Bobbin' Along with the Robins

2011-08-25T05:06:00.000-07:00

2011-08-25T04:47:00.001-07:00

A quiet transfer deadline day...

2011-02-01T05:11:00.000-08:00

Well we have to go with what we've got after a quiet day down at the Stadio yesterday. Bit peeved myself as I stood outside for 12 hours and had my Zippo lighter all ready to burn my shirt if Ryan Small - Wigan's best midfielder - had been sold to Atherton Colls.

"My sources actually told me" that Liverpool were looking at Ry but he was in the pub and they couldn't get hold of him for the medical. Manager (and Chairman) John Neafcy was reportedly spotted in the Park Lane Social Club with five mobile phones on the table in front of him. He somehow managed to miss Mike Ashley's call though as he was at the bar getting the Guinness in. Unfortunately he'd no credit in any of the phones so it looks like the club is missing out on the £12m for Steve Edwards.

Chorley FC were linked with Paul Vermiglio but when we informed them that - while he was on a free - we needed them to pay off the fines he owes the club. They took one look and concentrated on bringing in Fernando Torres as he was a cheaper option.

The Robins were linked with a lad from Goose Green United but he refused even to talk terms when he heard he wouldn't actually get paid, would have to sell weekly predictions and pay subs. Another lad from The Almond pub in Skem was thought to be on Neafcy's hitlist but it later transpired that the Vodkat League informed the club that under new FIFA rules we had our full quota of plastic Scousers on board already.

"C'est la vie" or "Is right" as they say over that way.

Neafcy was linked with some lad called Connor Sammon - who he'd spotted on telly last week. Big Fat Gypsy Weddings to be exact but Dave Whelan got in first and his offer of a night down King Street and first shout on doing his driveway won the deal for the near-neighbours.

So a quiet day - and in fact quiet transfer window - and it's "as we are" for Norton away in the cup this weekend.

It's the Vodkat League Challenge Cup 2nd round. The last home game that Norton played was abandoned after the visitors kicked-off on the field and there was a pitch invasion forcing the referee off...

Good job we're taking a firm - Me and the good Doctor Baker! Just hope they don't chase us to the station as it's miles away. Which reminds me of when I went to Bournemouth watching Wigan Athletic and a set of youths chased me and Dell Ward (the original Cockney Latic) all the way to the station. We'd been running for about two miles, turned around and thought they must be gone now - No they were still coming. Admittedly we were both a lot fitter then but since that day I've never gone to the match wearing a Fila BJ tracksuit and Diadora Borg Elites. Ah great days...

The best football flag ever...

2011-01-20T02:55:00.000-08:00

Mud Wrestling at Prescot...

2011-01-14T02:32:00.000-08:00

The Robins midfield discuss who's taking the free kick...

Well it's the annual trip to Scouseland...

No not a few bevvies in The Poacher at Winstanley but a trip to Valerie Park Prescot. The home of Precot Cables and AFC Liverpool. Oh and last Sunday some team called Paddock (inc half Marine's side) played there in the FA Sunday Cup Third Round.

Paddock 3 Hetton Lyons Cricket Club 2
Admission inc 12 page programme, Â£2.00
Attendance - 80 (estimate)

According to Tony Kempster's site.

Well I suppose the pitch is that bad another game won't matter. Well I'm saying it's that bad - really I'm just guessing but if history tells us anything it will be its usual mudbath.

Anyhow back to Scouseland. If in fact Prescot is in Liverpool. It's all to do with the colour of the bins, apparently. I haven't a clue. It is a strangely depressing place to be honest. Not like us Wiganers can say much but there's a real tumbleweed blowing down the street type vibe about the place. There are plenty in the alehouses, mind and last year we had a few in The Sun Inn (fantastic) and The Deanes House (dull). I'm sure we'll have a few this time...

Oh and the reason to go?

Well it's third v fourth we always win there - mind you they always win at our gaff and well.. it's a Saturday. Why not?

May the best team win and all that but more than that let's look forward to a decent game between two honest decent clubs.

Ground: Valerie Park
Address: Eaton Street, Prescot, Merseyside, L34 6ND
Telephone: 0151 430 0507
Website: http://afcliverpool.org.uk/go/..
Kit Colours Home: Red Shirts, Red Shorts & Red Socks.

Directions: From North: M6 to Junction 26, onto M58 to Junction 3. Follow A570 to junction with A580 (East Lancs Road). (Approach junction in right hand lane of the two lanes going straight on). Cross A580 and take first road on right (Bleak Hill Road). Follow this road through to Prescot (2 miles). At traffic lights turn right, straight on at large roundabout (do not follow route onto Prescot by-pass) and right at next lights. 100 yards turn right at Hope and Anchor pub into Hope Street. Club will be in sight at bottom of road. From South: M6 to Junction 21a (M62 junction 10). Follow M62 towards Liverpool, to junction 7. Follow A57 to Rainhill and Prescot. Through traffic lights at Fusilier pub, 100 yards turn right at Hope and Anchor pub (as above). From East: Follow M62 as described in 'From South' or A580 East Lancs Road to Junction with A570 (Rainford by-pass), turn left and take first right. Follow route as 'From North'

Map: http://tiny.cc/lil9b..

Nearest Railway Station: Prescot
Come out of railway station and you will see shopping centre straight ahead. Take road/path at right hand side - will take you to main road. Ground just up on your left.

Pub: The Sun Inn
11 Derby Street, Prescot, Liverpool, Merseyside, L34 3LE
We'll be joining the AFC fans in The Sun Inn before the game. Just on the main road 50 yards down from the ground. The pub sponsors AFC Liverpool and is a cracking establishment with real ale.

"Bring on the Robins"

ps Buy a programme - it's a cracker
pps The chips aren't bad either.

Modern Football is rubbish part 839: Messageboard Managers

2011-01-06T07:38:00.000-08:00

1969ish: Latics have been away at somewhere like Worksop Town and it is 6.15pm. Stood outside the newsagent waiting for the Post & Chronicle Football Pink. Pass the money over the counter and read the front page quickly.
"Yesssssssss - won."
And run back home to give the copy to my grandad or dad and wait a few hours for them to read it before they pass it over to you. And before a fish and chip supper, cards and the Match of the Day.
2011(just): Sat on the bed. BBC website on the laptop, twitter feed on the phone and Radio 5 on in the background. And four managers are going to get sacked and everybody's loving it. Meanwhile Latics are losing at Bolton and Chelsea are losing at Wolves and Lawro is on about Hodgson and Robbie Savage is getting excited that four managers could get sacked and that Arsenal “have no plan B”. Like Savage ever had a Plan A.
But hey this is the modern world. Everybody has an opinion.
In fact as Ray Davies said: “Everybody's a dreamer and everybody's a star
And everybody's in show biz, it doesn't matter who you are.”
And there are match threads on websites written by people that never go to a football game. Expert managers and expert tacticians. In their bedrooms on their laptop, twitter feeds on their phone and Radio 5 on in the background. Lawro talking tactics. BWFC_Fan talking tactics. BaggieForever talking tactics. Liverpooltilidie talking tactics.
4-4-2
4-2-3-1
4-5-1
10-0-0
And all the rest of that bollocks.
On Radio 5 Live (sic) Mark Bright is ranting about Arsenal fans ranting about “Boring, boring, boring City” and he’s probably right. As he is when he is ranting about Liverpool fans ranting as the soap opera goes on and on and on.
Ancelotti to be sacked for his team being fifth – I saw them play in the old second division.
Hodgson to be sacked for his team being twelfth – they were in the old second division in 1961
Houllier to be sacked for his team being in the relegation zone – I saw them play in the old third division for crying out loud.
And as for Grant and West Ham - well they’ve been up and down like the proverbial yo-yo.
Times change: Preston were once invincible and now they lie bottom. Well done Maurice old boy - keep up the good work.
Ah you are doing – Phil Brown in line for the job. Fucking hell…
And times change and it’s twenty past three and nobody’s been sacked and the soap opera that is football is having a quiet day. The calm before the storm they hope. Where soap stars like Rosie Webster shag blurts like Scott Sinclair who in another age: She would be working in Greggs and he’d be playing for Dulwich Hamlet and still it’s all 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1 and Beckham is/isn’t singing for Spurs. And that bald beaut Dharmesh “My contacts tell me” Sheth is talking about players - I have never heard of before and will never hear of again - signing for Manchester City while I’m sat on the bed. BBC website on the laptop, twitter feed on the phone and Radio 5 is on in the background while some serial Wigan Athletic messageboard fuckwit - amongst a sea of serial Wigan Athletic messageboard fuckwits - is spouting shite on a er... messageboard.
Whilst over on another million football boards other fools are destroying young managers, players, and the game in general. Not a single one of them have a fucking clue about football. But it’s all 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1 and “sack the manager” and you haven’t a clue… and… and…
And a not a single one of them have ever heard of the Post & Chronicle’s Football Pink...

Bobbin' Along - The Book

2011-01-06T04:17:00.000-08:00

Please note that we are now on the second batch of the Bobbin' Along book.

Many thanks to those that have bough the book but there are still plenty that haven't read the gritty book that details the club's first season in the Vodkat league.

Press Release:

Bobbin' Along - a 162 page book detailing the Wigan Robin Park's first season in the Vodkat League - is now on sale.

Written by the club's media officer Andrew Vaughan, it is a retrospective look at the 2008/9 season. The book takes a wry look at the ups, downs, mud, sweat and beers of that season while at the same time recording all the facts and figures.

Vaughan is a well-known figure in local writing circles. He was the founder of the original Wigan Athletic fanzine Cockney Latic and co-founder of The Mudhutter fanzine.

He is the author of Punk Football and co-author with Martin Tarbuck of Pies and Prejudice both available from Mudhuts Media.

His first novel Faded Lois Dreams - set in London in 1982 on the cusp of what is now known as the casual movement - will be released at the beginning of February 2011 and has already received lavish praise for its inventiveness, literary breadth and poetic brilliance.

Bobbin' Along, Vaughan admits, is a much more simple book.

"Basically it is just a gentle stroll through the Robins' debut season in the Vodkat League.

"It's just my view of the club, the league and football at this level.

"There's plenty of humour and some insights into modern football but I've mainly written it as a memento for all those involved and to raise the profile of the club, the league and non-league football in general.

"Of course if we can make a bit of money for the club that would be great also."

Vaughan, like many, struggles with aspects of the modern game - and everything that goes with it - and readily admits his love of football has been re-ignited by the non-league game.

"It isn't for everybody, but I like the friendliness and honesty of the game at the grassroots level."

Bobbin' Along can be ordered by sending a cheque (made payable to Wigan Robin Park Football Club) for £10 along with your name, address, phone number and email address to: Robin Park Arena, Loire Drive, Newtown, Wigan WN5 0UN. If people could mark the envelope for the attention of the Robins' secretary Taffy Roberts that would help.

It will also be available at all of Wigan Robin Park's home matches.

Cover: http://issuu.com/vaughanie/doc..

Click image for full cover...

Coming Soon: the first of many

2011-01-05T02:45:00.000-08:00

WIGAN ROBIN BASTARDS

Robins rocked at Blackpool

2011-01-04T03:50:00.000-08:00

The beautiful Megan Dodds - who played Kitty De Luxe in the Viva Blackpool programme - any excuse and all that...

Third time at the Mechanics Ground and another lively affair.

Not sure what they put in the sea air - or the beer for that matter in the excellent Shovels pub - but any how the games are always feisty affairs with loads of banter from the terraces and the dugouts.

This was never going to be any different as the two sat at the summit prior to kick off.

But first the beer. I had to stay loyal and go with a few (too many) pints of Wigan brewery Allgates' Winter Meltdown. Picked it cos it was a "light beer". I've since discovered:

Originally brewed in October 2009 as a monthly special but due to demand it was retained as a seasonal beer.

It is brewed with low colour Maris Otter & Lager malts to provide a perfect light coloured beer with the Brewers Gold hops providing a well balanced bitterness ideally complemented with the lemon and citrus aromas from the use of Pioneer as the late aroma hop. Oh and it's 4.8%
http://www.allgatesbrewery.com/our_beers/seasonal/

I think it was the spearmint and fruit chews that got me a bit wobbly though.
But all-in-all a very decent pub with a good range of beers and well worth a visit if at one of the three grounds within 100 yards of it. And Wigan Council moan about putting floodlights up in a field in middle of nowhere - well that's floodlights for football clubs, St Pats can out up 24 of the buggers, but I digress.

As for the game - well they had a player called Whacker. And that pretty much summed up their game. He whacked it, others whacked it and two top strikers Ben Waddington and Nial Cummins chased everything causing the Robins defence all kinds of problems all day.

But more on this Whacker character, What a whinging whining little git he was. Screeching like a little girl every time anybody went near to him. Feigning injury, diving the lot. He's been watching far too much Premier League stuff and I'm really surprised he wasn't wearing a snood!

Somebody else that had been been watching far too much Premier League stuff was the fat ref as Ryan Small became the first of five Robins - and (just) one Blackpool player - to enter the referee's book for a strong challenge. Ry got the ball but no fatty number one went straight to his pocket while the lad that got hit was rolling around like he'd been shot. Thought for a moment it was going to be red but thankfully it was only a yellow hue.

Fatty number two was the bloke that is always known as "the fat linesman" who as normal was about as near to play as the woman that was serving pie and peas in the clubhouse. It's all very well but when the home side are playing the long ball game you've got to be up to the mark and this fella just isn't good enough.

As for the goals - well their two were carbon copies, through passes and expertly finished by Ben Waddington.

Our one was also pretty much a carbon copy, through pass and expertly finished by their centre half for a cracking own goal.

The final thirty minutes was pretty much stalemate - Wigan responded well to going behind by controlling possession but the home defence coped with everything that the Robins could throw at limiting the visitors to long range efforts.

With time running out we threw everybody - including keeper Jay Foulds - forward but last-gasp defending from Blackpool denied us as they hung on for a vital victory.

Special word for the large contingent of travelling fans who applauded the lads off as they knew the team had contributed to an enthralling encounter.

Top day out - bar the result!

Next up the Daisies from over the hill on Saturday.

I'm sure we'll bounce back...

Nearly a new year and what's been happening at Robins' Towers?

2010-12-29T03:33:00.000-08:00

Well not that much really - what with the weather and all that - but we can report that we have:

PUT SEVEN DAYS IN ON LUCA MODRIC
RESCUED 27 BALLS FROM THE FROZEN RIVER DOUGIE
HAD A BEER OR THREE
REALISED THAT RAY DAVIES IS STILL THE GREATEST MUSICIAN EVER
NOT HAD A PIE! WELL NOT A MEAT PIE ANYWAY. THERE HAS BEEN THE ODD MINCE PIE ALONG THE WAY
SEARCHED THE INTERNET TO TRY AND FIND A GAME TO WATCH...
AND THOUGHT: THOSE NEW 4G PITCHJES MIGHT JUST BE OKAY
GIVEN UP WATCHING TELLY - WHAT A LOAD OF BOLLOCKS THERE HAS BEEN ON THERE!
THOUGHT: "YOU KNOW WHAT THAT HARRY REDKNAPP MIGHT JUST MAKE A DECENT ENGLISH MANAGER AFTER ALL." JUST LEAVE THAT DICKHEAD SON AND HIS WAG OUT OF IT.
MARIO BALOTELLI'S HAT. DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO LAUGH OR CRY

Right I've stopped shouting now so roll on Monday 3 January 2011 and (hopefully) a game of football...

Preview coming up later in the week.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-23T08:04:00.000-08:00

Once in a blue moon...

2010-12-13T05:22:00.000-08:00

Well what a fine game that was!
Seven goals, the woodwork rattled three times (twice by them) and an Andy Neafcy goal!
We checked for blue moons and all that but no - it was as normal. Not a bad goal in that he curled it in from the edge of the box. The only problem now is that it'll be years before you see another one from him. And you know what when all those commentators were saying: "We'll never see a World Cup in this country in our lifetime."
The same goes for this as there are probably some of us who will never see another Andy Neafcy goal in our lifetime.
At least we can say: "We were there."
Needless to say Ryan Small had the last word and had to score one from the halfway line.
"Football, bloody hell," as Fergie said,
In between these two goals, Ste Eddy got a couple and could have had half a dozen. Macca was man-of-the-match (in our eyes from the stands) and put the penalty away neatly while the Robin Park Arena celebrated all those council cuts by putting a new wooden floor in the bar!
I assume it's in preperation for the salsa dancing or summat but it certainly gave the place a bit of an odd feel. But then again it was an odd sort of day as the model train exhibition was on across the road and was absolutely rammed.
Wish we had their gate. Then again Latics probably wish they had their gate! The car parks were chocka, there were a lot of normal-looking people going there and the pies and beer was flowing when I walked past. I even heard 250 sat down for a meal - I assume trains whizzed across their table when they were eating. A weird pastime if you ask me but the punters weren't half as scary looking as the darters when they turn up and as for those at the cat exhibitiions!!!!!
Anyhow I'm sure they didn't witness as much entertainment as we did.

So in a nutshell...
Boiling hot in the Arena - was "down to mi boxers" at one stage!
Six great goals
One great argument in the seats - no names mentioned but one of the accents was decidedly scouse!
Pies on good form
Pitch looked in great nick
Ste Eddy and Macca arguing over who was to take the penalty :-)
Radcliffe and Runcorn (weather permitting as it's predicted to be monkey's at the weekend) next up.

Bring it on!

