Thetownend.com

Will be a close game, but I reckons we can win.


1-0 with Bostock being given a chance and scoring.

I'm playing football at 5:30 tomorrow so should be able to hear it all before I play. Happy days!


COYR

Ages since we drew at home so going for 1-1.

I'm going those a different turnstile today so we'll win, easy peasy.

2-0 Ritchie & Benson

Football !!!!!!!!

I've missed this feeling!

I am not going so ...

We will lose 3-1.
Paolo will say the players we have all lack quality and desire. He needs at least 4 new players.
Paolo will announce to Chris Wise we are in administration.
Then that mike diamandis and Andrew andronikou are being brought in, in a last ditch attempt to save the club.
On the plus side, curly withers played a blinder with his half time cuppa!

Mark Robins seems to have got Coventry playing so i don't think it's going to be easy,but, still confident we can turn them over 2-1 Richie and Flint

2-1 defeat.

3 1 win. Ward, ward, ward, ward og

I've got a bad feeling about this. 2-1 defeat.

2-0 Williams, Ritchie

oh.....no.......wait.......

2-0 Collins, Ritchie

In 1976 Chris Nicholl the Norn Iron international cantre back scored all the goals in a 2-2 draw for Aston Villa vs Leicester.

Not confident.  1 nil loss.

2-1 Town, early goal from Benson and a 2nd half rocket from Ritchie in front of 9'878

Just about to leave, a win & a good performance please!

2-0 Collins and Ritchie, just hope we play better than our last home game......Please !

0-1 defeat along the same lines of Orient and ColU

my sentiments exactly. Orient as a one off you could understand. Colchester made us look awful and now the players are saying the right things in the press. All this is leading towards a spell of doom and gloom.
On the other hand, we could win 3 0 and those two games will be forgotten.
1 0 to Cov and at 5 o clock I'll be as miserable as sin because I hate away fans enjoying themselves at the County Ground.

Cracking game - 3-2

Fjortoft to score hattrick

[pedant]that game actually finished 3-1[/pedant]

Home form turned on its head with a 2-1 win...looking forward to it...pressure is on Coventy

after living near Coventry for two years and working with Cov fans, am a bit gutted that I'm arriving in the UK tomorrow instead of today.

hope we stuff 'em

Was planning to go, but circumstances conspired against me. Shame really, think it will finish 2-2.

I blame the 20 year time gap and the associated loss of brain cells - plus I was pissed

Met a couple of Cov fans last night in the Green Man before the England game, seemed fairly confident they'd be getting a result so just for this alone I'm saying 3-0 Swindon, goals from Ritchie, Roberts and Collins in front of 10,452! C.O.Y.R!!!!

If we can get the first goal today we'll be fine, if not the whole place will be on edge and could end in tears.

Should be able to pull in a good crowd today of about 9,500 because Covvy travel fairly well and should bring about 1,300ish and make the club open the bank for them.

EDIT:

I also hear that a lot of their fans are very confident about turning us over saying that "we (they) can beat any team in this division".

Results so far seem to prove otherwise.

Gotta be fair to them JJ. there's only one that has said that.

nil-all

There were a few last week in the run up saying that, but in the main most of them are pretty confident about beating us.

Then again there is no stand out team this season in this league so it will be an open one, apart from currently Tranmere, but how long they can sustain thier promotion push we will see. This time last season in the L2 Southend were flying away at the top yet they fell away and didn't even get promotion in the end.

4-0 Coventry will have a man sent off.

2-0 Swindon COYR

;)

Was it Holdsworth (not Dean) that scored own goals for us whenever we played whoever it was he played for.


In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the A-Team.

One of our players will definately score an own goal today now :D

I'm sure this won't be another Colchester or Leyton O performance. Big game against a bigger club, so the players and crowd will be up for it. I'll go for a tight 2-1 win.

If any of you Glue Pot regulars don't show up soon, you're going to have to carry me to the ground.  The Hop Back Crop Circle here is lovely.

I was in there last night for some Crop Circle... great beer.

Hop Back is one of my favourite breweries.  A bonus that it's Wiltshire.  I probably like their Summer Lightening even more.

Town: Foderingham; Thompson, Flint, Ward, McEveley; Ritchie, Ferry, Miller, Roberts; Bostock, Benson #STFC




Told ya!

#STFC subs: Bedwell(GK), Archibald-Henville, Bessone, Collins, De Vita, Navarro, A Rooney

I hope Bostock grabs his chance today and runs the game.

At last

4-0 Collins hat-trick and Mister Bostock.

Was going today but a severe hangover stopped me risking the drive....  That and I'm boracic lint.

Collins on bench - hope Bostock doesn't make a mistake and is hauled off

Coventry commentary taking the piss out of PDC - most amusing.

No Cov on the Bank - thought they were supposed to bring 1000+?

I reckon my player is roughly 90 seconds behind time so far.

i'm sat with my slice of bread with sliced cheese, tube cheese and meat on top ready to listen

woo!

25 seconds gone and we haven't scored yet. FFS

I'm about to tuck into the remnants of last nights kebab. :)

Hello chaps! Owt happened?

Have hit the fucking post yet again

Hit the post.

Sounding pretty good.

And I've just had some of last nights leftover pizza.

Healthy living starts again Monday.

is that the rain i can hear on the comms? crikey

Oh dear!

Booooooo.

FFS

It's OK

Win away, pick up points at home and we're up  ;D

Absolute crap marking from the free kick.  A real shame, as we've been on top.  Their first chance and now we're all over the shot.

[url width=271 height=169]http://i.imgur.com/p472Q.gif[/url]

when was the last time we came from behind to win?

I hate to say this but Cov look very good  :suicide:

^ NPH sums up my current feeling.

Penalty appeal turned down

Shrewsbury (H) last season according to Sam Morshead on Twatter.

Is the game still on or is everyone asleep

Dear, dear, dear!

0-2

It's just finished 0-2 game over.

[url width=320 height=177]http://i.imgur.com/rXbpQ.gif[/url]

when was the last we came back from 2-0 down?

seems if we score first we win if we dont we lose.

