Leek CSOB v Wigan Robin Park by Fred the Weatherman Part 23

TOMORROW'S GAME IS OFF AGAIN

Think that means it's back at the Stadio de Robin Park. When? Who knows?

Next up is Oldham Borough away on Saturday 9 January - now giving that Oldham is sub-zero in July I'm not at all confident... Meanwhile to make up for the lack of football action here are:

SOME OF THE THINGS WE MISS AT FOOTBALL

Dogs on the pitch: Even men with steel hearts love to see a dog on the pitch
Combovers
Proper footballs that didn't swerve all over the place
Irish players playing for Ireland
Terraces and surges down them. Not sure I could cope with them at my age but they were great fun
Home internationals
Teams with just one change kit. And it was the change kit in case colours clashed, not the away kit or whatever
No squad numbers. Number 11 is the left winger not some reserve full back
David Coleman saying: “1-0” rather than all the SKY TV bollocks
Third replays rather than penalty shoot-outs
Footballers playing cricket in the Summer rather than meaningless but lucrative friendlies
The smell of pipe tobacco on the terraces
Not being able to predict the Top Four – in fact finishing fourth was just that...
The days when football Agents were unheard of
Match of the Day on Saturday and local highlights on Sunday
The FA Cup being taken seriously by EVERYONE
Players who a) you've heard of before and b) you can pronounce their name
Pools Panels covering every match
Rattles, rosettes and bobble hats
The Teleprinter and later the videprinter
22-man brawls
Gazzetta Football Italia on Channel 4 on a Saturday morning
Grounds with character rather than the characterless identikits new stadia
Proper tackling
Jimmy Hill – he was a prat but as bad as some of the ones now? I'm not sure
Players staying long enough for a testimonial game – and actually needing the money
No internet warriors
Characters in midfield rather than workhorses. Bowles rather than Makele any day
Orange footballs and snow on the pitch with bails of hay around the edge
Changing ends at half time
Black boots
(Apart from Franny Lee) No diving
Ex-players running pubs
Coming home from a match and actually saying: “Somebody was sent off today” - it was so rare an occurrence
The smell of wintergreen
Players from the lower league signing for a top club

AND OF COURSE YOU CAN STILL SEE MOST OF THE ABOVE HAPPEN AT YOUR LOCAL NON-LEAGUE SIDE.... Whenever this snow and ice clears, that is...

Miss Wigan Robin Park January 2010 Robin Meade

In Britain we get Lorraine Kelly and Fern Britton... USA get Robin Meade

Happy New Year

Leek CSOB v Wigan Robin Park by Fred the Weatherman Part 2

IT'S OFF

SELLING YOUR SOUL – OR BRINGING A FEW QUID IN?

I was discussing a new Robins ground with our esteemed chairman last season when he said: “I'd be very open to allowing naming rights for our new ground.” Well he really said: “They can call the thing what they fucking want as long as they give us some money,” and that is pretty much how it has to be at the level we are at. Whether iconic grounds such as Anfield, Old Trafford or St James' Park should go down that route then that is open to question...

The Geordies are probably planning a protest while Hicks and Gillette and Abramovich at the scousers and Chelsea respectively see looking for £250m on the horizon. Whether the traditionalists – of which I am one – like it or not it will come in. Already has with the Emirates, Britannia, KC Stadium et al. Oh and not forgetting the egotistical DW Stadium.

It's the way of the world and as Chelsea panic that they are falling behind Arsenal and old Father Jack Whelan again claims he has no money to spend in the January transfer window then maybe he should have sold the naming rights to the stadium rather than thought about his own profile and grabbing some free advertising. The fact is naming rights are part of modern day football. Properly-named gronds have gone the way of orange balls, muddy pitches, comb-overs and everything else that was good it football.
So... thinking ahead and all this is hypothetical what if we get a new ground in the near future or the council hand the Robin Park Arena to us – what should we go for? And of course thinking ahead we need to sort this out now so I took the bull by the horns, approached a few firms and have so far received the following tenders along with the proposed names:

The Edwards of Platt Waz Pie Dome
JN Stadium
bathsprings@Robin Park
Wigan Pier Donk Anthems Part 83 Stadium
Jonny Corcoran Kitchens & Bathrooms Emporium Park
Th'ASDA Arena
Vinnie Neafcy Brandy & Coke Park
RMB Stadium – only open when he's not on holiday though!
Mr English's Pey Wet Park
Baz Barton's Boulevard
The Ryan Big Stadium
Janfield
The Bear Pit
The Chicken & Shish in a Nan Bread @ Ali's Pizzeria we can deliver if within five miles Stadium
Daz Mullen's Hairbands and Accessories Stall on Wigan Market Park
The “I can still hear Dougy Pitts moaning five miles away” Stadium
Predictions Park – money dependent on how many everybody sells
Vaughanie's Dodgy DVDs Drive
Vermiglio's Ice Cream Parlour Park
The Adi(das) Whittle Arena

Now they've all offered £100 per year apart from Ryan Big who has asked to pay it weekly when he has it. So we leave it to you our democratic members to decide. Voting ends 31 December. Btw Dave Whelan has said if it's called the JN Stadium he will be speaking to the council as there's only room for one megalomaniac chairman in this town!

From Fields of Flowers Fanzine Issue 2 - now sold out

Leek CSOB v Wigan Robin Park by Fred the Weatherman

This will probably be the scene at Leek on Saturday so we'll leave a preview until later in the week. At the moment the fixture seems jinxed. Changed to our place then called off, then the league game called off (after we'd done programmes for both grrrrgghhh). Let's hope the weather holds off. Fingers crossed and all that

Wigan charabanc to Blackpool Boxing Day

The bus is pretty much full. If you want to go and haven't said owt then you better get in touch with John Conway sharpish. Cheers

NEW ITEMS FOR SALE IN THE CLUB SHOP

New items now in the club shop:

Beenie Hats £7
Bronx Hats £7
Keep the Faith Badges £2.50

Also available

Wigan Robin Park Official Badges £2.50

Wigan Robin Bastard Supporters Badges £2.50

All absolutely superb quality - Available at all home and away games