The FA Cup victory over Bolton gave Wigan a welcome change of pace, but there was little time to dwell on it.
With the third round out of the way, their attention returned to the Premier League, where Burnley awaited them in their next attempt to extend a season that had already surpassed every reasonable expectation.
For Dawson, the immediate concern was getting his players ready for the trip.
For the club's recruitment staff, however, the days ahead brought an entirely different kind of pressure.
The club's top-of-the-table position made them hard to ignore, and interest that had started as enquiries and tentative conversations was beginning to turn into something more substantial.
Premier League clubs were no longer the only ones keeping an eye on the Latics.
Teams from Italy and Germany had begun asking questions, too.