Save from Bostock

2 set pieces = 2 goals

standby for vesuvius exploding

Second best all over the pitch.

Can see this getting ugly in the second half.

Too many players just hoofing the ball.

Is he in goal? Where's Wes?

Sent off after 38 mins

By Paolo

So he spends £500,000 on 2 players, who he leaves on the bench.

So which player is going to bear the brunt of the rant at half time?

My choice - Flint for Troy, Bostock for Collins

According to the Coventry commentators, we are unfortunate to be 2 down and Wes was at fault for the goals in a 'could have done better' kind of way.

We are getting some regular reality checks lately.

Aint played well since Bornmuff

Second one maybe just maybe wes could have done better. First one no chance. Both shit goals to give away. Very dissapointing defenfing

Game not over, probably been slighly the better team,  but we cant keep missing chances.

Bostock good link up but not a finisher. So based on that think we need to go 4 4 2

Are you there Batch?

Just asking because some people are acting as though we are playing terribly, Coventry commentary seems to suggest otherwise.

i've got a feeling that we won't be seeing Bostock again

Flint kicks out, all expecting red but Yellows given out.

One given to Ball instead of McGoldrick who was involved.

This referee is a fucking disgrace. Other way round, one if their lads kicked out Lino saw it ref gave yellows. To the wrong cov player. Really really poor.

"Di Canio clutching pieces of paper in his hand"

presumably the players contracts which he will rip in half at the final whistle?

It was shit.

I walked out.

We've been taught a lesson today. In football and support, sadly

Navarro on for Ritchie, so now we have no width whatsoever.  No back up plan when we're losing.

we're 7th in the league folks.

perspective

Could be worse, could be 19th in the league below.

Not good enough. We should be 9 points clear at the top.

ah nuts, offside

Yay

Roberts ! Come on !

[url width=384 height=216]http://i.imgur.com/osJkP.gif[/url]

2-1 roberts

1-2 Roberts (1.2 scissor kick volley)

15 mins left

McEverley gets away with 2nd bookable offence

GOAL!

PLAYER SO FAR BEHIND

AND NOW I HEAR IT

hahahah tans is a cunt :D

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

OMG

2-0 and you fucked it up rings out across the radio. :D

People leaving at half time and well before the end because Coventry had the audacity to take the lead and try and win the game.

dickheads!

Have to agree DV

Oooooh....do I turn STFC player - which I turned off in disgust at 0-2 - back on again and jinx the come back?? :hmmm:

Att 9808 - very decent - 1095 from Coventry.

I'm hearing some very disappointing and embarrassing comments on social media.

I hold my hands up!

Least i had the audacity to see us win the league last season eh

Christ! I went off to watch Star Wars (again!) and missed the 2nd goal. Who scored?

Ah! Collins. Thank you commentators

do share

Luke Skywalker

I'd rather not to be honest, I'd prefer to avoid conflict with people that I actually quite like.

you must be reading them rather than hearing them!

I think STFCMongness is contagious.

Save from a shot by Miller

Rooney free header saved by the keeper

McEverley shot deflected wide - corner

Stretcher for Navarro

Significant injury - Possibly knee ligaments

(History of knee ligament problems - Poss career threatening)

Playing with 10 men - Someone else was stretchered off during my brief viewing of Star Wars

FT

PDC delivering a post match message in a huddle in the middle of the pitch

I'd have taken a point before it started.

Caught the last half an hour of commentary and it was certainly incident packed. Good comeback, sounds like the ref let us off a bit.

Should have won that at the end, 2 or 3 excellent chances. Coventry were dead on their feet and hanging on for grim death.

Fair play to the lads for earning a point.  Massive amount of fighting spirit shown in the last 25 mins or so.

I certainly would have done at quarter to four!

Is Di Canio having a go at Benson? I'm not sure.

Still listening to Coventry commentary

Somebody texted in something along the lines of: "I'm a Swindon fan, we should be beating little teams like Coventry"

There's loads of bites. It's great listening.

Bloody hell - he's giving them 2 days off - he must be happy!

I hope I'm wrong but it sounds like Navarro might be fucked.

If I was Jeremy Wray listening to Di Canio now, I think I would be getting a bit fucked off.

Yes I was. When I wrote that we had created the better chances and it was clear this was no Colchester performance. Coventry are decent that is all.

First 25 of second half was worse, when nevarro came on the change in system changed the game.

OK, he's bigging JW up now...this is a roller coaster of an interview ::)

Oh I agree. He's beginning to get on my nerves a bit now. He comes across as a real prima donna sometimes. What does he expect the Board to do if they've he's overspent? The only way to rectify the situation is to offload players.....

PDC:
- Very happy with the reaction in last 20 mins
- We played much better and dominated the game
- I have lots of knowledge and learn quickly
- The scored 2 from 3 chances and we had 32 in first half!
- PDC told everyone where the threat would come from
- Benson is not a top striker for League 1. Benson let the ball bounce 3 times which meant Coventry cleared.
- PDC enters rant mode... 32 times, 32 times.
- We need a top striker to stay at the top level
- Its upto the board now
- Unhappy with the way that conceeded
- Knew that delivery from set pieces would be a threat
- Sometimes no fire at the back from experienced players
- Its a fantastic job to draw. But PDC wants more. We need more if we are going to try to get 95 points to go up. This is enough to get 50 odd points and stay up
- Changed system at the end because Ritchie not playing well and Benson having no fire.
- Talked about 3-4 versatile players who can play a different system
- Huddle at the end was to praise last 20 mins and criticise fir 70 mins.
- Angry because the goals were crappy and what you see in a comedy match
- Sunday and Monday off in order to recharge batteries
- Navarro injury is to knee. Hope its not serious, but he fears from Navarro's reaction that it is bad
- Embargo: No news.
- PDC moved into double-rant mode - Its not fair. Its not fair. Its not fair! I have 4 injuries now.
- Message to board. Cancel the embargo or PDC won't be able to get Swindon promoted.
- Chairman Jeremy Wray is the best Chairman you could have!
- If the board's plans have changed, PDC would rethink his position. If he has clear guidance on what the board want, he will remain here as he is happy here.
- He just wants to know whether the board will do what it takes to cancel the embargo or not. He wants clarity
- Aston Villa game will burn the energy of players for 3 games.

