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Article by Mark
Graham, Stats Nerd
Wigan Athletic 0 v 2 Manchester United,
JJB Stadium, Wigan,
15.00pm, Sunday 11th May
2008.
Goals:
Wigan
Athletic: n/a.
-
Manchester United - Ronaldo (33 pen), Giggs (80).
Attendance: 25,133
After a
week of nerves, that sick feeling in the stomach, coupled
with not being able to sleep thinking about what
 might
happen if we were to have an off day all eventually
disappeared on Sunday as Manchester United won their 17th
Top tier Title at the JJB thanks to a Ronaldo penalty & a
Ryan Giggs goal.
SAF & Ryan Giggs collected their 10th Premiership Trophy
as United finished atop the pile by 2 points.
Your reporter very lucky enough to have a ticket (thanks
Denis & Ron) along with thousands of Reds ascended on the
JJB and surrounding areas for what was to be another
crowing as Champions of England & the "Champs Bar" near
the JJB Stadium seemed quite a decent place to be before
the match as the
party atmosphere began to build with Reds slowly filling
the place and a little amount of Blue & White just to the
left of our Branch flag, who it has to be said weren't
good sports when United sang at them "Wigan Wigan Give us
a song!!!.
The United contingent with the help
of Matty
Wilson, aged 9 from Hartlepool (pictured right)
always under the proud & watchful eye of his Mam
Nikki
belted out song after song.
The Pride of all Europe, Anderson-son-son, If you all hate
Scousers clap your hands & even a get your Ti*s out for
the Lads was started by young Matty as the beer flowed &
the party heated up. Editor: Well done Big Ged from
Workington for getting Matty up for a day to remember.
 With
several pints drunk later & Sky Sports showing the game
for the rest of the unfortunates who didn't get a ticket
we left for the ground.
With SAF
restoring Vidic & Rooney into the starting line up, the
Reds were arguably at full strength and would be tested by
a Wigan side who were accused all week by the media
amongst others of maybe "laying down" for United having
secured their Premiership status with a win at Aston
Villa.
In a close 1st
half with only half chances going each teams way, the game
was shrouded in controversy more than clear Goalscoring
likelihood as Steve Bennett booked Paul Scholes for a
challenge on next season's potential team mate Wilson Palacios,
and Scholes on a yellow card in the biggest of games & who
isn't the best of tacklers, would again catch the
attention of the Wigan midfield & Mr Bennett later on in
the match.
Wigan had a
Boyce attempt on goal with no outcome before controversy
beset the fixture as Rio Ferdinand denied a Jason Koumas
goal bound shot with his upper arm, not spotting the
incident referee Bennett allowed play to go on much
to the elation of Peckham's finest export since Del Boy
Trotter.
Ten minutes
later Wayne Rooney was caught in the box by Boyce and upon
taking a tumble from the challenge, Bennett immediately
awarded United a penalty. Cristiano Ronaldo then
sent keeper Kirkland the wrong way
easing the tension around the ground and giving United the
lead albeit maybe a bit fortunate.
More poor refereeing from Bennett, but maybe not if your a
United fan was in store when
Honduran midfielder Wilson
Palacios
after the ball had changed possession several times in
midfield broke on the right & as he was racing into
United's half, Scholes if he's not learned all ready (Roma
Away when we got beat up by Itie Coppers) clattered
clumsily into
Palacios, as most in the
United away section waited for the Ginger Ninja's obvious
& immanent sending off.
Mr Bennett
clearly didn't want to spoil the potential party & only
gave a thankful United & Paul Scholes a telling off, when
it could have been a whole lot worse.
With the
Visitors 1-0 up
The second half saw Ronaldo finally test Kirkland with a
free kick from distance and the former Liverpool keeper
diverted over the bar. As football usually
does the balance was restored after Titus Bramble clearly
tripped Scholes of all people in the penalty box with
Steve Bennett having none of it.
Finally
stamping authority on the game, United looked more than
likely to add to their tally and effectively seal the
title and settle some nerves, and were it not only for a
world class save from Kirkland, Wayne Rooneys' low
powerful shot would have capped it for United.
Kirkland who
must have had text messages from his Ex Bindipper mates
all week encouraging his 100% effort to thwart United then
saved from Carlos Tevez as news had filtered through from
Stamford Bridger that the Chelski had scored.
With the game
now all so important as to who would score the next goal,
United took off the yellow carded Scholes for Owen
Hargreaves & replace Ji Sung Park with Ryan Giggs.
With the game in the balance Emile Heskey then made SAF
swear on the touchline as the big lump headed a free kick
just over this was by far Wigan's best chance and maybe on
another day a better player would have broken United
hearts.
 Most of you who know me might have heard me say at some
point that after the Munich remembrance day match, all
players playing that day have repaid their shit
performance in some way except Giggs, out of form and out
of favour recently, the Old War Horse then put EVERYTHING
United into raptures when after a clever pass from Wayne
Rooney splitting the Wigan central defence in two gave
Giggs a fitting opportunity & chance to repay the Busby
Babes of 58, by honouring them with the goal that sealed
Premiership Title number 10.
With the game
out of site good old Bolton equalised at
Chelsea giving United fans more to celebrate before a
short rest & a date in Moscow.
The Thank
You's
To SAF & all the players & backroom staff...........
Peter Calvin & Dave Whelan (not the Wigan Chairman)
for their efforts to run our Bus.
Brendan
from Bernards Tours for all his efforts to get us around
Europe.
Ron,
Alex, Stock, Denis, Richard & all the Dutch Mancs.
Stuart, Simon, Bill, & Steve Rimell & wow i got a text
from Ed Barker.
.
Simon working in Afghanistan, keep safe mate!!!
My Wife
Stacy for the team news from MUTV all season & My Brother John for
the team news for a small portion before I thought he'd
passed away.
Grant, Peter, Lucy & Lucys Dad at Old Trafford.
Tanner my Arch Nemesis, Abbott, Lee Dixon, Craig Adams,
Neal Fearon, Toddy, Big Robert, Big Ged, Patty, Grant from
Manchester.
Kath, Susan, Adele,
Gatey,
Derek, Tester, Niffy, Mike H, Eileen, Bob, Denise and
anyone else who had share the ups & downs this year!!!
What do you
think??
submit
your comments & opinions below.
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