Callum Lang
Personal information
Full name Callum Joseph Lang[1]
Date of birth (1998-09-08) 8 September 1998 (age 25)[2]
Place of birth Liverpool, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[3]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Portsmouth
Number 49
Youth career
0000–2013 Liverpool
2013–2017 Wigan Athletic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2024 Wigan Athletic 124 (27)
2017–2018 → Morecambe (loan) 30 (10)
2018–2019 → Oldham Athletic (loan) 42 (13)
2019–2020 → Shrewsbury Town (loan) 16 (3)
2020–2021 → Motherwell (loan) 17 (3)
2024– Portsmouth 2 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:49, 29 January 2024 (UTC)

Callum Joseph Lang (born 8 September 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Portsmouth.

Club career

Wigan Athletic

Lang joined Wigan Athletic in 2013, after progressing through the Liverpool youth ranks.[4] After four years in the Wigan youth set-up, Lang was involved in a senior matchday squad for the first time on 7 May 2017, when he was an unused substitute in a 1–1 home draw with Leeds United in Wigan's final game of the 2016–17 EFL Championship season, with Latics already relegated.[5]

He made his professional debut and played his first game for Wigan Athletic on 8 August 2017 in an EFL Cup first round tie against Blackpool, which ended as a 2–1 home victory for Latics. Lang came on in the 65th minute for Chris Merrie.[6]

2017/18 season: Morecambe (loan)

After playing three times for Wigan that month, including making his first Wigan start in a 1-1 draw away to Blackpool in the Football League Trophy, on 31 August 2017 Lang signed for EFL League Two side Morecambe on a season-long loan.[7] He scored his first goal on 9 December in a 2–0 home win over Coventry City.[8] His good form continued after that first goal, as he was named EFL Young Player of the Month in December 2017,[9] scoring 5 goals in 5 games across the month, including two in a 4–3 win away to Yeovil Town. Lang ended the season with 10 league goals in 30 league games for Morecambe, as they ended the season in 22nd place in League Two, only avoiding relegation to the National League on goal difference on the final day of the season.[10]

2018/19 season: Oldham Athletic (loan)

On 14 August 2018, Lang signed a new two-year deal with Wigan and joined League Two side Oldham Athletic on loan until January 2019,[11] subsequently extended until the end of the season.[12] He scored the winning goal in the FA Cup Third Round tie against Premier League club Fulham at Craven Cottage on 6 January 2019.[13] He totalled 50 appearances for Oldham over the season and scored 16 goals, as they finished 14th in League Two in their first season back in the fourth tier since the 1970–71 season.

New contract and Wigan league debut

Off the back of 26 goals over the previous two seasons, Lang signed a new three-year contract with Wigan on 1 August 2019[14] and played for them for the first time in almost two years on 13 August, starting in an EFL Cup first round 1-0 home defeat to Stoke City. Eleven days later, he made his league debut for Wigan in a Championship away game at QPR. Lang came on as a substitute for Jamal Lowe in the 59th minute in a 3-1 loss[15]

2019/20 season: Shrewsbury Town (loan)

On 2 September, Lang joined EFL League One side Shrewsbury Town on a season-long loan.[16] He scored his first goal in his second appearance, the winner in a 4–3 home victory over Southend United.[17] In October 2019 he fractured his metatarsal in the 1-0 win at Tranmere Rovers and was ruled out for three months,[18] before returning in January. He had scored 3 goals in 20 games for Shrewsbury by the time the COVID-19 Pandemic curtailed the season in March. Shrewsbury finished 15th in League One based on Points Per Game (PPG) once the season was officially cut short.

First half of 2020/21 season: Motherwell (loan)

On 29 July 2020, 22-year-old Lang was again sent out on loan following Wigan entering administration and suffering relegation from the EFL Championship in the 2019/20 season, signing for Scottish Premiership team Motherwell on a one-year loan.[19] He made his debut on 3 August, as a substitute away to Ross County, but was sent off late on as Motherwell lost 1–0.[20] Lang went on to make 17 league appearances for Motherwell, scoring 3 league goals. He also played in European competition for the first time, playing 3 times in the UEFA Europa League and scoring twice (in a 5-1 home win over Glentoran, and in a 2-2 away draw with Coleraine). Wigan recalled him early on 6 January 2021.[21]

First-team regular at Wigan Athletic

Lang scored his first goal for Wigan in his first game back from loan, as he started in a 3-3 draw away to Rochdale on 16 January 2021. He went on to play 23 times in the second half of Wigan's successful battle to avoid relegation from League One in the 2020/21 season, scoring 9 goals as Latics avoided relegation to League Two with two games remaining.