He keeps banging on about cancelling the embargo. Does he not know the rules or something?

I'm glad that interview's over, I'm drained ::)

I don't like the way he has a go at individual players after every game. Now it's Benson's turn to be told he's not good enough. Great way to motivate him.....

I don't know how you do it NMH - fair play. Taking a few of those points...

We need a top striker to stay at the top level

Why the fuck has he not signed one already if he doesn't think the ones we've got are top strikers for this level?

Benson is not a top striker for League 1. Benson let the ball bounce 3 times which meant Coventry cleared.

Yet again, slating individuals - I am so uncomfortable with that.

Chairman Jeremy Wray is the best Chairman you could have!

Damned straight - There's not may Chairmen around who could handle Di Canio, that's for sure.

If, hypothetically speaking, we were playing in the prem under PDC.......... would people still be complaining about his style of management?

For balance (and I didn't listen to his interview) PDC has to understand that rules are rules. It's not the board's fault there's an embargo in place and he does have a lot of toys to play with.

Thanks nmh.

Benson did ok for me. Never going to skin anyone but good in air and holds ball up well.

Pdc whines a lot sometimes,

Whilst his incessant whining/bitching/moaning is an ever increasingly frustrating trait, he is a perfectionist. In Paolo's mind we should be romping the league unbeaten with 46 clean sheets and the 22 best players money can buy.

I've taken the time to consider it and, whilst the things he says annoy me rather a lot sometimes, I'd rather Paolo in charge than the likes of Danny Wilson.

i thought he did well considering bostock wasn't exactly doing much good.

i thought collins and rooney looked good together

Yay, a plan b that works! Fuck knows how we didn't win it. With 20 minutes to go I thought we'd be lucky to score a goal, let alone get two.

I speak as I find and I don't care what league we're in. If I agree with something he Di Canio says I will say so, likewise, if I disagree I will do the same. As I said before, if I was JW, I think I would be just a little bit fucked off with Di Canio right now. JW's support of Di Canio has been absolutely outstanding so far and I'm sure he will sort out the embargo situation out sooner rather than later. Di Canio needs to button his fucking lip on that subject and show a bit of faith in him as JW has done with Di Canio.

People bitch about PDC's spending. There's no denying he has money to play with.

Wilson had at least 350k to spend on a striker in the relegation season..... He bought Elliot Benyon

People been banging on about Bostock starting-how did he do,folks that were there?

I've said this before Samdy, having Di Canio as manager has brought more positives than negatives so far.

It's all about balance though. Some times you need to focus on the positives i.e. today was a fantastic come back (yes he acknowledged it briefly) but if you keep going on and on and on and on about how you've got to get better, it grinds people down. These are young lads we're talking about (even Tommy Miller is a young lad to me) and they're playing in the 3rd division for a reason. They need to be cut some slack occasionally (although for the sake of balance, I note he has given them 2 days off).

I'm not saying you're wrong but are you sure??

He played like a midfielder playing up front. We wasn't that bad and had some good touches, but we needed a physical presence up front (like Williams) and that's not Bostock's game.

Fucking hell you are a miserable bastard OST, get a life fella.That said, you made me laugh with your 'twatter' comment earlier - brilliant!  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Adje - Bostock did ok but saw little of the ball, decent shot saved but couldn't really get into it. I would have subbed Ferry off instead of him and put him in centre midfield.

Up untill the disallowed goal we were fairly garbage and Coventry looked good. A great fightback with the crowd getting behind the players and we could have won it at the end.

Flint and Ward are quite scary as a partnership and I have my doubts over Flints ability at League 1 level.

Overall a great comeback and you have to be pleased with a point after going 2-0 down.

I believe that was the 'accepted' bid for Joe Mason(?). there or thereabouts.

People were saying this stuff last season. It worked then, and it's working now.

For how many seasons will it take for people to realise that, whether they like it or not, PDC's management style is working

*** Just for balance and so I don't get accused of wanting to suck PDC's cock...... He needs to grow up where money is concerned.

http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/SWINDON-RIGHT/story-11652876-detail/story.html

If her gets us up again this season I will accept it. Write it down.

I'm not going to read that. I believe you ;)

Noted for prosterity

You just wouldn't believe how un-miserable I am in real life Christopher. I can assure you, I type with a smile on my face...a bit like this one... :nod:...that smilie was actually based on me...FACT!

Entertaining game. Good spirit to fight back.

Swindon and Coventry fans both signing 'we hate oxford' on the train made me laugh.

We will play a lot worse teams this season and we will play worse and win, we are in a strong position, 2 points off autos in mid October is a good position to be in. I think we will improve as the season goes on.

Roll on Scunthorpe.

I think that PDC's point about Benson is that he was what we needed last year. He  is a good solid professional and a good striker at L2 level. However, he isn't a top level striker at L1, unlike some of the players we have come up against in L1 e.g McGoldrick has Championship experience and is a much more clinical finisher. Its not just PDC that thinks that Benson doesn't cut it at the top end of L1, but obviously Charlton did too, which is why he didn't get a look in there.

PDC's message was that if the board want to look to move the club into the Championship, we are going to have to upgrade some of the remaining players, as they are not good enough to take us up.

As for signing a quality striker, I think that PDC's answer is that he has - Williams. However, with Williams out for a month then our 'bit part players' aren't capable of filling the gap. If we want to maintain a challenge for the next month then we need an adequate replacement. Furthermore, I think that PDC's thinking is that if we are planning on going up, we need to build for next year, so that we can maintain a place in the Championship.

It appears that it is in the board's hands to be able to lift the embargo - Many on here have suggested that one of the money men at the club could potentially put money in e.g Betfair sponsorship perhaps. I think PDC is wanting to know if that is going to happen or not.

