Defender David Wheater is loving the captain's role so much at the Latics that he has declared his loyalty and says that he has no intentions of leaving the club. Speculation that he was considering a move back to Bolton Wanderers has now been quashed. Wheater is 32 years old and has admitted that Bolton boss Keith Hill was interested in signing him but, with 18 months still left on his contract, that's not going to happen now.
He said, “I didn't ask to be the captain here, Mohammed Maouche was the skipper when I arrived. Clearly, I'm doing something right though, and I enjoy being the captain. I do try to get on with everyone and I'm not a shouter. I like to try my best to keep everyone happy and I am a good talker. I've played a lot of games at this level, and above don't forget, and I do enjoy encouraging the young lads and helping them as best as I can as they start their careers. I've got lots of experience of course, so I guess that's what the manager wants. I've got experience and the know-how, and it's going okay so far.”