Well Red

Show your colours for Season 2010/11



Madison



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FC United bits and bobs

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Cheers to Neilboo and Punk Football

2009/10 UPS AND DOWNS FROM THE BANKS OF THE DUGGIE PART TWO

2009/10 UPS AND DOWNS FROM THE BANKS OF THE DUGGIE PART TWO

THE BOBBIN' ALONG ROBINS


The reserves' end of season form. Well done to Dave Knowles, John Conway and all the lads
Curtis Huynh - Typical scouser/southporter never shuts up - but would sooner have that than some of young lads that you can't get a word out of. Good lad
John Neafcy's absolute love of the football club and his commitment when things aren't going great. And excellent work from Bazza as his number two
Dave Baker's chocolate eclairs and Jimmy Callaway's spearmint chews
Taffy Roberts' absolute love of the football club and his commitment (and all the lifts he gives to everybody)
Daisy Hill away - came back from behind and took the points
Runcorn Linnets. Great game, great atmosphere, good arguments/banter in the seats
Macca's goals and his celebrations of the goals
Chaddy away for the wide-range of catering
Stone Dominoes' pitch
Andy Neafcy's early and late season form
Loads of praise and positive comments from many, many visitors to the Arena
Excellent local press from Paul Kendrick and Phil Wilkinson at the local papers
The Vodkat League website - congratulations to those involved for a very good service
Salsa and Burlesque dancing at the Arena. A welcome diversion whilst losing to Ashton Town
The excellent Robin Park floodlights
Telling people we had "a season of consolidation"
Holker Old Boys' great clubhouse. Warm and welcoming on a freezing cold night
Barnoldswick Town's neat set-up
Jay Foulds: player of the season
Not missing a match
Looking forward to 2010/11

THE SIMPLY BOBBINS ROBINS
Not getting the results that the performances merited. That's ressie football, I suppose, but got a feeling they'll do well this term
Curtis Huynh - Typical scouser/southporter never shuts up why can't he be like the other young lads that you can't get a word out of
Having absolutely no luck all season. I know everybody says that but we really had very little last time out
Vaughanie still not bringing any toffees to the match despite saying he will each week
We need more like him (another advert/plea for committee members hidden in a throwaway article)
Daisy Hill home - they came back from behind and took the points
Doesn't happen enough. Adds to atmosphere and makes the Arena feel more like a football ground
The number of bookings he got for said celebrations
Never winning there. In fact never doing ourselves justice there
Prescot Cables' pitch
The bit in the middle
Trying to get Wiganers down to watch good honest football
The national non-league media's reluctance to cover football below Step 4
Teams that don't update their websites. Especially with regards to matches when the weather is bad
Bloody darters… File with wrestling, polo and showjumping as a sport for wrong-'uns
When they are all working that is…
But really we cocked up as we know we are much better than that
Holker Old Boys on a Tuesday night!
Barnoldswick going up and therefore not giving us the chance to visit next season. Then again the ressies will be there
Too many others not doing what we know they can
Wishing you missed some of the matches
Putting 2009/10 to bed

The New Firm Battle Wigan Robin Park v Wigan Athletic XI

Celtic v Rangers
City v United
Everton v Liverpool
AC v Inter

Nah, they ain't seen anything like this because this Saturday 31 July Wigan Athletic make the journey to the Robin Park Arena for a 3PM kick off. Coaches will be leaving the front of the DW Stadium every ten minutes for the long trawl (copywrite Peter Aspinall WEP - whatever happened to him?) to the Stadio de Robin Park.

It will be red and white stripes versus blue and white stripes. Young guns from the side of the Duggie doing battle for the right to be crowned Wigan's Top Dog(ger)!

Families will be split. WN5 will come to a halt, the bingo halls will empty as The Robins and Latics do battle over 90+ minutes.

After a testing game against Evo-Stik Premier Division side FC United of Manchester on Tuesday this will be another tough game for the Robins. With Latics' stars of the future featuring it should be a cracking game on the excellent Arena surface.

Admission is £4 (£2 concessions), extra pies have been ordered and a souvenir programme is available for £2.

The bar will be open prior to kick off and at half time while hot and cold refreshments will be available from Robin's Nest throughout.