Too Darn Soulful

2010-12-09T04:44:00.000-08:00

John Barrett has been documenting the UK soul scene through a range of stunning black & white and colour photography for the past five years.
There are no glamourised images here. Just gritty images that capture the real heart and soul of the artistes, dancers, fashion of the Northern, scooterist and mod scenes.

You can find more about the man and his camera over and purchase the photos at http://www.soulphotos.com/index.htm

Meanwhile if you are over in East Yorkshire an exhibition of John's photos - entitled Keeping the Faith - runs from 10 December at 18:30 until 23rd December at The Museum of Club Culture, 10, Humber Street, Hull, East Yorkshire, HU1 1TG

Ice Station DW Stadium

2010-12-08T04:01:00.000-08:00

WIGAN ATHLETIC 3 STOKE CITY 0
Girvan 6
Astles 51
Watson 86

One hundred or so hardy souls braved a chilly, nay a very chilly, DW Stadium to see Latics’ youth team progress to the Fourth Round of the FA Youth Cup after a 3-0 win against the Sjokers from Staffordshire.
I missed the first goal as the turnstile operator was a) trying to work out my change and b) trying to find me a team sheet but good old Kev Powell – who was on his way to reception to get a said team sheet informed me their keeper: “Cocked it up.”
When Kev and the team sheets returned to our little mob then it was confirmed that captain Michael Girvan was the ald that bundled the ball home.
Stoke 'keeper David Parton fumbled the initial cross which landed to Girvan six-yards out to prod home and make it 1-0. From then on it was all Latics and although it wasn't until after the break that they stretched their lead their dominance ensured it was coming.
The remainder of the half - in fact the whole of the game – belonged to Latics as they tore apart a Sjoke side that looked lost without their long throw-ins, fouling, feigning injury and ranting raving baseball-hatted loon on the sidelines.
The only surprise in the whole game was that the fluid Latics youngsters didn’t get more goals and the fact it took them until five minutes in the second half for them to double their lead.
A dangerous cross was put in from the left, the visitors’ defence failed to deal with it and the big lad Astles bundled it home. I’m told this kid’s only sixteen but he ain’t half a big ‘un!
With City throwing everything forward Latics caught them on the counter attack when the left winger, Boothman piling forward before releasing the excellent Watson to put the game out of site of the potty Potters and put themselves into the hat for the next round.

Bits and bobs
Bovril @ £1.50 and it was crap. Can they ever get anything right at the DW catering.
Wannabe WAGS – glorious looking but… but… as your fella will probably be signing-on in a year or so best make the most of it, eh.
Scouse voices everywhere. Take it most of the lads are from that area,
The small kid coming on at the end (Phillips?). The same lad I wouldn’t let into the Arena for the Robins v Latics friendly at the beginning of the season as I didn’t believe he was old enough to play for Latics and thought he was just trying to jib in!
Did I mention the cold?

Latics team: Nicholls; Lewis, Willis, Girvan, Astles, Chow, Myler (Lynch, 89), Morris, Bingham (Sheego, 83), Watson (Phillips, 90), Boothmann
Subs: Williams, Waters

Stoke team: Parton, Roberts-Nurse, Hall, Clarkson (Dawson, 62), Hedley, Wint, Mitchell, Koroma (Alabi, 61), Agbaje, Richardson (Bossman, 87), Musungu
Subs: Harrison, Galloway
Additional information (ie who scored and all that) taken from http://www.wiganlatics.co.uk/page/Youth/0,,10429~2239064,00.html

OFF OFF OFF

2010-12-07T05:29:00.000-08:00

image: J Simons - welcome back to the most important clothes shop ever!

Meanwhile as the Radcliffe Borough game is again off due to the adverse weather conditions.

So here are some reasons to be cheerful (or maybe not) parts one, two, three...

Those stupid fucking snoods - how utterly, utterly pathetic are they and how far will this once great game fall before it eats itself completely.

That scouse girl on X-Factor. At last somebody that can actually sing, look good and have a sense of normality about her. Not that I've seen a minute of it...

Ray Davies and "his friends" - patchy in parts but some of the tracks work

While all of the tracks work on Bruce Springsteen's The Promise - a wonderful feelgood album for Christmas

Mikkel Rude shirts - strictly 1969 stylee

Meanwhile it's "Sheepy weather" all round for the Robins Bootboys

1-0 up with three to go Down Under

The new John Simons shop - rejoice

FC United's success in the FA Cup - best of luck on Wednesday

Mince pies

Kate Rusby and her "Make the Light" album

Those Wigan Christmas lights. They are so bad that it's funny. And to think they had the Wigan Hoi Polloi switching 'em on.

Charity Shop finds...

A decent pint of real ale

Fish, chips and mushy peas

Later - the DW Stadium tonight for the WAFC Yoof v SjCFC Yoof

Ingrid Pitt RIP

2010-11-25T05:58:00.001-08:00

A proper vampire - none of that Twilight bollocks...

Unit Four Cinema, Pemberton, the Queen of Hammer Horror, growing up and all that.

Thanks for the memories

A classic double-header

2010-11-24T05:14:00.000-08:00

Nice little double-header yesterday...

First up was an entertaining ninety minutes of Latics reserves beating a very poor Bolton Wanderers side. Then again when is a Bolton side anything other than poor?

Latics strolled it really as an excellent first half goal from Callum McManaman and a second half strike by Joe Holt and header from Adam Buxton made it 3-0 to the home side.

Holt impressed - as ever - while Roman Golobart was a rock at the back but all-in-all it was an exceleent team performance. There was a kid called Aivan Sunday upfront who was busy and bright whilst Bolton-fan Mike Pollitt had just the one save to make.

Wanderers were that bad that they got there first corner in - something like - the 85th minute. As for the lump upfront - Tom Eaves - well all I can say is Oldham saw you coming...

As the temperature dropped a pie would have been nice but there was no hot food or drinks available. There was the usual smattering of scouts in attendance, some very uninterested young players doing the ballboying duties, the normal oddball Wanderers folk whilst Tony Kelly wandered around in his Bolton kit!

All-in-all a reasonable afternoon's attendance before the second installment and a first trip of the season to "Edgy" Green Street and a view of St Helens v Stone Doninoes in Saints temporary home. And in truth it was all a bit grim. A crowd of 63 was declared - erm not sure about that but... it all felt very quiet. Feel a bit sorry for Saints playing there but needs must, I suppose - just a shame that the biggest contingent there was the Robins lads.

On the pitch Stone Doms put in an excellent away performance, Defending solidly, breaking with pace and - most importantly - taking their chances.

The game finished 0-2, it was effing freezing, the pie was "very average", the coffee nowt special but the Bovril was spot-on.

In fact the Bovril was the highlight of the day.

Oh and no programmes - as the lad that does them had been rushed into hospital. Pity as the Saints' programme is quite simply one of the best around the whole of the football world. We wish the fella well...

A book for Christmas: The Ivy Look by Graham Marsh & JP Gaul

2010-11-23T04:25:00.001-08:00

Meet at TopShop

2010-11-23T04:20:00.000-08:00

Meet at Topshop, Oxford Circus. All the young lovers meet there. Boys and girls and boys and boys and girls and girls in this mixed-up muddled-up shook-up world.

I meet Janet there and she is late as normal. And I’m as mad as normal and she flashes me that big beautiful smile. And she takes my arm and I forgive her. Cos I always forgive her and we walk through the backs to Efes for kebabs and steaks. And beautiful dips and pittas for a beautiful girl.

We share our joy and pain. Sunshine and rain. We eat and I drink. Jan has a Baileys that she sips. And she keeps smiling and we talk about our friends. Mutual and otherwise. I tell her I love her and she tells me the same. But this love will not be consummated. This is platonic love and we both know that. We hold each other close in our hearts. We are mates and that will do me fine. Beautiful as she is – I don’t break up relationships. My morals are low but something deep, very deep keeps me from her. But no messing I love this beautiful girl from Streatham.

And this beautiful girl from Streatham loves Tom Waits and to a backdrop of the chitter and chatter of twenty-nine accountants and one secretary I slowly and quietly start singing:

“And you can ask any sailor and the keys from the jailor
And the old men in wheelchairs know
That Matilda's the defendant, she killed about a hundred
And she follows wherever you may go
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
You'll go a waltzing Matilda with me

And it's a battered old suitcase to a hotel someplace
And a wound that will never heal
No prima donna, the perfume is on
An old shirt that is stained with blood and whiskey
And goodnight to the street sweepers
The night watchman flame keepers and goodnight to Matilda too”

Through welled-up eyes and a lump or six in my throat. And she flashes me that big beautiful fucking smile. The suits are bewildered – twenty nine of the fuckers trying to chat up the secretary from Southgate who will lead them on and half-listen to their tales of accountancy and flow charts. Budgets and provisions, sports cars and salaries. When all you need to fall in love is Tom Waits and gorgeous Turkish food.

We talk about growing up and Jan tells me Tom Waits’ Kentucky Avenue is the greatest song about childhood. I tell her Springsteen’s Growing Up is the greatest song about… er growing up but she flashes me that me that big beautiful fucking smile and I know she is right.

Waits once said when introducing the song: “I grew up at a street called Kentucky Avenue. Well, I was born at a very young age, and eh when I was about 5 years old I used to... I used to walk down Kentucky Avenue collecting cigarette buts. And I finally got me a paper route. I used to get up at 1 o' clock in the morning so I could deliver my papers and still have time to break the law..."

But the song is more about his best friend. This friend had polio and he used to be in a wheelchair and they’d race to the end of the road. And Jan tells me this and she sings in her sweet South London voice:

“I'll take the spokes from your wheelchair and a magpie's wings
And I'll tie 'em to your shoulders and your feet
I'll steal a hacksaw from my dad and cut the braces off your legs
And we'll bury them tonight out in the cornfield
Just put a church key in your pocket, we'll hop that freight train in the hall
We'll slide all the way down the drain to New Orleans in the fall”

The suits don’t understand poetry. They don’t understand love. Don’t understand platonic love and the way that Janet’s big beautiful smile means more to me than anything in the world and they don’t know who Tom Waits is and it pleases me no end and it would please Tom Waits as well…

The Good, the bad and the ugly

2010-11-23T04:05:00.000-08:00

photo courtesy Paul Cullen
ROBINS 0 ABBEY HEY 3
Well let's get the good out the way first.

Er...
Well the pie and home made Leek & Potato soup was excellent and after that it went pretty much downhill straight away.
Respect to Abbey Hey - who were definitely good and everything else about the day was bad and at times downright ugly!
No point dwelling on it and this blog has never been one for slagging players off but I must say it was a pitiful performance. Personally I'd exempt Jay Foulds - that didn't have a chance with the goals - Ste Eddy - who didn't get a pass all game and Scott McNair - who looked bright when he came on - from the general malaise that surrounded the rest of the team/squad.
We never put two passses together, had a shot on goal or remotely looked like doing either of those things fundamental to winning a game of football.
As for the ugly bit - well they tell me Wiggles' tackle was a shocker. I'm playing the Arsene Wenger on this as I simply couldn't tell from where I was. To me it looked no worse than the one on Dean Midge that (that) bald-headed plonker of a referee deemed not to be worthy of a red but hey there you go...
Right it's over and let's hope it's a blip rather than the beginning of a bad run and let's face it we've only lost one game in something like eleven games. So onward and upwards as we look forward to Chaddy at home on Saturday and Raddy away the following Tuesday.

"Bring on the Robins"

"Bombs away over Abbey Hey"

2010-11-20T03:32:00.000-08:00

A (sort of) poem composed in 30 seconds by Joe Hawkins: Poet in Residence at WRPFC

On a Clear Day...
A lush green pitch and a still, still day,
A perfect chance to watch the Robins play.
Clear blue skies and supporters' cries,
Top of the league and other highs.
Red and white stripes, tall and proud.
Booming voices from the crowd
Flowing football to entice the masses,
Ryan Small's runs and Neafcy's passes
A pint of beer, a pie and a toffee
A warming hip flask and a boiling hot coffee.
Three points we hope - and an enjoyable game
ROBINS is our fucking name.

Things we like Part 1009: The Rig Out Issue 3

2010-11-18T07:25:00.000-08:00

If you like your clobber then you'll know all about the Oi Polloi shop in Manchester. What you might not know is that they have their own house magazine The Rig Out. Costing three English pounds Issue #3 documents the Norwegian wilderness, with record-breaking cyclist, James Bowthorpe strutting (or should we say cycling) his stuff in some of the smartest garments money can buy.

Elsewhere in the issue there's a heavy Italian influence, with the the Paninari' of Milano '84 setting the precedent style-wise.

Oh, and there's also a boss article by yours truly in there!

So buy it...

From the shop or online @
http://www.oipolloi.com/Store/OiPolloi-DisplayBrands-247-.html

Gabba Gabba Abbey Hey

2010-11-18T05:55:00.000-08:00

photo courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/manc72/

This Saturday the boys from the Gorton 'hood visit the Stadio. The day at their place was only ruined by the ninety minutes football so hopefully we'll put the record straight, get the three points and keep top spot.

A massive game (as is every game) as we hope to keep the pressure on the others below us.

As ever come and join the WRBs at the top of the stand for what should be a decent game

"Bring on the Robins (and the pies)"

Birth of the cool...

2010-11-18T05:08:00.000-08:00

Our good friends at the WCC (Wigan Cool Collective)- over at FC United - have invited any likeminded spirits from the WRPCC (yeah, you get the idea) to join them.

Now obviously I'm bang in there* but I'm not sure who else is cool enough to join them. After having a look around at the match (and in the pub) the other week I'm not sure.

Young Bongo's a bit of a dresser. Graham Ibbo's been there or thereabouts for years, Conway's pretty smart and Robbie's not too bad for an old boy from the Crofter's Arms but some of the others especially the players are letting the side down.

Admittedly - after their golf day - Corcy had a nice jumper and polo shirt on and Jay's RL polo was okay but the rest of them!!! Looked like Milk Tray Man gone bad. Then you've the gaffer in his "I'm a Wolverhampton Wanderer or summat" tee shirt and Bazzer in his shorts with a broken zip stylee and it really isn't good enough. Add in the the ridiculous woolly hats and horrible pumps they all wear and I despair.

Then of course there's the scouse contingent! Now these scousers are always telling me how well dressed they are but blimey. These lot seem to have left their cool at Glenburn School

They simply have to up the ante a bit to be considered.

* For guidance I am currently wearing:
Donkey Jacket
Bar Scarf
Pendleton work shirt
Flat Cap
Black jeans 1/2 inch turn-ups to reveal
Black Doc Marten boots

And if you are thinking why is he wearing such stylish gear when sat tapping away at a keyboard then the fact is: I'm simply too cool to turn the heating on

Yours etc

Joe Hawkins
The WRPCC

Please note membership will be strictly monitored. Either that or buy me a beer and you're in!

Meanwhile here are ten cool Wigan things...

Mesnes Park in winter - when the goths, scrotes and the unwashed students have fucked off
The novel house bookshop
WN5
The butcher/ess in Roy England's
Orrell RT CC
The Anvil
Orrell RUFC
Muffin man steak pies
The Wigan Robin Bastards
The WCC ???

When the blue, blue robin goes bob, bob, bobbin' along

2010-11-18T04:54:00.001-08:00

If you are not aware you can follow the Robins fortunes on twitter.

I'll endeavour to update during the games but sometimes the bar gets in the way. However for all the other news/gossip/information you can follow us on

http://twitter.com/wiganrobinpark

Since the last time...

2010-11-18T04:37:00.000-08:00

Here are just a few of the things that have happened since I last put pen to paper (or rather fingers to keyboard)...

Andy Neafcy still hasn't scored
We are top of the league and still in three cups
While the ressies are joint third with a cup competition to come + the Wigan Cup quarters later in the season.
If we had barn doors in Wigan WN5 then Ste Eddy wouldn't be able to hit one in recent weeks.
Paul Vermiglio is: "Eating for two" - sorry that's his missus. Wiggles is obviously still eating for six!
Radcliffe Borough in the Lancs Trophy quarters is coming up soon.
Home-made pies and hot pot at the Stadio's kitchen
But still no telly
100% in yellow and green
The Gaffer's eventually got his computer working!
But still no Manager of the Month award
There's a definite scouse twang about the place. Albeit a plastic scouse twang...
Wigan Robin Bastards still "bossing the joint"
Looking forward to away trips to Runcorn Town, AFC Blackpool, Colls and AFC Liverpool
In fact it's all getting a bit giddy. Think I'll need a drink or two to calm down.

The blog really is back

2010-11-18T04:02:00.001-08:00

After a bit of a break - what with being seconded on official duty - the blog is most definitely back!

I'll be taking an irreverant and unofficial look at the goings-on at the Stadio de Robin Park along with the other important things in life like pies, beer, music, clobber, girls and (er) more pies.

It'll be mainly tongue-in-cheek/satirical shit with the occasional observations on modern football and modern life.

Feel free to comment.

