Author Archives: ianhaspinall

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About ianhaspinall

Communications specialist, Wigan Athletic fan & blogger, interested in music, arts & culture.

Wigan Athletic pre-season preview – ‘You can’t win anything with kids’

Posted on August 2, 2023 by ianhaspinall

In August 1995, Match of the Day pundit Alan Hansen criticised then Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson with a comment that went down in football folklore. Hansen was speaking after Ferguson’s young side lost to Aston Villa on the … Continue reading →

Posted in League One, Shaun Maloney, Thelo Aasgaard, Wigan Athletic | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Summer Reading 2023 – The Best Football Books

Posted on June 30, 2023 by ianhaspinall

Here’s my recommendations of the best football books of recent months for reading on the beach or by the pool. Kick off the summer with one of these great reads. Review: How To Watch Football – 52 Rules for Understanding … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Daniel Gray, Football Book Reviews, Ian Ridley, Jonathan Wilson, Mark Hodkinson, Micah Richards, Nooruddean Choudry, Tifo, Wigan Athletic | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Review – Inshallah United: A Story of Faith and Football by Nooruddean Choudry

Posted on June 20, 2023 by ianhaspinall

Inshallah United is an unusual and entertaining memoir about a football loving British-born Pakistani living in North Manchester. Nooruddean Choudry is a Muslim, Manchester United supporting, Morrissey-loving, Maggie Thatcher-hating, working-class Mancunian. Growing up in the late 1980s and 90s as … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Football Book Reviews, Late Tackle magazine, Manchester United, Wigan Athletic | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

An emotional end to Latics’ tragic season – Wigan Athletic 0 Rotherham United 0

Posted on May 10, 2023 by ianhaspinall

Following a fifth late payment of wages Wigan Athletic’s depleted first team played out a goalless draw with Rotherham United at the DW Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday. Latics had eight academy players taking the pitch during the game and … Continue reading →

Posted in Abdulrahman Al Jasmi, Championship, Phoenix 2021 Limited, Rotherham United, Shaun Maloney, Talal Al Hammad, Wigan Athletic | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Review – Pantomime Hero Jimmy Armfield: Memories of the man who lifted Leeds after Brian Clough by Ian Ridley.

Posted on May 2, 2023 by ianhaspinall

Pantomime hero is the first book in the Football Shorts series, which is a new collaboration between Pitch Publishing and Ian Ridley’s Floodlit Dreams Company. Journalist and author Ridley provides us with some charming, nostalgic, and heart-warming stories about Jimmy … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Football Book Reviews, Ian Ridley, Late Tackle magazine | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Latics’ season of mismanagement ends in relegation – Reading 1 Wigan Athletic 1

Posted on April 30, 2023 by ianhaspinall

Wigan Athletic were relegated from the Championship after they were held to a 1-1 draw at Reading. Latics needed a victory to keep their season alive and took the lead through defender Charlie Hughes in the 81st minute but the … Continue reading →

Posted in Abdulrahman Al Jasmi, Championship, Charlie Hughes, Reading, Shaun Maloney, Talal Al Hammad, Wigan Athletic, Yakou Meite | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Latics still fighting for survival – Wigan Athletic 2 Millwall 1

Posted on April 24, 2023 by ianhaspinall

Wigan Athletic kept their slender Championship survival hopes alive with a 2-1 victory against playoff hopefuls Millwall at the DW Stadium. Latics went ahead after 14 minutes when Will Keane fired home after good work by Callum Lang. The visitors … Continue reading →

Posted in Championship, Millwall, Shaun Maloney, Thelo Aasgaard, Wigan Athletic, Will Keane | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Latics are still hanging on – Stoke City 0 Wigan Athletic 1

Posted on April 19, 2023 by ianhaspinall

Wigan Athletic defeated Stoke City 1-0 at the Bet365 Stadium to keep their slim Championship survival hopes alive. Former Latic Nick Powell had an early chance for the hosts but decided to lay the ball off and the chance went … Continue reading →

Posted in Championship, Shaun Maloney, Stoke City, Wigan Athletic, Will Keane | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Latics’ Championship status hanging by a thread – Blackpool 1 Wigan Athletic 0

Posted on April 17, 2023 by ianhaspinall

Wigan Athletic succumbed to a 1-0 defeat to Blackpool in the clash of the Championship’s bottom clubs at Bloomfield Road.  This was another abject performance by Latics whose Championship status is now hanging by a thread. If they fail to … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool, Championship, Jerry Yates, Shaun Maloney, Wigan Athletic | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Latics’ great escape doesn’t materialise as they slump to defeat against Swansea – Wigan Athletic 0 Swansea City 2

Posted on April 11, 2023 by ianhaspinall

Wigan Athletic slumped to a 2-0 defeat to Swansea City which all but mathematically condemns them to relegation from the Championship. Shaun Maloney adopted an attacking line-up with wingbacks pushed forward and this backfired as Swansea took control in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Championship, Joel Piroe, Shaun Maloney, Swansea City, Wigan Athletic | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments