Swindon Town vs Port Vale Official Matchday Thread

[suttonred]

I can't even be bothered to answer such questions.

 I cant believe people are so uninformed. It's like the Internet and the radio doesn't exist.

[RWB Robin]

That was the worst display of refereeing I have seen...not that he got big decisions wrong (apart from the whole mess in the last minute), but he simply was not in control of the game from the outset.  In different circumstances, with different teams, it could have turned very nasty.  As has been said, nothing was done about Ikpeazu until far too late, and after several ridiculous, encounters with our players, beginning with the outrageous attempt to get Branco sent off, which happened right in front of the managers (and where I was sitting), I don't think Branco even touched him - if he did, Ikpeazu was backing into him, and he suddenly through himself on the floor clutching his eye.  The referee did nothing, despite the linesman drawing his attention to it.  But there were a lot of other niggling incidents - including one of our players falling over, and us getting a free kick....enough to outrage both sets of fans, which could have set off crowd trouble...I certainly heard stupid ones outside the ground going off to 'meet' the Vale fans.

As for the game....moments of excellence, yes, but even I (and I believe in the system) reckoned we were without the creative genius in midfield....Rogers, BOO and Williams all too quick to pass sideways and backwards, and Rogers especially guilty of trying to be too clever in dangerous positions.  He used the 'outside of the foot' pass several times, once or twice successfully and imaginatively, but too often (including for their first goal) really poorly.  BOO showed when he was let loose going forward how dangerous he can be, but too often he was statuesque on the wing passing straight back when he received the ball.  The problem with all that is that it doesn't give others the time to get into potentially creative positions.  Smith especially suffered from that, I feel...he just wasn't in the right place most of the time.  Robert seemed to be the one who really worked hard to get the ball and use it; and most of the incisive attacks came from Branco's moving forward with the ball and distributing well.

But it certainly wasn't a boring evening.....

[Reg Smeeton]

Bollocks last minute goals always bring back nightmares of times when we seem to let them in nearly every game

Danny Wilson's sides specialists in this....the worst ever being 2-1 up at Charlton v 9 men in the 95 minute, and conceding to the centre half scoring from open play, another at the end v Wycombe at the CG, ending up 1-1, could be argued cost us automatic.

[Outletred]

But I thought that was precisely what clubs could not do these days? How does that work? If they are still able to do that, it makes a nonsense of the 60% of turnover rule (or however much it is).

this sums up the issue perfectly. The turnover rule is far too easily manipulated as it is a grey area as to what defines turnover. It should be gate receipts, profit from any player sales, merchandise and any TV money only. The problem is clubs are also allowed to include cash injections which they define as "sponsorship"- this is what allows clubs like Bury, Scunthorpe, Fleetwood to operate way outside their means on gates on average under half of ours.

The only way to enforce it is to be much more stringent- clubs should have to clearly define "turnover" and this should be scrutinised heavier by the FL with points deductions where its breached- this is the only deterrent that would stop it as a fine to rich owners would be pointless.

[RobertT]

But I thought that was precisely what clubs could not do these days? How does that work? If they are still able to do that, it makes a nonsense of the 60% of turnover rule (or however much it is).

Re. the penalty, regardless of the referee's parentage, the most basic of schoolboy errors is to not play to the whistle which is what has happened there . And never touch the ball with your hand unless you're taking a throw in. Simples innit!

I believe in the bottom 2 leagues equity injections are allowed to be counted, and maybe even loans from directors - it's how we got by in 2012-2014 really, so we can hardly complain.  I don't really have any issues with equity investments being allowed as they don't saddle a club with immediate debt, and I am also content with our approach at the moment being a sensible one.  the fact we are talking with Glentoran about a cash purchase pretty much kills dead any notion that we won't invest when it is worthwhile.

As for the comments from someone else about vanishing money - it already vanished, over the first 2 years where Power put in that amount and took on a £2m+ debenture for Black.  We lost around £2m in the year before last alone!  I doubt we are even debt free yet.

[suttonred]

Should pin that, that should stop the same old rubbish being spouted.

[Barry Scott]

 I cant believe people are so uninformed. It's like the Internet and the radio doesn't exist.

I blame the internet. People get their daily news outrage quota from Facebook.

I remember when I was on Facebook and people were sharing a post about Jamie Bulger's killers likely getting released to Australia. This was about a decade after they'd already been released. Yet the outrage and petition signing to prevent their release was in full flow.

[Batch]

BOO kept cutting inside and going nowhere. would be useful to use his pace occasionally. Is that unfair?

or do you mean giving him proper shit.

[Kinky Tom]

He's come from Arsenal where he would have been encouraged to cut back to keep possession and come here where we're encouraged to keep possession.  A little bit of coaching will soon see him knocking the ball past the full back and getting a cross in.

[JayBox325]

BOO kept cutting inside and going nowhere. would be useful to use his pace occasionally. Is that unfair?

or do you mean giving him proper shit.

The two things that annoyed me last night were, as you say, Boo refusing to even try and take his man on and bomb it down the wing. But this could just be a confidence thing. He just needs to do it once and he'll try it a lot more.

The other is Smith's new-found-laziness. Last season he'd chase and chase the ball when their defence had it to keep the pressure up. Or maybe even run the length of the pitch to help defend if he hadn't seen the ball for a few minutes. That seems to have gone. Smith was relatively invisible.

[Abrahammer]

Bit of topic lads, but can someone explain to me the reasons for our own fans getting on the back of certain players??

Pretty simple explanation really.

A proportion of our fanbase are cunts who seem to go to games with the sole intention to slag off cooper and/or some players.

[Samdy Gray]

Bit of topic lads, but can someone explain to me the reasons for our own fans getting on the back of certain players??

People are idiots.

It's my new motto in life.

[horlock07]

The other is Smith's new-found-laziness. Last season he'd chase and chase the ball when their defence had it to keep the pressure up. Or maybe even run the length of the pitch to help defend if he hadn't seen the ball for a few minutes. That seems to have gone. Smith was relatively invisible.

I suspect with the best will in the world, its going to be an aspiration not to get injured before the window closes, he has made all the right noises but if he does want to head back north no one is going to buy him if h is injured.

[BambooToTheFuture]

Yes but also teams may cool on purchasing him if he hasn't scored or contributed effectively during August.  They'll simply lose interest, especially if some strikers in league two start showcasing themselves (who was the Exeter lad that impressed against is in the LC?) He's in danger of not getting his move, which if the case come Sept 1st, he should be busting a gut to then engineer a move in January.

[JayBox325]

I'm over the result now. I've just seen all the abuse that @official_stfc is getting. Jesus, it's too funny.

See the whole lot here:
https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&vertical=default&q=%40official_stfc

Or my highlights:
http://www.twitter.com/jaybox325