Harbinger Of Glory-Chapter 181: Seeing Out The Game.
The morning after the draw did not feel quiet, even though there was no match to prepare for.
Talks lingered online instead, in clipped opinions and long threads as well as in voices that felt close even when Leo never read them directly.
Around Wigan's corners of the internet, the talk kept circling back to the same point.
Whatever lesson Dawson was trying to teach, people said they understood it.
But leaving Leo out entirely did not sit right.
One fan wrote that he usually leaned toward experience over youth, but when a kid played with the calm and control of a veteran, the argument changed.
Another said the league and a playoff push were clearly the priority, but crashing out of the FA Cup early still stung, especially when it felt avoidable.
Leo heard none of it directly, mainly because he had slept in that morning.
Despite not even playing, his body still felt heavy, and that had resulted in him even missing his window for his regular morning runs.
He walked into the training ground cafeteria in his shorts and training top, a staple of his attire in life now.
At the cafeteria, plates were already scattered across the tables, half-eaten breakfasts, and players getting ready for the start of their session.
Before he could fully move into the room, Fletcher spotted him, before turning away, but Leo caught it and approached him.
"Oi," Leo said, slowing as he came up beside him. "You never followed through with that bet."
Fletcher looked up, already smiling. "What bet?"
"You know exactly what bet," Leo replied. "First one to five appearances. Loser washes the other guy's boots."
Fletcher leaned back in his chair and shook his head slowly.
"That was the old me."
Leo blinked. "The old you?"
"New year, new version," Fletcher said, completely straight-faced.
"You can't hold me accountable for decisions made by my previous self."
Leo stared at him for a second, then scoffed.
"We'll see if this new version lasts longer than a week."
Fletcher just laughed and turned back to his plate.
Further in, Ezra had already claimed a seat and was waving Leo over with his fork.
Leo slid into the chair opposite him, while Ezra proceeded to lay his thoughts down.
"You know the window's open now, right?" Ezra said, lowering his voice.
"Heard we're looking to strengthen."
Leo, eyes on his phone, glanced up before nodding slowly.
"Makes sense. Our performances have earned that trust, and now the board backs the manager and backs the group."
Ezra sighed, poking at the tissue basket in front of him.
"Of course it happens now. Just when I finally get into the team."
"That shouldn't bother you," Leo said calmly. "If you're doing the right things, it won't matter who comes in."
Ezra looked unconvinced. "Yeah. Right."
Leo smiled at that, not pushing it.
He stood, nudging his chair back with his foot.
"Come on. Food's getting cold."
Ezra followed as they joined the line at the buffet.
....
In the quiet confines of his office, Dawson ended the call and let the phone rest in his palm for a moment longer than necessary.
He stared at the blank screen, jaw tight, before placing it face down on the desk while the door opened almost on cue.
Nolan stepped in, tablet tucked under his arm.
"PR just flagged it," he said.
"There's been a spike overnight. Articles linking Leo with Manchester United. It looks coordinated. Same talking points, different outlets."
Dawson exhaled through his nose.
"I figured they would try something like this after their offer wasn't well-received. Someone's playing games."
"It's gaining traction," Nolan added. "Enough that it's going to reach the dressing room if it hasn't already. The public affairs team is trying its best, though, to reach out to newsletters and outlets here in Wigan."
"That's something, but we've still got a problem," Dawson said.
"Normally, I wouldn't care. But Leo's history is there. United isn't just another club for him. If he hears enough noise, it might pull at something."
Nolan nodded slowly, considering the angle Dawson had just laid out.
"Best to hear it from him first."
"I know," Dawson replied. "I'll talk to him."
....
The person in question was still in his training kit when his phone buzzed.
Leo shut the door to his room with his heel and answered, dropping onto the edge of the bed.
"You asked me to call," he said.
Noah Sarin's voice came through after that, a bit pleading.
"All right. Have you seen any articles about yourself lately?"
Leo thought for a second.
"Just the usual. Performances, ratings and comparisons. That kind of thing."
There was a pause.
"Riiight," Noah said, stretching the word before clearing his throat.
"Not those. Transfer ones."
Leo frowned slightly.
