‘A really good Championship club’ - Wigan manager’s positive assessment of Bristol City

Wigan Athletic manager Leam Richardson has spoken highly of Bristol City ahead of their Championship clash on Saturday.

The Robins travel to the DW Stadium for their first meeting with the Latics since January 2020.

Both sides are winless so far in the league but the newly-promoted side at least have points on the board with two points from their opening two games.

Despite their slow start to the season, the Wigan boss was full of praise for their opposition as they wait for their visitors from the West Country.

​​Speaking in his pre-match press conference to Wigan Today, he said: “You can see the wealth of their squad and the quality of player they have.

“They’ve been a really good Championship club, fighting at the top end for a number of years, always investing in the team.

“As a club and a city, it’s fantastic. I’m sure Nigel (Pearson) and the staff there will be pushing them up.

“We know it’ll be a strong healthy challenge for us, as they all are at the moment.”

Saturday’s match will also act as a reunion for Joe Williams and Kal Naismith, who will head to the clubs they played at earlier in their career.

Williams was at Wigan for a season, playing 38 matches, which caught the attention of City after standing out.

After a points deduction saw their fate sealed they were relegated and Dean Holden at the time was able to swoop in and sign the player during a fire sale.

Meanwhile, City’s summer signing Naismith - who was on the score sheet against Coventry - is a player that the Wigan boss knows all too well.

Richardson himself had worked with Naismith when assisting Paul Cook at both Accrington Stanley, Portsmouth and Wigan.

It was during his time at Wigan that it was suggested that he make the move from a winger to a full-back and then later into a centre-back.

He said to the Wigan Post’s Amos Wynn: “It’ll be nice to shake their hands at the end of the game, and wish them well.

“They are two fantastic people, I’ve worked with Kal at different clubs, and I’ve worked with Joe very closely for a period of time. Both still stay in touch.

“It’s great to see them expressing themselves at a good level with a fantastic football club and going really well.“

“I hope that they are on the different side of the result to us on Saturday, but from there we will wish them and hope that they keep on progressing in their careers.”