Championship

CHARLIE WYKE revealed he took inspiration from Christian Eriksen as he made an emotional return to first team football earlier this month.The Wigan forward, 29, suffered a cardiac arrest during a training session back in November and feared he would never play again.
Wigan star Charlie Wyke suffered a cardiac arrest during trainingCredit: Sky Sports
He admits he owes his life to Latics boss Leam Richardson – who began the resuscitation – and club doctors at the DW Stadium who brought him back to life after more than three minutes.
Wyke now has a defibrillator fitted under his skin and told how it was used after he felt dizzy during a training session back in March.
That meant his plans of a comeback in the spring were put back – but he did finally return as a sub in the win at Birmingham nine days ago.
And the comeback by Eriksen – who has recovered from a collapse on the pitch at Euro 2020 and now plays for Manchester United – has spurred him on during his long road back.
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Wyke said: “It’s been an incredible journey and I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from Eriksen.
“He’s been through a lot and to come back play the way he’s played is unbelievable.
“I remember watching that incident on television and thinking ‘you’ve got to be so lucky for that to happen’. Then four months later, it was me. “
Wyke revealed he was looking to return to Wigan’s first team in March but had to think again after another scare in training.
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He told Sky Sports: “There’s been a lot of setbacks, changing medication.
“But two or three months after the cardiac arrest, I’d started light training again.
“It was only a week before I was hoping to come back. Will Keane said something to me and I looked straight through him and started going dizzy again.
“My defibrillator went off and gave me a complete shock of the full body. It’s quite dramatic really.
“I’d never want to go through it all again because the pain was unbearable. My team-mates had to see it all again.
“The positive I can take is that I know the defibrillator works now. It doesn’t look the best, but if it’s going to save your life, who cares?”
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Wigan ace Charlie Wyke revealed the defibrillator that was inserted after his cardiac arrestCredit: Sky Sports
Charlie Wyke celebrates scoring for Wigan in 2021Credit: Rex
Wyke did finally make it back at a 70th minute sub at St Andrew’s and 12 minutes later he set up the winner for Nathan Broadhead.
After more than nine months on the sidelines, it was a special moment for him and his family.
He said: “To come back was an unbelievable feeling. If someone told me six months ago I’d be on the pitch doing that I’d have said no chance.
“My family were there and it was quite emotional after the game – there was only me that wasn’t crying.”
Looking back on the day he collapsed in November, Wyke recalled: “I knew it was serious.
“The last thing I remember was going to the manager and wanting to tell him I was going to collapse – but I couldn’t get my words out.
“If it wasn’t for the manager and the doctor I wouldn’t be here now. So for me and my family they are our heroes. It was obviously the scariest day of my life.” More

NEIL WARNOCK is ready to come out of retirement if Sunderland come calling.The 73-year-old hasn’t worked since leaving Middlesbrough nine months ago and announced that he was ready to call time on a managerial career stretching back to 1980.
Warnock would come out of retirement to manage SunderlandCredit: Rex
But Warnock has told friends he’d jump at the chance of succeeding Alex Neil at the Stadium of Light.
He spoke to sporting director Kristjaan Speakman before Neil got the job and has let it be known he’s still interested.
His biggest regret in football was turning down t the Black Cats’ job in 1992 when he was Notts County manager.
Malcolm Crosby was put in caretaker charge and at the time, Warnock wanted to wait until Sunderland were knocked out of the FA Cup.
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But they reached Wembley, where they were beaten in the final by Liverpool and Crosby was handed a 12 month contract.
Though ex-Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray is favourite to take charge, Sunderland are keeping their options open with MK Dons’ Liam Manning another name that’s been considered.

Manning has a good record as Dons manager, holding an impressive 55 per cent win record.
His side also recorded a 2-0 EFL Cup win over Championship side Watford.
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MK Dons then followed up the cup win with a 4-0 thrashing of Morecambe.
The Dons sit 13th in league One. More

CHELSEA loanee Ian Maatsen received a straight red card for an outrageous shove on a Blackpool player yesterday.The Dutch left-back, 20, is spending the season at Vincent Kompany’s Burnley.
Ian Maatsen was shown a straight red card for a shove in Burnley’s 3-3 draw with BlackpoolCredit: PA
A mass brawl erupted between the two sidesCredit: Getty

Maatsen is touted as one of Chelsea’s best promising academy stars.
And before Saturday, he had lit up Turf Moor with a goal and an assist in just four Championship matches.

But Maatsen’s head got the better of him during Burnley’s heated clash against Blackpool.
A stunning game saw Burnley go 3-1 up at home after 33 minutes.
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But a second-half collapse from the hosts allowed Blackpool to salvage a 3-3 draw.
And both sides ended the game with just ten men after a clash between Maatsen and Sonny Carey in the 84th minute.
The latter slid in on the Dutch youngster with a brutal crunching tackle as time ticked down.
But this prompted a furious response from Maatsen, who charged over before shoving Carey powerfully to the ground.
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A melee was then sparked between the two sides as the ref struggled to control things.
But once he got a handle on the situation, he promptly showed straight reds to both players.
Burnley boss Kompany was unhappy with Carey’s challenge and believes the red was deserved.
However, the Man City legend reckons Maatsen must learn to control his emotions when things get tough.
The referee had little choice but to send Maatsen offCredit: PA
Sonny Carey was also dismissed for his cynical swipeCredit: Getty
Kompany said: “It’s shame because it’s an important player [Maatsen], and it’s a conversation I have with him because he’s young.
“But he’s the one who got absolutely booted off the pitch at shin height.
“It’s going to happen to him again, because he’s a good player and he’ll have to manage that.
“I think you are allowed a reaction but when you start putting hands on people you are asking for trouble.
“But I want to make absolutely clear that he is the one that got booted off the pitch.
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“What he (Maatsen) did was not dangerous, it was an error of a young player and a mistake in terms of game management.
“You have to know that might happen and he goes off, you stay on and you show you are a better player by scoring a goal or getting an assist.” More