"strange how Wigan seem to need the threat of relegation before they start to get such results "
Probably because whenever they get a really good player some other club will make them an offer they can't refuse. Thus they begin each new season having to build a team from scratch and it takes them this long to get going.
Wigan & Bolton stay up. QPR & Blackburn go down, Wolves no chance of survival, feel a bit sorry for Steve Kean though and Terry Connor looks totally out of his depth.