Wigan Athletic: Wolves and then Sheffield United handed keys to class act | OneFootball

Lee Evans signed for Wigan Athletic on two occasions, from both Wolves and Sheffield United, and was a class act

Wigan Athletic's journey in recent years has been somewhat of a rollercoaster, as the 2013 FA Cup winners were not only relegated from the Premier League to the Championship in the same year as their Wembley triumph and then fell down to League One by 2015.

Since then, the Latics have frequently bounced between the third and second tiers, with League One title-winning seasons arriving in 2015/16, 2017/18 and 2021/22, while the Greater Manchester club were also troubled by administration in 2020-21, and an HMRC winding-up petition in 2023.

But over the last few seasons, largely courtesy of their third-tier title-clinching exploits, the Latics have witnessed their fair share of heroes, from prolific goalscorer Will Grigg to dynamic midfielder Lee Evans.

Wolves and Sheffield United handed Wigan a class act in Evans

The Tics first signed Evans on loan from then Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers for the duration of the 2017/18 campaign, in a move which delighted Wigan boss at the time, Paul Cook.

Upon the midfielder's signature, Cook said: "Lee’s a classy player and somebody who has been playing at a good level for a number of years.

"We do have a number of players in midfield at the moment, but I feel you can never be too strong in that department, especially over the course of a season in which we’re going to play over 50 games.

"I am sure once he’s settled in, Lee is the type of player the fans will really warm to."

Indeed, Cook did boast a strong midfield unit at the time, which included both Sam Morsy and David Perkins, who had previously played a part in the club's 2016 League One title-winning exploits.

But the former Tics manager's prediction regarding Evans came true, as he scored one goal, and created an impressive seven assists in 20 appearances during the first half of the 2017/18 League One campaign, before he moved to Sheffield United on a permanent basis in January 2018.

Luckily for the Latics, the Welshman's impromptu exit did not harm their third-tier title credentials, as they went on to pip local rivals Blackburn Rovers to the prize.

Meanwhile, despite his mid-season exit, the Brick Community Stadium faithful were still hopeful of an Evans return, and their wish came true when the Greater Manchester outfit made a loan-to-buy deal with the Blades during the summer of 2018, with a view to make his services permanent come January 2019.

Evans was top drawer for the Latics in both the Championship and League One

After the Wales international helped the Latics on their way to the League One title, Cook was eager for the midfielder to deliver at Championship level, and he did just that.

Heading into the 2018/19 second-tier season, Wigan's objective was one of survival, while Evans helped them to a relatively comfortable 18th spot, and notched one goal and five assists in the process.

He then battled hard during the following 2019/20 Championship campaign, as he made 33 league appearances, and a further three goal contributions, but his efforts were ultimately in vain, as the Tics suffered relegation to the third tier, courtesy of a 12-point deduction, which came about as a consequence of their previously mentioned administration.

The Welshman's indomitable spirit was then epitomised during the subsequent 2020/21 League One season, which the Latics largely spent under administration with a squad compiled of youth academy products, free agent signings, and very few senior players, such as Evans.

His experience in trying circumstances shone through, as he helped the North West club to the greatest of great escapes as they survived the drop to League Two by one point despite all the restrictions they were under.

The summer of 2021 saw Evans leave the Latics in favour of Ipswich Town, but he offered the Latics so much quality and tenacity over the years, and left the club as a hero after signing from both Wolves and the Blades on separate occasions.