Long Time No Post! You Can Now Download This Blog As A FREE E-BOOK

Please accept my humble apologies for not updating this blog for A YEAR - and missing out the last few matches of the season!

However, I am delighted to announce that you can now download my first ever e-book, which is an heavily edited version of this blog, plus - lots of bits have been added to it – including the last few games of the season, which aren’t present in this blog! Its 50-odd pages of football, drinking and woman you can’t miss out on!


Description

This is the story of Wigan Athletic in the English Premier League in 2007/08, seen through the eyes of a twentysomething fan who can only think about his beloved 'Latics', having a 'few pints’ and trying to get in with women. Still 2 out of 3 ain't bad, as an overweight rock legend once sang!

Wigan went from top of the league to being threatened with relegation, a sacked manager, England-call ups, 5-3 wins, cheating players and referees - and not forgetting - seeing the Premier League trophy being lifted in the flesh!

And of course, along the way the author found himself pissed up in various Northern English drinking establishments, even going to a rave wearing corduroy and being molested by the living dead!

This is what being a real football fan is about. This is - Wigan Athletic - Beer, Birds and Football!

You can download the e-book as a .PDF here (scroll down to 'Download This File' and enter in the code displayed)

Please note that you will need a .PDF reader, such as ADOBE ACROBAT or FOXIT to open the file. You can download a .PDF reader by clicking on any of the links.

I am going to close this blog now but feel free to browse and comment on any of the posts. I would also be delighted if you would be kind enough to leave some feedback about the e-book. Just click the comments link below this post, to post your feedback.

You can check out my other blogs which I regularly update

Caravan of Hate - A general moan at life, with moments of drunken madness!

The Diary of a Drunken Football Traveller - See above but replace 'life' with 'football', as I travel to many different towns/cities to watch football matches in every division!

Cheers!

That’s Right, Only One Team Was Playing!

Monday 14th April
Chelsea 1 – 1 Wigan

Ah, don’t you just love it? Latics have surely ended Chelsea’s title chances and the talk isn’t of how well Wigan played but how bad Chelsea were and how Man Utd have won the title.

Well that’s absolute bollocks! Latics competed for the full 90 minutes, even when we fell behind to an Essien goal and it looked like they would go on and score again, we never gave up.

Latics frustrated their millionaire hosts in the first half. Valencia had a decent chance that was saved by Cech, or Robocop as he should be called! Kirkland was in great form at the other end. A great save from the moaning Anelka was followed by a second half masterclass. If he isn’t at least on the bench for England, it’s a disgrace.

But as Chelsea brought Joe ‘Oddbod’ Cole on, they came at Latics and took the lead through Essien’s deflected shot. Not long before, Kirkland had made another great save and Terry hit the bar.

It was unbearable to watch at times but Bruce made a couple of subs and Sibierski came close to scoring with a shot, which Cech saved. Essien then was denied by Kirkland - then came the big moment. Latics came upfield and as the ball was passed from right to left, Jason Koumas put in a wonderful cross and Emile Heskey volleyed the ball at Cech, who couldn’t keep it out. Stamford Bridge fell silent!

It was a great moment, marred by all the pricks talking shite afterwards, but this is a great point towards our survival hopes. Surely one more win would see us safe?

Next up at the JJB is Spurs, a good side but they are blowing hot and cold at the moment, so it’s a game we can win!

See you later!

X

Three Points For Some Old Boys

Saturday 5th April
Wigan 2 – 0 Birmingham

Latics returned to the JJB against relegation rivals and Steve Bruce’s former side, Birmingham, desperate for a win. Thanks to Ryan Taylor, they did just that!

After his penalty miss last week, it was great to see Taylor get his two goals. The first one was superb. A great run and cross from Valencia and Taylor volleyed in with his left foot. Birmingham then had Damien Johnson sent off, after a two footed lunge on Kevin Kilbane. That’s 3 players sent off in just 4 games that Latics have been involved in.

Wigan controlled the game from there. Birmingham rarely got forward. Kilbane hit the post with a powerful shot and the impressive Valencia was causing Birmingham problems down the right. The Birmingham fans’ booing of Mario Melchiot didn’t affect him, as he handed in yet another captain’s performance.

It was more of the same in the second half, Taylor finally sealing the points in a goalmouth scramble. As Birmingham failed to clear his shot, Taylor made sure he got in the thick of it and the ball went in off his shin! They all count, I suppose!

It was an important win, it now surely means, barring a disaster, Wigan will be in the Premiership next season. But you never know!

We celebrated in Wigan afterwards, money leaving my wallet as quicker as a Valencia cross goes into the box. But I had a good time, even though I got nowhere again!

Next up is Chelsea, a tough game but if we don’t panic and play like we know we can, then I’m sure we won’t be far off getting something.

Bye

X

Latics Are Fratton-ed By Defoe

Saturday 29th March
Portsmouth 2 – 0 Wigan

It was back to listening over the Internet for me, as Latics made the long trip to FA Cup semi-finalists Portsmouth.

Wigan where without midfield duo Wilson Palacios and Michael Brown as they were both banned. Josip Skoko and Paul Scharner came into the midfield. Latics had a few chances in the first half, Valencia hitting the bar via a deflection, was one such chance.