I think his final point was that, if the board say that they dont want to invest more, then PDC will stop working on identifying players for a Championship push. He will change the way that he manages the team and possibly play a different style or develop the players in a different way.

His poor English and Italian passion make him sound more of a loon than he really is methinks!

 

I'm not saying he's wrong in what he says NMH, but do you really think he should say that in a post match interview?? really??

No, I don't.

He didn't play badly, but the system just didn't work. Two things he isn't, a) a ball winner b) a striker/finisher.

I think he put in some very good passes with quick thinkingand intelligence  (good "footballing brain") . Unfortunately he only had one man playing ahead of him and so had limited options at times. I wonder if he'd have had more luck if there was a quicker striker ahead of him, or even 2 strikers.




I think you are right.

An interesting afternoon at The CG, as I don't think we played badly to warrent a 2-0 h/t deficit, that being said we conceeded from 2 set pieces. It was interesting watching the free kick for the delivery that led to the goal as whoever was taking it for Cov was about to before Robins stopped him, obviously pointed something out and then presto we were 1-0 down. Is this something in our set up of near post free kicks that has been picked up on by the opposition?

Anyway fast forward to the last 20 minutes we played with grit and determination...Collins was up for it as soon as he came on and to get back to 2-2 was no more than we deserved, just not sure why it took us 70 minutes to wake up and take the game to them on the front foot and attack! The change in system saw us have more of the ball and is probably why.

About time Bostock got on, he didn't do anything wrong and I was impressed with him just not sure Benson was the right link up in front of him, perhaps someone with more pace like Collins or physicalness like Rooney maybe better suited.

If PdC is crying out for a top striker then why doesn't he have a look at David McGoldrick in January* (if we are out of the embargo) apparently out of contract at Forest in the Summer and potentially one to look at, Scoring goals for fun at the moment!

Onwards to next week and the returns of a certian Leon Clarke and David Prutton (and Callum Kennedy)...C.O.Y.R!

 :nod:

I think I have an advantage with this stuff in knowing that sometimes with non-native English speakers you have to consider and analyse what they are trying to say rather than reacting to what it sounds like they have said.

Remember the 'fall out' with the board over Tehoue gate last season?

I have some 15 years experience in speaking with people that can't convey their thoughts clearly, most Swindon fans have a season and a bit.

Good game. Coventry only had two chances, both from set pieces, and scored them both. We could have been out of sight another day.

Roberts played well, as did the two strikers when they came on. People bemoaned taking Ritchie off but, given the tactical switch it actually made sense and was refreshing to see (said with hindsight).

Talking of tactics, was refreshing to see PDC mix it up during the game today. 4-4-1-1 wasn't really working, but we looked more threatening with the diamond, and it worked. Though that did co-incide with the coventry player being stretchered off, so I'm not sure what had the greater impact. We should probably knock out one opposition player per match, just to be sure.

I think I can kind of understand where PDC is coming from RE Benson, but I think his flick-ons were very clever today, and he was unfortunate to not have people running on to them. Didn't think Bostock did anything particularly bad, but nothing brillipants either. Given the way the game was going PDC was right to take them off.

Mceverly had one of his wank days, and was probably to blame for both cov goals. I think it was his man for the first, and fuck knows what he was doing for the second. Trying to head away a ball that was at his shins. Thompson on the other flank impressed. CB's did alright.

Miller and Ferry were a bit wanting in the 1st half, but the introduction of Navarro really gave them license to get forward.

Ref was laughably bad. Flint and Mcgoldrick had a kerfuffle, and the ref carded a different coventry player. The player he carded was white, Mcgoldrick is black. Confusing.

Some of our fans response's at times today was laughable. Even at 2-0 down we were never out of it - Coventry created bugger all and we were undone by two set pieces. Pay your money and do what you want, but I can't really understand why someone would give up on that game so easily.

Edit - Wow, that's horrible to read. Bit of a mind dump.

Di Canio still has to be at the club though ;)

Well what a game!!  Would have taken a point at half-time, but at the end I was disappointed not to go on and get the winner!!  'Keeper should have been sent off early in the game, not only did he punch the ball about a metre outside the area, but in his follow-through clattered Benson and then stuck an elbow in!  The guy who kicked Flint should also have been red-carded, not seen by the ref but spotted by the lino, just a yellow.  To balance the books McCelvely could easily have walked as well, having previously been yellowcarded he commited - in my opinion - a tackle well worthy of another!!  Didn't like the way their guys lay down at the slightest opportunity - the ref didn't fall for it all the time though.  But we got a point we didn't look like getting after 70 minutes or so.

Just don't get me started on the soft free kicks we give away - that lead to two goals!!  When will we learn?

At the end of the interview today, Chris Wise said to Paolo something about "well done today especially with your personal difficulties this week", or words to that effect. Any ideas? Has his Doberman carked it?

Perhaps he meant personnel.

I.E. injuries

Absolute rubbish. Any teams support would be singing when 2.0 up away from home. Didn't hear much from them when we started to fight back. As to the actual football, we made it hard for ourselves but we still had more of the ball than them and were unlucky to be 2 goals down.

We're you there Herthab? (Genuine question)

he was, i was sat infront of him

If he wasn't, he's got an extremely vivid imagination ::)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19854844 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19854844)

Was Robins watching a different game to me?

"In the first half we were in total control."

I note we're sixth, that marks real progress for us and personally a top half finish/play off challenge would be an achievement this season.

Paolo pisses me off something chronic with his interviews and I wish the club could try and tone him down a bit as he really doesn't have anything to bitch about!

We're you there?

yup, for both halves

I really cannot fathom that comment. Coventry's fans made a noise when they were winning, sure enough, but were not particularly vocal otherwise. In terms of numbers, very disappointing (& surprising). The Town End was in good voice throughout...and nearly 9,000 of our fans there was an impressive turn out as well.

