for them to come and enjoy their day. I’m sure they come on a Saturday anyway and then they can come and enjoy a Tuesday game.
“The difference between a Saturday game and a Tuesday game under the lights, it can affect young people and draw them in.
“Hopefully they can come to the game, enjoy it and bring a better atmosphere and hopefully we can pick up a positive result.”
Athletic are two games unbeaten and have picked up four points from a possible six against Bradford City and Blackburn Rovers and Wellens is happy with the current form.
“They have been two big clubs that we have got the four points against, both in the top six so now we have got MK Dons and Southend United at home,” he explained.
“Them points away at Blackburn keep us where we are and we don’t lose ground on anyone but the two home games will allow us, if we get the points we want from them, to start climbing the table.
“The results went for us at the weekend and if we win on Tuesday night we get a big advantage on one of our big rivals so there is some big games coming up.”
Latics host MK Dons who sit three points behind Wellens’ men and he knows it will be a tough game.
“I think they will try and play football against us,” he commented. “They are renowned for that even when Karl Robinson was there and managers have followed that on.
“It’s a big stadium and they want to use that but a new manager has come in to League One football following managing the youth lads at England.
“He will have a different philosophy because League One is totally different to youth football so I will have a look at that.”
If selected, defender Brian Wilson could make his 100th league appearance for the club and the manager praised his attitude.
He said: “He’s a good character, he works hard and he’s a good lad. He can fill in a number of positions across the back four and you need players like that.
“In today’s game, you see a lot of players who start out their career and they are flying but they get to 27/28 and their legs have gone. That is because they don’t live their lives properly.
“Brian is 35 and he is ripped up. He looks after himself, he’s in the gym before training and after training.
“He’s a credit to himself and that’s why he has played so many games and that’s why he’s still playing at 35 years old.”