The bold gamble taken by Wigan Athletic manager John Deehan is reaping dividends.

It was Deehan who offered a career lifeline to Carl Bradshaw when the player was released from prison after being convicted on an assault charge.

Discarded by Norwich City, Bradshaw's professional career looked to have come to the end of the line at the age of 29.

But Deehan, a team-mate of Sheffield-born Bradshaw with the Canaries, brought the player to Springfield Park earlier this season. Since then the utility player has been one of Wigan's most consistent performers.

It's an irony that while Wigan have invested more than a £1million in prolonging their Division Two tenure after being promoted as basement champions last May, a player who did not cost a fee has outshone the various big-money recruits.

And the further boost for Wigan is that Bradshaw, the younger brother of former York City defender Darren Bradshaw, can operate in a variety of positions.

His initial role at Springfield Park was as a right wing-back in a five-man back-line, but he has also sparkled as sweeper after the Latics' ill-fated fling with ex-Serie 'A' star Pasquale Bruno, who took the huff and walked away from the Lancashire club when his preferred 'libero' slot was denied him.

No such histrionics from Bradshaw. Even though he shone as the free man at the heart of the defence he has since been moved back to wing-back.

Sources close to Wigan suggest Bradshaw may be even more effective in the heart of midfield, where his smooth passing skills would be best employed.

Those talents were first given rein with Sheffield Wednesday whom he joined in the mid-1980s as an apprentice. In three seasons with the Owls he made 32 League games scoring four goals, his time at Hillsborough punctuated by a brief loan outing at Barnsley.

Bradshaw then made an even shorter stop across the Pennines to Manchester City featuring in five games for the Maine Road club before a return to the steel city, this time in a £50,000 move to Sheffield United.

It was at Bramall Lane that Bradshaw's career took off. In five seasons he was part of the promotion-winning side that took United into the FA Carling Premiership alongside a certain City captain of the future, Paul Stancliffe.

Bradshaw made more than 150 appearances for United before a £75,000 move five years ago to East Anglia, where Deehan was to take over the managerial helm from another former York player, Mike Walker.

When Walker returned to Carrow Road two summers ago Bradshaw was in and out of the team, finally cut loose after his jail sentence. But Deehan stepped in to give Bradshaw a second chance, one he has diligently grabbed.

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