Wigan Athletic v Fulham Preview

Fulham travel to the JJB tomorrow (Saturday) looking for their first away win this season, whilst Latics have not yet lost at home.

Kevin Kilbane is banned for this game only after his dismissal at Newcastle.

Recent signing Salomon Olembe is not yet fully match-fit. Antonio Valencia (knee) and Denny Landzaat (fractured eye socket) are also out.

Defender Aaron Hughes is set to make his debut for Fulham after an ankle injury.

Striker David Healy should start for the visitors and new signings Danny Murphy, Seol Ki-Hyeon and Shefki Kuqi are expected to be on the bench.

Recent talk has all been about Emile Heskey’s excellent performances for England, but other teams should beware that Latics don’t utilize him as England do, with Hutchings trusting to Heskey’s other skills, rather than simply using him as a holding player.

Indeed, in this vein, Fulham manager Lawrie Sanchez said of the England Striker: "I have always liked Emile, I think he has been given a hard time but it is nice to see an English team whack the ball up to a centre-forward to head down for the little striker to score”.

Latics (from): Kirkland, Melchiot, Granqvist, Bramble, Boyce, Brown, Scharner, Koumas, Sibierski, Heskey, Skoko, Bent, Aghahowa, Bouaouzan, Cotterill, Hall, Olembe, Pollitt.

Fulham (from): Niemi, Warner, Keller, Volz, Baird, Stefanovic, Bocanegra, Hughes, Davis, Smertin, Murphy, Seol, Davies, Healy, Dempsey, Konchesky, Kamara, John, Kuqi.

Referee: Rob Styles (Waterlooville, Hampshire)

History

Fulham started its existence in 1879 as Fulham St Andrew's Church Sunday School, founded by worshippers at the C of E church on Star Road, West Kensington, which still stands today with a plaque commemorating the team's foundation. They won the West London Amateur Cup in 1887 and, having shortened the name to its present form in 1888, they then won the West London League in 1893 at the first attempt. One of the club's first ever kits was half red, half white shirts with white shorts worn in the 1886-7 season.[3] Fulham started playing at their current ground Craven Cottage in 1896, their first game against now defunct rivals Minerva F.C.