Cheers Vaughanie

Bobbin' Along - the book

2010-08-03T05:23:00.000-07:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More cover

LAUNCH 21 AUGUST 2010

Well Red

2010-07-30T05:14:00.000-07:00

Show your colours for Season 2010/11

Madison

Connoisseur

Gucci selvedge

Fracap

FC United bits and bobs

2010-07-29T06:24:00.000-07:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51544962@N04/sets/72157624480064907/

Cheers to Neilboo and Punk Football

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

2010-07-29T06:19:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-29T05:46:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-20T05:35:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-07-16T04:06:00.000-07:00

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…

2010-07-15T07:09:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-15T06:59:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-15T06:53:00.000-07:00

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

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

FIXTURE UPDATE: ALL LEAGUE GAMES NOW REARRANGED

2010-03-16T04:26:00.000-07:00

Looks like all the fixtures have now been rearranged - Information taken from the Football Mitoo website

TONIGHT: AFC LIVERPOOL HOME - VODKAT DIVISION ONE TROPHY QUARTER-FINAL

Saturday 20 March: Rochdale Town Away

Tuesday 23 March: AFC Blackpool Away

Saturday 27 March: No game at present*

Monday 29 March: St Helens Town Away -Vodkat Challenge Cup Quarter-Final

Saturday 3 April: Oldham Boro Away

TUESDAY 6 APRIL: AFC BLACKPOOL HOME

Saturday 10 April: Eccleshall Away

TUESDAY 13 APRIL: LEEK CSOB HOME

Saturday 17 April: Atherton Colls Away

Tuesday 20 April: Holker Old Boys Away

Saturday 24 April: Chadderton Away

Saturday 1 May: Cheadle Town Away

TUESDAY 4 MAY: CHEADLE TOWN HOME

SATURDAY 8 MAY: STONE DOMINOES

* Saturday 27 March: Seems to me that there is a possibility of a game this day: If we beat AFC Liverpool tonight we could play AFC Blackpool in semi-final as other semi is that day. If we lose to AFC tonight we could play St Helens on this day. The game is scheduled for the Monday but neither us nor Saints have a game on Saturday 27 March at present

--

Honours even: Robins 1 Norton United 1

2010-03-15T04:47:00.000-07:00

Well what do we all make of this division this year?

No stand-out team like Bootle (last term) with everybody - and I mean everybody - looking capable of beating each other.

Take Norton on Saturday. They looked a completely different team to the one we played at the beginning of the season. As did Daisy Hill, Ashton et al. It really is a very even division and on Saturday an even game was played out by two pretty evenly matched teams. Even if I say so myself...

Admittedly The Robins had a fantastic double-opportunity to grab all three points in injury time when Adi Whittle latched on to a flicked header from Big Pey Vermiglio. Deciding to go alone rather than square the ball to Dean Callaway he (maybe) took the ball a step too much forward but his powerful shot was superbly saved by the
visitor's keeper Leigh Miller. The rebound fell to Deano who hit the ball first time only to see his shot richochet off the post and go behind for a dead ball. Definite chances that should probably have been put away but in fairness the keeper made a cracking save and Deano's wasn't the best angle to hit it at but it was hands on heads time for all concerned.

Not that Norton deserved to lose as they took the game to us, kept two men upfront all game and defended from the front making life hard for The Robins on a difficult windy day.

Playing with the breeze the visitors went ahead on 12 minutes after they opened up our defence to leave Ashley Hill with an easy finish.

While it is true to say that the visitors dominated the first period the Robins produced the move of the game moments before half time when good work by Ryan Small led to Lee Moss finishing neatly to take the teams in level at the break and alter The Gaffer's half time team talk/rollicking.

With the wind on their backs in the second half The Robins looked the more accomplished team and finished the stronger going close on a number of occasions culminating in the great double-chance during injury time. That said Norton were always a threat and it would have been cruel on them to lose as they brought a positive attitude to the Arena and contributed to a good game in difficult conditions.

That last sentence is obviously utter bollocks and we'd have take the (undeserved) win by whatever means necessary.

The other downer - apart from the dropped points was yet another injury. This time it was Neil Swift that was taken to hospital. The verdict - cartilage damage that will see him out for "at least two weeks". When will it end?

However we've got to press on as AFC Liverpool are here in the quarter final of the Vodkat Division One Trophy tomorrow.

I'm just putting the dubbin on my boots and am available if required...

In a nutshell:

Cold - very cold
Norton's Number One Fan - With club badge and Norton's Number One Fan tattooed on his neck! He was a nice lad, mind
Norton's Number 10 - Delroy Somebodyorother never stopped moaning from first minute until he was taken off. That said we gave him the man on the match but just shut the fuck up, lad.
How many players did they bring with them? Looked about twenty two and I didn't even get a buttie at the end of the game there was that many of them.
Not sure who got our MOM - one of those games when nobody really stood out and nobody had a stinker. Game of two halves with both keepers having little to do for a half each.
Robin's Nest due to staff being over at a Cat Show. The 62nd All-Breed Championship Show in fact!
How much do we pay per match for the place? If it's not salsa dancing it's fat lads playing five-a-side or bloody cats. That said there was a lovely girl who was obviously lost. I coolly asked her if she was here for the football or was looking for the darts. She just looked at me like I was mad. Well it was Daz Mullen who told me the darts were on across the road!
Big Pey doing his usual and "taking somebody out". This time it was the referee!
Top quality chicken curry and rice in The Oddies
Roll on tomorrow when the scousers come to town - should be a good un.

Kick off 8pm. Admission £4 (£2 concessions)

"BRING ON THE ROBINS"

Put that in your pipe: Ashton Town 2 Wigan Robin Park 3

2010-03-10T04:35:00.000-08:00

Part two of the Pie Classico served up a cracker as The Robins snatched a win with a sensational last-minute goal from Dean Midgeley.

In what was an entertaining game and with the scores level at 2-2 the seventeen-year-old full back won a tackle deep in his own half and with nothing on in front of him simply carried the ball forward beating Ashton defenders for fun before going around the the keeper and putting/scuffing the ball into the empty net.

Cue mad scenes on the pitch, in the dugout and on the terraces. It was deserved and totally justified.

The Robins playing up a hill resembling one of the three peaks they took the game to the scousers and it was no surprise when Swifty got his second goal in four days when he got on the end of a cross to stroke the ball home.

I'm not sure what the cartwheels and somersaults were all about. You're a bloody fullback lad leave that to the nancy boy forwards! Then again he probably doesn't get many goals but in his new role as winger you never know.

It was good to see the lads playing some decent stuff as they are beginning to get their act together aftera ropey period. To be fair to Ashton they can play a bit it's just a pity that they had to resort to taking it in turns to kick seven shades out of Ryan Small. Not that it bothers Ryan who just dusts himself down and gets on with it. Got to say for a midfielder he's doing a good job upfront at the moment and he worked the line well and never stopped running.

Town got into the game just before half-time when a long ball was misjudged by Midge, it hit him on the back and allowed the Ashton lad to put a good cross in for Steve Edwards to lose his marker and put the ball away. You expect it off Ste Eddy as he is a master at the art and good luck to him.

Playing down the hill in the second half Wigan sensed blood and in the 58th minute Ryan Small beat Ashton centre-half Gary Doyle to a long ball and then sensing ex-Robins trialist keeper Andy Hewitt off his line chipped him from 25 yards fo a fantastic goal.

Now when you score the first thing you do is keep it tight and all that but what you don't need is an atrocious decision by a referee who sees a free-kick from a perfect tackle. Despite protestations the decision stood and Wallace superbly placed the ball directly into the corner of the net to make it 2-2.

The goal however didn't dent The Robins confidence and they pressed forward going close on a couple of occasions before Midgeley scored his first goal for the club.

Time was up and cue the celebrations. A very, very sweet victory and to quote a member of the Ashton management after they beat us at the Stadio de Robin Park: "Put that in your pipe and smoke it."

In a nutshell:
Good pint of Deuchars in the Cross Keys
Fifteen of our line-up were Wiganers
One of Ashton's line-up was a Wiganer
Brilliant goal from Ryan - even better one from Midge
All our lads having good games
John Leech running the line in tights (oh and coaching the Town players as he went along)
The other liner wearing glasses
Nothing from the ref. How he gave that free-kick only he will know and our lads on other side claim Swifty should have had a pen in the second half
Their right back going through the back of Deano and claiming he got the ball was pitiful. Not to mention his response to our fans. More than pitiful. Bit disappointing to see him subbed immediately - we were looking forward to giving him some
But in the end three good points and roll on Norton United this Saturday. Robin Park Arena 3pm kick-off.

AFC Liverpool 0 Wigan Robin Park 1

2010-03-08T04:46:00.000-08:00

What's not to like about Prescot?

Well quite a bit probably but when we go it's normally to collect three points from AFC Liverpool.

They normally do the same at our gaff but we'll forget about that for the moment. Having put the word out to a couple of people that we'd be in the Hope & Anchor (surely Cockney rhyming slang...) we took one look and thought: "The Sun Inn must be a better bet" and pottered down there. Swifty senior joined us after downing a pint in one or two in said Hope.

And a nice little boozer it is. Three rooms including an old-fashioned snug and a couple of corking pints of Cumberland and Old Speckled Hen was had by all.

Accompanied by some great "Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town" country and western music as all pubs should be made to play in the afternoon. We then moved around the corner to the home of the A57 Scooter Club. The Deanes House or summat. It was a big breezy pub and alright if you like that sort of thing, a pint of Boddies and down to the match. Pay-in, pick up their excellent programme, tell Robbo Senior we've been in a pub with pictures of scooters on the wall and settle down just in time for Swifty Junior to put us ahead.

On a black pudding of a pitch The Robins were soon on the front foot. A long throw from debutant Sam Rimmer was laid-back by Jon Corcoran to Neil Swift who cut in from the right and beat the AFC keeper from 18 yards for the opener.

In a tight first half chances were few and far between but Jay Foulds had to be at his best just before half-time as he pulled off a superb double save. That said we could have been further ahead but a great chance was missed by er (yeah you've guessed) Andy Neafcy who hit the ball straight into the keeper's hands. He was later heard to say that he will buy everybody a beer in Oddies when he scores. I may have dreamt that but as he'll never score we needn't woory about that.

The second half took on much the same flavour with neither team creating much. AFC Liverpool's threat was effectively snuffed out when they were reduced to ten men when their substitute Karl Gornell was sent off - minutes after he had come onto the pitch - for pushing Swifty in the face. This allowed The Robins to hold on comfortably for a fine away victory.

Neil Swift was awarded man of the match but everybody put in a good shift with Darren Mullen again defying the years producing a commanding performance at the back. Sam Rimmer also made his full debut and looked comfortable throughout whilst Ryan Small in an unfamiliar centre-forward role led the line well.

We retired to the clubhouse for a beer or so and caught up with some of the people we know from AFC Liverpool. I have to say I really enjoy our encounters with the club and although crowds have dropped off at the club I find the people there to be a really decent set. The pitch isn't helping them at all - as they obviously like to play football - so we will have to be at our best for the cup encounter.

We said our farewells invited them to our place in a week or so and jumped the train back to Bryn and have to report the hotpot in Oddies was on fine form. Pity the curry and rice had gone when we got there but beggars (and that is what we are)can't be choosers.

We are back in that other small part of Liverpool - Ashton Town - this Tuesday night so here's hoping for a good game. Kick off 7.45pm

"BRING ON THE ROBINS"

Miss Wigan Robin Park March 2010 Robyn Hobson

2010-03-03T02:39:00.001-08:00

She's 21 from Cape Town, South Africa a feature in FHM over there and what with the World Cup being held there that's a good enough link to football as such. Oh and she's bloody lovely as well.

The Robins try and draw some positives from game: Robins 2 Daisy Hill 2

2010-03-03T02:10:00.001-08:00

When fit please pass to the next person on the injury list

Wigan Robin Park 2-2 Daisy Hill HT:2-0

Roll out the cliches and... it most certainly was a game of two halves. Well as far as the scoring goes anyway. In truth it was a pretty open game and although we went into half-time with a two-goal lead if it hadn't been for some superb goalkeeping by Jay Foulds they could have been in it. That said a Mossy rareity and a tremendous Dean Callaway finish meant we went into the break in control.

It might have all seemed rosy but the loss of Woody after just thirteen minutes of his comeback put a dampener on things. He was replaced by Dave Blakeney - making his debut - with Swifty moved to left back for his tenth position in two games.

Immediately after the break Deano Callaway found himnself on the end of a superb move but somwhow - and I have no idea how missed with an open goal beckoning. There was talk of spin on the ball, sun in his eyes or summat but it should have been 3-0. ten minutes later it was 2-1. Thirty minutes later it was 2-2.

Daisy Hill had most of the second half and it is fair that they took a point from the game but the lads will be kicking themselves. Not only should we have been three-up but later Chris McNall latching onto a through ball beat the keeper only to see his shot go agonisingly wide.

As the game went into injury a succession of injuries saw two Daisy Hill players go down and then Chris McNally turned suerbly in the box but a combination of the turn, the goalkeeper and defender coming out saw him down on the floor and in agony. The game finished with Macca flat-out behind the goal. An ambualnce was called and the word is ligament damage. Another sickening injury blow for The Robins. I've lost count how many lads we have out now and not sure when it will end.

With two games on Saturday it's going to be a real struggle to get 22 players on the pitch (or cabbage patch in the case of AFC Liverpool's Prescot home) but that's what the management get paid for. That's if they did get paid but you get my drift

As for last all that said it was an entertaining game and in a nutshell...

I know everybody says this but: "The referee gave us - now what's the technical word for this ah... - fuck-all"
Absolutely zilch, zero. A couple of his decisions were baffling to say the least.Corners that were definitely goal kicks, Daisy Hill players three yards away from a free-kick etc
Good debut from the young kid who came on early
Heartbreak for Woody and Macca
Another Callaway special. The lad looks on fire at the moment and Jay Foulds is also in the form of his life. Well they say keepers get better the older they get!
Usual chaos on the door at night games at the Arena. Referees meeting, some other council meeting, matches on the all-weather pitches. St Judes rugby there!! They get enough favours off the council (alegedly) can't they put their own placcy pitch down. Gymnastics and God knows what. You simply haven't a clue who's going the football or not!
Good butties as usual
Chipper buying me a beer!
AFC Liverpool next-up and "Bring on The Robins"

When the Robins go marching in... Vodkat Challenge Cup Preview

2010-02-22T04:42:00.000-08:00

Not a clue who these lot are - some Aussie group or summat - just googled St Helens and found it. She's the most attractive thing I've ever seen from Saints... Well apart from a Pimblett Pie

I'm not sure what year it was but I was acting the little tough lad outside Woolies when Saints came around the corner... Dressed in white boiler suits, bowler hats and boots. Clockwork Orange style and we had to admit they'd done us on the clothes front.

Just that once, mind as previous to that date I'd always thought Saints people were greasers like the Carr Mill Dammers. Yes, often though we'd be all in the Billinge Higher End Under-18s disco dancing to Skinhead Moonstomp and The Liquidator when someone would announce that 'The Dammers' were waiting for us on Billinge Hill and we'd all leave the club and yomp up to Billinge Hill to do battle. 'The Dammers' were from the Carr Mill Dam Estate at St Helens and were apparently all greasers - something us Skins and Suedes detested. I say apparently because of course they were never there. We also, on a couple of occasions, walked all the way to Windy Harbour to meet up with Ashton who of course never turned up. I doubt if there was ever any chance it was going to go off and it's strange that all these fights were about to take place during the summer months and never in the depths of winter. However to a young 13-year old it was quite an impressive sight to be with all these older (16-year plus) lads walking down the street. But that's my opinions of St Helens. Greasers and greabos and it always made me laugh when I saw the WIGAN BOOTBOYS graffiti at Carr Mill lights. Is it still there?

Ah the memories. Innocent times and all that bollocks. Since then I've been to Saints v Wigan matches, seen Latics against St Helens Town in a friendly or two but it's all been much more civilised. Well mainly so - but this is a family site and we're all a lot older now. In fact I like visiting St Helens now as I'm usually off to the excellent The Citadel Arts Centre if I happen to be in the town.

This Tuesday I'll be back to see Wigan's non-league side take on St Helens Town (from the division above us) in the Vodkat Challenge Cup Quarter Final for what should be a great encounter.

Both sides have suffered indifferent form of late but both recorded excellent wins at the weekend and I know everybody at this end is buzzing about the game.

Saints will undoubtedly win "the slowest player on the pitch award" if Dougie Pitts is playing while Ben Kay will be more worried about his hairstyle and Alice band than bothering about midfield battles so we should be okay. Or maybe not. Whatever happens it should be a great encounter and we look forward to visiting Knowsley Road for the first and last time at the old wreck (sorry ground) before it makes way for the new shiny thing. Give me an old wreck over a new plastic stadia any day and Knowsley Road is chocca with character. Where Town play next season I've no idea.

So it's a day away - weather permitting. Reading recent reports from the superb www.thetownblog.blogspot.com it appears that the pitch is pretty dire which should affect things but we'll see.

Let's just hope for a good day out, a few beers and an excellent game. And may the best team win... That last bit is bollocks of course as I'm sure either side will take a dodgy one-niller. In fact is Alan Wiley the ref?

"BRING ON THE ROBINS"

Wigan Robin Park 2 Leek CSOB 0

2010-02-21T13:45:00.000-08:00

"We're on the march with Neafcy's Army
We're on the march to Wember.... er wherever the final is" - maybe

Now if it's not salsa dancing and burlesque lessons then it's fit, lithesome young female athletes pottering about the gaff when you're trying to sell a programme or two. Not that I could catch 'em anyroad but it was a pleasant distraction before the main event of the afternoon. It is also worth noting that some lads had booked one of the all-weather pitches. It's bad enough all the fatties who think they are Rooney coming through on a midweek day let's hope this isn't going to be a common occurrence on Saturdays as well. Then again Leek could have had a full ninety minute game on there themselves as they all arrived at just gone one!!!

