Arjan de Zeeuw enjoyed two separate spells at current Championship outfit Wigan Athletic during his playing career and is a fondly remembered figure at the DW Stadium.

Joining the Latics when they were in the third tier, he was a regular for the club during his three seasons there, making a remarkable 126 league appearances and was one of the club's best players.

Considering he joined the club on a free transfer, arriving on the expiration of his contract at Charlton Athletic, this signing is probably one of the best in their history and they will have been gutted to have lost him for nothing when he linked up with Portsmouth in 2002.

 

 

Moving up to the First Division with Pompey, they went on to achieve promotion at the end of de Zeeuw's first campaign at Fratton Park with the Dutchman then spending two more seasons with the south-coast outfit in the Premier League.

Wigan's reunion with the centre-back was sealed in 2005, making a further 52 league appearances during his second spell in Greater Manchester, appearing 186 times in total for the Latics and scoring six times in the process.

Following that, the Dutchman had a short spell at Midlands side Coventry City before returning to the Netherlands to ply his trade with ADO '20 prior to his retirement.

Back in 2020, he revealed he didn't want to do his coaching badges and this is why he decided to enter a different industry, though he decided against becoming a doctor despite having a medical degree under his belt.

Instead, he decided to join the police force back in his home nation because it would have taken him a considerable amount of time to force his way into the medical profession.

The 52-year-old may have taken on a managerial role at a local football club, but judging by his comments, you certainly wouldn't expect to see him become a high-profile boss in England or elsewhere.