Former Portsmouth coach under pressure as Wigan Athletic slump into Championship drop zone

It follows the Latics missing out on the chance to move out of the Championship relegation zone following their 2-0 defeat to Coventry.

Indeed, the loss at the Coventry Building Society Arena saw Wigan slump to their eighth successive league game without a win.

And that has seen the Wigan supporters turn on Richardson, who has guided the club from a relegation battle in League One to the second tier in just three seasons.

Fans on social media were left unimpressed with the defeat against the Sky Blues on Tuesday evening, with a number calling for the 42-year-old to be dismissed.

It also saw chairman Talal Al Hammad take to Twitter in a bid to rally fans to get behind the team.

However, cries for his sacking come just two weeks after Richardson penned a new three-year deal to remain at the DW Stadium until 2025.

The ex-Pompey coach took over the reins at Wigan in 2020 with the club in administration and newly-relegated from the Championship.

The Latics would start the 2020-21 campaign on -12 points before the former defender and his young squad would survive the drop to League Two.

Last term, Wigan powered to the League One title under new ownership, which saw them claim promotion back to the second tier after a two-year absence.

Recent results have seen them fall into the bottom three, with Wigan sitting 22nd in the table as they face relegation rivals Blackpool at home on the weekend.

Richardson was a popular figure at Fratton Park during his 24-month stint as Paul Cook’s assistant between 2015 and 2017.

The ex-defender played a key role in guiding Pompey back to League One, after they claimed the League Two title on the final day of the 2016-17 campaign.

The following summer, the 42-year-old followed Cook to the DW Stadium where the pair won promotion to the Championship in their first season together with the Latics.