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With the stop start to the Premier League the home games haven't come around very often and again there's been a three week break since Birmingham were here. We've had the international weekend and last Sunday travelled the short distance to Ewood Park.
Wigan will be the fifth home game and the third against North West opposition having played Manchester United and Everton in the first two home games. It is also one of two home games we'll play this season that have never been top flight fixtures, the other coming next week when we entertain Hull.
Wigan lost manager Steve Bruce in the summer and replace him with former player Roberto Martinez who was previously in charge at Swansea. He won promotion to the Championship with the Swans in 2008 and it was only right at the end of last season that their play off hopes faded.
But once Bruce moved, and Whelan made his move, then there was no doubt that the Spaniard was on his way back to the club where he was first introduced to English football as a player.
He's been back to his old club too, to strengthen the Wigan squad. He paid a hefty fee of around £2 million for striker Jason Scotland after we'd been linked with the player who had previously played for Owen Coyle at St. Johnstone.
Another player who was in the Swansea team last season was Jordi Gomez, then on loan from Valencia, and he was snapped for £1.7 million, whilst another Burnley target was James McCarthy but the youngster and former team mate of Brian Easton at Hamilton opted for Wigan rather than Turf Moor.
Hendry Thomas arrived from Deportivo Olimpia whilst both Antonio Amaya and Mohamed Diame were signed from Rayo Vallecano. Also in the squad is Chelsea player Scott Sinclair who is currently with Wigan on loan.
The significant departures were Luis Antonio Valencia who signed for Manchester United for around £16 million and Lee Cattermole who joined his old boss at Sunderland in a £6 million transfer.
Wigan started the season with an away win followed by two home defeats, but since then the fortunes have reversed. Whilst points have been difficult to find away from home they've beaten Chelsea and drawn with Manchester City in their last two home games.
Goalkeeper Chris Kirkland is considered only 50/50 after dislocating a finger last week and the other player who might not make it is Paul Scharner although he is more likely to play after shaking off a hip injury.
Their team for the Manchester City game last week was: Chris Kirkland, Mario Melchiot, Emmerson Boyce, Titus Bramble, Maynor Figueroa, Hugo Rodallega, Hendry Thomas, Mohamed Diame, Charles N'Zogbia, Paul Scharner, Jason Scotland. Subs: Mike Pollitt, Olivia Kapo, Won-Hee Cho, Jason Koumas, Jordi Gormez, Scott Sinclair, Marlon King.
Will there be changes in the Burnley side? I think the likely answer is yes with Chris Eagles probably ready for his first start of the season. I suspect he could come in on the right hand side of the pitch with possibly Steven Fletcher missing out or possibly Fletcher moving into the middle with David Nugent having to settle for a place on the bench.
If Eagles does play our team could be: Brian Jensen, Tyrone Mears, Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell, Stephen Jordan, Andre Bikey, Graham Alexander, Chris Eagles, Wade Elliott, Robbie Blake, David Nugent. Subs from: Diego Penny, Michael Duff, Christian Kalvenes, Joey Gudjonsson, Kevin McDonald, Fernando Guerrero, Steven Thompson, Steven Fletcher.
The last time we played Wigan at home in the league was back at Christmas 2004. Robbie Blake was relegated to the bench by manager Steve Cotterill because of all the speculation linking him with a move to the concrete jungle.
Local radio and TV man Tony Livesey famously had a go at Paul Jewell ahead of the game and it was Livesey and the rest of the Clarets who had the last laugh when we won it with a first half goal from Graham Branch who was captain with Blake not in the side.
Blake soon left, but for Birmingham and not Wigan, whilst Wigan did win promotion that season.
The teams were;
Burnley: Brian Jensen, Michael Duff, Gary Cahill, John McGreal, Mo Camara, Lee Roche (Richard Chaplow 89), Micah Hyde, Tony Grant, James O'Connor, Graham Branch, Ian Moore. Subs not used: Joel Pilkington, Amadou Sanokho, Matt O'Neill, Robbie Blake.
Wigan: John Filan, Nicky Eaden, Emerson Thome, Ian Breckin, Leighton Baines (Gary Teale 84), David Graham, Jimmy Bullard, Gareth Whalley, Alan Mahon (Michael Flynn 64), Nathan Ellington, Lee McCulloch. Subs not used: Gary Walsh, Matt Jackson, David Wright.
Previous 20 Seasons | |||||
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
1984/85 | 3 | h | 1-2 | 5,235 | Biggins |
| . | . | a | 0-2 | 3,517 | . |
1991/92 | LC | a | 1-3 | 2,826 | Conroy |
| . | . | h | 2-3 | 3,876 | Patterson(og) Davis |
1992/93 | 2 | a | 1-1 | 4,032 | Deary |
| . | . | h | 0-1 | 9,154 | . |
1997/98 | 2 | h | 0-2 | 9,520 | . |
| . | . | a | 1-5 | 4,926 | Little |
1998/99 | 2 | h | 1-1 | 10,183 | Reid |
| . | . | a | 0-0 | 5,528 | . |
1999/2000 | 2 | a | 1-1 | 11,986 | Payton |
| . | AM | a | 1-2 | 2,085 | Lee (lost on golden goal) |
| . | 2 | h | 0-0 | 20,435 | . |
2003/04 | 1 | h | 0-2 | 13,231 | . |
| . | . | a | 0-0 | 11,147 | . |
2004/05 | C | a | 0-0 | 9,746 | . |
| . | . | h | 1-0 | 16,485 | Branch |