Most positive aspect for me today was a Plan B from Paolo that worked. Individually, I wouldn't really criticise any of the 3 who came off (Ferry, Benson, Bostock). But the system wasn't working - particularly Benson up front on his own. The change in formation changed the game. Paolo should take credit for that.

Donkey was spot on with his comment to me at approx 4.15pm...we nearly did go on to win from 2-0 down. We were never out of it. On balance though, happy with the point.

Enjoyed being back at a game today.
Thought Coventry were well organised for 70 minutes and their support good.
The atmosphere changed on bad decisions from the lino and ref and seemed to motivate us.
Was the goal offside, didn't look it from where I was sitting?
Thought Louis Thompson was man of the match, fantastic commitment, he was on his last legs at the end.
Darren Ward an absolute donkey for me, and not impressed with Gary Roberts (I believe he was made man of the match).
Rated Bostock last season in his last couple of games but a total fairy today, get stuck in son.

Pleased with a draw, great to be back watching the Town, cannot say what we have been earlier this season, but what I saw today we are diff not good for top six.

Frankly there has been some shit on here today.  Outplayed is one comment and another one I saw way back says the ref went easy on us.  As I was actually there let me give you my two penneth.

We didnt deserve to go in at 2 nil down.  We did hit the post an bought out good saves from there keeper.

They had 2 chances and scored them both.  Im sure PDC is concerned about the set piece defending as it was shit.

The referee lost it in the first half.  He allowed players from both sides to make robust challenges in the air.  Benson was subject to several which went unpunished.  There weren't really any hard challenges on the ground, just little hack and trips.  Nothing serious.

The second half was pretty moribund until the last 20 when PDC's tactical nous came into play.  we had the game at that point and did really well to come back.  Would have won the game if their keeper hadn't been on form.  

The ref continued being shit.  The incident where Flint had a little bit of afters with mcgoldrick who then kicked out pathetically catching Flint was either 2 red for violent conduct off the ball or nothing.  How it was a yellow to Flint and a yellow to a random Coventry player who was not involved would have been laughable if I hadnt been desperately trying not to shout CUUUUUUNNNNNNTTTTTTTTTT!!!!! in front of my kids.

After this the Cov players decided to dive to the floor as often as possible.  This culminated a large amount of the crowd booing and slow hand clapping when which ever of their players was actually injured.

Ive seen comments saying the ref let us off.  Lets look at our 5 yellow cards.

Mcceveley - silly trip.  Nothing malicious.
Thompson - again a bit of a trip.  Nowt malicious.
Roberts - Another silly trip after losing the ball, not a hack, just a little trip.
Collins - Taking his shirt off.
Flint - Yellow carded for getting kicked.  Bizzare.

Also we should have had a pen in the first half when Benson was through in the box.

We played well.  Good football against a committed team under new management.  Some times a little to much in the way of long balls but also a lot of good football.

Crowd was allright from our side, quite noisy from them.  But then again we outsang shrewsbury when we went there.  Away fans tend to be louder.

More possesion, more attempts at goals, just wouldn't go in.

Anyway, I noticed a lot of police around.  Seemed to be some naughtiness after the match.  Anyone see owt goin on.

  

Fully agree Saxondale.

Still like to know how McGoldrick didn't even get booked for those 2 swallow dives as well.

*Nathan

Flint - Yellow carded for getting kicked.  Bizzare.


You missed the shove by flint just before the Coventry player reacted then ?  I think that Flint was lucky to stay on the pitch.. Although the afters continued and 2 of their players then reacted to Flints push.... Yellow card was a relief !!!!!
   :D
[/quote]

Saw a group of lads with Burberry running on fleming way. One of them almost got ran over, but they shot off down a back street. No idea what was going on

He was kicked off the ball, that's violent conduct and a red card, no matter the provocation.  I did say in the post it was either 2 reds or nothing.  Mcgoldrick was the one who kicked Flint.  Not the random player who the ref decided to yellow card.

Yeah I did miss Flints shove.  A kick is a kick though.

According to my friend he said "Well done on the result and on what has been a difficult week for you personally"

Didn't McCeverly get booked for booting the ball into the stand?

Stolen from elsewhere, todays goals

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V2vQ4V9014

Wes made a bit of a hash for the second. Should have subbed him after the first. Then again that's all he had to do all game.

Yep.  You're right Im wrong.

As did their keeper.

Well that was a proper game - a bit festy, 4 goals, crap ref and linos and a decent crowd. Coventry looked a decent outfit in midfield and up front. They got numbers back in defence but we had chances in the first half anf fucked them up. They had chances in the first half and scored. In the last 25, however, we were superb and if the game had gone on another 5 we would ha ve won.
Collins took his goal pretty well and seemed to enjoy goading the Coventry fans. Thier keeper was lucky to stay on the pitch when he punched outside the area and then took Benson out on the way down. Benson took a lot of punishment but to be fair he dished out a few elbows as well.
I hope their player Fleck is OK. It looked pretty incoccuos at first but after a few seconds it became clear he didn;t have a fucking clue where he was.
Overall, a good game but defensive fuck ups cost us. it wasn't as if the delivery for both goals was that great.  

Was that Fleck?  Yeah seemed to be nothing but Thompson was immediately calling for a stretcher.  Didnt seem to catch him him winning the ball in the air cleanly.

Navorro had to go for the ball and seemed to get a most of the body of the defender following through on him.  Seemed serious straight away as he was on the floor waving his hand.

Out of all that Saxons was the most accurate for me. And like Herthab said didn't hear much from their fans after we got our first goal. They were better than Colchester and Orient and closed us down pretty much throughout. Biggest bunch of play actors I have seen for a while and no wonder no one took a lot of notice when Their player was initially knocked out. Came home happy with a point.

Saw some trouble driving out of ground towards queens drive, looked like stones etc being thrown, one bloke bleeding pretty badly from head, old bill were on their way, all a bit pathetic, hope the injured bloke was one of the instigators and not an innocent passerby

From what i can gather from commentary and comments from fans from both sides, some of our fans (including some that I like) are acting like spoilt brats.

