Thetownend.com

Why am I able to start a match day thread at half 8 in the morning?? For shame, TEF

Anyway, match prediction is Swindon Town P - P Southend United. It's been pissing down since half 4 and doesn't look like stopping

That would be handy actually.

It's stopped and brightened up a bit now, so we might be ok

Can't remember many games off due to a waterlogged pitch at the CG, think it'll be fine though the forecast isn't great.

Not looking forward to it tbh.

Oh the apathy.

2-1 win, Tom Smith to score two screamers to remind everyone that he (apparently) looked very handy on his last appearance a few months ago. Ex Marseille superstar Mo Bangoura to come back from the underworld to put in a man of the match battling midfield display.

0 - 2

Today, the ninth of January, will forever be remembered as 'Jordan Stewart Day'.

Or something like that.

If the game isn't postponed then 3-1 to the Town. Ajose with a brace and a screamer from Obika to make it three.

That's more like it. As bad as it gets, is it as bad as April 2000?!

Frank Talia
Mark Robinson
Adan Willis
Alan Reeves
Gareth Hall
Scott Leitch
Lee Collins
Michael Meaker
Wayne Gray
Charlie Griffin
Giuliano Grazioli

Subs:
Steve Mildenhall
James Williams
Steve Cowe
Sol Davis
Paul McAreavey

Edit: Swap the front line and maybe the centre backs (although both Reeeeves and Willis could have their day) and there's not a great deal in it.

Not a nice day for this - complete lottery will go for 2-1 but could be more -

For fear of being asked to contribute - has the Prediction League been abandoned.....??

we haven't won since Shrewsbury, which was the last game I went to. so being the lucky mascot I'm   going for a 2 0 win with lots of sideway passing to thrill the crowd..

2-1 loss

In St Lucia at the moment and going on a day trip today so won't be keeping abreast of what is going on at the CG.

However with no manager and 6 bodies out and none in, we are back to where we were towards the beginning of the season.

A poor performance and a 0-2 loss. Rum punches will null the pain.

We went to St Lucia last year, whereabouts are you staying?  As for today, I'm feeling a bit gloomy about the situation at the CG again, praying for a win but expecting a close game and a 1-1 draw.  And I don't think the departures this week will see us get above 7,000 present. :cry:

Hi Ronnie. We're in the Cap Maison just north of Rodney Island. It's idyllic and we haven't seen much of St Lucia yet, boat trip today and hoping to squeeze in more tours before we go home next Sunday.

Where did you stay? Any must sees/dos? (Sorry for going off topic chaps)

Come on the town. Even if we lose let's have a good song song and let them know we are there.  2-0

0-2 defeat, cant see a midfield 3 of rodgers/kasim/traore doing the job

The good news, is we can't drop into the relegation places today....the bad news we could be only 2 points off the drop zone, if Blackpool win. Oldham are playing, we could do with them getting beat.  Chesterfield will be hoping to build on their 7-1 win.

We were quite close to you at St James Club just before you get to Rodney Bay, should have been at Smugglers Cove very close to you but got switched a few weeks before we went!  Wouldn't go back to that resort.  We didn't do much as you will have found out travelling around is not too luxurious, the transfer from the airport was horrendous as we were in a minibus driven by a clone of Lewis Hamilton - on those roads??

Tim Sherwood among the guests at today's match.

Stfc player notbworking for anyone else?

First time I've been at home to listen to a match for weeks and predictably Player isn't working

It's not just me then.

Bollocks

Laughably predictable.

Haha, worst goal to concede ever....

Rubbish!

fucking bollocks disgrace of a goal, and I don't blame the players

Player is the worst it's ever been for me. Don't think i've heard more than a word.

Absolutely shit.  Fucking about at the back and between Branco and Kasim the ball is lost and they score.

We are an utter shambles at the moment.

I don't even have that much, not working at all.

it's clearly trained into then though Jo. fucking  pathetic

God were shit

Steve Hale and Williams have a lot to answer for here!

