The whole Wigan manager thing has gone very quite. Paul Jewell looked a dead cert last week, well, not anymore.

Paul Jewell, the former Wigan Athletic manager, has ruled out a return to the Barclays Premier League club.

And that’s according to The Times, they would have no reason to lie to you. Sorry Wigan fans. It just never really looked like happening.

He was approached by Dave Whelan, the owner, over the vacancy after expressing his interest in a newspaper column, but, after a short period to consider his options, decided against a return to the JJB Stadium. It is understand terms between the parties were not discussed.

So where now, Sammy Lee?

Jewell’s decision leaves the Wigan position wide open with the club not thought to have a top target. Joe Royle is the bookmakers’ favourite, with former Newcastle United manager Graeme Souness and Steve Cotterill, who surprisingly resigned as manager of Burnley last week, also among the frontrunners.

Well, that doesn’t look too promising. Should never have gone with Hutchings in the first place. Who would want to be a Wigan fan? Maybe a Burnley fan would:

Hutchings, meanwhile, expects to have his payoff from Wigan resolved within the next fortnight and is known to have his eyes on the manager’s job at Burnley.