Portsmouth only had one clear-cut chance and Defoe made no mistake to profit from bad Wigan defending, to make it 1-nil.

Latics had a great chance in the second half. Valencia was fouled in the box and won a penalty. It was a bit harsh, as Valencia seemed to have slipped. Ryan Taylor stepped up but David James saved his penalty and Taylor skied the rebound over the bar.

Wigan where to finish the match with 5 strikers on the pitch but we failed to score and as we pushed forward, it left Defoe plenty of space to clear the defence and put the ball past Kirkland to continue his amazing scoring run.

Another disappointing result, as we slip nearer to the drop zone. Can we get something against our relegation rivals and Steve Bruce’s former club Birmingham? Lets hope so!

See you later!

X

….Bollocks

Saturday 22nd March
Blackburn 3 – 1 Wigan

After hearing about the cheap tickets for the Blackburn match, I decide to get my arse down there. It was to be a typical Latics away day – crap game but a cracking day out!

After arriving in Blackburn via Preston, I have a few in the pub, before trying to find the ground to pick up my ticket. After walking in the wrong direction, I finally get back on track! I wasn’t sure on some of the pub names, ‘The Infirmary’ for example. Not sure about that at all!

So after picking up my ticket I decide to head for the ‘away fans pub’. It turns out to be very expensive but I still manage to get a ‘few’ down and as the pub is packed to the brim I head to the ground. Once inside and after another expensive pint, it was on to the match.

The less said about it the better! Blackburn go ahead after a mix-up in the Latics defence and Santa Cruz puts Rovers in front. Not long after and Wigan are handed a golden opportunity. Chris Samba fouls Heskey, he is sent off and Marlon King scores his first Wigan goal from the penalty spot, to make it 1-1.

Unfortunately Latics didn’t get going and former Latics striker Jason Roberts put Blackburn back in front. Fair play to Roberts, as he didn’t celebrate after scoring in front of the Wigan fans. Erik Edman then went off with a bad injury, which will see him miss the rest of the season and the start of next. Get well soon Erik!

The second half was terrible. Santa Cruz scored his 5th goal in 2 games against Latics as he headed in from close range. Wigan didn’t really offer much and it was back on the train for yours truly and home to Wigan to get drunk.

A disappointing performance, against 10 men and I fear we are back in the running for relegation. Lets hope we can get something at Portsmouth next week.

Cheers

X

We’ve Only Got 10 Men….

Sunday 16th March
Wigan 1 – 0 Bolton

The ten men of Latics got a well deserved win against the mutants from Horwich but it was tough going! The result lifts us further away from the relegation zone while Bolton are firmly stuck in the shite!

Jason Koumas was harshly sent off after just 5 minutes, after a two-footed challenge on Gary Cahill. However, Wigan dominated the game from then and it was no surprise when Emile Heskey volleyed us in front.

Bolton came at us in the second half and could have easily had a penalty after Michael Brown seemed to handle the ball on the line. Thankfully the ref didn’t point anywhere! Justice for the red card methinks!

Bolton continued to press, Erik Edman cleared off the line and Kirkland looked solid at every cross that came into the box.

Finally the ref blew for a well-fought three points for the Latics. We are now well on our way to staying up – but there is plenty of work still to be done. The Boltoners where treated to the ‘We’ve only got ten men’ chant from the Latics faithful, who where very vocal once again.

Celebrating in Wigan afterwards, where once again I failed to register what happened the morning after! Ah don’t you just loving winning?

Bye

X

Pitching Bitching

Sunday 9th March
Wigan 0 – 0 Arsenal

Latics finally got a league point off Arsenal, something which they’ve been threatening to do ever since our first season in the Premiership.

Afterwards all the media attention was on how league leaders Arsenal were held by the JJB pitch and some cheeky journalist even gave the groundsman the man of the match award! If you’re paid £60,000 a week, you should be able to play on Blackpool beach! The constant moaning from all the ‘Top 4 bummers’ is proving that our game of football as gone, probably forever. Instead we now have whinging, overpaid, undeserving ‘stars’ (and ‘fans’) who can’t even play on a bumpy pitch!

Then again, if it weren’t for a bias referee, Wigan would have had an injury time penalty, after the cheating Fabregas handballed in the box.

Earlier, Latics had kept Arsenal at bay with some great defending. Kirkland making some great saves. Nigel Spink’s appointment as goalkeeping coach has certainly done the trick hasn’t it?

Latics had chances of their own, Wilson Palacios wasting two great chances. Jason Koumas had a shot deflected wide and Valencia brought a great save out of the Arsenal keeper. But it was Fabregas, who earlier had pushed Emile Heskey into a camera (no booking), who made Kirkland make a match-saving save, then the Spanish international handballed Jason Koumas’ shot, right at the death. Yet again, nothing from the ref. As Steve Bruce said later ‘What! Wigan get a last minute penalty against Arsenal, come on!’ And he was right!

So looking on the bright side, it’s a point towards our fight against relegation, a point that nobody expected us to get. So I’m happy!

Later, it was back into Wigan, where I drink large amounts of alcohol that didn’t agree with me, as I got pissed yet again! I still had a great time though!

Next up is Bolton at home, a relegation ‘six-pointer’ if there ever was one.

See you later!

X