Good morning and welcome to Supermarket Sweep, with me, Dale Winton! Yes, those crazy marketing execs have briefly revived this urban kleptomaniac’s dream of a game show for the purpose of a tired joke on a sub-Geocities backwater internet blogsite. Incidentally, don’t expect further episodes as we’re using cameramen’s packed lunches to stock the shelves,…
This just in: the FA is proud to announce a new sponsor for the League Cup from 2014. In a five-year deal with Lurpak, the trophy shall henceforth be known as the Butter Cup. And following lengthy negotiations with the British Farmers’ Board, the runners-up will now receive the prestigious Egg Cup in addition to…
Trudging over the bridge to the ticket office on Monday, I happened across a squadron of motorcyclists whizzing between some traffic cones strewn haphazardly across the overflow car park. Disgusted at this blatant misuse of club property, I shouted ‘learn to drive!’ in nobody’s general direction. The response was swift and cutting: “we *are* learning…
I didn’t want to mention the Notts County game for fear of tempting fate, but I guess now it’s all over I can reference said tie as much as I like. I won’t, though, because I will only end up repeating myself. You know those days where nothing goes right? Where every shot goes inches…
I keep mentioning it, but last season’s September-November ‘blip’ was such a prominent event you can’t help but constantly reference it. Heaven knows the media love to, though common consensus is that such talk is all about winning popularity contests and/by selling chip paper. Which reminds me, I must remember to try out Sharpy’s before…
After years and years of being the underdog in cup competitions, I still find it hard to adjust to the tag of ‘giant’. Mostly because it’s one of those media terms used, often erroneously, to glorify the Midweek Floodlit Trophy. In reality, Latics are as much giants as Nottingham Forest are ‘minnows’: in fact one…
It’s somewhat surprising that, in the long and illustrious history of the English Football League, Wigan have only crossed paths with Crystal Palace twice previously. Maybe it’s our ex-Palace contingent of Ben Watson, Emmerson Boyce and Victor Moses that makes it seem as though we’ve had more dealings with the Eagles, at least on the…
Tomorrow afternoon, Latics will find out who they shall face in the Carling Cup Third Round, should they manage to beat Crystal Palace on 13 September. But who gives a monkey’s? Certainly not QPR’s Neil Warnock, who this week rubbished the English League Cup after his side were sent crashing out of the competition by…
Ever wondered exactly why the Carling Cup exists? Neither have I, really, but it’s interesting to learn England’s League Cup was created as a midweek competition for teams with floodlit grounds. It may seem a gimmicky premise, but these days there’s a Europa League spot up for grabs so you can’t really label it a…
A disappointed, but not disheartened Swansea City made the journey back across the border last night having been dumped out of the cup by none other than the King of Traitors himself, one Roberto ‘Iscariot’ Martinez. Now, as an outsider, I can’t claim to know the circumstances in which Bob departed 18 months ago, but…
In many ways, this was not your typical Lancastrian Carling Cup derby. For one thing, Latics’ style of play is anything but Northern. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find an Englishman amongst their starting line-up from last night’s tie with close rivals Preston North End. With Chris Kirkland currently out of favour and…
Well, would you believe it? Latics’ first match in a new, non-orange away kit has led to our first competitive away win under Martinez whilst wearing anything other than blue and white. There can only be one explanation, and that’s the old ‘Tangerine Dream’, henceforth termed the Oranjeboom Nightmare, was jinxed. A rotten satsuma, if…