Thetownend.com

Throughout May we'll be publishing a series of series of blogs, features and a special podcast celebrating the 20th anniversary of the 1993 Division One Play Off Final.

The articles can all be viewed via this link http://thewashbag.com/category/features/twenty-years-since-wembley-93/

[url width=900 height=554]http://fraserdigbyswashbag.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/1993-play-off-final-i-was-there.png[/url]

With today the 20th anniversary of the Play Off Semi-Final first leg against Tranmere Rovers, here's Brendan Hobbs' reflections of that match including full match video (courtesy of swindon-town-fc.co.uk)

http://thewashbag.com/2013/05/16/twenty-years-since-wembley-93-swindon-3-tranmere-rovers-1/

At both  :toocool:

20 years!  :(

Obviously getting to Wembley winning promotion to the top division was a fantastic achievement all round.

However, it's quite sad that 20years on the only thing we have worth celebrating is its anniversary.

One thing with us though is that most seasons are exciting for the right or the wrong reasons. We could get success and end up being one of those plodding clubs that maintains mid to lower table position in a higher league, or in oxfords case, the basement leagues.

Well, when we spent our parachute payment on Joey Beauchump what hope did we have.

We've had chance after chance to build on our success but we always end up getting run by some sort of shysters who piss it all away.

Deja vu, anybody?

Oldham have been in League 1 for nearly 20 years now, don't think they have even got in the playoffs.

That must be fucking boring

We won Div 3 under Mcmahon and Div 4 under di Canio...surely even you must have raised a small cheer when these were achieved...maybe even gathered in the crowd outside the Civic, to give the jolly Scouser a wave.

What is annoying is that in that time we've gone from regarding the PO's as friend to now dreading them.

I believe today is also the anniversary of a Town victory over Juventus.

Re the playoffs...20 years ago...fucking hell!

They average around 3-4k crowds as well, which probably backs up your claim.

We've had some good years, some dull years and some bad years. We've won two league titles and had a promotion, some memorable play-off games (not all of them for the right reasons) and a few cup runs.

Reminiscing about the good times is not sad at all. Regardless of where you see STFC in the general pecking order we're a lower league club so events like this should be savoured. Big club fans might see it as a bit sad but most have us have given up caring what they think anyway.

I thought he meant it was a shame we have achieved nothing of note since 93. Not that looking back is sad.

I'd say our two (could have been 3) Wembley visits over the last few years, cup runs and a couple of promotions (1 league title)  have been good highlights.

Arguably two divisions we shouldn't have been in to start with if people had done their jobs properly in the first place



Indeed, I thought that was fairly clear on my part, maybe not.

Even worse if we're having this conversation in 10 years time as well.

Just found this footage of Napoli fans in our meeting years ago.
So the clip claims anyway.
I've translated the info

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bsljx_0xCIw

San Paolo Stadium, Naples (Italy): general view of the players of the Swindon Town by lifting the trophy after defeating Napoli in the final of the championship anglo-italian. General view of the incidents and destruction caused by the fans of Napoli to lose the final; destroy part of the facilities of the rostrum and light up several banks with fire. General View of photographers and cameramen covering the news in the field of the game.

Every team, every season could argue the same. That's football (oh bugger now i sound a bit like KMac). The reality is we were in those divisions those seasons and we won them.


Sorry for misinterpreting slightly. What would we have to achieve in the next 10 years to stop us being sad then?

I don't think DV is ever not going to be sad unless we go back in time and don't sell Gordon Greer.

Yeah, that's exactly it.

Getting into the second tier would be a start.

If Yeovil (of course assuming they beat Brentford) can do it, then there is definitely no reason why we can't.

Staying there is another matter.

Ok fair enough. Just trying to work out what's defined as an "achievement" in your eyes. Given that we're highly highly unlikely to win any proper silver wear, it's not easy!

It's not - which is the sad thing about it really.

We might never achieve anything club history defining (like 93) ever again...

You should just stop supporting us now and save yourself the misery.

I have.

Look at the strides some clubs have made since 1993, Reading, Wigan, Swansea, Stoke etc have made.

I'm sure back then, if people supporting these clubs would tell others that they would be in the top division winning trophies, they would tell you to fuck off. It could happen, just support the team.

I thought you'd started going to games again this season?

A few here and there.

I really don't have the same enthusiasm I used to.

My enthusiasm has soared in the past 12 months.

I cancelled my season ticket for next season - only the second season without one in 23 years. I know what's coming next season and I've got enough stress in my life without watching Jed and the Chancers destroy my club.

Heretic

I'll be outside your place tonight with my burning torch and pitchfork. Sheesh, bad enough me not going to Wembley with the stick i took, but to relinquish a ST on those spurious grounds. :(

Mystic Gnasher...

Why aren't you going to Wembley?!?!

Is he not going to Wembley?  News Monkey has failed us!

[url width=333 height=300]http://stokereport.com/files/cartoon-monkey-funny-pics.gif[/url]

Well I witnessed the macari, ardiles & hoddle years, I will die a happy man :pint:

Same as  :nod:

I used to enjoy watching hoddle in the sweeper role, he made football look easy.

Opposition players seemed to run through treacle whenever he had the ball.  Wonderful that we got to see him.

I just missed Macari, but was there for the Ardiles and Hoddle eras.  Two out of three isn't bad.

I know what DV is saying though and I hope I get to something on a par again in my lifetime.

I still have my signed photo of Hoddle somewhere.

Still remeber the game against Cambridge at the CG when he enjoyed taking the piss out of their players for 90 mins, when they were managed by John Beck.

Brentford v Yeovil does not float my boat. What about you?

 :D

Na, DV told me.

Continuing our look back to the events twenty years ago, here's something new that we've published about the Play Off Semi-Final Second Leg vs Tranmere Rovers...

http://thewashbag.com/2013/05/20/twenty-years-since-wembley-93-tranmere-rovers-3-swindon-2-4-5-agg/

Listening to BBC Wiltshire this afternoon with Shaun Hodgetts reminiscing and playing all the goals/commentary from the 93 final.

He's had on the phone today. Hoddle, Calderwood, Mitchell, Taylor, Digby and what's made me write was the interview with John Gorman.
He lost his wife not long back so was lovely to hear him talk passionately about his time here with effection and he seems as strong willed as ever.

was keen to stick up for himself of how he handled the premier league season, which in hindsight i feel he has every right.

He was also asked by Tommy Miller to come and coach with us this season when we lost Dicanio, but as he retired not long back, he felt it would have not been fair on Franchise whom he had left earlier in the season.
Quite a few moving moments of radio this afternoon.

Sure it will be on bbc i player on listen again.

John Gorman has always said he loved his time with the Swindon and I would really like to see him involved with us again in one role or another.

A really good honest bloke.

No need to go back imo but think he's a top bloke. Nobody has a bad word to say about him which speaks volumes.
The only black mark against him is working for the club stealing scum

We've continued our celebration of 20 years since the 1993 play off final victory with this article from Alex Cooke, who reviews the contrasting tactical pattern of play used by both Glenn Hoddle and Brian Little...

http://thewashbag.com/2013/05/29/twenty-years-since-wembley-93-swindon-v-leicester-city-tactics-352-v-442/