Some two hours and (just the) four minutes (late this week) the game kicked-off. The lads and speccies knew that the "old fella" Tarr would be the danger and so it proved as he created a couple of openings but failed to convert. He also failed to keep up his early promise and as he faded so did Leek's chances.

That said and done the teams went into the break even and goalless thanks to Wigan keeper Jay Foulds being at his best while Ryan Small went close with a long-range effort for The Robins.

A half-time shuffle of the pack by The Gaffer saw Dean Callaway dropping just behind Macca and he had a blinder. Full of energy and commitment he was quickly rewarded by opening The Robins account on 52 minutes. The Leek players went radio rental at the ref and linesmen complaining that Deano was offside. What they failed to take into account was that it was one of their own lads that headed the ball to him.

Leek seemed knocked back by this and offered little and were completely knackered when Chric McNally rattled a blinder in from summat like thirty yards. The ever-inventive-Evertonian unveiled another celebration by running to the bench and getting Woody to kiss his right boot. Latest news is that Woody's pulled another hamstring bending down to kiss it and could be out for another six weeks!

The Robins should ahve gone three up when a superb move saw Swifty hit a perfect left-footed cross right onto the head of a fellow Robin. Unfortunately that head belonged to Andy Neafcy and as we know he wouldn't score in Jumpin Jaks!

So back on to our winning ways and into a quarter-final home tie against AFC Liverpool - who we owe big time.

In a Nutshell
MOM Andy Neafcy
Wigan Robin Bastards' MOM Darren Mullen
Cracking performance from the three youngsters, D Robbo, Dean Midgeley and Jay Roberts.
Good butties as normal even if I'm "not getting" the veggie pepper ones
The normal ref assessor was there - probably finding nothing wrong with the officials again. I'm sure comes to ours every week for the butties, coffees and warm lounge
Corcy proving that he is even slower doing ballboy duties than he is in centre mid.
Pie - on form
Beer - Guinness at £2.70 a can!!! Normal price at Robin Park Arena bars but bloody hell, come on
Hot Pot in Oddy's - Bloody superb. That good I had two platefulls. The Hopper had FOUR!!!
Bring on St Helens
And.... "Bring on The Robins"

"Once, twice three times a loser"

2010-02-16T05:57:00.001-08:00

Well that's three defeats on the bounce now. Not expected but with an injury list that must now be up to about twenty it probably makes sense.

After the Ashton game I reported in the local paper that we were missing seven centre-halves to be promptly informed it was in fact NINE. So it's hardly surprising and the three points and bragging rights went the way of Ashton Town at a foggy Robin Park Arena that Saturday.

They deserved their 4-2 victory as Ashton hot-shot Steve Edwards bagged a brace making that 20 for the season so far.

With such a threadbare squad it was always going to be a tough ask for The Robins makeshift defence and this was highlighted as Ashton were two-up through Edwards and Christian Baxby after ten minutes.

The Robins gained their composure and were back on level terms on the hour through Chris McNally and Ryan Small - playing his first game for eight weeks or so. However instead of pushing on for the victory two more individual errors in four minutes presented the game to Town as Edwards and substitute Kevin Hill completed the scoring.

As the Robins manager John Neafcy said: "We were down to the bare bones and didn't have a recognised centre-half available.

"We knew where the danger would come from but we didn't help ourselves with some sloppy defending."

The one good thing is that we don't have long to go to avenge the defeat as we go there early next month for the second leg of the Pie Classico or should that be Pan of Scouse Classico - with some of the accents emanating from that end.

Against the Are they Yorkshiremen? from up near Burnley way with three teenagers making their debuts - and other debutants on the bench - The Robins were always going to be up against it. Add into the mix a delay of 25 minutes to kick-off whilst a replacement assistant referee was found - after the original couldn't get a babysitter - I'm sure the youngsters' nerves were jangling somewhat.

When the game got under way The Robins settled well and produced some good football as they took the game to the visitors. However - on 32 minutes - a misplaced pass from the old/experienced* (delete as appropriate) Darren Mullen led to a Barnoldswick attack that was finished off by Spencer Jordan.

With The Robins fans and management still seething about the suspicion of offside that accompanied the opening goal they were furious when Joe Shelmedine made it two when he tapped the ball into the net from within the six-yard box with no defenders between him and the line. There was no clever run. he just stood there and knocked it in. Admittedly I wasn't level play to say for certain but neither was the liner as he was level with me. This feller needed Ring and Ride never mind a babysitter!!

As Park tried to get back into the game Chris McNally, Mullen and Ryan Small all went close but Barnoldswick sealed the win when Daz Mullen was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area on the hour mark. Looked to me that he went in for the tackle and the ball hit his hand. That said we'd probably have shouted for it. Russell Clarke stepped up to expertly beat Jay Foulds in the Wigan goal from the penalty spot. It was a tough one for Daz as he had a cracking game all told and marshalled the young lads superbly

As John Neafcy said after the game.

"We had two seventeen-year-olds in Dean Robinson and Dean Midgeley in the back-four and I thought they were absolutely superb and along with Jamie Roberts who made his first start up-front it shows the future at the club is bright.

"We just didn't get the rub of the green with the decisions from the referee and one of his assistants.

"Ironically the best official was the lad they called in at short notice."

This Saturday The Robins will hopefully face Leek CSOB in the Division One Trophy at the Arena. It should have been played four months ago but as long as babysitters are available kick-off will be 3pm Admission £4 (£2 concessions)

Get yourselves down to the Stadio. As usual the pies and coffee will be hot and a quarter-final place awaits the winners

Wigan v Ashton and gang wars without tartar sauce

2010-02-04T04:35:00.000-08:00

Well, it was total wipeout (again) during the week as ice, snow and rain decimated the Vodkat fictures.

This meant there was no midweek trip to Cassie Gabs for The Robins. And let's face it Rochdale's cold enough in August never mind on a freezing Tuesday night in February! Lucky escape in my book. Then again it does mean another fixture to be rearranged and another chance to get our mojo back after the Irlam result has gone missing.

Not a great day at Irlam in all honesty as we crashed to a 2-0 defeat.

Despite dominating the first ten and final ten minutes they were second-best for the remainder of the match and only excellent goalkeeping from Jay Foulds kept the scoreline down.

It looked like we might ride their luck but Darren Green latched onto a defensive error to open the scoring for the home side on the hour mark.

As the game progressed Wigan began to find their rhythm with Chris McNally and Steve Williams both going close.
However as the game entered injury time Matty Williams broke away for Irlam and despite looking yards offside beat Jay Foulds. The flag stayed down and Irlam sewed up a deserved victory.

This Saturday our near neighbours from Stubshaw Cross - Ashton Town - are the visitors and as long as the weather improves/holds out (it bloody better do as we've done the programmes) it will be good to get a match under our belts. The same of course applies to Ashton and it really will be a tough one to call as their game was called off at Cheadle midweek and like everybody their season has been stop/start. They have been in decent form and in Steve Edwards upfront have a prven goalscorer.

All we can hope for is that the best team on the day wins.

Which of course utter bollocks as we'll take a crabby win as no doubt they will. However be good to get a good derby game in. The pies will be decent. The pitch - whatever the weather has been like - will still be better than the mess at the stadium next door and I'm sure everybody is looking forward to it

Kick-off at the Stadio de Robin Park is 3pm £4 (£2 concessions) admission.

Meanwhile a snippet from something due soon

Gang wars without tartar sauce

Some sort of gang battle going on at home. Wigan v Ashton. Get a phonecall this Sunday morning that informs me there has been some sort of fight in Ashton town centre. Fifty arrested. Petty spoils about petty things. Got caught up in it myself a few months ago Home for the weekend. Normal night, nothing happening. Shit music and shitter club. We go for a taxi come down the stairs and there are ten onto three of us. Nothing really happens. Some div decides he's Bruce Lee and spins and hollers and goes to karate chop me but it all goes horribly wrong and he falls on the floor in a heap. The taxi driver says: "Don't worry lads I saw everything you did nothing wrong.

"Shall I go to the police?"

"Nah, the village of Orrell will do.

"We are okay," I reply.

Then as he pulls away…

"There's one of them."

And drives straight at him. Ten is now twenty, the driver stalls and a piece of scaffolding goes through the windscreen. Followed by bottles, bricks and bins and we end up at the hospital with cuts and bruises and then the police station where we can tell them nothing and we give addresses in London and a bright spark of a copper says: "It's spreading.

"The dispute is spreading."

Just let us get home to our parents - to our beds to ease our aches and pains. Awake with bloodied head and swollen pride later to be informed - at the match - that the lads were Ashton and it's all about Ashton versus Wigan and some bad shit is going down. Reprisals and beatings. Mob war… Ashton a small town that is both part of Wigan and apart from Wigan . Large Scouse population. Never really been. Never really wanted to go but hey these things matter to some people. I should be bitter about the skirmish but I have other things on my mind when I am excitedly told via the phone that fifty have been arrested but I'm tired and weary.

Been having a kickabout in Regent's Park. Few beers in the Four Feathers. As normal. Quiet Sunday. Few beers then Macdonalds. Diuble cheeseburgers all round apart from Fillet of Fish without the tartar sauce for Dell. Love going to Macs and seeing how long it will be before Dell gets served. They pride themselves on being the fastest of fast food but order something that isn't the norm and it throws them. We should try ordering without the gherkin rather than throw them but hey… And of course Dell always recounts the fact that we wouldn't be here today if he had tartar sauce on his fillet of fish. For a year or so ago we were in Macdonalds on the Oxford Street/Tottenham Court Road axis when we waited and waited and waited for his fillet sans tartar. While we waited the tube that we would or could have caught crashed. Or caught fire or something. But Dell maintains if it wasn't for him we would have been on it and we would indeed have not spent this Sunday afternoon eating reasonably fast food from across the ocean.

Afternoon is now evening and we are in The Tibberton Arms. The Tib as it is known in these parts and it is full to the rafters. Earth Wind and Fire is the soundtrack. Hair blonde. Jeans faded. Jewellery gold. Sunday night and everybody is out in their Sunday best. We have a couple, look at the girls, chat to a few faces that we know and meander back to The Camden Head. There is a time and a place for dancing and blonde girls but Sunday night in The Tib after playing football and before work on Monday morning is neither that time nor that place. There is also a vibe about the place that doesn't sit easy with me. Nobody else bothers but they've been brought up on the streets of Islington and The Angel and the Cross but I can see that the kids from the Packington and the Peabody flats have their own patch. Eyes always darting. Checking who is in there and I am aware I am an outsider. An uneasiness prevails. A restlessness that is only broken and calmed by Maze and Frankie Beverley. Maze could stop wars. Stop petty gang wars. Play fucking "Joy and Pain" to the Argies and the Brits and our Alan and we would all be okay. But of course Alan doesn't like Maze. He doesn't know them but he says he doesn't like them. Never heard them and I doubt he ever will as he - like so many others won't open their hearts. Won't open their soul. Be on his way to the Falklands in a week or so. Or so they say. Should be with us listening to Frankie and watching beautiful blonde girls dancing to the Fatback Band. Or failing that ordering Guinness in The Camden Head.

The Camden is a proper pub. Old and ornate with an island bar, friendly staff and decent beer. Big fire to keep you warm and now with the Sunday Camden Passage antiques traders and hunters gone the pub is left to the locals. It is The Angel's pub. Generations of local lads - and it mainly is lads in The Camden - have passed this way. There's a nosiness about the pub that you can get lost in. Various groups of blokes having a final pint before Monday morning. Others sat on their own finishing off the Sunday papers with their talks of exclusion zones and death in the South Atlantic and the north of Ireland .

Great pub The Camden. Great pub for a last Guinness before the 43 home and work the next day…

Faded Lois Dreams (pub. 15 March 2010)

Miss Wigan Robin Park February 2010 Robin MacKintosh

2010-02-02T10:11:00.001-08:00

From Italian Vogue July 1988 - Beautiful girl

As for football things the Ashton Town preview will be online Thursday...

ROBINS v LINNETS in the RSPB Challenge Cup

2010-01-21T10:22:00.000-08:00

THE ROBIN

Latin name
Erithacus rubecula

Family
Chats and thrushes

Overview
The UK's favourite bird - with its bright red breast it is familar throughout the year and especially at Christmas! Males and females look identical, and young birds have no red breast and are spotted with golden brown. Robins sing nearly all year round and despite their cute appearance, they are aggressively territorial and are quick to drive away intruders. They will sing at night next to street lights.

Where to see them
Across the UK in woodland, hedgerows, parks and gardens.

When to see them
All year round.

What they eat
Worms, seeds, fruits and insects.

Estimated numbers
5,895,000 territories

VERSUS THE LINNET

Latin name
Carduelis cannabina

Family
Finches

Overview
A small, slim finch, widely distributed, and once very popular as a cage bird because of its melodious song. Males are attractively marked with crimson foreheads and breasts, females much browner. It can be flighty and has an undulating flight, usually twittering as it flies. Now it is declining, in common with many other birds which use farmland, and is a Red List species.

Where to see them
While widespread across the UK, there are concentrations along the east coast from Kent to Aberdeenshire but they are scarce in upland regions and north west Scotland. Look for it on commons, heathland, rough ground, farmland hedges, saltmarshes and in parks and gardens.

When to see them
All year round.

What they eat
Seeds and insects.

Estimated numbers
556,000 territories

So that's sorted: "The UK's favourite bird, they are aggressively territorial and are quick to drive away intruders". And "there's more of us than you." Oh and Robins eat worms which is well hard!

NAILED-ON HOME WIN

As for the sideshow and the Vodkat Challenge Cup - who knows? The Robins haven't played for SEVEN AND A HALF WEEKS so fitness may be a problem. Then again I'm sure our lads had a booze-free Christmas and have abstained from alcohol so far this year. Well I've done it - well I'd done it until I went the ressies game at Ashton Athletic in the Meat Pattie classico in the week (Good win 3-1 to the lads)when somebody forced me to have two pints of cold lager. Bloody horrible and I'll be abstaining again until Saturday.

Adverse weather has led to a string of postponements for The Robins but the visit of Premier Division Linnets in the last sixteen of the Vodkat Challenge Cup has whetted the appetites of all at the club.

The visitors were formed in April 2006, when the fans of Runcorn Football Club, dismayed at the club’s predicament, voted to establish a new club which would continue the proud tradition of non-league football which had existed in the town since 1918.

In the past Runcorn were regular visitors to Wigan as they were rivals of Latics - prior to their election to the Football League - in the Cheshire and Northern Premier Leagues. The current club has been playing at Witton Albion's ground in Northwich but after support from Halton Council and the reward of various grants they expect to be playing back in the town for the start of the 2010/11 season.

Runcorn will be backed by a large following and are renowned for their free-scoring, which should test The Robins cup and promotion aspirations. Theya are also renowned for letting a few in. Local lad "Big Phil" Priestley's is The Linnets custodian so feel free to heckle him/pepper him with shots.

Meanwhile the enforced break has at least allowed long-term injury victims Steve Williams and Mike Wood time to fully recover meaning The Robins should have a full squad to choose from.

It should be an excellent game and it will be good to see a Runcorn side - who look like returning to their home town next season - playing in Wigan. I saw them against Latics many times and they were always close affairs.

This is a great game to wipe away the cobwebs and actually get to watch some football. So get down to the Stadio de Robin Park. Robin's Nest will be open, the programme's a good un and two sets of honest teams will be putting their all in rather than worrying about image rights/getting paid/Phil Neville giving them the finger/The Glazer's debt/The fat waiter's goatee and whatever else has happened in the premiersoap this week...

Kick-off on Saturday is 3pm with admission £4 (£2 concessions)

"Bring it on" (as they say on SKY, probably)

Fixture backlogs and Dave Whelan in talking nonsense non-shock

2010-01-11T09:35:00.001-08:00

He broke his leg in a cup final, you know

This Saturday - if the ice/snow thaws and the rain doesn't arrive and and... - the visitors to the stadio will be Cheadle Town. There are a lot of ifs there but if (there goes another one) the temperature does rise to 4C or 5C there must be a chance. And if it does take place it will be our first game for 45 days or six and a half weeks if you so wish. Which puts into perspective Father Jack Whelan's latest "walking fucking soundbite" that the premiership season should be extended due to what... two games being postponed. Wait while I shed a tear. But before then let us have a look at the Wigan Athletic fixtures.

They have nineteen league games remaining. One of the postponed games - Bolton Wanderers - has already been rearranged leaving just the Aston Villa game to be scheduled. A quick perusal of the fixtures of Wigan Athletic and Aston Villa tells me that the midweek commencing 1 February, the midweek commencing 23 February and all the midweeks in March, April and May are free.

Even Wigan Athletic's administration ought to be able to get one game played in that period. Surely...

Father Jack's reasoning of needing an extension to the season is beyond belief.

For the record The Robins also have nineteen league games to play of which SIX still need to be rescheduled. And that is at the moment before more postponements kick in - which they will. No undersoil heating (even undersoil heating that doesn't work/isn't turned on) at this level. Then of course we have to mention that the Vodkat Division One season finishes two weeks before the premiership season finishes. However I'm sure the Vodkat League will sort it out. There are a couple of weekends at the end of the season and plenty of free midweeks. And the clubs (that are all in the same boat) will raise teams for these games even though their players and officials will have done a day's work first and driven themselves to the game. That's a proper day's work not two hours kicking a ball about followed by a night in a five star hotel and a gentle morning stroll.

No Father Jack - you are talking absolute bollocks as per normal...

