Oh come on, even the most optimistic of fans like to indulge in a spot of self-pity once in a while! Your stand-in host, Stuttering Bob (AKA that annoying Jesus weblog bloke), is on hand to lend a nervous uncertainty to proceedings and cite a variety of unresearched pseudo-facts. Delightful!

Don’t get me wrong, this week’s edition of the Progress With Unity Podcast is a compelling listen, even if I do say so myself. The presence of a fresh voice, belonging to Mick, adds plenty of spice to an already steaming Lancashire hotpot of debate. Excitingly, there is also first-hand reaction to new plans for Wigan Athletic’s planned Christopher Park academy (27:18) courtesy our very own newspaper correspondent.

Lest we forget, there is the mouth-watering prospect of a proper, old-fashioned FA Cup tie this coming weekend – weather permitting, of course. In fact, take this as an early appeal for supporters, from Macclesfield and Wigan, to get down to Moss Rose (see, I remembered the name this time) with salt shakers, heated teapots, buckets and spades to ensure the game goes ahead!

Contents: Sunderland post-mortem (0:00); Macclesfield preview (22:00); the Wigan Athletic Academy (27:18); Stoke preview (40:00)

Before I head off to check the train timetables, there is just enough space for me to remind you of the usual Progress With Unity Twitter, iTunes and RSS pages. There is not enough space, however, for me to make an inadvisable joke involving Danny Shittu and Mauro Boselli, so I won’t.

Image adapted from photo by Newthoughtdocumentary (CC3.0)

Simon Mignolet was marginally the busier of the two keepers

Why can’t we do it? Every time Wigan look to be making any sort of progress, something comes along to check it, as if to prevent us from becoming the slightest bit comfortable. Heaven forbid Wigan Athletic become complacent.

Last week’s draw at Craven Cottage provided a superb base on which to build, to regain some form that might give us a fighting chance of survival this campaign. But just as defensive talisman Ivan Ramis was settling back into the first team, he sustained a season-ending injury in a seemingly tame challenge with Dimitar Berbatov.

All of a sudden, Wigan were transported back to mid-December when defenders were a rare commodity this side of the River Douglas. That blind panic and disorganisation at the back returned with a vengeance as the Black Cats tore Latics to little pieces in an abysmal first half of what can barely be termed ‘football’.

The game began wonderfully for the hosts, who finished a smooth passing move by forcing the ball into Sunderland’s net via an unnamed body part belonging to David Vaughan. Ronnie Stam chipped a little ball goalwards, and under considerable pressure the defender somehow poked it past his own keeper. The stadium announcer gave the goal to James McArthur, but he was fooling nobody – it definitely had that ‘own goal’ feel about it.

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It is ready, in a garage somewhere in Westhoughton...

A special prize of ten Tesco beef* burgers goes to Mr Barry Worthington, who managed to edit this week’s PWU Podcast down to a mere(!) 47 minutes. The original recording session was blighted by prank phone calls, low-flying helicopters and libellous allegations, taking it well over the hour mark. But thanks to Barry’s technical wizardry, you would never have noticed unless I told you.

Aside from the usual news and reviews, this edition offers: updates on the planned open top bus parade, sacking the research team, words of praise for Mark Clattenberg, a Lee Cattermole tribute and the Latics v Sunderland time capsule. There’s also a surprise in store at the very end, so make sure you listen all the way through and don’t just skip to 46 minutes! Pleease?

This week’s bonus feature: Spot the surreptitious reference to Michael Jackson’s unusual handwear in the opening minutes to win two paperclips and a chewed pen lid! Claim your prize at: Jesus Was a Wiganer Prize Department, Port-aux-Français, Kerguelen- (remainder of address obscured by coffee stains)

Episode contents: Fulham review (0:00); Bournemouth review (12:00); Sunderland preview (24:00)

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

You have no idea how hard it has been to avoid making obvious horse puns in this post, but I shall rise above such things for as long as I possibly can. Instead, I shall remind you that Progress With Unity Twitter, iTunes and RSS pages are still available should you require their services. Thanks for listening!

Open top bus picture courtesy Weydonian (CC3.0)

On fire: Steven Fletcher grabbed his fifth goal in four games

A Jordi Gomez sending off quickly followed by Steven Fletcher’s strike edged a relatively close contest in Sunderland’s favour. The Spaniard’s 48th minute red card ultimately cost Wigan a real chance of victory, but resolute defending from the home side ensured the ten men of Wigan went away from the Stadium of Light empty handed.

Somewhat surprisingly, Martinez reverted to much the same formula and setup that lost to Fulham at the DW last week. Gomez was still preferred to Boselli as support striker/floating midfielder type bloke, while McManaman and Miyaichi had to bide their time on the bench. Franco Di Santo was back to join them in the dugout, however, suggesting he might be fit to take some part in the afternoon’s proceedings.

In sunny but blustery conditions, Latics began brightly to try and unsettle their opponents. Simon Mignolet twice preserved the home side’s clean sheet in the first quarter of an hour, first denying James McCarthy then Aruna Kone. The latter opportunity was a near-certain goal for the Ivorian, who only had to place Jean Beausejour’s superb cross past the keeper to put his side ahead on the 15 minute mark. Unfortunately he could not steer the ball into the net, and the end to end, punch-for-punch action continued.

Referee Howard Webb largely kept a lid on what was an increasingly scrappy contest, even if a few dodgy decisions enraged the home fans. This, and a good spell of possession, edged things in Wigan’s favour as the half drew to a close. Latics did embark on a couple of promising visits to the Sunderland half, but could not find that killer pass in the final third.

In the last five minutes, James McCarthy had a go from just outside the Sunderland area but saw his curling strike sway just past Mignolet’s left hand post. Wigan finished the first 45 in the ascendancy, but the Black Cats did put in a couple of decent set pieces as the game ticked into stoppage time. From the first, a corner, Al Habsi produced a decent fist clear considering the uncertainty caused by strong winds. The second, an excellent Adam Johnson free kick, could easily have resulted in a tap past Al Habsi from 7 yards, maybe even a penalty.

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