PLEASE NOTE KICK OFF IS 3PM and not 2PM as previously advertised

2009/10 UPS AND DOWNS FROM THE BANKS OF THE DUGGIE PART ONE

2009/10 UPS AND DOWNS FROM THE BANKS OF THE DUGGIE PART ONE

THE BOBBIN' ALONG ROBINS
Jay Foulds, Daz Mullen and Corcy - the owd 'uns staying fit
Division One Fair Play Award
Stone Doms away in the cup
The Robins bar opening
Two good cup runs
Dean Midgeley - quality young player
Ryan Small - just about hanging on to title of Wigan's best midfielder
Swifty junior - top lad on and off the pitch
Swifty senior - top lad in the bar
Wigan Robin Bastards home and away support. Well done to the loyal lads and lasses for some great support
The programme: 42nd in the National Programme Awards - only New Mills from the Vodkat above us
AFC Liverpool & St Helens programmes. Absolutely superb efforts. Didn't see Bootle's but to beat them it must have been very, very good. Congratulations to all
Good craic with the St Helens Town lads - who'd have thought it; Wigan & Saints getting on
Always good to meet the AFC Liverpool lads - guaranteed good bevy
Sparring with "The Secretary" on the nonleaguezone forum
Ashton Town away
The new red and white stripes
Dave Baker's Postman Pat ballboying gear
New teams in for 2010/11 - welcome one and all
Barnoldswick away - a great away trip. Good people, good bar, good food, weather etc - just a pity about the result
Ramsbottom away in the FA Vase. Great game, great performance
Hot pot in The Oddies
Chipper Martin when he's not had a beer

THE SIMPLY BOBBINS ROBINS
Injuries, injuries, injuries
The linesman at home against Stone - no need for names I think we can all guess
Stone Doms at home in the league
The price of a can of Guinness
And two very poor quarterfinal performances. We let ourselves down
Dean Midgeley's car - not a quality used-car
Ryan Small - just about hanging on to his job which meant he missed matches galore due to Saturday shifts
Swifty - a Man United fan
Swifty senior - a Man United fan
Blackpool away on Boxing Day being off because of the snow
Not doing it in the Vodkat programme awards. We'll give it a good go this season.
Those that don't issue. We know it's a ballache and we appreciate circumstances sometimes mean it's impossible to issue but for the lads that collect always a disappointment
Not getting to play at Knowsley Road. Thanks to their rugby men
The drop in their crowds. Still best in our league. Good thing going there so let's hope they get back to what they had
Not meeting him for a bevy. We'll see him this year when we stuff the Ashton Bads again
Ashton Town home
The old red and white hoops
Vinnie Neafcy's jacket. Still lost/left in the pub at the last notice
Chester fans - the response from a number of them when they thought they were going in the "tinpot" Vodkat League was appalling
Atherton Colls - sort those dressing rooms out!
Injury-time equaliser by Rammy before their premier quality did us in extra time
No crisps in the Bath Springs
Chipper Martin when he's had a beer

Ashton Athletic - the luckiest team in football?

Sad, sad news as Nelson FC have resigned from the Vodkat League.
The club has struggled to continue, particularly financially over the last few seasons and they have decided to withdraw the team from the league.
The Vodkat League’s Emergency Committee met and has decided that under National League system regulations Ashton Athletic will retain their place in the Premier Division, to maintain the full complement of 22 clubs in the division.
With West Didsbury & Chorlton's participation in the league it looks like Division One could very well be running with 18 clubs.
Not only that but we also lose out on the chance to play Ashton Ath - in what was to be an eagerly-awaited local derby when it was The Robins intention to take six points from them and drink their bar dry!
There's a chance we'll get them in the cup but until then the team that entered the league from the Manchester League Dicision One (rather than Premier League) and got promoted to the Vodkat Premier League when they finished outside the promotion spots live to fight another day in the Premier Division.
Best of luck to them, though. Might be a bit difficult on the playing side after they thought they'd be at Division One level but they've a chance.
Now let's hope for that cup draw!

Joe Hawkins has been pondering a lot lately, gently pondering…

Is it good Wigan etiquette to eat a meat and tater pie with a plastic fork?
Has there ever been a bigger cunt than John Terry?
That Irish slapper that Fat Frank is shagging. Who ever told her she was a) talented and b) decent looking? Horrible talentless munter - a bit like Fat Frank then.
Chester fans. Biggest set of deluded whoppers ever. Their behaviour - on the non-league messageboards - when they thought (God forbid) they might have to play in the Vodkat League was pitiful, embarrassing, pathetic, big-time Charlie and downright disgusting.
The England team kit. About the only thing they got right. Big up to Umbro, Aitor Throup and Charlie Allen. Second best kit - Paraguay. Red and white stripes and blue shorts shouldn't work but as been seen before it just does…
Moonboots' mixes. The Balearic DJ, Wigan's finest and all-round top bloke. Go to Google and check them out. Skill!
Stevie Wonder at Glastonbury from the comfort of the armchair. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!
The rest of the acts from Glastonbury from the comfort of the armchair. Dreadful, absolutely dreadful. Apart from Ray Davies immediately after England's capitulation to the Gerries. Turned the telly over and there he is performing 'Waterloo Sunset' and 'Days' for his mate - the Kinks bassist Peter Quaife - who had died during the week. Beautiful, stirring, emotional and skilful. Everything that those overpaid egotistic prima donnas hadn't been. Thank you for the days, Pete.
Chris Waddle's outburst: "We need to go back to jumpers for goalposts". Well said you chubby old Geordie.
Waiting for the fixtures. Waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting… We know it takes a while and we know the reasons but it doesn't make it any easier especially when the Premiership and Football League fixtures have been out for weeks.
Henley's tee shirts, shorts, black socks and horrible trainers. "The youth of today pah", he says as he sits in madras shirt, chinos and dessies. Joe Hawkins still leading the way in his fifties 
Muffin Man back on form. Large tater, small meat and a slice. Perfection. Gordon "I used to be a footballer you useless fucking idiot" Ramsey: Eat your big fat arse out - that's all it takes!
That said it's a barm cake. Never baps, rolls, muffins or whatever.
Diego Maradona. You just can't come to hate him, can you? I know, I know but you'd have one of him over a hundred John Terrys. Did I mention that he was a cunt? I liked the comment I saw on the internet: "If you got the five biggest cunts in the world together and let them have a race to find out who was the biggest cunt John Terry would finish second on purpose. He's that big of a cunt!"
Pre-season training: I'm sweating, throwing up, cursing and turning crimson just watching the lads do their stuff.
Beckham for England manager campaigns. "They think it's all over. It is now."
The good folks on the nonleaguezone website have been having their bit of fun predicting how the divisions will pan out this season. I've kept out of it as you can't tell at this time of the season but it's shaping up to be a good one and I honestly don't think we’ll be far off.
The ITV commentary team. Barring Gareth Southgate - what a useless set of blurts. Turns over to BBC and Linekar, Shearer and Hansen. Hmmmm
Solidity from the Vodkat clubs and fans over the summer - concerning the Chester business and their attacks - and very strong leadership from the League committee. Well done to all concerned.
"Enjoy yourself it's later than you think"
Joe Hawkins