For the record this is where The Robins are at (at) the moment

In the league we have 19 games to play. Thirtenn have dates fixed for them while six still need to be rescheduled.

We are also awaiting a new date for Leek CSOB in the 1st Division Cup. So...

UPDATED FIXTURES IN SIMPLE(ISH) TERMS

SATURDAY 16 JANUARY: CHEADLE TOWN HOME

SATURDAY 23 JANUARY: RUNCORN LINNETS HOME Vodkat Challenge Cup

Saturday 30 January: Irlam Away

Tuesday 2 February: Rochdale Town Away

SATURDAY 6 FEBRUARY: ASHTON TOWN HOME

SATURDAY 13 FEBRUARY: IF WE BEAT LEEK CSOB IN 1ST DIV TROPHY: AFC LIVERPOOL HOME 1st Division Trophy

SATURDAY 20 FEBRUARY: FREE WEEKEND NO SCHEDULED GAME AS @ 9/1/10

SATURDAY 27 FEBRUARY: BARNOLDSWICK TOWN HOME

Saturday 6 March: Ashton Town Away

SATURDAY 13 MARCH: DAISY HILL HOME

Monday 15 March: Chadderton Away

SATURDAY 20 MARCH: FREE WEEKEND NO SCHEDULED GAME AS @ 9/1/10

SATURDAY 27 MARCH: NORTON UNITED HOME

SATURDAY 3 APRIL: FREE WEEKEND NO SCHEDULED GAME AS @ 9/1/10

TUESDAY 6 APRIL: AFC BLACKPOOL HOME

Saturday 10 April: Eccleshall Away

Saturday 17 April: Atherton Colls Away

Saturday 24 April: AFC Liverpool Away

GAMES STILL TO BE ARRANGED:

League

AFC Blackpool v Wigan Robin Park
Cheadle Town v Wigan Robin Park
Holker Old Boys v Wigan Robin Park
Oldham Boro v Wigan Robin Park
WIGAN ROBIN PARK v LEEK CSOB
WIGAN ROBIN PARK v STONE DOMINOES

1st Division Trophy

WIGAN ROBIN PARK v LEEK CSOB

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

2010-01-04T08:48:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-04T08:40:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-19T04:37:00.001-08:00

IT'S OFF

SELLING YOUR SOUL – OR BRINGING A FEW QUID IN?

2009-12-16T09:07:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-15T07:37:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-15T07:32:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-15T07:15:00.000-08:00

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

The blog is back and it's Miss Wigan Robin Park Christmas 2009

2009-12-15T07:02:00.000-08:00

I took a month out to finish some other stuff but it's back. As is Miss Wigan Robin Park

So it's Merry Christmas from Robyn Hobson. South African model/actress (aren't they all) with it being World Cup year and all that it would have been rude not to...

Fields of Flowers Issue 2

2009-11-12T15:32:00.000-08:00

Issue 2 will be available this Saturday at the Wigan Robin Park v Irlam game. Free with the programme or £1 on it's own

Featuring Blly the Fish, Ryan Small, John Neafcy, Marlon King, Dave Whelan & Michael Jackson

Miss Wigan Robin Park November 2009 Robin Weigert

2009-11-02T03:58:00.000-08:00

To us fans of the American TV series Deadwood she will always be the drunken lesbian Calamity Jane and frankly that'll do for us at Wigan Robin Park

Wigan through to last sixteen...

2009-11-02T03:01:00.000-08:00

Ashton Town 1 Wigan Robin Park 2

Vodkat Challenge Cup

Ashton Town - what's not to like about the place. Cracking little clubhouse, sloping pitch, tremendous pies and we tend to win there.

Saturday was a right old struggle though. Well on the pitch it was. Off the pitch the beer and the pies went down well, the sun shone, they kindly left the side gate open so you could nip out for a slash on the path by the ground rather that walk back to the club and a four quid day pass on the bus got us there!

Just a pretty awful game but the result means that The Robins progressed to the quarter finals of the Vodkat Challenge Cup.

On what was a perfect day for football Ashton had the better of a tight first half where pretty much nothing happened...

Luckily the standard Neafcy half-time bollocking appeared to work and The Robins broke the deadlock on 56 minutes when ex-Ashton player Chris McNally rose above the home defence Ryan Smallesque to head home a cracker. Waiting for the normal McNally celebration he proved that he watches too much Premiership rubbish on the telly - and at Goodison - and did that bit where the player doesn't celebrate against his old club. Good on him but to be honest if it was me I'd probably just run around the pitch flicking the v's. Then again I rarely scored when I played and running around the pitch at the moment with my rheumatism...

The lead lasted just five minutes when a ball over the top left Wigan's defence (well Dixie anyhow) flat-footed and allowed Ashton's Steve Edwards to nip in. His first effort came back off the bar but he was the first to react and knock the ball in. This was his eighth goal of the season and for somebody that seems to do absolutely nothing other than score it's some going. My sort of player... That said the lad up front with him's a fair player. Paul Rogers. Not the ex-Latics player that scored at Wembley nor the lead singer with Free but a good lad that holds the ball up well.

The Robins composed themselves and with Dean Callaway becoming more influential The Robins began to dominate with McNally, Chipper Martin and Ryan Small all going close/missing sitters*. * delete as you feel appropriate

As the game entered the final ten minutes and with darkness descending - just switch the bloody lights on - The Robins piled on the pressure and a superb move resulted in Neil Swift slotting the winner with his first goal for the club. After that The Robins easily saw out the final few minutes and now face Runcorn Linnets - in what should be a cracking game - down at the Stadio de Robin Park sometime in February.

In a nutshell:
Pies - peppery, lovely, butties after game a little bland. Chips good though
Programme £1.20 Very decent home-made programme
MILF bar maid? Sadly no. Male* and daft as a brush. Lager not bad though
*The Hopper bought a cracking Ashton badge off him, mind
Man of the match - they gave it to Deano Callaway. The Wigan Robin Bastards gave it to nobody in particular. it was one of those games.
Goalscoring charts: Chris McNally 9, Ryan Small 7, Steve Williams 6
Draw - Runcorn at home. Looking forward to it. Wonder if that lad that hit me at Canal Street in 1978 will be still watching them?!??! btw that's Canal Street in Runcorn, their old ground not that street in Manchester...

Next up Rochdale Town next Saturday. preview later in week (maybe...)

Free Fanzine with the Wigan Robins v AFC Liverpool programme this Saturday

2009-10-22T07:22:00.000-07:00

Saturday's game against AFC Liverpool will see the launch of the Wigan Robin Park FC fanzine.

Entitled Fields of Flowers it will be free with the matchday programme.

The 16-page A6 pocket size fanzine features:

yer wot by mike duff
October Vodkat observations
Alfie Conn
Nickname
Are the Robins the roughest team in the world
DJ John Leech's October playlist
The Arsenal Stadium Mystery (remake)
Some of the things we miss at football
Ten years after
An A-Z of Wigan bands
Mild & Bitter were the Days
David Bowie and some other bits and bobs

It's a small supplement that I hope to produce for most home matches.

While it's a bit of fun and talks about all sorts of stuff happening at The Robins, in Wigan and elsewhere the idea is to help raise the profile of the club in the area and within non-league circles.

Also we have all worked very hard in producing an excellent programme this season and if by including a DIY-style fanzine supplement with it we can shift a few more copies - as well as entertain our fans further - then we'll be happy.

As we all know every penny counts at this level... So £1.50 for a great programme and fanzine sounds alright by me.

A bunch of Daisies

2009-10-15T11:40:00.000-07:00

MATCH PREVIEW ONLINE TOMORROW (MAYBE)

Derby Day Beckons for Wigan Robins

2009-10-13T10:46:00.000-07:00

SATURDAY 17 OCTOBER 2009

GETTING GIDDY

Dominoes tumble at the hands of Wigan Robins

2009-10-12T03:36:00.001-07:00

The lost cup-tie

Stone Dominoes 1 Wigan Robin Park 3

As always a top day out at Stone.

This time however we won and in the process made the Dominoes look very average.

The immaculate pitch - which cynics may say remains like that as the ball never touches the floor with the way Stone play - was The Robins best friend as Neafcy, Corcy and Small bossed the game in midfield.

Bit unfair to single anybody out, mind, as it was pretty much a complete performance with all the players putting in an excellent performance.

Playing all the football The Robins dominated the game from start to finish and eased into a 2-0 lead through two superb goals from Ryan Small in the sixty third and sixty seventh minutes. One a great looping header from the edge of the box - the other a fine shot drilled into the corner of the net

However ten minutes later Stone got back into game through a scrappy Dwayne Spence and moments later were awarded a ridiculous penalty. Scott Robinson clearly got the ball, the league's top scorer Dan Brown knew this and went down like a lead balloon. A bad decision from a referee that actually had a good game but... it could have changed the game.

Brown dusted himself down, stepped up but Robins keeper Jay Foulds pulled off a great save as justice was seen to be done.

The Robins simply picked the ball up, went straight up the field and after terrific work from Steve Williams and Andy Neafcy - Chris McNally powered in a drive from the edge of the area for his seventh goal of the season and sealed the win for The Robins.

Game over. The one team that tried to play football won it and that has got to be right.

I have to say I can't quite understand Stone manager Shaun Hollinshead's mindset. They could be a decent side and a team has to be able to stand up to them to have a chance. We put in our worst display in years when we lost in the league a few weeks ago but they only have the plan A. Dan Brown and the big lad Charlton are great players but all the team seem to do is boot the ball long and hard. Personally I just wouldn't like to watch it each week, whatever the success it appears to be bringing. But each to their own.

In the next round The Robins make the short trip to Ashton Town on Saturday 31 October in what should be a cracking and feisty cup encounter.

So in a nutshell
Buzzing
Stone players in the showers singing: "We're gonna win the league!" Well you're not going to win the cup and I would hazard a guess unless you can bully a few more teams you won't win the league
Oatcakes - marvellous
Neil Swift - great first full ninety for the lad. Tremendous full debut. That said Whitey on the other side at left back had a cracker. Even if he was knackered for the last twenty. We thought oxygen might be required at one point!
Millie Small getting back to his best. However I should have known my: "I'll get you a pint if you score" would inspire him. Two pints of lager in Park Lane (at those prices). Anyhow he needed it as he was going to his gay cousin's birthday party later on.
Thanks to our driver Kev we got there with a few minutes to spare which was quite good as we had no sat nav, directions or anything...
Just one programme left when we got there. How many did they do? -Five?
Chipper at centre forward ... and you know what he did terrific
Bring on the Ashton Bads

Meanwhile....

The Reserves began a new era under Dave Knowles' managership by coming back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Ashton Town Reserves.

Sounded a stormer as they were down to ten men on sixty minutes - with the sending-off of Big Pey Vermiglio but got back in it with an Ian Gough penalty before Meathead equalised with a powerful header (his words) in the dying seconds. Congrats to all involved in what has been a tough start to the season for the ressies.

Meathead is still talking everybody through his goal!

This Saturday it is back to league action at very-much-improved Daisy Hill. That's the team Daisy Hill not the place - that we guess will be it's normal self. A train job, a few beers and hopefully three points.

"Big Fat John's Barmy Army, Big Fat John's Barmy Army"

Preview later in the week...

Wigan Robins, Bob Dylan, Stone Roses and Snoop Dogg

2009-10-08T08:06:00.001-07:00

Crank up the Jukebox Wigan Robins are going to Stone Doms

In the first of an occasional series (God knows how we'll get twenty songs with a Daisy reference for next week but...) we put together the ideal soundtrack for the journey to an away match.

This week Stone Dominoes and without further ado we give you:

1. Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan

Recently voted by somebody somewhere as the greatest song ever. Not sure about that but it's bang up there and with lyrics like:

You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns
When they all come down and did tricks for you
You never understood that it aint no good
You shouldnt let other people get your kicks for you
You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a siamese cat
Aint it hard when you discover that
He really wasnt where its at
After he took from you everything he could steal.

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?

What's not to like?

2. Roll away the Stone - Mott the Hoople

They've not played together for thirty years or so, hardly spoken but they've just gone a done a serious of concerts - you can read about it here - and it was absolutely magnificent

review

http://vaughanmedia.wordpress.com/2009/10/05/mott-the-hoople-the-tickets-for-the-fantasy-were-twelve-and-six-a-time/

"There's a rockabilly party on a Saturday night
Are you gonna be there?
Well I got my invite"

3. I'm stone in love with you - The Stylistics

A Smooth Radio favourite and a bit schmaltzy but sod it the lad can sing and it takes me back to the seventies. Russell Thompkins and The New Stylistics are at the Robin Park Arena tomorrow as part of the David Gest show - if you hurry

4. (I'm not your) Stepping Stone - The Monkees

Sex Pistols and others have done the song but this is the definitive version. Great song even better group

5. Anything by The Rolling Stones.
Yeah pretty much anything but if we must pick one She's a Rainbow

6. Anything by The Stone Roses.
Yeah pretty much anything but if we must pick one and for the sake of consistency Made of Stone

7. Turn to Stone - Electric Light Orchestra.
Bad school discos werenot brightened by this track but with hindsight, in the car speeding along it's not topo bad.

8. Tombstone Blues - sod it you're having another Bob Dylan song:
"Mama's in the fact'ry
She ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley
He's lookin' for FOOD
I'm in the KITCHEN
With the tombstone blues"

9. Stone Cold Crazy - Queen
From Sheer Heart Attack - when Queen were good - Brian may's guitar on this is superb

10. I Wanna Thank You - Angie Stone
Angie Stone is wonderful - add Snoop Dogg into the mix and what more do you want

11. Super Duper Love - Joss Stone

I like Joss Stone - she's got soul whatever anybody says and this song is great next to Angie.

12. Danger Zone - Stone the Crows
And speaking of white girls with soul - well none have/had more than Maggie Bell the lead singer in Stone the Crows http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE7NtFgfYsE

13. Family Affair - Sly and the Family Stone. First number one to use a drum machine/programmed rhythm track according to urban myth. Not sure myself but when you're twelve years of age in 1971 it doesn't get much funkier than this

14. Beatles and the Stones - The House of Love

Underrated late eighties band. Great song

15. Stone Cold Sober - Paloma Faith

She's a bit Amy-lite and again it's being done to death on Smooth Radio but she's quirky as owt, used to be a Burlesque dancer and it's a bit of a tune...

16. Stoned Love - The Supremes

Without Miss Ross but with Jean Terrell on lead vocals this is a great pop song. Er about the Vietnam War. Fantastic instrumentation bu the glorious Funk Brothers

17. And it stoned me - Van Morrison

At his lyrical, gypsy, ramblin best

18. Stepping Stone - Duffy

Joyous "fuck off out of my life" song from the Welsh wondergirl.

19. Sticks N' Stones - Jamie T

Great song from one of the the best album's of the year - Kings & Queens. Not sure if it's this generation's London Calling as was reported somewhere but it's alright.

20. Broken Stones - Paul Weller

Weller gets his mojo back on the Stanley Road. Great album, great sleeve and great song

Miss Wigan Robin Park October 2009 Robyn Bewersdorf

2009-10-06T06:43:00.000-07:00

Miss Robyn Bewersdorf (or more better known as Tiffany Teen*)

* more better known if you watch a certain sort of film

we like her anyway...

Wigan Robins back on that windy track...

2009-10-06T05:33:00.001-07:00

Wigan Robin Park 3 Chadderton 0

After the defeat to Skem United (Sorry Atherton Colls) and Holker Old Boys in the Lancashire Shield it was good to see the Mighty Robins get back to winning ways with a great 3-0 victory over Chadderton at a windswept Robin Park Arena.

So windswept that the duggouts were threatening to take off. This led to the Arena manager declaring that they couldn't be used that led to the Chaddy management team having a right moan. Not quite sure what could be done. Play the game one tales off and blows across the pitch and injures (or worse) a player, official or spectator!?!?

Makes me laugh sometimes when officials have a go about a variety of things at the Arena. We know it's not perfect that's why everybody at the club is trying their hardest to make the place a proper home.

And I'll give you:

Great view
Great pies, coffee and everything else
Half-time and full-time hospitality second to none
A bloody good programme
Teamsheet if required
Along with Stone - the best pitch in the league
Excellent training rooms
Beer
A 1200-capacity-stand with decent seats all away from the elements
An argument with the locals...

I could go on but to moan about the duggouts in a gale-force wind seems a bit petty. Not as though they play at the Emirates themselves is it.

Anyroad... Goals from Ryan Small and Chris McNally either side of half-time put The Robins in control before Steve Williams wrapped up the points in the 85th-minute with a quality goal.

Williams' goal rounded off a great day for The Robins and for his own father Bill who saw his three sons Steve, Chris and Danny line up together for Robin Park for the first time. Bill celebrated by having a row with a Chadderton fan!!

Dead pleased for Danny as he pulled off a string of fine saves with the game at nil-nil. Giving that he'd conceded (through no fault of his own) 103 goals in the last couple of reserve games he must have been a bit nervous but played superbly.

In fact at nil-nilyou could see the game going either way but a much more spirited performance from the lads saw good goals from Millie Small and Macca - well Macca's was a tap-in but - and a stunning individual goal from Steve Williams. This - along with his overall performance also netted him the MOM.

Other highlights: Well Chris McNally's 40-yarder that came back from the underside bar was a marvellous sight. Macca claimed the ball was two yards over the line while the liner was adamant after the game that it didn't cross the line. It looked closed (not two yards over, mind) from where I was sat. As for the rest of the game it was just good to see us win after three losses on the bounce and win in some style in terrible conditions. Also good to see Paul McVeigh get almost ninety minutes in as he led the line well, giving Small, Steve Williams and McNally the freedom to roam a bit.

