Despite all the odds, Stephen Humphrys feels that Wigan Athletic’s entire team should be “proud of what we’ve achieved” this season.
The Latics finished League One in 12th place with 70 points on the pitch after beginning the season with a deficit of eight points.
With everything to manage during an incredibly busy 12 months, both on and off the pitch, that’s a huge first step towards the rebuild.
Humphrys is one of eight senior players whose contracts expire this summer; the remaining seven players will either rejoin their parent clubs or return, leaving a significant cloud over their futures.
Additionally, he seems to be ending his time there with an emotional social media post that he made on Sunday afternoon.
“A big thank you to everyone at Wigan Athletic for the three years I’ve spent at the club,” he wrote in a letter. “One of my favourite career moments is getting promoted in my first season.
“I’m happy I was able to make a big impact on the team at the beginning of this season upon my return.
“It means a lot to me to have led the team in scoring at the end of the season and to have contributed some crucial points.” Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude to the manager, who has always had faith in me since the first preseason game.
“We should all be proud of what we’ve accomplished, especially considering that we started the season with the youngest team in the league and finished with minus eight points, and we managed to stay in the division.” There, I’ve made some lifelong friends that I adore hanging out with every day.
“And lastly, a big thank you to all of the fans who have helped us along the journey. You are the club’s lifeblood. Over the summer, we’ll see what transpires. Hope to see everyone once more.”
The 26-year-old, who joined Latics from Rochdale in the summer of 2021, has made 98 appearances and scored 18 goals.
He played 25 games and scored five goals for Hearts while on loan in Scotland during the previous season.