The morning after the afternoon before part one

The morning after the afternoon before part one
It was 1-4, it could have been 2-2 at halftime and it could quite easily have been 1-7. England is out of the World Cup, a million flags wilt in the sun, another dignified manager looks lost and lonely and the golden generation didn't even glisten.
But first let's get the 2-2 bit out of the way. Yes it was over the line and yes it may have changed the game but we were well and truly battered.
The manager made mistakes and he may even have been sacked when you read this. Questions should be asked but in my view the blame lies with the players and the "best league in the world". To put it simply the players are overpaid, over-hyped, arrogant, egotistic twats and that is putting it politely. Add into that the fact that they are simply not very good and it was obvious that a young, vibrant German side would quite literally leave them standing. "Not very good" I hear you say. "They are brilliant, they play in the best league in the world and there's Wazza, Stevie G and JT." That is maybe correct if you subscribe to the fact that Sky Sports and Talksport are telling you that By now they will indeed be telling you that and unfortunately they are telling you a load of crap. Like Wazza, Stevie G and JT the league is overpaid, over-hyped, arrogant and egotistic and some of us have realised this for years.
A league with six English managers and not too many more English-born players. A league where even the club's academies are rammed with foreign youngsters and a league where the main aim of 15 teams is to finish 17th with anything else a bonus. See when I say some of us have realised this for years that some of us is becoming more of us as the seasons pass by. The England support was described as a different type of support to that (that) has followed England in the past and that much is true. Whilst cost and distance was undoubtedly a factor in this there is also a huge number of people that see through all the shite. Through all the hype, the Sky shit, the phone-ins and the utter horrible human beings that are our golden generation.
It needs to change but it won't. The FA are so in-deep with Sky Sports that every England press conference started with five questions from the Sky football correspondent. The new breed of England fans that were in South Africa has won. It's their game now and whilst they'll be spouting off on internet messageboards and radio phone-ins about the failure of England's national team. By next week they'll spouting off on internet messageboards and radio phone-ins about the latest South American signing that nobody has heard of for their club whilst totally oblivious that they are part of the problem.
The players will be quiet for a while. Maybe Terry - who undoubtedly would have been dropped by Capello if Ferdinand and King had been fit - will mouth off because he's John Terry and he's a cunt but the rest (who are merely twats) will hold their lip. But come the big kick-off. The first Super Sunday or Grand Slam Saturday they'll be back. Soft arse "once a blue always a blue" Wayne Rooney will be snarling at referees and kicking anything that moves spurred on by his gloating manager. Ashley Cole will be oblivious to it all in his new set of wheels, Stevie G will still look shit-scared of something but still be adored by Liverpool's Cornish support while the aforementioned JT will be getting away with all sorts both on and off the pitch. Andy Gray will be analysing offsides while Richard Keys genuflects. The Soccer Saturday pundits will be screaming at a television screen while trying to make the Wolves and Blackburn goal-less draw sound like Brazil v Italy 1970 while the blurts in replica shirts will be passing through a pub near you.
But it could have been 2-2 at half time, technology, yawn, yawn, yawn. The debate will rage on and you know what the new breed and Sky Sports will love that. Referees will go upstairs to the eye in the sky and the Sky (Sports) in your eye will repeat it over and over again. Middle class tossers will watch the big screen at the Emirates and up it will come: NO GOAL. It'll be just like watching rugby league.
England 1 Germany 4 should be a wake-up call, a watershed, a dawning of a new era but sadly it will be just a trailer for the "best league in the world". Some of us quite simply aren't arsed anymore…

THE BLOG IS BACK

After a bit of a break the blog is back...

Just in time for the 2010/11 season following the Robins...