We're Coventry repeatedly singing a Leeds song today or do Leeds sing a Coventry song, maybe they just share it?

Good game I thought, Took my 8 year old nephew over from NZ, we have a new fan he loved it.

Been out all day.  Sounds like a point gained!

So whats the concensus on PDC's latest rant?  Anyone getting a bit fucked off with it or just me?

Don't know who came up with it first...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leU1kbtIZUI

To be honest I would prefer if he leaves the politics to the board, didn't agree with him gesturing to the executive area today and can't imagine Wray and co were overjoyed by it.

It's not just you.

Yes, what was that all about?  I thought it was in that direction, but wasn't sure if it was at the Coventry fans.


Some odd comments today and I'm surprised people left at half time.  I personally thought we had far more of the play in the first half and had we been more clinical it could have been a very different scoreline at half time.  We got undone by two set pieces which were basically the only chances Coventry had in the first half.

I can only assume those that thought we were awful weren't at the Leyton Orient or Colchester games?

Also, when Ritchie was taken off and replaced by Navarro, I thought it was a ridiculous sub and we didn't seem to have a plan b when losing (I posted to that effect at the time).  I'm happy to admit that I was completely wrong and it was a very shrewd move by Di Canio.

They asked him on Wilts radio post game about the gesturing but didn't catch his reply, anyone hear it? Didn't realise people were leaving at half time, bit premature. Even in the 1st half we looked dangerous on the attack especially from the left flank.

They are a cheerful bunch......

http://www.skybluestalk.co.uk/threads/21881-Trouble-in-Swindon

Bit unsporting from them, their victory was in the bag though wasn't it  :smugfu:

The town fan has been quite gentle with them

Must feel like a defeat for them  :smugfu: :smugfu:

Fleck has fractured his skull. Get well soon!

To be fair in the matchday thread, the majority are referring to us as one of the best teams in the division.  They're more upset about losing a 2 goal lead rather than who it was against.

http://www.skybluestalk.co.uk/threads/21870-Swindon-vs-Coventry-Matchday-Thread/page26

I read there matchday thread.  They seem allright actually.  

On a different subject.  That Mcgoldrick fella, good player.  But as someone else pointed out we have someone like him in Williams.  Even down to the trick which he seemed to base most of his game on of turning the defender.  Just like Williams does it.  Really want Williams fit and getting into the groove.  

Bloody hell that is bad. Hope he makes a full recovery.Good player.

Well said

At 2 zip down I thought there was no way back but in the end we might if nicked it!

Mateys facial crunch looked very bad indeed, he was spaced out!

15 years on the 25% football, 80% bollocks forum?  Congratulations

If you think I was talking rubbish, fair enough. As fans we all have different opinions. I like to sit up near the away fans in the Arkells, not because I like throwing hand gestures over a 8ft gap that is guarded by stewards but because there is always space and its a good view of the game. Cov fans were vocal from the start, way before they scored their first. Maybe because i was sat close to them the effect was greater in my ears. Fact is, away fans are usually more vocal than home fans and lets be honest, our lot are not the loudest at home.

Footballing wise, it could have been a completely different story had Bostock scored in the opening minutes, we would have crucified them, but it wasent to be. First half, Coventry played lovely football. They passed well, created space and put us under enough pressure to cause us to play that bastard long ball game again. We didn't play as bad as the leyton orient and Colchester games but Coventry were better than the aforementioned teams.

It's already Been said about the subs we made and how we changed our shape. I also couldn't believe that Richie was subbed, but along with other circumstances it worked. My first thought at the final whistle was that we pulled off what pompey failed to do to us at fratton park.

Anyhow, a point earned when you are 2-0 down is much sweeter than when you are 2-0 up.

It's late, I'm hammered and I probably won't understand what I've wrote here when I wake up.

i thought they were very preston like but with a bit more football, i was getting really annoyed with their players holding up play by going down so often, exactly like preston...

think it was saxondale who thought we should have had a pen?  from where i was i thought it was outside the box but a definite foul.

murphy was a cunt up at scunthorpe when cox scored that fantastic hat-trick and he's still a cunt now.  can't believe he got away with that double whammy out-of-the-box punch/elbow on benson.

the decision that i felt was truly awful though was when benson(?) was clearly offside but ferry came bursting through from midfield, i'm either completely interpreting the rules wrong or i'm an idiot but when a player doesn't interfere with play he can't be offside?  that would have never been an offside in the premiership with all the cameras present etc.  i am possibly wrong, i watch from the town end, can anybody shed any light?  at the time, and still now, i felt/feel that it was very incompetent officiating.

anyway, it was a good couple of hours of entertainment with the pantomime villain in the ref and collins scoring his first home goal against 'his' club so i'm fairly happy.

it was however evident that we will really miss williams - not that any of us doubted that - but it was a very pleasant surprise to find another system work for us, was just a little ironic that the first action bostock had seen for a while came in a game where his natural position was used after he'd been taken off.

hope the franchise get a humping on tv tomorrow

edit - something i meant to add but forgot...

when pdc leaves we will miss every single thing about him, sure sometimes he does and says things most of us don't agree with but i'd sooner have the things i don't agree with paolo on my mind than some drab tactician who doesn't understand fan culture - make the most of him while we can because for every pdc there's 20-30 paul harts

Won't read the whole thread, but I thought that the free kick they got for their first goal was not a foul.  A Cov fan mate of mine confirmed I was right.  Just in case anyone was wondering.

No, you are completely right, we sit in the Arkells and had an excellent view.  It was an awful decision, but that lino was rather flag happy.


It was harsh.  I think Thompson got caught slighhtly which then led to the 'foul'?

And Nochee, I have to say that's a very good post for 3.30am whilst hammered.

