OPINION: Why Callum Lang will leave an indelible mark on Wigan Athletic

But Callum Lang's departure from Wigan Athletic this week will have been felt far more than your average player exit.

Looking at matters on the field, it was probably the right decision for all concerned.

Portsmouth get a player who, at his best, is tried and tested at this level, and who knows what it takes to get the job of winning promotion over the line.

Latics get a decent fee for a player who had been struggling for form and a position for much of the campaign.

And Lang - at 25 - gets the chance of a fresh, exciting start, in a beautiful part of the world, after perhaps being in danger of going stale at Wigan.

But the amount of sadness among the fanbase, and well wishes, following the announcement said everything about the impact he's made during his decade here.

And the huge gap - on and off the pitch - he will leave.

"Callum Lang, he's one of our own," was the chant heard from the stands in his honour.

And there's no doubt the Latics fans always reserve special affection and pride in those who have come up through the system.

It seems only five minutes since Lang was being loaned out to the likes of Morecambe, Oldham, Shrewsbury and Motherwell in search of first-team football.

And it was during one of these early loans that his fierce determination to make it came over loud and clear in a catch-up interview.

"I'd much sooner be out on loan playing games than sitting on the bench here or playing 21s football," was the general gist, which stuck with me as he returned a much more rounded person as well as player.

He wasted no time in using that loan experience when he was recalled by Latics midway through the 2020-21 campaign, having been sent to Scotland for some as-still unknown reason by the administrators.

In fact, I don't think it's an exaggeration to say Latics would probably not have pulled off the greatest of Great Escapes had it not been for Lang's impact on the team in the second half of the campaign.

After scoring on his 'debut' at Rochdale, his nine goals in 23 games - including THREE winning goals - saw Latics safe by a solitary point.

And his contribution to the League One title win the following campaign was equally as impressive, with 18 goals and nine assists helping Latics to right the wrong of two years earlier and win back their place in the Championship.

Off the field, too, few players have done as much as the Liverpudlian in going above and beyond, whether that was involving himself in community activities, supporting local charities, or welcoming kids going through a tough time to the training ground - all in his own time.

Last season, it clearly didn't quite happen for Lang, along with the rest of his colleagues, due to well-documented off-field issues relating to the previous ownership.

Despite being handed the vice-captaincy on the eve of this term, that hangover appeared to continue, with Lang only able to show his best form in patches rather than the week-in, week-out consistency of previous campaigns.

Indeed, when news of Portsmouth's interest broke earlier this month, it was telling that - while thoroughly appreciative of everything he'd done here - most probably felt it was the right move for the player, first and foremost.

Hopefully the frustration that he's been playing with in recent months - which has spilled over to several yellows and even one red card - will be replaced by a renewed kickstart to his career.

Still only 25, his best years and undoubtedly ahead of him.

It's just a shame we won't get to see them here - but that's football.

Don't be sad that it's over...be happy that it happened.

And Callum Lang has left enough happy memories here to last the rest of his career and beyond.