The beer tasted better than recently after the game and you can't say more than that.

Next up is Stone Dominoes in the Vodkat Challenge Cup. Can't wait and hopefully we can avenge the recent league defeat. get those oatcakes ready

Wigan: The Right Staffs and The Rolling Stones

2009-09-15T05:07:00.000-07:00

The Streets of San Fran er... Stoke

Defeat in the FA Vase means that The Robins will be travelling to Staffordshire on successive weekends. This Saturday it's Stone away but just gone was Norton away. A very pleasant Norton, as well...

Not been able to say that before as last season we had to contend with the fog and the cold but this time well... It was sunny, hot and in a certain light the hilly streets of Stoke could be mistaken for the hilly Streets of San Francisco. Almost.

Add into this no traffic jams on the M6 and a simple journey you know it's going to be okay. Pitch was good, if a tad long on the grass side and the lads were soon out on the pitching warming up/or cooling down. Bill Williams - dad of the Williams 3 - and myself settled for a cold lager watching fat middle-aged men playing cricket on the adjoning pitch. Good entertaining stuff as the runs and wickets fell in equal numbers. The home team seemed to be knocking a few runs but taking tea at twenty past two suggests they didn't get that many.

As for the footy... Game of two halves. They scored first thanks to "Skip to the Paul" Macari - son of - and could (and probably should) have gone two up when Jay Foulds was fouled after what seemed an innocuous challenge resulting in the "goal" not standing.

On the stroke of half-time The Robins were awarded a penalty and a great chance to equalise. Unfortunately Steve Williams blasted (well not even blasted but more scooped) the ball high and wide and half the way to Burslem.

We adjourned for cheese and ham butties and a lovely mug of tea whilst - I assume - a bollocking was dished out in the dressing room.

It worked as we got control of the game and played some lovely football. Well-taken doubles from Ry Small and Chris McNally pretty much settled it. Corcy got a kick on the head - that made less press inches than Robin van Persie's. Maybe we should have had one of those blood capsules for more effect. Chipper hit the bar with another rasping shot whilst Adi Whittle also went close with a cracker. Steve Williams had a great game holding the ball and line but had one of those games where he wouldn't have scored if he'd played until midnight on Sunday. These things happen.

So in a nutshell...

Pie and peas - but make sure you have your raffle ticket. No ticket no pie
Piemaids - very pleasant
Lager - cold and very nice. Wasps a bit of a pain, mind
Ref and linesmen - better than of recent. But that doesn't mean that much...
MOM - Dean Callaway (as voted by them). Not quite sure that's right but as the game went on he terrorised their defence but in the second half everybody played well
Programme - just okay nothing more...

This Saturday sees The Robins travel to Motiva Parkv - the home of Stone Dominoes. Massive game and a real tough un. The lads are buzzing, the weather forecast is good, the pitch down there is fantastic and it all adds up to being a cracker

And with all this Beatles stuff about at the moment here are TEN STONES FOR THE STONES. Crank up the stereo it's only rock and roll but I like it, like it

19th Nervous Breakdown
Paint It Black
Let's Spend The Night Together
Honky Tonk Women
Sympathy For The Devil
Brown Sugar
Under My Thumb
Jumpin' Jack Flash
I Can't Get No Satisfaction
Street Fighting Man

River of tears as Wigan drop off the Wembley trail

2009-09-09T05:10:00.000-07:00

Lomax in FC United mode. You can see the swagger. Photo nicked from the web... Well from www.fcunitedphotos.co.uk - some really excellent pics there

Ramsbottom 4 Wigan Robin Park 1 (After extra time 1-1 after 97 1/2 minutes)

Rammy in the rain - and a really odd sort of rain as well. That type that doesn't get you wet. It appeared to be hammering down but it wasn't getting you wet. Also at times it seemed to be raining on one side of the pitch and not the other.

Very bizarre but all that said what a decent set-up the Riverside Ground is. Grass lawns, park benches, idiosyncratic stands, cover behind one goal, separate tea bars with padded seats. Pie and peas, tea and coffee in mugs, a decent programme and an alright team on the pitch.

Well better than alright - in that they were quick, big, strong but most of all a set of whinging dirty buggers. But more of that in a moment...

In depth:

After a shaky start The Robins gained their composure, started playing their trademark attacking football and deservedly took the lead on 29 minutes through Steve Williams.

By this stage it was apparent that we were going to get absolutely fuck-all from the referee as the Rammy number 5 - who otherwise had an excellent game - metaphorically got away with murder as he fouled Steve Williams every time he went near to him. Add in the elbowed assault on Ryan Small by another Rammy player, the refusal to give a blatant penalty on Williams in the second half, the continual use of the elbow by Massey upfront etc etc. The referee was a complete tosser. Arrogant beyond belief, calling the Rammy players by their first name while the fat liner could spot that there was more than one person stood up in the technical area but couldn't see that a player was offisde by five yards two-foot in front of him.

Football-wise the otherwise outstanding Dean Callaway - who ruined their right back all game - had a glorious chance to seal the game for Wigan but shot wide with just the keeper to beat before Ramsbottom substitute Carl Lomax headed home deep into stoppage time. Absolutely gutting. Especially as this Lomax swaggered back from FC United and onto the pitch in that Salford way, diamond earrings glistening in the Lancashire floodlights while calling The Robins fans "scousers". Thick fuck. He was a bloody good player mind. In all honesty they had a few good uns and we can take heart that we matched them - and more - for a large part of the game.

In extra time - despite good efforts from Mike Wood and Paul McVeigh - the hosts used their higher league experience to score three goals to seal a flattering 4-1 victory and break the hearts of The Robins players, management and large contingent of travelling supporters.

Jay Foulds

Jay Foulds - in goal - probably edged the man of the match ahead of Woody at right back and Steve Williams who put a magnificent shift in leading the line. But all-in-all everybody played well.

In a nutshell:

Ground: Great little set-up
Pie chart: Excellent. Peas always a bonus and at £1.50 not bad
Piemaid: Two middle-aged blokes. We want MILFS
Referee and linesemen - Appalling - the fact that neither of the liners would give a decision and bowed down to the arrogant twat in the centre beggers belief. Then again the one on the far side did flag for a penalty for us at 3-1 in extra time but the ref simply ignored him.
Lessons learned: Showed we are a cracking young team. Rammy's experience and bit of devilment did us and maybe we need that bit of nastiness in there. But we showed we can play a bit.
Crowd: Good vociferous following from Wigan in a crowd of 123. Yeah right, we head-counted more than that on opposite side and behind one goal
Doctor Baker asking some Ramsbottom fans why the ground was called the Riverside after they'd just told him where the river was...
Question: Why extra time in first game? Surely the away team should have advantage of trying to bring the home team back to their gaff.
Holding on: Yes they put us under pressure but again away team's prerogative.
Injury time: Seven and a half minutes!
Ramsbottom United: Good side and all the best to them for remainder of season and their cup run.
We can concentrate: On the league, two Vodkat cups and Lancashire Shield. Wembley will have to wait...

ps There should have been some photos with this but by the time I remembered I'd got my camera we were into Mr Pinder's added-on time

Follow, follow The Robins are going all techno

2009-08-31T07:10:00.001-07:00

Just a quick note to let you good people know:

We have a new official website: www.wiganrobinparkfc.co.uk

We are on twitter: http://twitter.com/wiganrobinpark

We are talking bollocks on: http://www.robinsforums.webs.com/

And are on facebook at: Group - Wigan Robin Bastards

Follow Wigan's non-league football club...

Wigan go to Barlick and back and come back with nowt

2009-08-31T07:03:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the lack of updates but real life... and laziness has got in the way. So what's happened since the last time?

Well we put seven past Rochdale, signed Steve Williams from Burscough which now means we can sing:

"There's only three Williams brothers (and their dad)
There's only three Williams brothers (and their dad)
They used to be Scouse but now they're all ours
Walking in a Williams wonderland."

To the tune of Winter Wonderland.

Three brothers in a team, eh. The last time this happened - I am led to believe by Vinnie - is when the Neafcy brothers played together. this was a long time ago and I don't think they were as good as the Williams boys but... They tell me Vinnie was like shit off a shovel which begs the question: "Why is his Andy so bloody slow?"

Other than that we crashed out of the Wigan Cup to Golborne Sports. A disastrous night that saw the author pick up another Robins-related injury. This time a bloody insect bite that put me on death's door the next day. Well death's door might be exaggerating a bit but it knocked me for six for a day or so.

Total injuries 2009/10 so far
Banged head - Leek
Wasp sting - Holker
Burned top lip (off a pie) - Rochdale
Insect bite - Golborne

I'd be safer in the centre of defence...

On Saturday we travelled to the East Lancashire/Yorkshire borders where we lost by two goals to nil against Barnoldswick Town. Nice little gaff, some backward fans (as is often the case that way) and four seasons in one day. Oh and we battered 'em. Hit the woodwork four times, gifted them two goals - the only shots they had - and somehow got nothing from the game... Good game all told and we'll bounce back...

In a nutshell:

Can't believe we didn't get anything from it. one way traffic for the last hour

MOM (as voted by their team/officials) McNally

Actual Robins MOMs (as voted by a the Robin Bastards) Chipper Martin - bar his usual dodgy first twenty minutes

Ref - Utterly awful. Booking the wrong player, letting players wander on and off pitch etc etc

Liners - The fat 'un weren't bad but the one on our side. How hard is it to get an offside decision correct

Pitch - Green and sloping

Barnoldswick folk - some decent people but that little mob with their racist chants and the rest. It's 2009 for fuck's sake...

Pie Chart - Nice sausage rolls, coffee in mugs, pie and peas in proper crockery - excellent stuff

Piemaid - Lovely young blonde girl. Very pleasant in all aspects

After match grub - Hotdogs and ham butties in the Bath Springs

Beer - Bad Carling lager - not good, not good at all...

Programme - very good

Played 4 Won 2 Drawn 1 Lost 1 Points 7 Position 6th

Ramsbottom preview - later in the week

Miss Wigan Robin Park September 2009 Nico Robin

2009-08-31T05:57:00.000-07:00

Nico Robin is a tall, attractive woman with shoulder length black hair. She frequently wears somewhat revealing clothing that is either dark in color or consisting of leather, sometimes both. Perhaps as a result of her violent past, she is very unmerciful during combat. She will break the necks or spines of her enemies without hesitation, even when they cry for forgiveness. At one point, she even attempted to break the spine of one of her fellow crew members (Usopp as Sogeking on the sea train). Despite her tendency to remain calm and collected, she can be quite intimidating and forceful when she wishes. This is exhibited when she essentially forces Brook to stop fooling around and continue his explanation."

She's our type of woman...

Wigan hit the bar and the Old Boys for two...

2009-08-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

After a long wet summer competitive football returned to the stadio de robin park with the first home league game against Holker Old Boys.

Rain, rain and more rain might have made it difficult but two goals in the first half made for a comfortable victory. First up was a Chris McNally penalty before a well-taken Ryan Small on the stroke of half-time killed off the opponents and the game in general.

Holker huffed and puffed and despite their two lads up front looking lively The Robins were never in danger.

Andy Neafcy - who is currently challenging Small for the "best midfielder in Wigan" crown was outstanding whilst the defence were marshalled superbly by Chris Williams and James "Dixie" Deane. What made this even more remarkable is that Deane was playing after his near-fatal head injury on Saturday. Doctors examining him after the game at Leek however claimed that his injury was nothing more than a "bump" compared to the author of this piece's head injury. Sustained by banging his head on the duggout retrieving a wayward pass - that could have been from Dixie!!!

While the team looked sluggish at times it was good to see a second clean sheet, the Small v Macca league goalscoring contest sitting at 1-1 and the team sitting in second place in the table. Not that tables should be looked at after just two games but ....

All that said it wasn't the football on the pitch that was the main talking point in the stand as after a year the bar at the Arena was at last open. Added a whole different atmosphere to the place. All we need now is a decent telly for the results and the place might start to resemble a football club/clubhouse.

Meanwhile here are a few things we noticed at the match.

The programmes and badges went like hot cakes - however hot cakes go.

Paul Vermiglio is better at banter from the stands than football on the pitch

MOM: (as voted for by "them men") McNally

MOM: (as voted for by the Wigan Robin Bastards) Neafcy

Their MOM: (as voted for by the Wigan Robin Bastards) Their keeper: we hadn't noticed anybody and somebody said: "keeper" and that was it

Lager: Fosters alright John Smiths decent

Barmaid: A fella but his two willing assistants were pretty if somewhat young (edited by site: TOO young)

Pie Chart: According to Ned Goon: "These pies are alreet!"

After-match refreshments: decent butties

Roll on Saturday...

NO LEEKY DEFENCE FOR WIGAN ROBINS

2009-08-10T05:24:00.000-07:00

In a nutshell:

Tough physical game - Robins coped well and looked the more likely to snatch a win. But fair result overall.

MOM (as voted by their team/officials) Small

Actual Robins MOMs (as voted by a few blokes in pub) Chris Williams, Neafcy, Callaway

Ref - Awful

Liners - worse

Pitch - bobbly and full of weeds

Leek Hospitality - excellent

Pie Chart M&P - very peppery £1.50 lovely

Barmaid - Mandy MILFtastic

After match grub - Burgers, sausages, onions & chip butties

Beer - normal Carling lager - average

Programme - very good

Played 1 Drawn 1 Points 1

In a little bit more depth

Good start to the season. Lovely weather, a proper old football ground and cracking pies. What more can a man ask for?

Well three points would have been nice but a nil-niller - due to lack of chances for both sides - was probably the fairest of results.

Leek CSOB are probably the most direct team in the decision with the old fellar at number nine working the line very well. So credit must go to the whole of the defence that hardly gave them a snif.

For The Robins Deano Callaway had a fine game and went the closest with an 18-yard drive hitting the post while Macca made himself a great half-chance after he completely out-foxed their defender but the keeper prevailed. At the other end Jay Foulds made one of those superb point blank saves/just hit him save (delete as appropriate).

It was good to see us in the ascendancy at the death as the lads' fitness held out on a very warm day and difficult pitch.

There will be some photos up when i work out what to do with The Hopper's camera!

Next up is Holker tomorrow night... 8pm kick-off. Your support is most welcome

THE PROVERBIAL PEA (AND HAM SHANK) SOUPER NORTON V WIGAN ROBINS

2009-07-30T05:18:00.001-07:00

An extract from summat that's upcoming and all that and a look back to last season

Norton Utd 3 - 2 Wigan Robin Park

Competition: Division 1 Trophy, Round 2

November 29, 2008

I’m on the train for this one. On my own.

My mate was going to come with me but he went down with MRS on the Thursday. The Mrs wouldn’t let him go!

Any road it’s a doddle of a journey. Train to Manchester, then to Stoke and then back up the line a stop or two to Longport. Then step off into 1981. It’s like a scene from the film This Is England. Pit Bulls walking Pit Bulls. Pubs with Union Flags flying limply, boarded up houses and the odd corner shop. Get my head down and walk. And walk and walk and walk. One big hill until I get to Burslem.

Burslem’s shut. Bloody hell it’s Saturday afternoon and with Port Vale being away there isn’t a soul about. I nip in The Bull’s Head and it’s lovely. Proper pub, roaring fire, rock music on the jukey and some great real ale available. I do my normal and sample a dark beer followed by a light one. Nobody bothers me as I bury my head in my paper. It is also worth noting that the pub is owned by the Titanic brewery and it looks like the town went down with it.

The climb from the pub to Smallthorne - where Norton United are based – takes on Everest comparisons. However I doubt Edmund Hillary conquered Everest while dying for a piss. And if he did he probably just whipped it out. As long as Sherpa Tenzing didn’t eat the yellow snow it would have been okay. Me I’m on some busy ‘A’ road with houses on either side. Every attempt to nip up a drive way leads to a scruffy little Herbert coming the other way – with aforementioned Pit Bull. I make it – just – to one of those dodgy 1970s pubs that were once the height of fashion. Around about the time Double Diamond was trendy and most beer came in Party Fours. Thankfully it’s one of those pubs where the bog is near the door and you can just nip in there without sight of the bar or mine host.

By the time I gain my senses and check my map I realise the club’s around the corner and make my way into yet another 1960s sink estate. In 2007 Phil and Kristie – those two property gurus off the telly – you know the ones. She’s the chubby posh bit of totty that is rather fanciable while he thinks he’s one of the Mitchell brothers. Well - they and Channel 4 - voted Stoke as the thirteenth worst place in Britain to live in. I wouldn’t like to go to the other twelve! Incidentally Middlesbrough is the worst if you were wondering.

The clubhouse is fine. Wolves and Birmingham are on the telly and the Guinness tastes mighty fine. I settle down waiting for the other Robins to arrive whilst eavesdropping one of their fellas moaning about last week's referee and linesman, his wife, the league and more about his wife. Bloody hell but then again it is the thirteenth worst place in Britain to live.

Norton United were formed in 1989 after a bloke from Norton Cricket Club wanted summat to do in the winter. They were promoted to the NWCL in 2001 where they have continued their development and now run sides at Under 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11 and 10’s.

