Despite all the work being done on the pitch, there was plenty to be done away from it.
As the first half of the season drew to a close, clubs across Europe began assessing their performances and identifying areas for improvement.
For some, the January transfer window offered an opportunity to salvage a disappointing campaign.
Others were looking to strengthen before their shortcomings became more costly, while clubs with ambitions of qualifying for European competition were already weighing up how far their current squads could take them.
Wigan Athletic were no exception.
Despite sitting at the top of the Premier League table with a considerable gap between themselves and their closest challengers, the Latics had no intention of leaving the transfer market entirely to their rivals.
Their remarkable start had exceeded almost every expectation, but Dawson knew better than to assume that a good first half of the season guaranteed an equally successful second.
