Latics began the day sitting second-from-bottom in the table and Hugo Rodallega headed the winner with 12 minutes remaining at Stoke as relegation rivals Blackpool and Birmingham both lost to go down. Whelan was delighted Latics had stayed up once again to prolong their six-year stay in the top flight. "We have been at the bottom all season and then on the final day we get this," he told Sky Sports News, before being showered in champagne by goal-scorer Rodallega. "We are in good spirits - it is absolutely fantastic!" Asked what the victory was worth in terms of money to stay in the Premier League, he replied: "Well, it's not the money I promise you, it's just staying in the Premier League. "Those boys have deserved it, Roberto has been absolutely outstanding." He agreed the club have defied the odds in terms of finance with their competitors. "He always do - this is our sixth year in the Premier League and for Wigan, we are only a small town, small club but we are a happy club and we have great team spirit."
