Sam Tickle cash to be 'invested back into the club', pledges Wigan Athletic chief
The 'good fee ' Wigan Athletic received from Bristol City for Sam Tickle will be 'invested back into the football club', according to boss Gary Caldwell.
Latics reluctantly cashed in for their prize asset for an 'undisclosed' fee, with the player signing a four-year deal at Ashton Gate.
In recent years it's become more a case of when and not if Tickle would eventually move on, such has been the incredible consistency of his performances.
While sad to see him go, Caldwell admits it 'was time for him to move on'.
"Without a doubt," he said. "I've seen Sam Tickle as a League One goalkeeper from afar from Exeter, and I've admired how good he was over the years.
"And when I came here, he went way up in my estimations in terms of the quality he has and the work ethic he has.
"Some of his performances, some of his saves, they kept us in games at the end last season.
"And over the years, he has been a brilliant servant to this football club.
"But in football, all things have to move on, things change, and I think this is a time to celebrate our academy players that move on to progress their careers - and who knows where that may take him?
"He gave us amazing service, we've got a good fee for him, that can be invested back into the football club, and he can go on and hopefully have an amazing career.
"Sam Tickle will always be one of our own, and hopefully he will spread the good word of Wigan Athletic in the Championship and hopefully higher one day."
Caldwell was speaking at the Brick Community Stadium, minutes after the fixture list for the 2026/27 campaign had been released.
"I think you look for the first game, the last game, the ones over Christmas, birthdays, and you take it from there!" he said.
"We'll look at the whole fixture list in detail, we'll break the season up into blocks, as we did at the end of last season, and I used to do at Exeter, which has always served me well."