KEITH Curle has told his players they are playing for their futures, be it at Boundary Park or elsewhere.

With safety secured in midweek and the play-offs beyond reach, Latics have technically nothing to play for in the remaining games of the season.

But Curle has warned his players to guard against that mentality, insisting that personal pride must be at stake – and even more so for those players who are out of contract this summer, including 20-goal top scorer Conor McAleny.

“Individual performances are vitally important,” said the head coach, ahead of tomorrow’s game against bottom club Grimsby Town.

“There are lots of players who are out of contract, lots of players who have been identified for the system that we’re trying to play, it’s them putting on performances to say they can be part of this football club, or another football club.

“There’s no such thing as a given game where your performance doesn’t count.”

Curle’s own future has yet to be confirmed, with just three games left on his current contract.

But a run of three wins from four has surely put him in pole position to secure a longer term deal.

“Right from when I first came in we wanted to start an upward curve,” said Curle.

“No matter what we say in the press, the paper or the local community that upward curve starts with the players buying in and the results, and then people will come and see and then hopefully buy in to what we’re trying to do.”

Curle is likely to have the strongest squad available to him with a number of injured players returning to fitness.

George Blackwood made his comeback at Morecambe last weekend after enduring two lengthy spells on the sidelines in his first season with Latics, while January signing Marcus Barnes came off the bench in the midweek win at Harrogate to make his first appearance since

February, while Zak Dearnley, who has been sidelined since mid-January after an impressive first half of the season, could feature in the last three games.

“As you can imagine you win a couple of games and the treatment room becomes a little bit sparse, and the sun’s shining so people want to come out, which is pleasing,” smiled Curle.

“Some of the players are on the latter stages of their return to training protocols. Some of the players that have been out injured have joined in full training now, slightly modified but they are on the grass with the squad.”

On-loan goalkeeper Laurie Walker struggled with a back injury but showed no ill effects in earning a clean sheet at Harrogate.

“He’s an experienced lad, even though he hasn’t played the amount of games he’s an experienced person and he wants to play games,” said Curle.

 “He’s hungry to play games and he wants to rack up performances and appearances”