MARTIN Gleeson said it feels like ‘coming home’ after leaving Warrington Wolves this week and signing for Wigan Warriors for a transfer fee around the £100,000 mark.

He added that he was happy at Warrington but is now relishing this new opportunity after penning a three-and-a-half year contract with his hometown club.

“When I found out this was an opportunity, it’s like coming home,” said Gleeson, who will turn 29 three days after facing his old Warrington teammates for Wigan next month.

“All my family are really buzzing and I am, too. It’s a bit of a dream come true, really.

“It’s a bit surreal still. I still can’t believe it yet but I’m really looking forward to it as I think there are some good times ahead.

“As a John Fisher school pupil I used to go along and watch the Wigan matches at Central Park and admire the team.

“I didn’t get the opportunity when I first got back from Australia (where he spent his youth) and I went elsewhere.

“But the opportunity is here now and I’ve got to pinch myself.

“It wasn’t a case of being unhappy at Warrington, not at all.

“I really got on well with Tony Smith, Jimmy Lowes especially, and Paul Cullen who took me to the club, as well as Simon Moran who runs the place.

“I’ve got really good mates there and I’ve had some really good times.

“It’s probably not worked out the way we wanted it to over the last few years.

“The club’s got some big ambitions but it’s run its course really and time for us both to move on.”

Gleeson gave the impression the move was instigated by the two clubs, not himself.

“I’m not 100 per cent sure about that,” he said.

“I got a phone call last week saying it was a possibility. I think it was more between the two clubs.”

And he said he was not sure how the Warrington players had reacted to his departure.

“A lot of things happened so quickly. I didn’t really know what was going on and then I was getting bombarded with phone calls so the phone had to be off for a few days while I really sat down and thought about things.

“But everything’s fine with them, they’re good mates and nothing’s changed.”

Speculation of Wigan’s interest in Gleeson hit the headlines at the start of last week, with neither club offering any comments publicly.

Gleeson was ‘rested’ by Wolves at the weekend and his last appearance for the club was at stand off in the 27-22 win against Celtic Crusaders on March 29.

He got a taste for the play-making half back role with Warrington last year, with Tony Smith also giving him games in that position during England’s 2008 World Cup campaign, but Gleeson had made the right centre position his own at Warrington since 2005.

His signing from St Helens, for a club record fee of £200,000, was seen as a real coup in the bid to bring glory days back to Warrington.

He hit it off straight away with his wing partner Henry Fa’afili and, feeding off quality ball from the likes of Lee Briers and Logan Swann, formed one of the most lethal attacking threats in Super League.

While the likes of Swann and Fa’afili were released at various stages, Gleeson remained the rock on the right-hand edge and whoever played outside him was regularly among the tries.

Former Manly Grand Finalist Chris Hicks found that out at the start of their partnership last year, before Hicks was required to cover at full back for the majority of the campaign.

Young Chris Riley benefited, too, touching down 13 times in the last 14 games of 2008.

Throughout his Warrington career Gleeson kept hold of his international jersey, firstly under current Wigan coach Brian Noble and then under new Wolves boss Tony Smith.

He will be hoping to do the same with Wigan and looks set to form a formidable right edge with human giant Karl Pryce from today, Thursday, against St Helens.