Matt Richie

[Dostoyevsky]

I remember my Dad waking me up early morning in 1992 telling me that Duncan Shearer had signed for Blackburn for £800,000. I was 10, and devastated.

A lamentable day indeed, I was 10 also at the time. Does anyone know if Duncan has ever returned to the club as a guest? Hope he harbours fond memories towards us.

[Bewster]

We had a few wobbly lips in our house this morning too, MR. My youngest couldn't understand why we'd sell him to promotion rivals (and why he'd go) "because they're not even better"

Ditto. I had to explain that this is what happens when you are a fan of a smaller club. I told him that he has a choice - to be part of a smaller club like Swindon or go a follow a big team with lots of money like Man City or Chelsea.

He looked at me with tears in his eyes and resolutely announced "I am NOT changing teams daddy".

[Paolo69]

No, as has been said several times and seems to be over looked by all, it implies the club is in limbo, with neither the new or old owners able to provide funding.

Black is STILL the owner until the league approve the deal and wants no further part, so money needs to come from somewhere. The new owner likewise can't put money into something he doesn't own. Makes sense to me.

Which creditors wouldn't wait the few days to get paid though. I'm sure there's more to this than "having" to sell for cashflow issues. Also aren't most transfer fees paid in instalments anyway.

[Red Frog]

Whatever happens, it's going to have bugger all to do with anything any of us say or do.  Que sera, sera.

Agree that off the pitch and on it, we are only spectators. That doesn't mean we have no role to play if things aren't to our liking (viz the Trust in the past). It's no coincidence that attendances have been on an upward curve during the recent period of stability. If we go back to being a basket-case, they'll quickly drop away again. That's our shareholding that the board have an interest in protecting.

[welshred]

Which creditors wouldn't wait the few days to get paid though. I'm sure there's more to this than "having" to sell for cashflow issues. Also aren't most transfer fees paid in instalments anyway.

Cash up front may have been part of the deal (hence why it was so low) and Bournemouth may have been the only team able/willing to do that.

[WR5]

Ditto. I had to explain that this is what happens when you are a fan of a smaller club. I told him that he has a choice - to be part of a smaller club like Swindon or go a follow a big team with lots of money like Man City or Chelsea.

He looked at me with tears in his eyes and resolutely announced "I am NOT changing teams daddy".

Pretty much this too,

It was wobbly lip time in our house this morning, then the wife told me to man the fuck up and tell the boy

[Bob's Orange]

I'm going to copy this from an e-mail sent by my friend Matt (not that one) to the London Reds mailing list.

Yesterday I felt I was back in a science lesson in March 1995, reading in disbelief the words £1.3 mil on the back of a copy of the Adver 'liberated' from the school staff room.

Today I feel better.  It seems it was Black who sanctioned the Ritchie sale, not the new lot.  If he wanted half a mil back after writing off a 10 mil loss who can blame him?

Which is a very fair point.  We still know next to nothing about the new lot (other than JedMac's writing skills not being up to much).  Still massively disappointed about the Ritchie sale, but have to sit back and wait.  Whatever happens, it's going to have bugger all to do with anything any of us say or do.  Que sera, sera.

I thought you were going to take an internet holiday Ardiles?

My dad is on holiday in Devon and I doubt he will have any idea what is going on. He's in for a bit of a surprise when he gets back tomorrow.

[Ardiles]

Agree that off the pitch and on it, we are only spectators. That doesn't mean we have no role to play if things aren't to our liking (viz the Trust in the past). It's no coincidence that attendances have been on an upward curve during the recent period of stability. If we go back to being a basket-case, they'll quickly drop away again. That's our shareholding that the board have an interest in protecting.

Couldn't agree more (about the longer term influence of the Trust etc.)  Just feel like a bit of a bystander this week, that's all.

[PetsWinPrizes]

I'm going to copy this from an e-mail sent by my friend Matt (not that one) to the London Reds mailing list.

Yesterday I felt I was back in a science lesson in March 1995, reading in disbelief the words £1.3 mil on the back of a copy of the Adver 'liberated' from the school staff room.

Today I feel better.  It seems it was Black who sanctioned the Ritchie sale, not the new lot.  If he wanted half a mil back after writing off a 10 mil loss who can blame him?

Which is a very fair point.  We still know next to nothing about the new lot (other than JedMac's writing skills not being up to much).  Still massively disappointed about the Ritchie sale, but have to sit back and wait.  Whatever happens, it's going to have bugger all to do with anything any of us say or do.  Que sera, sera.

This 'Matt' sounds a reasoned, and dare I say it, wise man.

[welshred]

Ditto. I had to explain that this is what happens when you are a fan of a smaller club. I told him that he has a choice - to be part of a smaller club like Swindon or go a follow a big team with lots of money like Man City or Chelsea.

He looked at me with tears in his eyes and resolutely announced "I am NOT changing teams daddy".

I've got all this to come. My boy is 4 and is surrounded by smug kids in their Swansea City shirts. He still wears his Swindon shirt when he goes to football though.

Not sure whether to ensure he follows Swindon (and offer him a life full of heart-ache) like my Dad did to me, or suggest he follows his home town team.

[Ardiles]

This 'Matt' sounds a reasoned, and dare I say it, wise man.

Oh, he is.  He is.

[Honkytonk]

God I'd nearly forgotten how shit it could be to be a Swindon fan. Hardly the best start to the new owner's tenure. I still remember being a 9 year old sat in my Dad's car on the way home and hearing about the financial difficulties at the club, and that George Ndah was being sold to Wolves. But at least we got 1mill for him...

[london_red]

This 'Matt' sounds a reasoned, and dare I say it, wise man.

Hopeless at finding his way from a station to a pub though.

[Paolo69]

Cash up front may have been part of the deal (hence why it was so low) and Bournemouth may have been the only team able/willing to do that.

Yay! Yet more maybe's. And why couldn't we just make the creditors who are due payment wait a couple more days? I am seriously worried.

Oh and it's your boys choice. Has to be Town all the way though. Bewster's boy is "da man"

[Nijholts Nuts]

Good players come, good players go. There will be other Ritchies and Austins. I appreciate what he's done for us and I am very grateful, I will also miss the 30 yard screamers. However, the fact remains we are Swindon and we go on regardless, we shall adapt and adjust and make the best of the situation (far from ideal as it is). I trust PDC and his team to replace as he sees fit, I also feel we've got the strength in depth to cope whilst such a replacement is sought.

The season isn't over folks, not yet not by a long stretch.