Wigan Athletic man reveals 'you're fat' jibe which sealed fate at Leeds United
Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Andy Lonergan has opened up on the time he was told he was 'too fat' by a member of the Leeds United management team.
The 41-year-old, who joined Latics over the summer, as goalkeeping coach and back-up to Sam Tickle and Tom Watson, was in his spell at Leeds when the incident occurred.
He had been looking forward to working under Marcelo Bielsa when the Argentinian - and current Uruguay national coach - arrived at Elland Road in 2018.
However, within a matter of days, he realised he had no future at the club.
“The summer Bielsa came in, as soon as his name got mentioned, I got a message from the director of football, Victor Orta, who’s actually a top guy," said Lonergan, speaking on the ‘I Had Trials Once’ podcast.
"‘Oh, we need a chat'...I’m thinking ‘right, he doesn’t want you’, thinking ‘I’ll see how it goes’.
“First day I got in, sat down with my breakfast, got some butter for my toast, went to have my coffee, someone took my plate off me. (I said) ‘what are you doing?’. (They said) ‘you can’t have butter, you’re too fat’.
“I never spoke a word to the manager or nothing. Never met him, but one of his people took it off us. About three days later, I got paid up. It worked out well.”
Wigan is likely to be the final club of Lonergan's eventful playing career.
After coming through the ranks at his hometown club Preston North End, Lonergan has also spent time at Darlington (loan), Blackpool (loan), Wycombe Wanderers (loan), Swindon Town (loan), Bolton Wanderers, Fulham, Wolverhamptom Wanderers, Middlesbrough, Rochdale (loan), Liverpool, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion and Everton.