Jensen Weir on righting a wrong at Wigan Athletic - 'It was nice of him to say that...it feels like an achievement...'

The 22-year-old - who represented both England and Scotland at youth level - returned to Latics last month after four years at Premier League Brighton.

Along with fellow Academy colleagues Joe Gelhardt and Alfie Devine, Weir was sold shortly after Latics were placed into administration by their former owners.

And having been forced to cut short his first spell with Latics, Weir needed little persuasion to return to where it all started when Shaun Maloney came knocking.

"Obviously the way I left was all down to circumstances," said Weir, who remains the club's youngest ever player at 15 years and 280 days. "In my first spell, I never really considered myself to be a first-team player.

"I had a few games here and there but I didn't feel I really played for the club. So to be able to come back, and become a first-team player here was something I always wanted to do."

Sporting director Gregor Rioch - who was Academy chief back in 2020 - credited the sales of Weir, Gelhardt and Devine as 'saving the club', as it bought valuable time for prospective new owners to show themselves.

"It was nice of him to say that," acknowledged Weir. "And obviously it means a massive amount to the three of us.

"Because of the age I was at the time, I don't think it really went through my head at the time what it meant. But as you get older, you start to see things like that, and it's really nice, really special...it feels like an achievement.

"Coming back, I feel like I want to achieve more, like establishing myself in the team and helping the club that way.

"I definitely wouldn't change what happened, even though it wasn't ever in my mind to leave the club at such a young age. It happened, and because of that, I've probably seen and done things I wouldn't have got to do, that experience has been massive for me.

"I loved every single minute at Brighton, it's a great club and they looked after me so well. It's the same feeling I got when I came back...this is another great club that I know will look after me so well...I feel very lucky with that.

"The way this club is set up, whenever a player leaves, there's always that relationship that carries on, and they stay in contact.

"I kept in contact with lots of people here and it was always in my thinking...football's a mad game, you never know what's around the corner...but I knew I would come back one day."

Weir has wasted little time settling back into life at Wigan, and was Latics' star man on his second full 'debut' at Bristol Rovers last weekend.

That process has been helped by so many of his old Academy colleagues - such as Sam Tickle, James Carragher, Baba Adeeko and Scott Smith - are now established first-team players.

"It's always nice to see familiar faces and know people wherever you go, especially at a place you're so familiar with," he said. "I kept in touch with a lot of the players, and it's nice to see everyone again now we're grown up.

"It's obviously a big achievement for the Academy, to have so many players involved in the first-team environment. I don't think many if any Academies can say that, especially with so many staying at the same club, it's brilliant.

"The gaffer's top as well, he's been really good with me. You can tell with the sessions, what he's asking from the players, and the style of play, what he's all about.

"For me, it's everything I want to be part of as a player, and it's a massive plus for me to be working with someone like that."

Weir has also needed no reintroduction to life back in the EFL, given he spent time on loan with Cambrudge, Morecambe, Blackpool and Port Vale during his time with Brighton.

"I knew I wanted to get out and play games, that was always my aim," he added. "I just want to play football, improvem get higher, keep pushing myself with new goals.

"I've definitely had ups and downs over the last few years, but it's all brought me to where I am now, and I feel like I'm happy now and ready to push on."