I did not think at half time that Coventry were that much better than us to warrant a two goal lead. Yes we did not play great and many times u was left frustrated about our apparent willingness to get the ball down on the deck. It was usually Coventry usually got the ball down first. I was disappointed by both goals as they were soft. The free kick travelled a long way and was by no means a belter, wondered If Wes was left unsighted a bit. With regards to coventrys support I enjoyed their noise and it made it feel like a top of the table clash even if it  wasn't. Never heard pdc's rant and I'm glad I didn't. That is pdc but with it comes one if the hardest working managers in league football so with that in mind I just choose to ignore his rants. Last thought I hope both Navarro and the Coventry lad recover well never good to see anyone let alone two go off on a stretcher.

Kinky Tom, it was definitely inside the box that Benson was fouled.  Im in the DRS 1 block in from the town end, so pretty much edge of the area.  Definitely in the area.

I thought Paolo's gesture of one hand above another was to the away fans i.e. we're above you wankers still

Great point really,thought we a bit negative at the begining.

They have some real quality about them,and i reckon they will be at least playoffs though we could have and maybe should have won it in the end.

rooney's header. anywhere but at the keeper and it's a goal...

Yep...and i think there was another chance when our player was left with the ball and shot straight at the keeper..may have been offside though.

given the ref and his assistants yesterday it would most certainly have been offside

We didn't play badly at all yesterday.  In fact at times we actually played very well knocking the ball around and creating chances. It was the defending from set pieces that let us down again. It's why we have become a little bit inconsistent at home this season and I remember last season we were the same and it wasn't until we began to defend them properly that we became solid and formidable at home. Hopefully PDC can sort it out.

Can't fault our team spirit though and it was great to see us fight back and towards the end push for a winner. We really missed Williams yesterday though and although Collins scored a great goal I didn't think we had a huge amount to offer upfront at times. Williams just brings that extra dimension of play to us that no one does. Fantastic to see the team huddle with Paolo at the end. I sense that great team spirit we had last season is starting to form in this season's side.

Oh and yes the ref was a joke again yesterday.

What was the huddle about at full time?

I went with a Cov. supporter yesterday, he said their biggest problem is the amount of loan players they have, their board are trying to do it on the cheap so they may be rebuilding again in January.

He was asked that in the interview but said something along the lines of telling the first 70 wasn't good enough but last 20 was excellent.

I still have a ringing in my ears from the fat cunt behind me moaning about Miller all game, apparently he should never play for the club again as he doesn't bring anything to the team.  That leaves us with one fit CM then Einstein.

When did Einstein sign for us?

He didn't. Maybe it was a relative.

Epstein?

Theory Walcott?

Leaving speech

Ah you saw that idiot's retweet too.

I was utterly fucking depressed when we went 2-0 down, we really had no imagination at all.

The ref yesterday was an absolute fucking joke. Mistakes like booking the wrong player when one is black and one is white just sums it up really. He also missed about 4 handballs, one where the town midfielder literally dribbled the ball like a basketball and somehow was not called up for it. Also one occasion where a town player was completely steamrollered by the Coventry player who had no intention whatsoever of playing the ball and somehow gets away with it.

I seem to be developing a little man crush on Collins, I think the lad is quality but needs a run of games. Really unfortunate Williams is out with an injury as I'd like to see them get a run of 5-6 games together both playing the lionshare of time in those games to work on a partnership. With the right service and a bit of confidence Collins could be a goal machine.

As for support, Coventry were shite when not winning. At 0-0 they were silent and being taunted by a more vocal than normal Town End (not that that's saying much) I would have expected us to break the 10,000 mark, although mainly because I would have expected Coventry to at least have a couple of hundred on the bank, it's not exactly far!

Wasn't it from one of those 'look at me, I'm popular' Swindon Town Fans people?

I'm not disagreeing with the fact at times he was a joke. But the booked player was involved in shoving. Quite how the lino saw that but missed McGoldrick I have no idea.

The very same.

What did it actually say?

Sounds like something you'd tweet to see how many bites you'd get!

I had a few bites the other day when i said we had accepted an approach from bolton

Anyone know what Coventry were singing to Collins when he came on? You couldn't make it out and I thought it may be something not too abusive/pisstaking but then he's taken his shirt off and gone a bit mental when he scored and said something in the adver about it?

I find that even though PDC isn't beyond criticism the way he's criticised on the most pathetic, trivial things is becoming fucking annoying. I've been vocal in the past of some of the things he's said but I honestly think he's very committed to this club, he's a perfection, a workaholic who only wants the best for this club. He doesn't stand for any shit which I think is refreshing after the debacle of two seasons ago but some people still find things to moan about. Some of the things I was hearing (and I've heard) when we've been behind in games or after games that we've lost have been pathetic. It's becoming a regular occurrence in games and I can't fucking stand it. Get behind the team and stop being fickle cunts.

As you were  :D
 

So, in summary, a quarter of the season has gone.

By all acounts, apart from the odd game, we haven't really played well (or to our potential anyway) and we're 2 points off the automatic promotion spot.

Happy days says I

To add to this, football is a results business.

When Di Canio took over we'd just been relegated to the bottom division with easily the worst Swindon Town team of all time.

Less than 18 months on and he's got us sitting 6th in League One and yet still people have to find something to complain about.

He can say what he wants, do what he wants, fall out with players, slate players, wear hats, get sent off, make crazy subs, make first half subs and do fucking backflips for all I care - as long as the results keep coming....

Missed that one

That's OK, there is a Blackburn fish today :)

Nowhere near it. The early 80's were really shit.

I love this picture, proper number 9.

[url width=300 height=387]http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/11164309/img/11164309.jpg[/url]

Twitter playing up at the mo, could be my wifi though

With finance that was available easily the worst Chalkie...all other shit heaps were when we had fuck all.

that makes it even more annoying then

Can't see anything statistically worse results wise from the 1980s anyway?

We were in division 4 then though and I think it was dire for more than just one season so I suspect Chalky has a point (fortunately I'm just too young).

Think the recent relagation season has to be the most underachieving/disappointing season in my time of watching town. So much expectation following the previous year and all that.

The pre-Macari years come to mind in Div 4.

Ken Beamish

I see.

Certainly the worst season since 1990 then, and possibly the worst season for results :)

OMGF yeah, forgot him. I remember one season and we were home to Lincoln on the last day and needed a draw to stay up. Ended up 2-2. I was in the town end and we were sing we're going to speedway or something like that.

