In the midst of yet another tense Premier League season, one is grateful of an intermission. No matter what the result, today’s FA Cup third round tie would provide a welcome diversion from the money-grabbing and badge-kissing of said league, at least for this observer. Yep, Latics could have been hammered 5-0 and I wouldn’t…
Welcome back, Latic fanatics, for a whole new season of the Progress With Unity Podcast! Thankfully, the festive period has been salvaged by a win over Villa, so mass depression has been successfully avoided for the time being. In fact, the overall atmosphere in the PWU studio was one of cautious optimism, but perhaps that’s…
Manchester United may be the league leaders, but one statistic was in Wigan’s favour heading into today’s daunting encounter – United hadn’t won a single game in the calendar year, while Wigan hadn’t lost in the same time period. Oh alright, that was a stupid joke – I blame it on one too many New…
I awoke this morning with an uncomfortably familiar feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was an uneasy sensation of impending doom tempered by just a hint of hope, vaguely similar to the adrenaline rush experienced when bungee jumping off a large cliff. No mistake, it’s the hallmark of a relegation six pointer, the…
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…
You know, it really doesn’t feel like Christmas. When I took the dog out for its annual Boxing Day walk this morning, I did not require a large coat, never mind a hat and gloves. There have been few abandonments of late, save for maybe the odd waterlogged pitch or referee getting stuck in traffic…
Festive greetings, podcasters! Recent bad results (and referees) got you down? Not to worry, settle down with a container of your favourite beverage –lukewarm or cold– and enjoy this, the Progress With Unity Christmas Quiz. It’s a bumper 50-minute special with 25 questions to tax the most ardent of Wigan supporters, but you don’t have…
In anticipation of the impending apocalypse, I gave away all my worldly possessions –yes, my clothes, my boots and my motorcycle– and went to sit on a large hill to watch the fireball barbecue us all. The Daily Mail, who published the above picture obtained from robots from the future, promised it would be more…
As the predicted end of all human civilisation –henceforth to be known as ‘The Massacre of the DW‘– rapidly approaches, the Progress With Unity team reconvene to scrutinise another slightly disappointing weekend over a Christmas whisky or two. Spirits are quickly raised, however, by breaking news that the Boxing Day bananas will be allowed entry…
It’s been a busy week of community engagements for Latics. The past seven days have seen the squad embark upon its traditional seasonal school and hospital visits, as well as a pre-Christmas book signing to launch Keeping The Faith. But it wasn’t the freezing conditions, or even a long, turbulent flight down to Norfolk that…
In a shameless effort to rope in more listeners, the PWU Podcast has gone all Talksport on us and started rustling a few jimmies. Admittedly this mostly amounts to taking the mick out of Phil Dowd’s luncheon arrangements*, but there are one or two other mildly ‘controversial’ statements thrown in for good measure. See if…
Injury and suspension-hit Latics mustered an admirable display to rescue a point against an all-star Queen’s Park Rangers side, largely thanks to James McCarthy’s outstanding brace either side of half time. Statistics might suggest poor finishing on behalf of the Wigan strikers, but in reality a series of good saves from Rob Green were all…