Shameless football related post

I just watched the Carling Cup Final in a pub in deepest Rochdale. The team I wanted to win didn't, but the game was great to watch and I think it was all down to their involvement. Wigan played without fear. They could have decided their best bet was to defend like hell and hope to nick a goal. They didn't. A good chunk of the match was real end-to-end football, and it was great fun to watch. Man U won through some beautifully executed goals (and one dodgy poke from about a foot) and I can't in all conscience begrudge them the match. I think the best part was watching the match in a pub full of Man U supporters and being surprised to hear them clap every Wigan attack. The chant I heard most often was "you're the scousers in disguise" which frankly, were I a Wigan supporter, I'd be inclined to take as high praise indeed. To be in your first season in the premiership and in the league cup final and be compared to Liverpool seems pretty bloody good to me. The collapse after the second goal wasn't pretty, but they didn't give up attacking wherever possible and I'm actually relatively happy about it all.

My home town has a football team it can be proud of. I'd hoped this match might win them more supporters, but it looks like Wigan will be a rugby town for a while yet. Still, as they say, good game, good game...