Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi is delighted their self-belief was justified after beating the drop.

The Oman No.1 says the players never gave up hope and, with fantastic backing from the fans, they achieved their goal in the end.

"It's been a fantastic turnaround, and it started when we went to Liverpool and got that big win to give the team its confidence back," Al Habsi told the Wigan Evening Post.

"Where we are today is brilliant. Everyone is talking about Wigan, and the belief of the players, staff and fans has helped us to get where we are now.

"Monday night was for the fans, because they went to Ewood Park in their thousands - which is great for the team. The fans are always there, even when we were warming up on the pitch before the game.

"They have been there for us from the start of the season, and they deserve what has been achieved.

"It's been a hard season, but the last 10-15 games have been brilliant. We have taken it step-by-step to get what we wanted, and we have got exactly what we deserved."