The football transfer window is open and teams are spending millions putting their squads together for the upcoming season.
It's all very exciting stuff, but quite frankly there’s only one signing people are bothered about on social media and that’s the new pie mascot at Wigan Athletic.
The club is preparing for life in the Championship after being promoted from League One by hiring someone to get the crowd going while dressed as Crusty the Pie.
Wigan posted a new job advert for a “bubbly, enthusiastic and a fun individual” who can embody the role – and the internet is absolutely loving it.
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The great Wigan pie, of course, has become indelibly connected with the town in Greater Manchester, and it feels oddly fitting that a human-sized, pastry-faced version will be entertaining fans this year as they return to the second flight.
The official job description reads: “Crusty the Pie is our Club Mascot and the purpose of Crusty is to proactively engage with supporters whilst making people smile with positive energy and passion.
\u201c\ud83d\udccb Vacancy | Club Mascot\n\nAre you a bubbly, enthusiastic & a fun individual? If yes, we have an opportunity for you to be Crusty! \ud83d\ude4c\ud83c\udffc\ud83e\udd67\n\nFull details \ud83d\udc47\ud83c\udffc\n\n#wafc \ud83d\udd35\u26aa\ufe0f #BELIEVE\u201d— Wigan Athletic (@Wigan Athletic) 1656527400
“Ensuring supporters leave remembering a remarkable day and to help promote the Wigan Athletic Junior supporters club, by engaging with our younger fans at various events located across Wigan and Leigh," it continues.
If you’re interested (any why wouldn’t you be?) the job required four to six hours per day during home matches, while the mascot is also obliged to work during games on evening, weekends and bank-holidays.
The right person will be required “to entertain and motivate supporters of all age’s pre-match and during half-time,” and they’ll have “experience of working with and managing large groups of children”.
As well as getting paid, they’ll receive “X2 complimentary tickets to all home league fixtures”, as well free onsite parking and Wigan Athletic Club shop discount.
It sounds like a pretty sweet gig, and judging by the social media reactions to the original post, it’s just about the best PR the club could have before the new season.
\u201c@LaticsOfficial Sweeney Wigan\n Todd Athletic\n\n \ud83e\udd1d\n Looking for a person\n to put in a pie\u201d— Wigan Athletic (@Wigan Athletic) 1656527400
\u201c@LaticsOfficial @thecurryking91 \n\nLook\nIf you had\nOne shot\nOr one opportunity\nTo seize everything you ever wanted\nIn one moment\nWould you capture it\nOr just let it slip?\u201d— Wigan Athletic (@Wigan Athletic) 1656527400
\u201c@sensiblehuman96 @LaticsOfficial It\u2019s \u00a33.14 an hour \u2026\u201d— Wigan Athletic (@Wigan Athletic) 1656527400
\u201cOf course Wigan's mascot is a pie\u201d— Gabriel Quinn (@Gabriel Quinn) 1656581116
We just feel sorry for the HR department, which will probably be spending the coming weeks filtering through all the joke applications from football fans around the country.
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