Wigan Athletic will have viewed Callum Lang's Leeds United exploits with jealousy and pride: View | OneFootball

Wigan Athletic supporters will have looked on with mixed emotions as Callum Lang scored a brace for Portsmouth at Leeds United

The hotly anticipated 2024/25 Football League season got underway over the course of the weekend, and there was plenty of excitement across the Championship as well as League One and League Two.

But the undoubted pick of the bunch of the weekend's action was Leeds United's thrilling 3-3 draw with Portsmouth on Saturday afternoon at Elland Road.

Plenty of EFL fans will have enjoyed the six-goal classic, while Wigan Athletic fans will have watched on with particular interest due to the fact that Latics academy graduate and former first team star Callum Lang found himself on the scoresheet twice for Pompey, with a first-half thunderbolt as well as a 92nd minute goal from the penalty spot.

The attacking player was a key member of the Latics side who won the 2021/22 League One title with Leam Richardson at the managerial helm, but left to join the Hampshire outfit back in January after falling down the pecking order under Shaun Maloney.

Wigan fans will have watched Lang's actions with mixed emotions

Many Latics supporters will have felt proud to see one of their club's academy products perform so well in one of the biggest fixtures the Championship had to offer on the opening weekend of the season, especially due to the stunning nature of his first goal.

However, the Brick Community Stadium faithful will have also looked on with jealousy, due to the fact that Lang was unable to produce the goods for the Latics at second tier level, scoring just one league goal for Maloney's men as they were relegated back to League One at the conclusion of the 2022/23 season.

In just one game, the wideman has scored double the number of goals for Pompey in the Championship as he ever did for the Latics, which makes a grim reading for supporters of the Greater Manchester club.

Furthermore, Wigan fans had hoped that Lang would have been successful in the second tier two seasons ago after he made an impressive return of 15 goals and seven assists during the 2021/22 League One campaign, a tally which helped spearhead the Tics towards the third tier title.

Latics supporters will now watch on with intrigue as one of their former star men looks to make a real impact in the Championship for Pompey, a feat he did not achieve during his time at the Brick Community Stadium.

Lang should be remembered as a modern-day Latics hero

Although the Wigan academy graduate did not taste success with the Greater Manchester outfit at Championship level, the Latics faithful will not forget his positive contributions for the club over the years.

Prior to the League One title triumph in 2022, which was an apt ending to Lang's best ever season in Latics colours, the forward helped to keep his side in the third tier despite trying circumstances.

He returned to the Brick Community Stadium from a loan spell in Scotland with Motherwell in January 2021, while the Latics were in administration and relegation to League Two was looking likely.

Despite the sorry state of the football club at the time, Lang made himself a hero as he scored nine goals in 23 League One appearances and helped stave off the threat of an unwanted visit to the fourth tier before firing his side towards the third tier title the following campaign.

Latics fans will always wish that Lang was also able to perform for their side at Championship level, but it wasn't to be for the academy product who now seems intent on making a better account of himself in Pompey colours in the second tier.