Well, at least it doesn't sound as though I'm missing much. Back to gaming it is.

vigs superglued to his line for second (2-0 FH)

we have had two half promising attacks though

Charlie Nicholas on soccer saturday - 'Swindon are useless'

Sounds like Southend may claw back their goal difference today! :-(

Pathetic.

Going well then  :crash:

We're back to how we were pre Ling.  I'm struggling to think of a weaker midfield and players so far out of their depth it's not true. It's embarassingly pathetic.  Power needs to act quickly in terms of manager and players or there's not a doubt in my mind we'll be in League 2 next season.  

Just the word to describe the dross that we are left with.

Power needs to pull his finger out double quick and sort a decent manager out or we are fucked. Don't fancy shopping places with the Piss Staines but that is whats ging to happen I fear.

indeed

while all the above is true and more, as strange as it sounds this game isn't over

soapy tit wank, nealy was then. thought the circus music was going to start on the tannoy..

Can we send Anton Rodgers back to where he came from

I stand by my opinion that Williams should have gone with Cooper

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNBL5OMeuno

But he's a coaching genius  :doh:

I'm tending to agree with you.  The messing about at the back stopped when Ling was here.  Today it's back with a vengence and has cost us.

Power's had enough, he vacated his seat ages ago.  Let's hope he's making some phone calls.

Hes probably gone down the changing room to take over as manager at half time

I'm not sure it stopped, tbf. The short goal kicks were still happening in the Gillingham match at least.

1-2 Ajose!

see, told you it wasn't over

that's mental. we've been appalling at the back yet 2-2

Blinkin heck.

2-2 Obika!

critical that we hold on to Obika & Ajose

Fuck knows how that's happened. :)

2-2 HT

Don't know how it's 2-2. We have gifted them the goals, awful defending.

Final third we are decent. Midfield ok. Defensively shocking, no a dogs dinner.

Mystic Batch 😉.

Utterly ridiculous game with two poor teams.  The team have gone off to applause, whereas up until Ajose scored, boos were ringing around the ground.

An odd game, gifted them two goals from laughable defending, but have looked good going forward, this game could be another Sheffield Utd

We are not dull.

Fuck knows how we are level, Southend seem to have lost the plot like we did for the first 30 minutes.

Reinforces my view that Williams should never be a manager, anyone with half a brain cell would abandon this short goal kick nonsense. Fuck knows what our keeper coach does either other than pedal his own brand of gloves as he should be putting a stop to it!

always got a chance with two goal scorers. Robert, boo and Barry should be praised for their attacking contribution too - Robert out best player, boo + Barry adding good width

Doing too well up front. Can we bring on Sabin and Dossevi to get the complete comedy performance?

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CYSl28KW8AAj9Zd.jpg)

2198 fewer home fans today than Boxing Day. That's mad.

Must have moved from his original seat, which was in my view. 

Balmy is coming on. Oh dear.

3-2! Bugger me.

Bloody hell.

(http://i.imgur.com/zmpkxnV.gif)

Luke Wiliams and his boring sideways passing, eh?

:D I love this

The moaners must be gutted

Haha.

Williams right now:

(http://i.imgur.com/WVQJyXw.gif)

worst first 30 of the season, but from thereon we've grown and grown

Well, this is a very pleasant surprise.

Let me just find a gif to illustrate that.

Unbelievable. An Ajose second and West Brom ruin City's day in a heartbeat!

(http://i.imgur.com/Oogw9PC.gif)

Astonishing.

Just got in.  Going to look forward to reading back later.

Icing on the cake was BBC Radio 5 commentary just now cutting to the Hawthorns for the last 10 secs of West Brom's game vs the Slave Traders (who were 2-1 up).  Raucous scenes in the away end.  Free kick to West Brom.  Bang...equaliser.  Made me smile.

Enjoyed that, although I did miss the first half.

Never mind, found one.

(https://media.giphy.com/media/BBAdXxBAXp3wc/giphy.gif)

Had a fiver on town to win at 2-0 down.. 29-1... Cashed out at 120 as didn't trust defence!! Good day!

