A second-half goal by Hugo Rodallega secured the win for the Latics, who began Survival Sunday second-from-bottom in the Premier League table.

Martinez told Sky Sports News: "The last three months we have been playing really, really well and I'm just so proud of this group of players.

"We are very, very young but today we showed once more real bravery - we had to defend really well in the first half against the wind with Stoke, we know why they've been so successful at home.

"I'm extremely, extremely proud. I think it is the least that the players deserve. I'm sure that they should get some credit now because until now it was little Wigan trying to make noises.

"I think it has been the hardest Premier League season to stay up - it is an amazing, amazing achievement."

He added on Blackpool and Birmingham, who go down: "I think it is today, for the teams that are going down, it is to feel about them because nobody deserved to go down this season and our thoughts go with them because we know exactly how we felt going into the game."