He celebrated his second goal by racing down the tunnel and dashing to the hospital, still in his full kit, where his partner was in labour with their second child.

Wigan chairman David Sharpe shared news of the safe arrival on Twitter a couple of hours later, posting: "Congrats to Ryan Colclough who scored a brace tonight in our win before being substituted to make it in time to see the birth of his son!"

Congrats to Ryan Colclough who scored a brace tonight in our win before being substituted to make it in time to see the birth of his son! 👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/Efvjk9P3sw

— David Sharpe (@DavidSharpe91) November 21, 2017

Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester, he said: "Literally just before I scored, I see my Dad over in the stands and he sort of gave he the action that the waters had gone," he said.

"So my head was a little bit battered, and then I went and scored, and then I just looked at the manager and he said: 'We'll bring you off now'.

"I came off, and I was just straight down the tunnel, grabbed my keys and my phone, and just got to the hospital.

He said that he would have left sooner, but "the ball was still in play at that moment, so I couldn't some off the pitch, but as soon as it was available, I cut straight off the pitch."

The news took him by surprise, as a midwife had said earlier that day that the baby was "very much tucked up in there".

Harley Thomas was born "literally 30 minutes after I got there", said the proud father, weighing 8lbs 6ozs. Mother and baby "doing very well".

Latics assistant boss Leam Richardson said: "At half-time we got the message that his missus' waters had broken, his second child.

"As soon as the second goal he was off the pitch, because his head was somewhere else.

"We're all men, we're all individuals...some of the players wouldn't have gone...they'd be still in the dressing room now."