Paper Talk: Filan's record ruined

Last updated : 26 March 2004 By Paul Farrington
The goalkeeper was on course to play a record number of consecutive league games for the club, but a one-match ban for his red card at West Brom has put paid to that.

Filan's appearance at Watford on Saturday will be the 109th league fixture in a row that he has started for Latics.

But a week later he will be sat in the stand for the visit of Wimbledon to the JJB Stadium.

The Australian needed to get to 118 to beat record holder Colin Methven, and also falls just short of pulling level with Jeff Wright who managed 110 games on the spin.

Filan is disappointed to miss out on the feat to add to a number of club records he collected last season as Latics romped to the Second Division championship.

And he has called for the game's law makers to review the rule which states a player should automatically be sent-off for denying an opponent a scoring opportunity.

The keeper was dismissed at the Hawthorns nine days ago for bringing down Albion's Lee Hughes in the penalty area when the striker was through on goal.

Filan said: "I've had a good run in the side, and unfortunately we got it wrong at the back the other week and now I'm suspended against Wimbledon.

"That is the way it goes sometimes but I don't particularly agree with the law in this instance.

"The referee probably didn't have a lot of choice, and it's the people who make the laws who should look at it.

"If a goalkeeper is in a one-on-one situation and makes an effort to get the ball whether with his hands or feet, he is going to go off.

"The only alternative is to let the opposition player go through and score.

"In this case, the lad has taken his first touch to go round me, my foot was there and he has gone into it.

"If one of our strikers did that, I would probably say 'well done'.

"But they should look at that law because West Brom still got the scoring opportunity.

"I got sent-off, we went down to 10 men, and now I miss another game. That seems a lot of punishments for one incident."

Meanwhile, it was looking unlikely that Latics would be doing any transfer business before this afternoon's deadline.

Manager Paul Jewell admitted earlier in the week that there wouldn't be any cash buys after learning that two players he had his eye on weren't available.

He didn't rule out getting a loan deal arranged but stated he wouldn't do so just for the sake of it.

Jewell is pretty content with the squad, with it being close to the size he requires.

He said: "I think 20 first-team players is about right.

"With that number you are always going to have your players somewhere near to the team.

"We all train together here rather than in two groups, and I'm quite happy to have a small, but quality group of players. You can almost have two teams at some clubs and that gives the manager too much choice.

"What I have at Wigan is a small group, but people I enjoy working with and people who enjoy their job. Long may that continue."

Source: Wigan Evening Post.