Mark: Wigan have done better than many people expected them to and currently sit in a healthy position in the middle of the table. Did you expect them to make such progress so early on in the season?

Bernard: If I am being honest, I do think we have done slightly better than I expected so far this season. Considering the fact that nobody wants to sign for us due to our percieved lowly stature, those players thast have arrived have done the team proud.

Mark: Latics chairman Dave Whelan recently talked about a salary cap for footballers. Do you think this would be of long term benefit to clubs such as Bolton and Wigan in the future if it came to fruition?

Bernard: I am in favour of a salary cap. However, I must admit that it is not going to see the light of day in the Premiership. I do know the salary cap works with regards to rugby league, but that is just a minority sport. To implement one in the Premiership, you would also have to do likewise around the globe. It will not happen.

However, the Chelsea domination is akin to Wigan rugby's domination of rugby all those years ago when they were the only professional side playing the game at the time, signing all the best players and therefore winning everything the sport (?) had to offer. Since those days and the introduction of a salary cap, rugby league has flourished. I suppose the only way round this Chelsea domination is for Abramovich to get bored with his latest toy!

Mark: It has been just over 12 years since Bolton and Wigan last faced each other in the old Division Three and its fair to say that both teams have made rapid strides since those days. What do you remember from Bolton's last ever visit to Springfield Park in 1993?.

Bernard: You know, it seems a lifetime ago. I remember the last game at Springfield Park well though. Bolton were riding high whilst Latics were really struggling with our gaffer Bryan Hamilton deserting a sinking ship just weeks earlier. Bolton on the other hand were managed by future Latics manager Bruce Rioch and turned in a great performance to win the game a lot easier than the 2-0 scoreline suggests. We got relegated for the first time in our history, whilst Bolton were promoted to Division One at the end of the campaign.

Mark: Pascal Chimbonda has been one of Wigan's exemplory summer signings and has put in a number of good displays since moving over from France. What do you consider to be his main strengths?

Bernard: Pascal Chimbonda! What can I say?, To ask for his main strengths is being unfair. He is the most unconventional player I have ever seen (and I have been watching Latics since 1969/70 when we weren't even in the Football League). So, I suppose his main strength is his unpredicatability.

The man is a football genius picked up for half a million pounds from Bastia. Should the worst happen and we are struggling at the wrong end of the table in January, we will NOT be able to hang on to him. If I had one piece of advice for Bolton fans it would be to watch and enjoy this football genius (yes, he is THAT good!).

Mark: Who do you pinpoint as a dangerman in the Bolton camp and how do you expect Paul Jewell to approach this gave given the fact that in the 1980's and 1990's this was always quite a high tense encounter?

Bernard: I do regard Bolton as Wigan's main rivals. It is absolutely fantastic that we have reached the same level as Bolton again. You are quite correct in saying that all games played between the two clubs were intense affairs. Watching Latics v Bolton games, I have seen it all! Wonder own goals. missed penalties, scored penalties, sendings off, an abandoned game, heated arguments, hat tricks, oh, and Nicky Spooner! However my most lasting memory is not from that last game we played. It is from the very first.

Springfield Park was packed. Jeff Chandler scored for Bolton and everybody around me in the home end CHEERED! The home fans were literally surrounded by Bolton fans. I personally felt like George Custer!

I think Paul Jewell will treat the game as he does any other. In that he treats every team with the utmost respect and he expects his players to do likewise. However, the team always takes to the field thinking they will win the game. Sunday will be no different. He will be aware of the high passions that will run throughout the game, having played in several of these games himself. This could be where PJ draws on his experience of Wigan/Bolton games, possibly giving Latics the 'edge'. Both teams have come a long way but Bolton do have the advantage of already being an established Premier League team, whilst we are still finding our feet at this level.

The Japanese guy, Hidetoshi Nakata, must be good because Latics commercial department has been inundated with requests for literally hundreds of press passes from Asia, where Nakata is deemed a legend! Personally I know nothing about him, but if he is good enough for Sam Allardyce (given the quality of most of his his past foreign signings) he should fit the Bolton bill perfectly. In midfield Ricardo Gardner can pose many a threat when on form whilst in defence Bruno N'Gotty won't take many prisoners! I do believe that Bolton possess the best goalkeeper in the Premiership with Jussi Jaaskelainen and goals are difficult enough to score in the Premiership as it is!

El Hadji Diouf can score some great goals but this week he comes up against Arjan De Zeeuw once again! If there is a flashpoint in the game it could very well be between these two players. Although I think De Zeeuw will be the calmer of the two players and that's not me speaking with my rose tinted specatacles on.

The question you didn't ask was what I think the result will be. Truthfully hand on heart, I would take the draw now. If I had to stick my neck out I would opt for a 2-1 win for the home team, with Bolton doing likewise at the Reebok later in the season.

Walking Down The Manny Road would like to thank Bernard for taking time out to conduct this interview. As mentioned, Bernard has followed Wigan for over 30 years and his site Ye Olde Tree & Crown (http://www.yeoldetreeandcrown.34sp.com/)covers everything from those times right up to the modern day and is a minefield of everything Latics related.

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