Carlisle United striker Charlie Wyke lifts lid on Wigan Athletic tenure - 'Three years that felt like 10'

The 31-year-old striker has rejoined Carlisle United this summer, after seeing out his contract with Latics.

He left with a League One winners' medal from his first season in 2021-22, but that tells only a fraction of a story that saw him also suffer relegation from the Championship, fail to be paid by the previous owners, top the League One scoring charts then falling out of favour, before spending the final six months of his time out on loan at Rotherham.

Oh, and the small matter of a cardiac arrest in November 2021 which almost cost him his life - let alone his career.

"Honestly, the three years I spent at Wigan, it felt like 10...the stuff that happened there and the amount of games I missed!" he told Wigan Today. "Obviously going there, I was so excited, on the back of having scored more than 30 goals for Sunderland in my last year there.

"And I actually thought I was playing the best football of my career for that first 15 games, even though I wasn't scoring the goals. I was still helping the team, still playing well, and then it clicked and I started scoring...something like five goals in eight games.

"The Accrington day in particular...that was one of my favourite days in football, and that's where I scored my first two goals. The confidence flowing through the whole squad at the time was unbelievable, me and Will Keane complimented each other so well.

"It was just such a close-knit group as a whole...I've recently had my stag do and Max (Power), Jordan (Jones) and (Callum) Langy came along. Max I played with for six years...Jordan I've known since we were five or six years of age...and Langy's one of my best mates, even though I've not known him that long.

"It was such an enjoyable time...I thought I was on for at least another 20 goal season, before obviously everything that went on happened..."

Having been a marquee signing shortly after the Phoenix takeover in 2021, Wyke helped Latics win the title at the first attempt.

Although he admits his absence for most of the campaign meant it felt a hollow triumph.

"Do you know, for me, I only played 14 games that year, and it didn't feel like I was a part of it," he said. "When the lads were playing, I was usually down at the training ground, trying to be a good lad round the place, trying to spur everyone on.

"I just didn't feel I was part of it, I didn't feel I did much to help...although I have to say the fans always made sure I was part of it, they were unbelievable with me throughout, and none of us will forget Shrewsbury away on the last day.

"The following year in the Championship, it was tough, it wasn't a good time for the club or any of the players. We actually started the season so well, and that it all started to fall apart just before the November international break.

"We weren't getting paid as well...at one point we thought everyone was going to have their contracts ripped up and we'd have to find other clubs. And I know some people have this image of footballers, but most have families, mortgages, and they need money to pay the bills.

"Personally, I found it even more difficult, because obviously I'd had so long out, and to try to come back in the Championship...one of the toughest leagues in the world...I'm playing catch-up.

"I just wish I had a little bit longer to get myself back up to speed, I don't think I did myself justice in the Championship. I wasn't playing many games, I was picking up niggles because my body wasn't up to speed, and I wasn't able to show what I'm capable of."

The up-and-down nature of Wyke's Latics career was underlined last season, when he flew out of the blocks and was named Sky Bet League One player of the month for August, before a 'frustrating' period saw him back on the sidelines and eventually a January loan move to Rotherham United.

"Last summer, I went into the off-season, knowing I had to have a good season," he said. "One of the fitness coaches, Jack Winnard, gave me a personalised training programme, and I worked so hard all summer to get as fit as I could.

"And I just knew I was going to have a good season, having come back in such good shape, probably the fittest I've ever been.

"I started the season so well, scoring goals, and everything just changed after I got sent off against Portsmouth (on September 30). I found it so hard to get back into the squad, and it was so frustrating because I thought I should have been playing, I felt capable of scoring another 20 goals.

"A few of the other lads found some form, and I'd have to say it was probably the most frustrating three or four months I've had in football...I knew what I could bring to the team, I'm one of those players that the more games they play, the better they are, and I was only getting 10 or 15 minutes here and there at best.

"Obviously the move to Rotherham didn't help in terms of being frustrated. Things weren't great on the pitch, there was a lot of uncertainty off the pitch, and it didn't work out for any of us."

Not that Wyke's glass will ever be anything less than half-full, given the second chance at life he was given, as he moves on to pastures new.

"I've obviously got the pacemaker in my body to remind me of it every day," he added. "It was just the craziest six to eight months I've ever had in my life, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

"Me, my partner (now wife), my family, it got on top of us all, that uncertainty of not knowing if I'd ever get back to playing football, or I'd have to pursue something else.

"I've worked so hard to get back to where I am now...the physical side, the mental side, going to hospital all the time, even taking the medication every day...it's so strong I can only take it for a short period of time at once.

"I just want to make the most of the situation, and try to get back to where I was at Wigan. I feel like that was the peak of my career, and I had two years taken away from me because of the cardiac arrest. I know I can get back to that, and that's what I am to do now."