Both have enjoyed their place in the sun in the Premier League alongside marquee dates at Wembley and dipped their toes into Europe.

They have also found themselves picking up the pieces down in League One and their dual focus now is consolidation back in the ultra-competitive Championship.

At the minute, Wigan appear on firmer foundations than managerless Hull, who head into Wednesday's Roses game on the back of an alarming five-match winless run.

While Hull embarked on a major summer style makeover and brought in 16 new signings, Wigan were more rather selective and strategic with their number of new recruits comfortably shy of double-figures.

It seems to be paying off. Along with fellow Lancastrian outfit Preston, they are the only second-tier side yet to taste defeat on their road. After wins at Rotherham and Huddersfield already, they are aiming to secure their third scalp on White Rose soil at the MKM Stadium.

Some leading lights from the last few seasons are serving them well and have a coterie of players who have been consistent. In that regard, they are ahead of Hull.

Caretaker manager Andy Dawson, who leads City for a second game, said: "The manager has done a fantastic job there and they have a hardcore four or five players who he can trust and rely on and then you build around that and you have that resilience and reliability in there.

"That's why they’ve been successful. Credit to them. For me it is about us and how we approach it and are mentally prepared for it. Footballing-wise, we know we have got good players, but are we mentally prepared to do the hard graft like the other day.

"If we do, I have no doubt that over the course of the season, we will (consistently) win games. It's about getting players mentally right and prepared to work for each other."

In late summer, Hull sparkled out east, now the terrain is being less fertile as we head towards mid-autumn

They have lost their last three matches without scoring in a troublesome rewind to events earlier this year.

Hull’s game management at key periods, on-pitch understandings and riding out difficult spells in matches has been found deficient of late - perhaps understandable with the amount of new players on show.

It's something City need to sort out pretty quickly amid a hard, unforgiving league.

Dawson added: "During a season, everyone is needed. Do you play well all the time? No…

"Are teams that are resilient the ones who end up there (at the top)? Absolutely. That's the real gauge of a team - when you don't play well and players aren't performing to the max and you have that embedded resilience in your group that you are not going to lose. "That's where we need to get to in my opinion.”

Last six: Hull WLLLLL; Wigan LDWWLW.

Referee: A Woolmer (Northants).

Last time: Hull 1 Wigan 1, August 10, 2021; EFL Cup.

Andy Dawson on why Wigan Athletic are a good example for Hull City to follow