I can see the cricket pitch from the bar. Well I could when I last looked. Then I look again I can see sweet FA. The fog’s come down and there is no chance the game will be on. You can’t see a thing but wait… Taffy and the boys tell me it’s on and as I make my way around to join the rest of the Deadly Dugout Crew the fog gets thicker. It doesn’t seem to bother the ref and off we go. There appears to be about fifty on and if anybody is thinking of going over the wall for free then nobody will see them never mind stop them.

The game takes the normal path with Robins playing the football and Norton booting it long. There are a few scares along the way but with 6 minutes until half time our passing game got the better of them as a fine move resulted in Danny Worthington slipping the ball through to the onrushing Andy Miller who made no mistake in firing the Robins in front.

The second half began three minutes before I’d realised it had! By now you couldn’t see the nose in front of your face. Even Phil Thompson and Pinocchio wouldn’t have been able to see the nose in front of their face.

All I can tell is that Norton seem to be having the better of the game now. Five minutes in John Neafcy says: “Vaughanie can you nip round the other side and do some coaching and help the young lad on the right wing out.”

“Bloody hell John I’ve had seven pints, I can’t see at the best of times and I was brought up on Rugby Union.”

“Aye no problem.

“What’s his name?”

By the time I get round the other side to help young Niall Callaghan out they’ve equalised. A silly free kick was conceded on the right and as the ball was swung in it was only half headed away and some big midfielder managed to head the ball into the net.

By the time I get to have a word with young Niall Callaghan we’re back in the lead through a great Andy Miller goal. That should have been it but Norton upped the pressure again and got their second with twenty minutes remaining, a long ball down the right wing was crossed to the back post which wasn’t dealt with giving the midfielder an easy job of poking the ball home.

With the fog on their backs Norton could sense a winner and with ten minutes left another free kick was conceded on the right. A melee ensued; the ball was up in the air for what seemed like ages before their giant centre half looped a header into the top corner.

As the Robins kicked off the fog lifted but there was no way back. As for my words of encouragement to young Niall Callaghan – well they consisted off a few: “Get at the full back he’s fucking crap” and “just whack the useless piece of shit.”

The remainder of the time I was arguing with one of their lot who may or may not have been “the useless piece of shit’s” dad.

There is no way I’m braving the mean streets of Burslem after dark so grab a lift back to Wigan with Taffy. The linesman also grabs a lift back to Wigan with Taffy. And we have a right laugh with him. This lad who we will call Phil – cos his name is Phil – is absolutely crackers and proves that to be a referee or liner you have to be wired up incorrectly. When asked whether he could see properly in the fog he said: “Yeah not too bad but I had to guess a few times and I couldn’t tell the difference with the kits.” He also conceded there was no way it was going into extra time.

“Oh something would have happened!”

He then went on to tell us how he reffed on a Sunday when he had had a skin full. He was in the final trials for Britain’s Got Talent – as a break-dancer, how he’s applied for the army and how he booked the acts at Newtown Labour Club. This was all told in one of the best stuttering voices I’ve ever heard.

Seemed a decent fella but utterly bonkers and it ensured the journey went with a laugh.

What it all did mean was we were out of the Division One Trophy and – if I could use that old cliché bollocks - could now concentrate on the league.

Official Team Ratings

Jason Foulds 7

Phil Dennett 7

Mark Evans 7

Ben Kay 7

Dougy Pitts 7

Andrew Neafcy 7

Niall Callaghan 7

Scott Callaghan 7

Andrew Miller 7 (2 GOALS * STAR MAN)

Danny Worthington 7

Dean Callaway 7

Subs

James Martin 7

Darren Mullen 7

Goal Descriptions:

Andrew Miller (39 min): A well delivered through-ball from Danny Worthington was converted by Andrew Miller. A fine finish with the right foot from 18 yards out. (7/10)

Andrew Miller (57 min): A virtuoso solo goal by Andrew Miller, scored from 18 yards out with the right foot. It has to go down in the records as a first-class effort. (8/10)

THE Wigan Blog is back

2009-07-29T06:37:00.001-07:00

The blog is back...

For general nonsense about The Robins - watch this space
For chat about The Robins - http://robinsforums.webs.com/
For official news about The Robins - http://www.webteams.co.uk/Home.aspx?team=wiganrobinparkfc

Next home fixture Tuesday 4 August 2009 Skelmersdale United FRIENDLY

The classic double header; Miss Wigan Robin Park July & August 2009

2009-07-29T06:30:00.000-07:00

MISS WIGAN ROBIN PARK JULY 2009
ROBIN ANDERSON - PLAYBOY BUNNY AND "ACTRESS" PROBABLY...

MISS WIGAN ROBIN PARK AUGUST 2009
ROBINNE LEE - SHE IS DEFINITELY AN ACTRESS...

Sussex County League Div 1 thrown into chaos

2009-07-11T03:07:00.000-07:00

At 09:36AM Sun Oct 05 2008, TerryThomas of the good ship Robin Park posted on a messageboard:

“In response to Pilps question re result at Blackpool, this site has everything on it and is kept up to date.”

And I was introduced to the magnificent website that is www.tonykempster.co.uk and it has kept me entertained ever since. It is quite simply a wonderful website. Tony Kempster was a pioneer of online news for the grassroots game. A genuine fan, an ex-player, a statto and somebody that knew somebody out there would want to know if there was a match on – ANYWHERE – on a Thursday evening in late May.

On a Saturday if you wanted to know how your Step 6 rivals had gone on then you’d click on his site as the results would be updated hours before official sites. Your game called off and you wanted to go somewhere then there was only one person to call.

Sadly when I – and others on Mudhuts discovered this site Tony was already suffering with cancer and this month he sadly passed away. There are numerous obituaries online that do the man service. From looking at the site over the last eight months what I could tell about the man was that he carried himself with great dignity until the end.

Regular contributors are hoping to continue the good work of Tony while the messageboard is as busy as ever. Just as he would have liked it to be. And it’s a great messageboard. Bloody stupid topics at times but where else would you able to find out that: “There are at least 5 pitches at The Osterley Sports Ground. The main pitch is railed off and enclosed on at least 3 sides is for CB Hounslow United and their reserves only. Another pitch has dugouts and is roped off FC Deportivo Galicia play here. A third pitch has dugouts. Many other teams mainly in The Middlesex League lower divisions play on the other pitches including Eutectic, Barn Elms, CB United Social, CB United Social A, amongst others.”

And amongst it all it is almost-free from all the Billy Big Bollocks arguing as is the case on most football messageboards.

As I type this a current hot topic is Favourite Club Names that gives you a flavour of the site...

Here are a few that have been mentioned and this is exactly what should be discussed on messageboards. Not “What songs we should sing?” or “Who are we signing?”

The spirit of football lives on:

Meanwhile enjoy…

Donkey Dodgers of the Rochdale Alliance
Jesmond Mysterons
Godolphin Atlantic
Deportivo Wanka (Peru)
Dukla Prague (thanks to the glorious Half Man Half Biscuit)
Go Ahead Eagles
Sporting Bengal
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy
Stonehouse Violet
Linlithgow Rose
Meppershall Jurassic
Dangerous Darkies (South African 2nd Division as featured in original Cockney Latic fanzine)
Golden Bees (Namibia)
Pigeon Vert (Congo)
Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarves (Ghana)
Eleven Men in Flight (Swaziland)
Maseru Naughty Boys (sadly just relegated from the Lesotho Premier League)
Crookham Krakatoa
Hwange F.C. (Zimbabwe), because the town of Hwange was for many years known as Wankie !
Expanded on by somebody else: “We were 13 years old and in geography. We were being taught about what was then Rhodesia and on the map of that region one of the lads noticed the town of Wankie. He said to the teacher, "Sir, if people in London are called Londoners, what are people in Wankie called?" Cool as you like Mr. Marchant replied, "Rhodesians, John."
From South African third tier:
Mr Price Parkhurst
Mathata Take Me Cool
Mighty Mega Force
Lephalale Young Killers (who play in the Limpopo group against Peace Lovers)
Cloud 9 (in the same group as Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United)
Newmilns Vesuvius (Scottish Amateur side)
Norfolk and Chance (Great Yarmouth League side)
FC Santa Claus (Finland)
Joe Public (Trinidad & Tobago Pro League)
Dinamo Bender (Moldova)
Special mention too for Helsinki team FC Jazz. Nice...
Asthmatic Pit Ponies AFC (Scottish Amateur Football Association)

Dinamo Bender crest

RIP Tony Kempster

Cover-ups, cock-ups and a cup of char with Brenda Spencer

2009-06-13T05:06:00.000-07:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More cover

THE COVER Click on image to enlarge

Coming soon

Keep your eye on www.bobbinalong.webs.com for more details

Business, Bobbin' Along, Books and Bootle Away

2009-06-09T05:16:00.000-07:00

Based in Wigan, VaughanMedia was set up to offer easy, uncomplicated and affordable access to the media for individuals and small businesses. Are you looking to stand out in your market? If so we can create a stunning logo for you, design the stationery, produce your brochure, organise your ad to go in the local paper or magazine and build you a new website. Your corporate identity may look dated and your business may have outgrown your existing look. VaughanMedia has the graphics, design and writing skills to give you a strong, clear and consistent image across both the printed and online media.

Maybe you're launching a new business, product, or you're an individual with a story to tell. Our creativity and enthusiasm coupled with a practical no-nonsense approach will not only help you realise your vision but also get that vision into the press and across the world wide web. We'll even help you publish that book you've been writing and make sure the press get to hear about it.

http://www.vaughanmedia.co.uk/

Meanwhile please take a look at our first publication:

Strictly limited at a hundred copies only with all profits going to Wigan Robin Park FC

Open publication - Free publishing - More sport

All details can be found at:

http://bobbinalong.webs.com/

Early June news from the Wigan Robins: Martinez to join at Christmas

2009-06-08T06:08:00.001-07:00

Well due to John Neafcy refusing to speak to SKY Sports and the BBC after he was acused of "tapping up" a Downall Green United player who's agent just happened to be a "Neafcy" means that news is a little thin on the ground.

However the following can be reported - not all of it may be true...

Ryan Small (Wigan's best midfielder) was spotted at the counter in Billinge Spar buying a Twix and a can of Coke

The same Ryan Small has told Skem United to "eff off" stating; "I'm Robins 'til I die." Plus (probably): "I'll never pay my fines off!"

FC United are thought to be sniffing - they'll get the same answer (hopefully). Plus he'd never manage to get the train to midweek training sessions

Ben Kay is on holiday thinking over a move to Atletico Madrid

Dougy Pitts is sat in Ashton thinking over a move to St Helens Town

The kit will again be Red & White Hoops - but with a new sponsor. The Rossoneri kit will have to wait another year...

There are some really good frendlies set up - but just waiting for confirmation.

Roberto Martinez has agreed a three-year deal to turn out for the stiffs when required. He could be free after Christmas. Hope not like... as he'll never get Mossy's place.

Taffy Roberts was heavily backed at 16-1 with Doris the Bookmaker over on Mudhuts for the Latics job. It is thought Father Jack wouldn't shell out for a new crutch for Taffy.

Jimmy "Chipper" Martin and Titus Bramble will be gettng the bus to matches together after their recent driving misdemeanours.

The Bath Springs has become a Gastro Pub. Rumours that Ian told Gordon Ramsey to "Feck off" when he tried to add Fried Mars Bars to the menu are unconfirmed.

The Bear has promised to lose three stones in weight this summer!

Paul Vermiglio has promised to lose four stones in weight this summer!!

Vaughanie has promised to lose five stones in weight this summer!!!

He's also promised to update this blog every couple of days so....

MISS ROBIN PARK JUNE 2009

2009-06-08T05:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay and just for the bloke who asked me in ASDA where Miss June was:

We give you:

Robyn Rihanna Fenty

Rihanna to all and sundry and the lack of clothes... well it is summer

ps try and find the other nude photos of the girl that are knocking about... blimey

Wigan's May Queen Crowned

2009-04-29T05:47:00.000-07:00

Her name's Robin Sydney - she stars in Horror movies - she kisses girls in CSI - she's in a film called Evil Bong and she's Miss Wigan Robin Park May 2009

What's not to like?

Oh and if you're still not convinced she drinks beer as well!

Two's Company Wigan v Padiham Padiham v Wigan

2009-04-27T04:05:00.000-07:00

Two games to go and it's third placed Padiham at home on Tuesday and then away on Saturday. Seems a bit odd to me but the Robins will be going all out to win both games following excellent results at Darwen and Eccleshall this week.

So firstly a few observations on these games

Darwen
Long walk from station
No draught beer
Fantastic pie and peas
Won 3-0
Very convincing performance
Including one from Paul Vermiglio - The Beast of Darwen in the 89th minute! It would be cruel to mention that it was going in any way when he hit it and it was amusing to see him (rightly) booked for taking his shirt off. A fine figure of a man... NOT
It was even more amusing to see him trying to get the shirt back on again afterwards. In fact the referee ordered him off the playing area to do so as it was putting off the crowd and players alike
Darwen's stand is pretty great n' all. It's seen better times but it was a proper old thing. All that was missing was the smell of pipe tobacco and you would have been transported back to 1965

Eccleshall
Bad accident on M6 on way there - when isn't there one?
Glorious sunny weather
Absolutely top old clubhouse. Their hospitailty was second to none
Lovely cold draught beer
Butties at half time, choice of either chilli or curry with rice afterwards
Won 2-1
Really good game
Daz Mullen without hairband
Might have helped him play better if he had kept it on. Either that or not had a chip butty as his pre-match meal
The Beast of Darwen back in the ressies
Interesting (????!?!?!) night in Bryn when we got back...

And so on to this week's games

Not much to say other than just enjoy them. We are fifth and will now finish there - more on this next week. We can however cock up Padiham's challenge. Whilst I have no gripe with Padiham it is imperative the team finish in good form. Wins in both games will mean 4 wins on the bounce which is what we must aim for

As for Padiham FC: Here's what I posted earlier this year from the Wiganpedia blurb

When the club was formed in 1878 it was among the first football clubs in Lancashire and was well supported, attracting an attendance of 9000 for a match against neighbours Burnley in 1884.[1] At this time Padiham's ground was on the banks of the River Calder, hence the nickname, The Caldersiders.

Padiham was one of the first clubs to support the legalisation of professional football. However, this backfired as they were unable to compete with clubs in larger towns such as Blackburn, and the club folded in 1916. The club lost their ground during World War I and lay dormant until after the end of the Second World War.

Then in 1949 the club was resurrected with the opening of the Arbories Memorial Sports Ground. A crowd of 1,777 turned up to see their opening fixture of the season in the Lancashire Combination Football League.

They became founder members of the North West Counties Football League in 1982 but left the league in 1990. They returned in 2001 after spending £300,000 on upgrading the Arbories Memorial Sports Ground and finished in the top four of the second division in 2003 and 2005.

So all told a pretty good old club. As for the town well it sits on the River Calder and is three miles from Burnley and sits in the shadows of Pendle Hill.

Padiham (H) League, th'athletics stadium Tues 28 April 2009 8.00pm - £3.50 to geet in.

After Saturday's game the Robins presentation do will be at Park Lane Club starting at 7.30pm. There will be an excellent comedian and food with tickets costing £5 each. Please bring as many as possible including wives/girlfriends (but not both) to help with the cost of everything. The bar will be open until late so there are no excuses!

If you need more info or want to purchase tickets please get in contact with any of the following.

John Neafcy 07988 817886
Taffy Roberts 07802 720794
Mickey Birch 07766 408200

Rampant Rabbits, Fixture pile-ups and Wigan's Easter Bonanza

2009-04-09T03:33:00.000-07:00

Our Favourite Easter Bunny

Jessica Rabbit: "I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way."

A veritable football feast to go with the Easter eggs, leg of lamb and Good Friday derbies - that this year is on a Thursday - but hey...

Chadderton away on Saturday
Irlam away on Monday
Daisy Hill away on Wednesday
and Darwen at home on the following Saturday
and Darwen away the following Tuesday...

Oh and if you still want more the reserves are at home to New Mills this coming Tuesday and the NWCL First Division Trophy final between AFC Liverpool and Padiham at Ashton Athletic on Thursday 16 April 2009 .

And Ferguson moans about kicking off early on a Sunday or whatever.

Any road we are down to the bare bones what with injuries, work commitments and weddings! Best of luck to Dougie Pitts and even more luck to his missus this coming Saturday - but getting married in the football season!

Been a tough few weeks due to all above but as ever it's a chance for the young lads to shine, other players to step up a level and a chance for us speccies to get a few more grounds in.

As for the league positions - well with Stone storming along - who knows but it is safe to say there will be many more twists and turns before the season's out and I'm sure we'll have a better idea where we are at in a week or so's time.

Happy Easter and congratulations to Glossop North End for keeeping the Counties flag flying and getting to Wembley in the FA Vase. See you down there...

Stone the crows the Doms are coming to Wigan

2009-04-02T05:49:00.000-07:00

While the Robins and the Scousers played out a 1-1 draw Stone Dominoes continued their winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Irlam Town creeping up the table in the bargain.

According to thisisstaffordshire.co.uk the Dominoes dominated a game in which they had to recover from conceding a goal within the opening minute.

Nial Maguire levelled from the penalty spot after 55 minutes and leading scorer Dan Brown got the winner midway through the second half with his 26th goal of the season.

Stones' leading scorer's more lucrative pastime?

That's five wins on the bounce for the team from Yarnfield.

Which is all well and good apart from they are now just three points behind the Robins and happen to be their opponents this Saturday...

Another massive game and one that the Robins will need to be at their best to prevail.

