Wigan Athletic: Caretaker Leam Richardson trying to 'keep negativity' away

Leam Richardson is in his second spell as caretaker manager of Wigan Athletic this season, having taken over again after ex-boss John Sheridan left for Swindon Town in November

Wigan Athletic caretaker manager Leam Richardson says his players must not let the club's financial position affect them on the pitch as they battle to preserve their League One status.

A protracted takeover saga has meant the struggling Latics have been in administration since July.

Wigan lost to promotion-chasing Lincoln on Saturday.

Second bottom in the table, they have now lost three consecutive games and are three points adrift.

"With the skeleton staff, it's my job to keep it away," Richardson said of the negativity.

"With all the disappointment going back through to last year, I felt it creeping onto the football pitch on Wednesday [following their 5-0 defeat by Hull]," Richardson told BBC Radio Manchester.

"It's one thing I don't accept as a person, man and professional."

The Latics are now in a battle to prevent a second successive relegation, with their 5-0 thrashing by Hull a stark contrast from the elation of beating them 8-0 in the Championship last season.

Since then, a takeover by a Spanish consortium has collapsed, with the club's administrators in talks with other interested parties

"A large portion of players are either out of contact or going to be a free agent in the summer with no affiliation to the football club, and it's my job to highlight that and the importance and history of the club and enormity of the challenge ahead," Richardson added.

"With a great challenge comes great success and awards and that's the voice I've been putting to the players."