Spring is in the air, and it can only mean one thing – Wigan Time! The Progress With Unity team are jubilant following an outstanding weekend in Liverpool, and struggle to wipe broad smiles from their faces as they discuss those five magnificent minutes that demolished Everton.

Any nerves ahead of the latest in a series of pseudo cup finals are settled by extended reminiscing over a dream draw, before thoughts naturally turn to the relegation run-in. I’m not sure if we came to any conclusions as such, but can you blame us? These games are increasingly difficult to predict.

Contents: Everton review (1:40); Newcastle preview (18:25); The Curse of the DW (26:40); FA Cup fixture pile-up? (34:37); Joseph’s Goal collection and more cup chat! (39:55)

Get involved!

Progress With Unity is currently the only Wigan Athletic fan podcast on the web. If you would like to get involved or have any topics you’d like to be discussed please get in touch with Barry at wigan@vitalfootball.co.uk, marking your email PWU Podcast.

If you prefer, you can tweet us your questions at @JesusIsAWiganer or @PWUPodcast via that there Twitter website. The PWU iTunes and RSS pages are also available on a first come, first served basis so grab your plates and cutlery and take your seats quickly and quietly.

As ever, thanks for listening and enjoy the rest of your week.

Image courtesy Carlos Yo (CC3.0)

Latics goals are like Wigan Corporation buses…

There must be something seriously wrong – Latics on terrestrial television twice in one season? Somebody at ITV Sport knew the much-anticipated Wigan Time was long overdue.

A series of excellent performances in what must be Wigan’s greatest cup season since… ever meant any confidence, though cautious, was not necessarily misplaced. There is a marked difference, however, between a Tuesday night Capital One Cup Second Round tie at Nottingham Forest and a Saturday afternoon ‘prime time’ FA Cup Quarter Final.

Ahhh, the inescapable aura of a cup tie. It’s that unique all-or-nothing, ‘ninety minutes to save your life’ atmosphere that characterises the world’s greatest domestic cup competition. You might be a bit rubbish but in the eyes of the Football Association Challenge Cup, all teams from division 1 to 100, with one thousand or one million supporters, are created equal.

…and then they decide to screen Man United v West Ham. But we are in danger of criticising the schedulers once again, so one shall draw a line under such suggestions and move swiftly on to strictly footballing matters. Possibly.

Read the rest of this entry »

Room for an extra-curricular visit to the ‘Pool?

As the Continental Food Market returns to Wigan (springbok burgers included), Progress With Unity reconvene to build a Scouse sandwich of Luis Suarez and FA Cup magic with a sprinkling of Champions League controversy. Be warned, it’s both sweet and sour.

Opinions are divided on this weekend’s quarter final showdown at Goodison, while there is another brief mention for our good ex-postie mate. Just thought I’d let you know so you can skip the ‘letters off with a few decisions’ jokes… (Sorry.)

Contents: Liverpool review (2:00); Everton preview (18:50); FA Cup vs. Premier League (23:55); Fergie soapbox (28:52); Joseph’s Goal update (38:58)

Get involved!

Progress With Unity is currently the only Wigan Athletic fan podcast on the web. If you would like to get involved or have any topics you’d like to be discussed please get in touch with Barry at wigan@vitalfootball.co.uk, marking your email PWU Podcast.

A Tweeterphile? Then you’ll be pleased to learn of the ever-present JWAW and PWU Twitter accounts which are available for the usual social networking use and abuse. Those of you with portable devices might also be interested in the PWU iTunes and RSS pages for all your ePodding and mp5 needs.

Cheers for listening, and thanks for tolerating my piece in yesterday’s Evening Post 12th Man column.

Decimated by man flu and fallout from (admittedly muted) Boxing Day celebrations, the Progress With Unity team crawl wearily back to the studio, aspirin in hand, for a bit of post-Xmas musing. Excuse the occasionally clipped, slurred speech as we frequently had to be revived with piping hot tea and whisky just to make it through the recording. Heck, I am surprised the evening yielded a whole 50 minutes of legible material!

The self-appointed ‘Terrible Trio’ blaze their way through a variety of topics from the Arsenal and Everton games to the forthcoming clashes with Villa and Man United. As an added bonus, in the spirit of seasonal specials, there is also a nostalgic look back at our favourite moments of 2012. Lads (and lasses), it’s been emotional.

Contents: Arsenal review (0:00); Everton review (12:38); Aston Villa preview (23:40); Man United preview (33:22); 2012 retrospective (40:48)

The PWU Podcast is recorded in front of a live studio audience of three thousand books and a copy of the Metro newspaper dated 15 December. Vaguely interested? See here for how to get involved.

Hey, have you heard about that Twitter thing? It’s really good, if you’re into that sort of thing. Progress With Unity has its own account for you to follow, plus some other multimedia gumph like an iTunes page and a dedicated RSS feed so you can download it to your iPad and listen to it at work. Don’t tell your boss, though, unless he is Jonathan Jackson or something.