Cov fans have threads dedicated to Di Canio, Collins and us at the moment, is it that boring supporting them? This is a gem  ;D

"Swindon town seem to think they are bigger than they are or something they will never be..
A lot of this is aided by do canio who is creating an over inflated ego at the club..for this reason I cannot stand Swindon town..an absolute nothing club with a grade a tosspot at the helm"

If you lived in Coventry pretty much anything would seem more interesting.

edit: Just read some "dominated the game for 70 minutes" comments and disagree. They took their chances in the first half, but we made more chances. Then for the first 25 minutes of the second they nullified the game and looked to be cruising, but didn't threaten us whatsoever. Far different from dominating.

Also it seems fleck didn't crack his skull, which is good to hear.

That's pretty rich coming from a club who have obviously overachieved in the past god knows how many years. Can't believe they didn't even fill the Arkells section.

Have read they were worried about pay on the day as they didn't want to travel then not be able to get in due to their large away following, and also they were worried about being out in the open exposed to the elements  :hmmm: would imagine we will double their figures from yesterday when we go up there, I wouldn't want to go up there if it wasn't a covered away end though, might get a chill  :)

They must have spoke with Dorset.....

After the game I spoke to some Swindon fans and they basically said they can't stand di canio, the only reason they are happy he is there, is because he generates media interest which in turn generates bigger crowds and gives the club a much better income, but yeah they all said he's a twat and they can't stand him.

Also, something is wrong here, but I'd guess out average is ~8k :

http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/D2/attend.html

But have Cov really fallen to a 10K average? Massive.

he he, realist bites:

Our away attendances last season were not that different, seeing as they were Championship and we were Leeeeeeague 2, Leeeeeeeeague 2

Think the Town fan conducts himself well, some good bites

For some reason the beeb gave our attendance against the Franchise as 18k and the stats went with it, thus the stupidly high average

Fuck yeah.  We are bigger than we think we are.

And our stadium is a tardis. Marvellous.

Behave CS....Beamish's season was nothing like as bad 2 years ago....we had a strike force of Quinn, Rowland and Mayes reached the 4th round of the cup.  Ok it wasn't a great season, but DV is essentially right, there are only a couple of seasons which rival 10/11....32/33 and 55/56, both of which had somewhat extenuating circumstances, of Sam Allen's last season and the Board not appointing a manager, but choosing to pick the side themselves.

There are maybe a couple of octagenarians about who remember the 55/56 season, but 10/11 is really a stand alone.

...which is incredible considering the on paper squads of 05/06 and 10/11

On most measures, 2010/11 was one of the poorest seasons in our 130+ year history.  Certainly up there (or down there) in the bottom 4 or 5.  When you consider that we have only spent 5 or 6 seasons in the bottom tier - and that at least half of those were promotion seasons - it has to come close.

Oh, and what is the opposite of stratospheric?  Not sure myself, but that's the word that would have to describe Coventry's decline/slump down the rankings.  There was a thread a while back asking where all of Swansea's new fans had come from during the last 5 years.  Now we know: Coventry.  Barely managing a 5 figure average attendance at home these days in a 32,000 seater stadium?  Not good.

Trollope was a worse manager than Beamish - although to get a side relegated with players of the calibre of Mayes, Rowland, Miller etc was a piss poor effort

If you're going to pass judgement on managers, at least get your facts right....Mayes and Miller had gone, JT was trying to bring through a team of local kids, because as usual we were broke. The relegation season, we got 52 points normally enough to stay up...shame we didn't, because the policy of trying to develop your own players, has much to commend it.

Surely 80/81 Mayes Rowland and Miller all played a huge chunk of the games

But there again, it was 81/82 for relegation - was that Bobby Smith?

Just remember that Newport game

That season wasnt the worst it was the following 2 or 3, that really was dire, I remember watching us struggle to draw with rochdale in front of about 2.5k, then Lou came and saved us. Last year was probably just better than those.

You missed a bit Reg.

:) Do Coventry actually have any local rivals? (first rivals). Nuneaton Borough?

Not quite an octogenarian but the late 50's were dire as well - only kept in Divvy 3 South by the old pals act coming into play via re-elections. Luckily along came Bert Head and we were up and running in the 60's which was the start of our ever continuing up and down ride where the Town are concerned.

 ;D

Leicester or Brum are there biggest rivals....Leicester is not far from Coventry.

Beamish took us to our lowest ever finishing league position and had us playing hugely unattractive hoofball, albeit on almost a shoestring budget, but IMO he was a far worse manager than Trollope. under Trollope we had some great games like the 7-0 thrashing of Aldershot and had us playing quite attcking football in the main, our main problem in the first season in the 4th division under him was our poor away results otherwise we would have finished hugher than the 8th place we did finish in.

73-74 always sticks in my mind as particularly dire.
Bottom of the league by a country mile nearly all season, out of cups early rounds and some very poor players in the squad.
Only bright spot I recall was the signing of Eastoe late on.

Yep got to agree..........and that big ugly expensive stand already casting its ugly shadow.

Anyone see my mate in the Town End? He was in Cardiff for the Wales v Scotland game and decided to go to the game on the way back to London.

He texted me when I was in Turkey to say he was very impressed with the atmosphere from the Town End.

Forgot to say, he was wearing a kilt so was probably quite noticeable!

Think I saw him on the train and queuing up for a ticket.  I remember him distinctly as I was whispering in my 6 year olds ear - 'look, bloke in a dress'.

AFC Luftwaffe ?

I saw him walking into the TE and someone was shouting 'Wales Wales" to which he just smiled, waved politely and walked off!

Ah, he mentioned that! He was a bit let down that he didn't receive more abuse I think!

Well i grabbed his bollocks and said in a mock Scottish accent......ugh that is gruesome!

He said do it again Jimmy,its just gruesome more.

I saw him. outside,think he was buying a hot dog.

Or was he just happy to see you?

With batter?