"Can't say I have. I don't really follow that stuff."
"That explains it," Noah said.
"It's been out there that United reached out. Quietly at first. They spoke to Wigan about you."
Leo raised an eyebrow.
"For what?"
"For a return," Noah replied. "They made their intent clear."
"Oh," Leo said, the word coming out flat.
"Yeah, but Wigan turned down the terms," Noah continued.
"United didn't take the hint. They circled back and came to me directly once they figured out I was your agent. It seems they are trying to cover up a mistake or something."
Leo laughed under his breath.
"That's funny. How things change."
"I was getting to—"
"Just ignore them," Leo cut in. "I've said it before. I'm not interested in moving, nonetheless, to United at this time."
Noah smiled, even if Leo couldn't see it.
"Good. That's what I like to hear. Especially with how crowded their squad is. It wouldn't help you or your career even with all the promises they were making."
He paused, then added, "But I can't say it's all bad. The news surrounding you has gotten Wigan wanting to revisit your contract at the end of the season. If the run stays strong, there's room to improve it. Promotion or not."
Leo nodded. "That's enough motivation for me."
"Ok, Leo. I'll handle the rest," Noah said before ending the call.
Leo tossed his phone onto the bed with a little sigh before he stood to his feet and made his way towards his showers.
....
The next Saturday, Wigan arrived in Cardiff for their first game of the year.
On paper, it looked kind.
Cardiff City sat 20th, scraping for rhythm, while Wigan had closed the year with momentum and confidence.
Still, no one inside the away dressing room bought into the idea of comfort.
The Championship had a way of punishing that sort of thinking out to the gutter.
And the opening minutes showed why Wigan didn't let their guard down.
Cardiff came out sharp, pressing high with the home crowd urging them forward with a nervous edge, while Wigan kept chasing until they got their own spell of possession.
Leo proved pivotal, dragging opponents out of shape while making tackles and recoveries all over the pitch.
He did not touch the ball often early on, but every time he did, Wigan looked comfortable, and that resulted in them looking very threatening.
"Wigan patient here," the commentator noted.
The first real opening came after fifteen minutes.
In a ball that shouldn't have worked, Leo checked short, pulled his defender with him, and slipped a simple pass wide before spinning into space.
A Cardiff City player got to the ball first, but the ball was taken away again, leaving Cardiff exposed for a sweaty goal as Will Keane touched the ball in from close range.
The away end got the first sniff of celebrations as Will Keane slid towards the corner flag, pumping his fists in the air right before being swarmed by his mates.
Midway through the half, Cardiff nearly found a way back in.
A loose clearance dropped kindly on the edge of the box, but the keeper reacted sharply, tipping it wide to keep Wigan's lead intact.
Leo was already pointing, calling teammates back into shape.
And then just before halftime, the second goal arrived.
Again, Leo was involved without being obvious.
He drifted right, pulled two players toward him, and left a pocket open through the middle.
The pass split the line, leaving Fletcher one-on-one with the Cardiff keeper, and he was never going to miss.
The former Manchester United player curled the ball around the Cardiff City keeper to make it 2-0 for Wigan just before the break, and it followed the same pattern even after they returned, but this time, with Leo dropping into a deeper role and helping link the back line to midfield, drawing fouls when the pressure came late.
"He might not be on the scoresheet," the commentator said, "but he is the reason his mates can attack with such freedom and free of worries."
And then, there was the moment just past the 72nd-minute mark that summed it up.
Leo received the ball with his back to the goal and two Cardiff players who had been marking him since the start of the second half.
He cushioned it with one touch, rolled away from the first challenge, and slipped a pass into the path of a runner breaking free, in McClean.
The move ended with a save, but Wigan got a corner out of it, and not long after, the third goal arrived.
This resulted in another corner, which was worked back into the box via a short route. Leo, behind it, passed the ball to Cousins before taking it on the edge of the box and sending it into the box.
Both sides watched as the ball floated towards the far post, and there, Callum Lang met it with a deft touch before lobbing it back into the sea of bodies where Tilt headed it into the back of the net to make it 3-0.
From there, Wigan managed it professionally, seeing out the game without conceding.
