Manx footballer Dean Pinnington has signed a professional contract with Wigan Athletic.

The 18-year-old joined the Latics earlier this year after several seasons in the academy at Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Douglas-born teenager quickly settled into life at the DW Stadium as he helped the Latics’ under-18s retain the Professional Development League North title, before becoming Professional Development League National Champions in May.

In a statement on Wigan’s official website on Friday, the club said: ’Wigan Athletic is delighted to confirm that Dean Pinnington has signed his first professional contract with the club.

’The midfielder, who is tidy in possession and has a good range of passing, was born in Douglas, Isle of Man. At 10 years old, Pinnington was invited to play at the Isle of Man Centre of Excellence and he went on to represent the island as a junior from the age of 10 to 15.

’He was asked to attend a trial at Everton when he was 12, before an opportunity arose with Wolves. Pinnington left the Premier League side this year and joined Latics on trial for the remainder of the 2020-21 season.’

Pinnington joins fellow Manxman Adam Long in signing a professional contract with the League One side, after the latter put pen to paper on a long-term deal in January this year. Key to both signings was Wigan academy manager Gregor Rioch who has visited the island several times over the past few years.

Speaking about Pinnington, Rioch commented: ’Dean was born in the Isle of Man and I’ve been tracking him since he was 14 years old.

’When we signed Adam Long, and we went out to do our homework and background on Adam, we came across Dean. He ended up signing for Wolves, which was a good move for him, with them being a Premier League club and a category one academy.

’He was signed up for Wolves for four years as an under-14 through to the under-18s and then he was released. We then took the opportunity to bring him to the club at the end of last season. He played with us for around six weeks and was involved with the under-18s squad for the play-offs and the national final.

’We are delighted to have signed him on a professional contract. I have been tracking him for a long time, and I’m delighted to finally get our man.

’He’s a really bubbly and bright character who will be great for the changing room and the under-23s group. He is someone who will be looking to try and bridge the gap between the u23s and first-team.’

Speaking to the Isle of Man Examiner, Dean explained: ’I’d been at Wolves since I was 14 and always had the ambition to play for their first team.

’Very quickly I saw that the club was changing and it would have been harder and harder to get into the team but it was a challenge I accepted and it just made me want to work harder which definitely has developed me both as a man and as a player.

’Over the last couple years when I was doing my scholarship, the first year I had a rough time off the pitch which made me miss a lot of the season.

’When I got to my second year, I accepted that getting into the first team at Wolves was not going to happen for me which was a hard pill to swallow.

’But I knew a move would be what is best for me so I went and spoke to the academy manager, told him how I felt and thankfully I had a good relationship with the staff at Wolves who were all out to help me.

’I got the chance to go to Wigan for the end of the season and luckily, once my contract was up at Wolves, Wigan offered me a deal.

’I’m over the moon and I just can’t wait to get started.’

DAVE NORTON