Wow fair play Town

That was definitely the best half to miss.

Fair play to all, I wasn't hopeful. Looking forward to the reports, as we must have played with some "balls"

Hopefully a massive lesson learnt today. Cut out the suicidal sideways passing at the back and play more direct down the wings and we'll rip a lot of teams apart. Southend completely capitulated second half and we could have had more.
Obika's 2nd summed the game up, running through on goal and has an air shot with his first attempt hut it fools all the defenders and buys him the space to finish it. Comedy gold but a thing of beauty.

Can anyone summarise Williams post match interview?

First 20 minutes aside, that was thoroughly enjoyable.
Obika was immense, scoring two and creating one, defended well at times too, worked hard, as did Traore, BOO, Branco, Ajose and Barry. Kasim had a better game today too. Encouraging.

Rodgers was awful first half and got abuse for it, was much better second half.
He was giving it the big'un at the end, walked up to the Don Rogers Stand and just glared at the fans, like he was fucking Cantona.

Very happy, good overall performance, bring in a couple of players this week and i'll be even happier.

He got embroiled in an argument with a section of the crowd in the second half after they shouted at him for bottling another challenge. He was especially poor for much of today even by his low standards.

 Massive... not seen too many of these 2-0 down to win 4-2 games.....home to Cobblers in 65 springs to mind as does the game at the Manor early 90's.  I'm sure there must be a couple of others.

Scunny home around 2008

I had exactly the same thought.  The game at the Manor was the season before I started going, but I was already following results...and that result stood out at the time for some reason.

Yes, the game they ended up with 9.

The writing was on the wall. You were destined for life as a town fan Ardiles. You lucky boy!

Anton Rogers is the worst first team regular I've ever seen

There is some serious competition for that badge of dishonour.

Well fair play to our boys today. 2 down after a couple of gifts and crowd well and truly on their backs and they turned it around. Deserved it too.

This thread after 30mins gone is laughable mind.

The problem is he showed himself to be a bit of a twat as well today which is hardly going to help his cause.

Strange game, bloody awful for first 35 mins and then totally overran them and could have had more than 4.  We cut out the short passes and started to attack them with a bit of pace, players grew balls suddenly and were challenging for everything - although i find it hard to include Rodgers in that statement!  In the end they were well beaten and their fans started to invade the Stratton Bank, fuck knows why - our useless stewards sat back and watched them do it before a tannoy announcement for them to return to their seats!

First 30 minutes were absolutely shambolic at the back. Worst of the season. We looked like the dog and duck 11 v Barcelona we were so so poor.... But there was always a flicker up front. It looked like we could score but concede 8.

The first was from the fucking retarded "genius coach football manual" that says play it out from the back, even if there is a player next to you and the opposition can see what is coming from a mile off and put you under pressure.

There second looked like a keeper error to me, should have come for it. Will need to watch it again.

However slowly but surely we came into the game. We shouldn't have gone in 2-2, but we did.

The second half was so, so different. We were comfortable at the back, on top and deserved won. Some of our attacking play was superb, and we actually used width. A really enjoyable half indeed.

Fair play to the STFC players to show bollocks, dig in and win after some much deserved criticism in the first 25. Who said moaning at players was never useful:)

But for the love of god can we abandon the 'pass it out at goal kicks at all cost' bollocks. It doesn't work, its fucking stupid.

Not a bad comeback from Tranmere today!

You weren't there man! You weren't there!!

(On commentary we sounded awful and prone to concede every minute!)

Really? Worse than Michael Pook? Ricky Shakes?

Yup. Even worse

Oh don't get me wrong our defending was comical. Even at 2 down their keeper had made more saves than ours though.

Bizarrely our friends little lad scored a penalty during half time at that game.

The missus just said to me Fraser scored a penalty at Barrow today, I replied it didn't help as they got battered, she reminded me he is 7!

Think we know that isn't going to happen....we just need to get better at it. The heebie jeebies it transmits to the fans though is fun. 

