Former Leeds United, Everton and Liverpool man 'absolutely buzzing' to join 15th club at 40

Former Leeds United goalkeeper Andy Lonergan has extended his journeyman career with a move to Wigan Athletic.

Lonergan became a free agent this summer after being released by Everton, calling time on a three-year spell with the Premier League outfit in which he didn’t make a single first-team appearance. In fact, the experienced shot-stopper has only played one senior game over the last five years - a period in which he has been with four separate clubs.

But that lack of football has done little to dampen Lonergan’s spirits and he has dropped down to League One and joined up with Wigan as a player/goalkeeping coach. The 40-year-old’s primary focus will be on working with Tom Watson and Sam Tickle, but he could still end up being used between the posts by Latics manager Shaun Maloney and is ‘buzzing’ to be able to continue his senior career for another 12 months.

“I’m absolutely buzzing to be here,” Lonergan told Wigan’s official club website. “Shaun Maloney didn’t need to convince me because of the things I heard about him as a manager and a person. I’d never come across the Gaffer before, but from the first meeting, I felt a really good vibe and he was someone I wanted to work with. 

“This is my first coaching role. I’ve done a lot of qualifications and feel like I know a lot about goalkeeping, but to be a First Team Goalkeeper Coach at this age is incredible and the Gaffer has shown massive faith. Two top young goalkeepers are coming through, and to have that group as a starting group for myself personally is fantastic. I want them to kick on, and help them improve on a daily basis.”

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The year-long contract will ensure Lonergan’s career runs until at least 2025, which will represent a quarter of a Century since he first broke into senior football at Preston North End back in 2000. The Lancashire-born shot-stopper spent 11 years with the Lilywhites - with loans at Darlington, Blackpool and Wycombe Wanderers - before joining Leeds in 2011.

Lonergan and Paul Rachubka were both signed that summer after Leeds sold Kasper Schmeichel to Leicester City for just £1million, with the former cementing his place as manager Simon Grayson’s No.1 and being named captain in January of the 2011/12 season. Neil Warnock replaced Grayson not long after and moved to sign Paddy Kenny the following summer, with Lonergan sold to Bolton Wanderers.

Spells at Fulham and Wolves followed before Lonergan returned to Elland Road in the summer of 2017, signing as a free agent to replace Rob Green. But once again, the arrival of a new manager saw the goalkeeper moved on with Marcelo Bielsa deeming him surplus to requirements after taking over in 2018.

Lonergan went on to play for Middlesbrough and Rochdale before moving to Liverpool, Stoke City, West Brom and then Everton. His sole appearance in that spell came in Stoke’s 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat against Tottenham. Wigan will be his 15th club.