As Wigan's fortunes improved following the acquisition of the club by the Phoenix 2021 Limited consortium in March 2021,[22] Lang signed a new long-term contract until the summer of 2025 in September 2021.[23]

Portsmouth

On 29 January 2024, Lang signed for League One club Portsmouth for an undisclosed fee, signing a two-and-a-half year contract with the option for a further year. Lang scored on his debut away against Oxford.[24]

Career statistics

As of match played 8 January 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Wigan Athletic 2017–18[25] League One 0 0 0 0 2 0 — 1[a] 0 3 0
2018–19[26] Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — 0 0
2019–20[27] Championship 1 0 0 0 1 0 — — 2 0
2020–21[28] League One 23 9 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 23 9
2021–22[29] League One 42 15 4 3 2 0 — 1[a] 0 49 18
2022–23[30] Championship 35 1 2 0 0 0 — — 37 1
2023–24[31] League One 23 2 2 0 0 0 — 4[a] 1 29 3
2023[32] League One 1 1 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0
Total 125 28 8 3 5 0 0 0 6 1 143 31
Morecambe (loan) 2017–18[25] League Two 30 10 1 0 0 0 — 0 0 31 10
Oldham Athletic (loan) 2018–19[26] League Two 42 13 4 2 0 0 — 4[a] 1 50 16
Shrewsbury Town (loan) 2019–20[27] League One 16 3 4 0 0 0 — 0 0 20 3
Motherwell (loan) 2020–21[28] Scottish Premiership 17 3 0 0 1 0 3[b] 2 — 21 5
Career total 230 57 17 5 6 0 3 2 10 2 245 65
  1. ^ a b c d Appearances in the Football League Trophy
  2. ^ Appearances in the UEFA Europa League

Personal life

Lang was born in Liverpool and is a life-long supporter of Everton[33]

References

  1. ^ "Retained List 2016-17" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Callum Lang". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  3. ^ "Callum Lang". Wigan Athletic F.C. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  4. ^ "Callum Lang". Wigan Athletic Official Site. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  5. ^ "Wigan Athletic 1–1 Leeds United". BBC Sport. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  6. ^ "Wigan Athletic vs. Blackpool". Soccerway. 8 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  7. ^ "Morecambe sign Cambridge's Adam McGurk and Wigan's Callum Lang". BBC Sport. 1 September 2017. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  8. ^ "Morecambe 2–0 Coventry City". BBC Sport. 9 December 2017. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  9. ^ Freeman, Jay (27 January 2018). "Callum Lang: Morecambe forward wins EFL Young Player of the Month award". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  10. ^ "Morecambe stay up as Coventry reach play-offs". BBC Sport. 2 April 2019.
  11. ^ "Callum Lang: Oldham Athletic sign striker on loan from Wigan". BBC Sport. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  12. ^ "Callum Lang Extends Loan Spell At Oldham Athletic Until The End Of The 2018-19 Season". Wigan Athletic F.C. 4 January 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  13. ^ Doyle, Paul (6 January 2019). "Callum Lang heads late winner as League Two Oldham humble Fulham". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  14. ^ "Callum Lang signs new Wigan Athletic Contract". Wigan Athletic Official Site. 1 August 2019.
  15. ^ "Queen's Park Ranger 3-1 Wigan Athletic". BBC Sport. 24 August 2019.
  16. ^ "Shrewsbury Town seal loan signing of Callum Lang from Wigan Athletic". Shropshire Star. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  17. ^ "Shrewsbury Town 4–3 Southend United". BBC Sport. 17 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  18. ^ "Callum Lang: Shrewsbury Town striker sidelined after foot operation". BBC Sport. 16 October 2019.
  19. ^ "Callum Lang signs for Motherwell". motherwellfc.co.uk. 29 July 2020.
  20. ^ Campbell, Andy (3 August 2020). "Ross County 1–0 Motherwell". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  21. ^ "Callum Lang returns to Wigan Athletic". Motherwell FC. 6 January 2021.
  22. ^ "Phoenix 2021 Limited complete the acquisition of Wigan Athletic Football Club". Wigan Athletic Official Site. 30 March 2021.
  23. ^ "Callum Lang: 'It's a nice feeling to have signed a long-term deal'". Wigan Athletic Official Site. 3 September 2021.
  24. ^ "Pompey Complete Lang Signing". www.portsmouthfc.co.uk. 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  25. ^ a b "Games played by Callum Lang in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  26. ^ a b "Games played by Callum Lang in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  27. ^ a b "Games played by Callum Lang in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  28. ^ a b "Games played by Callum Lang in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  29. ^ "Games played by Callum Lang in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  30. ^ "Games played by Callum Lang in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  31. ^ "Games played by Callum Lang in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  32. ^ "Games played by Callum Lang in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  33. ^ White, Jim (24 January 2020). "'I'd dream of scoring a last-minute goal against Liverpool': Shrewsbury's Everton-supporting striker Callum Lang longs for a giant-killing". The Daily Telegraph.

External links

Portsmouth F.C. – current squad
Categories