Midweek's tussle was probably a fair result but you can't help thinking after going ahead it's a pity we couldn't hold on to it. Then again as the AFC goal was offside and we had a couple of chances later... but an excellent night and the 300 supporters present couldn't complain.

Just can't wait for Saturday now. Those that went to Stone early in the season will concur that the set-up down there is absolutely superb with the hospitality and kackbit equal to that. The people at Dominoes have done a wonderful job and should be congratulated on that.

So it's the usual best wishes (rather than points) to Stone and the usual script for the rest of us.

Kick off 3pm
Venue The JN Stadium
Admission £3.50
Pre-match sherberts in The Old Pear Tree

Job's a good un

Oh... this doesn't do the place justice and the sound is all over the place but here's a bit on Stone from youtube

MISS WIGAN ROBIN PARK APRIL 2009

2009-04-01T07:17:00.001-07:00

Look we've just dropped two points at home to AFC Liverpool so we need a little comforting.

And who better than American model Robyn Laughton: this month's Miss Robin Park

Back with football later in the week

Wigan Robins Round-Up

2009-03-26T03:55:00.000-07:00

Now where were we before real life and the demise of Jade Goody got in the way?

Ah, that's right: Blackpool at home.

Hmmm not great. In fact not even good as we blew the chance of three points. Fair play to AFC Blackpool as they defended well and grabbed a deflected equaliser. Definitely two points dropped rather than one gained.

Oh and of course due to this being Robin Park there had to be something surreal going on. Sure enough as we pottered over to the Champions Bar for our half-time tipple we were faced with a Cat Show and PDC Darts. Not sure who were the weirdest? The pussy-lovers or darters.

Some of our lot got quite excited as they recognised the Arras big-hitters. Personally I hadn't a clue.

The following Tuesday saw a cracking game at Norton. Well a cracking second-half any way as the team finally found their feet and came from behind to defeat a physical (ie dirty) Norton side by 2-1. Absolutely superb performance against a team that were typical Stoke.

"Your name's not down, you're not coming in"

Also not sure about the ("You all have to pay") rant directed at us by some Norton fella when all we were doing is walking to the turnstiles! Not the greatest way to be greeted after we'd spent a few quid in their club but hey... it made the victory all the more special.

Well done to Dougie Pitts who went from the pits - with his terrible crossfield pass for their goal - to hero with the equaliser. He was still moaning, mind. And of course a blinder of a winner from Adi Whittle.

Oh and they even had a little firm that had a mooch, saw how big and ugly the Robins fans were and went their way. As I said - typical Stoke

It was then on to Cheadle. A day that started in bright sunshine and ended freezing cold. Both literally and metaphorically. We were awful and Cheadle thoroughly deserved to win. We had a nice drink in Cheadle that made up for it and that was about it...

This weekend we have no game due to the international weekend. With Andy Neafcy representing Germany (Becks), Ryan Small Ireland (Guinness) and Chipper Martin Jamaica (Bacardi Breezer)the game's been called off. Or summat like that...

During ths week Bootle stuffed Norton 4-0, AFC Liverpool beat Eccleshall with an 88th minute penalty (the Kop end obviously) while Padiham were held to a 1-1 draw at Ashton Town.

A WRP scouting party saw this game - I just ate the pies - and saw a really good game in atrocious conditions. Padiham could have been three up early on and could have lost late on. It's all getting a little bit tense...

Next up is AFC Liverpool on Tuesday 31 March ko 8pm at the newly-named JN (John Neafcy) Stadium

Full preview at the weekend

Wigan Robins, Tangerine Dream and Blackpool rocks

2009-03-11T05:07:00.000-07:00

Back in early October the Robins went to Blackpool. It was freezing, hammering down and blowing a gale. Typical Blackpool weather, in fact...

That day Danny "I'll walk a million miles for one of your goals" Worthington got a cracker and then the Robins defended like mad. Sterling effort, kept 'em out and then it all ended in a punch-up on the touchline involving players, subs, officials and spectators. The ref booked a couple, everybody shook hands and went to their excellent club for a pint. Proper day's football in fact - how it should be - and AFC (nee Mechanics) Blackpool is a decent gaff.

Like Blackpool itself - a decent gaff.

I worked there for five years or so and loved it. Bang in the town centre. Used to go for a potter and just take it all in. In summer you'd get the local loons, tourists, daytrippers and hen parties. in winter you'd just get the local loons!

It was great. Sat on the front having your lunch watching the waves come in. Yeah, I like Blackpool and I have to say the people I met from there are great. Well you'd have to be to put up with all that. There are some right dodgy people there. But dodgy in the right way. Think David Morrissey's Ripley Holden in BBC's great Blackpool. As for the women well think Sarah Parish in BBC's great Blackpool.

Yeah I like Blackpool.

It's Blackpool folk coming to Wigan this weekend rather than - the traditional jolly of Wiganers going the other way as the Mechanics lot try to derail the Robins promotion push.

Last time out Oldham Town thoroughly deserved their win and WRP will be looking to bounce back from that defeat. I'm not sure what the injury situation is but hopefully a few will be back.

They were poor last time out. The players know that and will be determined to put it right. All in all it's shaping up to be a decent old game

Blackpool's last five results

14th Feb Norton United Home 1-2 Lost (Div One Trophy)
21st Feb Daisy Hill Home 3-0 Won
24th Feb Padiham Home 2-2 Drew
28th Feb Cheadle Town Home 0-2 Lost
7th March Eccleshall Away 1-2 Lost

Meanwhile enjoy...

Action photos from AFC Blackpool official site - cheers

Sarah Parish from BBC

MISS ROBIN PARK MARCH 2009

2009-03-11T04:38:00.000-07:00

Robin Bain - Actress

No - not heard of her either but.... Whoar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oldham (and probably Hibs) visit Wigan in top of the table battle

2009-02-27T03:03:00.000-08:00

It's tough at the top - they say...

But to hell we'll settle for it.

A massive game at th'athletics stadium against Oldham Town becomes even more important as rivals AFC Liverpool and Bootle play the league's bottom two - Rochdale Town and Ashton Town respectively. A win is a must.

That said Oldham are a decent team that looked good going forward in the game at their gaff a couple of weeks ago. They'll also be smarting after the Robins took away their home league record and not a little miffed about the sending-off.

It should be a cracking game. Whilst WRP haven't hit the giddy heights of scoring six a game they've manage to grind out the results and despite being ravaged with injuries have kept it pretty solid at the back.

Usual procedure: 3pm kick off, £3.50 in and £1.50 for the programme.

So if anybody wants to watch good, hard, competitive football then WN5 is the postcode to be seen in this Saturday

Meanwhile here's a summary of the Robins remaining fixtures - sort of

As it stands at the moment

Oldham Town (H) Sat 28 Feb 2009.

Darwen (A) Tue 3 Mar 2009.

Norton Utd (A) Sat 7 Mar 2009.

AFC Blackpool (H) Sat 14 Mar 2009.

Padiham (H) Tue 24 Mar 2009.

AFC Liverpool(H) Tue 31 Mar 2009.

Darwen (H) Sat 4 Apr 2009.

Chadderton (A) Sat 11 Apr 2009.

Irlam (A) Easter Mon 13 Apr 2009.

Cheadle Town (A) Sat 18 Apr 2009.

Padiham (A) Sat 2 May 2009.

THREE GAMES STILL TO BE ARRANGED

Stone Dominoes (H)

Daisy Hill(A)

Eccleshall (A)

FREE SATURDAYS

21 Mar 2009
Both Stone and Daisy Hill have no game that day

25 Apr 2009
Eccleshall have no game that day

9 May 2009 - this weekend is set aside for final games I believe. So could play either of three then but common sense would suggest:

21 Mar Stone (H) or Daisy Hill (A)
25 Apr Eccleshall (A)
9 May Stone (H) or Daisy Hill (A)

Then again all that doesn't take into account other games that Stone, Eccleshall and Daisy Hill have to play... So who knows

* Not sure if they'll have Hibs with em

Wigan travel to Yorkshire in search of Champions League place

2009-02-13T02:15:00.000-08:00

So if I want to know about Oldham I give my mate Oldham Geoff a bell and I say: "What's Hollinwood like?"

And Oldham Geoff says: "Used to be a nice working class area full of neat terraced houses.

"All gone now - last time I was driven through the place I didn't recognise it.

"Used to go to my mate Dave Salt's - who lived there - before we went to the match and before we were old enough to drink.

"He had a sister that was five years older than him and was fucking gorgeous.

"Looked like Suzi Quatro but with bigger tits and we used to listen to Nazareth and Uriah Heap and Yes.

"She's probably a grandma and retired now!"

So now you know about Hollinwood. And where those houses were runs the M60 motorway that heads south around Manchester. But Hollinwood is in Oldham and home of Oldham Town Football Club. The team that were formed in 1964 as the works team of George Dew and known as Oldham Dew.But now they are Town and play at the White Bank Stadium and lie just one place behind the Robins in fifth and are in fine form.

This will be a vital game for both teams. Blue and white stripes will take on red and white hoops the John Willie Lees will be flowing...

Ground:

White Bank Stadium
White Bank Road
Hollins
Oldham OL8 3JH

Directions:

M60 to Junction 18, join the new M60 motorway to junction 22, Hollinwood, at top of slip road turn right (Roxy Cinema on your left), turn left at next set of lights onto Hollins Road (A6104), follow road until you see fire station on right, turn right at fire station, follow road down to next left Whitebank Road. Ground is on your left.

Nearest Railway Station: Hollinwood

OLDHAM TOWN PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVE FROM AFC LIVERPOOL

Live from The Sands, Wigan WN5

2009-02-06T01:42:00.000-08:00

Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But Eccleshall is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go,
Stop the Snow! Stop the Snow! Stop the Snow!

It doesn't show signs of stopping,
And I've bought some Uncle Joes for popping,
The floodlights are turned way down low,
Stop the Snow! Stop the Snow! Stop the Snow!

Will we finally see goals this night,
How I'll hate going out in the storm!
But if you keep the midfield tight,
The curry in the Bath Springs will be warm.

The Bear is really flying,
And, Ben Kay, is still half-dying,
But as long as Michael Fish says so,
Stop the Snow! Stop the Snow! Stop the Snow!

And if it's on it'll be: Twelfth versus Fourth and a chance for Jay Foulds to challenge 1032 (or whatever it is) minutes without conceding a goal. Jay could be on 360 - if we ignore the Bacup game!

The Robins have been a bit rusty of late but the mean-spirited defence has held firm and has made up for the less than fluid football that has been played up front.

As normal all we can ask for is to home it's on, a good game takes place and we come away with three points.

Oh and the ground looks a blinder...

MISS WIGAN ROBIN PARK FEBRUARY 2009

2009-02-06T01:20:00.000-08:00

The most sought-after accolade in non-league football sees Robin Tunney crowned as Miss Robin Park February 2009.

The Prison Break actress can claim her prize of free entry to a Robins game of her choice and half-price pie at any of this season's remaining games at th'athletics stadium

Wigan Robins on Match of the Day

2009-01-24T04:14:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Matt of St Helens Town for filming this and sending me the link

Check his own excellent blog in the Other Football Blogs section to the right

Looking Dodgy - Bacup v Wigan Robins in a Michael Fish stylee

2009-01-22T04:42:00.000-08:00

From the NWCL site
These are the scenes at Bacup Borough’s Brian Boys West View Stadium on Wednesday 21/01/09, three days ahead of their Vodkat North West Counties Challenge Cup Replay with Wigan Robin Park.

The original tie which produced a 3-3 draw after extra time was on the 8th of November. Since this date the replay has been postponed twice previously at Bacup Borough & twice at Wigan Robin Park. With the forecast in East Lancashire showing no signs of getting any better over the next few days, it looks like this replay will once again fall foul of the weather for a fifth time.

Wigan Robins versus Chaddy: Match preview

2009-01-15T05:57:00.000-08:00

So get out the prayer mats and pray or hope for dry weather. Get out the hot-air blowers and hot water bottles in case of cowd weather and with thanks to Allah, God and and with just a bit of luck the Robins might actually get to play a home game on.

And if they do it will be Chadderton FC that trundle along to Wigan WN5 this weekend. Now I've been to Chadderton and Oldham and Shaw and around there a few times. Personal circumstances and all that and I like Chadderton. I've even got a mug that I drink my coffee out of that says Chadderton Football Club on it. See an old work mate of mine used to be involved there and I saw the team a few times. Cracking little club that have been knocking around the North West Counties since the beginning of the league in 1982. Before that they were formed as Millbrow Football Club in 1947, later changing to North Chadderton Amateurs, before adopting its present name in 1957.

There have been ups and downs and David Platt (ex England star and now owner of the strangest shame head in football pundrity) started his career there. As did John Pemberton - the ex Rochdale, Palace and Leeds player. Pemberton also appeared on the box recently as the manager of the Forest side for the Third round of the F.A Cup that beat City 3-0 at the council house in the FA Cup. With Billy Davies taking over at Forest I'm not sure whether Pemberton is still there. I am sure that Mark Owen of Take That fame isn't at Forest but he did once play for Chadderton.

Rumours that Gary Barlow may be lining up at th'athletics stadium on Saturday remain just that. The NWCL website informs me that their home kit remains all red yet their away kit that we will be witnessing is Orange Shirts - Fudge Shorts - Orange Socks

Shorts made of fudge?!?!?!

Chadderton sit just behind the Robins in sixth place with 27 points from 18 games with Mickey Green the leading goalscorer with eight goals...

Mickey Green

As normal all we can hope for is a decent game

Chadderton(H) League, th'athletics stadium Sat 17 Jan 2009 3.00pm - £3.50 to geet in.

Cheadle Town v Wigan Robin Park: Match Preview

2009-01-07T05:03:00.000-08:00

Train to Manchester Picc, change and onto Gatley and then up the road into the High Street and Stockport Road, a myriad of pubs and then into the Park Road Stadium for (hopefully) a game of football...

It's been a while but this Saturday the weather looks brighter, the beer looks colder and Wigan Robin Park might actually be playing Cheadle Town FC.

If so they will be taking on the team formed by two kids in 1961 as Grasmere Rovers playing in the Manchester & District Sunday Football League in their Under 16’s Division.

By 1982 Grasmere had moved into their own ground at Park Road Stadium the following season changed their name to Cheadle Town when they also joined the North West Counties Football League - where they've been ever since. Yet before they went there Portugal, along with Eusebio trained their for the 1966 World Cup campaign.

View from Main Stand

Back in October an even game saw the teams share the points at th'athetics stadium while at present Cheadle sit in seventh place. With just the one league game over at Ashton in recent weeks it'll be hard to see what performance the Robins put in and what team will they will put out.

But as normal you can be assured they'll put in 100% and with some good support from the sidelines it should be an excellent day out

For more information on Cheadle Town FC check out the excellent Cheadle Town Online Fanzine

http://www.cheadletownfc.com/

Meanwhile the photos are taken from the sets that the lads behind the fanzine put together - loads more available @

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ninebelowzero/sets

Directions: M60 to junction 2 (formerly M63 junction 11), follow A560 to Cheadle. Go through first main set of traffic lights and then first left after shops into Park Road. Ground at end of road. Nearest Railway Station: Gatley

Wigan Robins v Padiham Storks. It's a birds and booze fest... well we'll be having a couple before the game

2008-12-30T06:51:00.000-08:00

Padiham centre - looks a decent gaff

And if it thaws Padiham FC cometh to the Stadio de Robin Park this Saturday. And they come riding high in second place five points and two places above the Robins.

And they haven't lost since 13th September 2008 and have got summat like 41 goals. Paul Fildes has ten of them and won the Vodkat League Division One Player of the Month Award last month. Padiham's boss Graham Haworth lavished praise on prolific striker Paul Fildes – whose November goalscoring exploits - in the Lancashire Telegraph

Fildes hit the scoresheet in seven of Padiham’s last eight games last month, scoring 12 in total, including a superb hat-trick at AFC Liverpool.

“Paul’s made a difference to us,” said Haworth, “He’s a real goal threat and he stretches teams a lot with his pace.

Hmmm the bit about the pace is a bit worrying but... we'll worry about that on the day. And may the best team win - as long as they play in red and white!

If Padiham are on a good run at the moment they've had a good run as a football club. Last month they celebrated their 130th birthday.

Here's the Wiganpedia blurb

When the club was formed in 1878 it was among the first football clubs in Lancashire and was well supported, attracting an attendance of 9000 for a match against neighbours Burnley in 1884.[1] At this time Padiham's ground was on the banks of the River Calder, hence the nickname, The Caldersiders.

Padiham was one of the first clubs to support the legalisation of professional football. However, this backfired as they were unable to compete with clubs in larger towns such as Blackburn, and the club folded in 1916. The club lost their ground during World War I and lay dormant until after the end of the Second World War.

Then in 1949 the club was resurrected with the opening of the Arbories Memorial Sports Ground. A crowd of 1,777 turned up to see their opening fixture of the season in the Lancashire Combination Football League.

They became founder members of the North West Counties Football League in 1982 but left the league in 1990. They returned in 2001 after spending £300,000 on upgrading the Arbories Memorial Sports Ground and finished in the top four of the second division in 2003 and 2005.

So all told a pretty good old club. As for the town well it sits on the River Calder and is three miles from Burnley and sits in the shadows of Pendle Hill.

There will be witches in them there hills

photo nicked from Cheadle Town lads (I'll get you a beer next week....)

Padiham (H) League, th'athletics stadium Sat 3 Jan 2009 3.00pm - £3.50 to geet in.