Welcome to Wigan. We don’t have a Waitrose, Harrods, John Lewis, Morrisons, an airport, a cathedral, a glass museum… or very much at all, come to think of it. But the one thing we do have, apart from the George Formby Memorial Pier, is football. From Wigan United (as opposed to Wigan-United) and Wigan Town…
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…
Anybody watching the BBC News Channel in the past few days can’t have failed to notice a particularly colourful character at the Eastleigh by-election. Ray Hall of the Beer, Baccy and Crumpets Party outperformed the English Democrats, Church of Militant Elvis and even the Monster Raving Loonies, tallying 235 votes on his way to… wait…
I am noticing a worrying trend on the Progress With Unity Podcast. Do we have to perpetuate this fatuous Wigan ‘pie-eaters’ myth with constant references to said baked pastry dish? Are we really the group of illiterate, illarterate meat ‘n’ tater-obsessed walking stereotypes those red-tops and ex-pundits make us out to be? No, don’t answer…
It isn’t pleasant to lose, but at least it gives you plenty to discuss in the pub afterwards. This week’s PWU Podcast comes not from the local boozer, but its regular location somewhere East of (Nicky) Eden where the Springfield Tree grows. On Barry’s big bad list this week is an eclectic mix more varied…
This time twelve months ago, Wigan were just emerging from a series of results that would destine most teams to relegation. Is it testament to Roberto Martinez that his team not only survived the drop, but finished comfortably ahead of the drop zone, or is it another case of divine intervention? After all, Jesus is…
Perhaps the Progress With Unity Podcast‘s most appealing factor is its participants’ tendency to embark upon journeys of nostalgia that lead to endless tales of seasons past. Of course, you could class this as a drawback (particularly where editing is concerned), but isn’t that why football exists? So we can ramble on for hours about…
The gods were shining on Wigan Athletic this afternoon in more ways than one; the start of spring granted us some pleasant weather and equally enjoyable football as Latics blistered their way to a precious three points at a stunned Anfield. Both sides enjoyed decent spells of control but Latics had the last laugh through…
Ali Al Habsi was once again the hero as Latics picked up another useful point against top-four challenging Liverpool. Though the visitors largely bossed proceedings, the game could have gone either way thanks to the Muscat-born shot stopper, who made eight saves to keep his side in the contest. Most pertinent was his right-handed punch…
We’re now on a rapid road to the all-important closing stretch of the 2010-11 Premier League season, a series of 8-10 games which could see Latics hang on for their very lives or, conversely, roll over like a subservient dog begging for its belly to be tickled. Will we be up with the big boys…
They say everyone has their fifteen minutes of fame. Unfortunately, in my case, it’s more slight notability, not for my rapidly deteriorating Wigan Athletic weblog, but as the creator of that Howard Webb image. You know, the one on all the back pages of today’s papers and all over the national newswires? All I can…
We’d had our warmups in the form of Hartlepool, Preston and Swansea in the Carling Cup, but tonight saw Latics’ first midweek Premier League game of the 2010 season. It was a biggie, too, and no matter how much we tried to put it out of our minds (“bloomin’ great, another hammering,” mutter), it always…