Wigan Athletic, Everton agreement was a forgettable part of memorable campaign | OneFootball

Francisco Junior's stint with Wigan Athletic was not particularly memorable

Wigan Athletic entered the 2015/16 League One campaign with somewhat of a lack of optimism, after being relegated from the Championship following a dismal 2014/15 season in the second tier.

Relegation to the third tier by the spring of 2015 seemingly wasn't in the script for the Latics, who had enjoyed their finest hour just two years previously, when they defeated Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

But just days on from their unlikely Wembley triumph, the Greater Manchester outfit suffered a rather more predictable relegation to the Championship, which ended a remarkable eight-year stint in the Premier League.

But after reaching the FA Cup semi-finals, and the second tier play-offs in 2014, Latics supporters were shocked to see their club fall down to League One by 2015.

However, the 2015/16 third tier season turned out to be a memorable one in the club's history, as they lifted the League One title after winning 87 points.

But one player who was unable to make a name for himself despite being a member of an otherwise heroic Latics squad was Francisco Junior, who joined the Brick Community Stadium side on loan from Everton during the summer of 2015.

Everton recruit did not produce the goods for Wigan

Wigan's 2015/16 League One title winning side included several notable players, such as striker Will Grigg, who notched 25 third tier goals that campaign, and became the subject of a then globally renowned terrace chant, as well as Michael Jacobs, who went on to become a club stalwart.

But the short-lived contributions of midfielder Junior, were a less memorable part of an otherwise triumphant season for the Greater Manchester side.

Junior initially moved to the Latics from Everton on a one-month loan deal in August 2015, but that tenure was extended until January 2016, as then Wigan boss Gary Caldwell was impressed by the Benfica youth academy product.

However, while the eventual Guinea-Bissau international made two Champions League appearances while with Norwegian outfit Stromsgodset in 2014, he was unable to etch himself into the memories of Latics fans, despite his noteworthy credentials.

In total, the former Portugal youth international made just 12 appearances during his time at the Brick Community Stadium, with 10 of those outings arriving in League One.

Meanwhile, he was outperformed by fellow central midfielders David Perkins and Max Power, who were signed by the Latics from Blackpool and Tranmere Rovers respectively, during the same summer as Junior's arrival from Goodison Park.

Both went on to become Tics cult heroes, and also helped the club win the 2017/18 League One title, two years on from winning their initial third tier silverware with the club.

Following a three-season stint at Sunderland, Power also returned to Wigan ahead of the 2021/22 season, and won his third League One title with the club after a remarkable campaign in which he scored three goals and made 12 assists, despite often being deployed in a previously unfamiliar right-back role.

Amid the success of both Power and Perkins, then, perhaps Latics supporters could be forgiven for forgetting that Junior also plied his trade for the club during the 2015/16 season, in which he was also outshone by Chris McCann.

Junior's post-Wigan career has been a unique journey

The 32-year-old's last spell as a first team player in English football was his stint at the Brick Community Stadium, as he left Everton in the summer of 2016, to rejoin Stromsgodset, this time on a permanent basis.

He remained with the Norwegian side until 2018, when he signed for then Danish Superligaen outfit Vendyssel FF, who now ply their trade in the second tier.

After leaving Vendsyssel in 2019, Junior went on to represent Israeli side Hapoel Haifa, prior to joining Romanian club Gaz Metan Medias ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.

He spent just two seasons there, before making a move to Sepsi OSK, while he now plies his trade for fellow Romanian Superliga side FC Botosani.

It is fair to say that Junior's career pathway since his Latics departure has been a fairly unique one, but his brief spell with the Greater Manchester club is not one which will live long in the memories of supporters.