The football season is back, and I don’t know what to think. On the one hand it is one of the few things that give my sorry life meaning, while on the other it is the source of much frustration and tension, not to mention the primary reason for my receding hairline. I will, however,…
With the eyes of the whole world on the city of London last night, it’s no surprise that broadcasters chose not to screen Wigan Athletic’s clash with Spanish ‘giants’ Celta Vigo at the Balaidos Stadium. I should think that’s the only reason, however, and that such a high profile friendly would normally have ESPN scrambling…
It’s almost here, folks, and you can already smell the tabloid bull poop. In less than ten days’ time, Wigan Athletic will once again take to the pitch in that most dramatic and intense of leagues, the English Premier Division. Take a deep breath, for it’s time live the dream all over again. This coming…
Thank goodness for the European Championships, eh? Just when the media’s collective foreheads were about to explode Scanners-style over the vacant Tottenham post (getting alkaline flesh and acid blood all over the coffee table), there’s nothing like an international tournament to return us to the sanity of actual football. Or not, as the case may…
Following reports that Graeme Jones has turned down the Swansea job, it looks as though Wigan will survive through to the start of the European Championships with their management team intact. That such high-profile clubs are even interested is somewhat surprising, especially given the club’s situation not six months ago – the dramatic upturn in…
Such has been the recent fervent media activity over Roberto Martinez’s future, you’d be forgiven for thinking Wigan’s last competitive game was far longer than two weeks ago. Yeah, we’ve had lengthier mid-season international breaks, but it already feels as though we’ve been in the post-season wind-down (pfft, yeah right) phase forever. To satiate your…
Having just about recovered from the madness of Sunday’s epic Premier League finale, I sat down to properly read the latest edition of the Mudhutter Football Express yesterday evening. Jimmy‘s comedy-censored foreword made no secret of the fact this was meant to be a ‘relegation special’, quite obviously written some months in advance at a…
And so it came to pass that on Sunday, 13 May 2012, Wigan Athletic and Wolverhampton Wanderers would do battle on the green (well alright, slightly brown) pastures of the DW. But it wasn’t quite the crucial relegation contest many predicted and perhaps expected, what with the fate of both sides already decided. What happened…
Latics edged out Blackburn to seal their survival with a game to spare thanks to a powerful 87th minute Antolin Alcaraz header. Though the visitors dominated the first half, they could not make any of their excellent chances count against an insipid Rovers. The hosts, requiring a win to remain in the hunt for a…
Latics conjured up a magical 45 minutes of attacking football, most probably their greatest under Roberto Martinez, to completely pummel fourth-placed Newcastle into submission by half time. Victor Moses first headed home Emmerson Boyce’s deep cross on 12 minutes before doubling his tally less than 120 seconds later. Shaun Maloney expertly finished off another superb…
Wigan saw their cushion to the relegation zone cut to just three points as Philippe Senderos headed the Cottagers to an 89th minute victory over a labouring Latics. After a cagey first half, the hosts dominated proceedings and finished the game great value for their three points. Although Emmerson Boyce had put the visitors ahead…
Latics may still have been savouring the sweet scent of victory over the Champions elect, but they headed into this game with on-song Arsenal full in the knowledge their survival race was far from over. With other relegation-threatened teams having failed to make much ground on Saturday, however, this was essentially a ‘free hit’ –…