Caught the tail end of Hodgetts/Chalky White summary, they seemed to infer the Louis T. is on the way back - had there been an announcement or is Hodgetts having his customary wank over players coming in?

Southend players still locked in the changing room....

Power said pre-match that Louis Thompson was injured and that was the reason for the recall and Town hope to get him back.

Whether that's 100% true or not? We shall see.

Screen-capped this as the standard of journalism is so poor.

Robert was like the Duracell bunny in the second half. He and Traore ran the second half. Rodgers was Rodgers...crap.

The least said about the first 35 mins, the better, but stop pratting about with it from a goal kick.

And short corners....stop it, and just get it into the box, especially shooting towards SB with the swirling wind.

Robert ...my MoM

Well it is the BBC...

I messaged the keeper coach on Twitter about the short goal kicks, he's pointed me firmly in Williams direction so it's obviously his footballing vision or car crash in reality!

It worked well second half by mixing it up, working it out from our keeper some short, some long passes and getting the second ball, some bursting through in the centre, some through the wings. I don't think Southend knew what we would do next, unlike most of the the first half. We worked extremely hard to retain and obtain the ball which is all you can ask.  I don't count Rodgers, I hate him because he has a lot of ability at passing and shooting, but is so half hearted or avoids tackles, doesn't jump for headers, and goes next to opponents from our throwins instead of moving in to space to receive it. And still too sideways and backwards.

Are we now being coached by Tyson Fury?

http://www.flicwiltshire.com/reaction-williams-hails-his-troops-bravery-and-belief-in-wake-of-southend-win/

Supposedly Southend are still in the dressing room...

Phil Brown going full on "Phil Brown".

Apart from the first half hour or so, thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. Topped off by their number 5 starring in a brilliant meltdown after conceding a foul. Proper nutter.

Seriously if anyone want to say those of us there were over reacting after after 30 minutes, we'll you clearly weren't there.  Granted we did create some chances, but we were absolutely abject in defence.  I was laughing it was that bad.  

I couldn't even get angry just look on in disbelief as we persisted in our Laurel and Hardy tactics expecting it to suddenly work against all evidence.  Im sure someone has defined madness as continually doing the same thing expecting different results.  Truth is we just did not learn.  

However, they weren't very good either and we have good players up front.

Cant believe the performance after that.  Delighted with the result.  Lovely day out.

I was screaming at Obika to pass.  Shows what I know  :)

The first 20/30 minutes was as shambolic and rubbish I've seen.  Then we seemed to settle and the players started to work harder and string some decent moves together.  We can probably count ourselves a bit lucky to have gone in level, but in the second half there was only one team in it.  I don't think Vigoroux had a save to make and the only way Southend looked likely to score again was from another mistake by us.

Robert was my mom, Traore grew as the game progressed, but looks like he picked up an injury again.  Kasim had as good a game as I've seen this season.  Rodgers was the weak link again, he's too slow and just doesn't seem to read the game at all.  The defence looked comfortable in the second half and the forwards did exactly what they needed to.

A brilliant 3 points in the end, which didn't look likely after 12 minutes.  Fair play to all for showing the commitment and determination to turn it around.

It was Einstein, Moosehead quoted it on Twitter.

Sky highlights

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/10124431/swindon-4-2-southend

Ajose is a better man than me, I'd have gone and celebrated right in front of the Southend defender who tried to cynically clip him down before for the fourth.

Someone behind me said its all or nothing with Rodgers.  He's right.  It seems that he's either producing a fantastic through ball, a great free kick or just a load of old shit.

Ok.  Thankyou.  Nice to know I am thinking along the same lines as the intellectual powerhouse that is Moosehead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKMMCPeiQoc

Mostly this...

Modern football, ladies and gentlemen.

A part of modern football we clearly need to stop following as there is very little benefit to be obtained from it and a whole lot of risk. I reall fail to see what the point of it is, especially in shit weather like today.

I think the idea is that long goal kicks immediately create a 50/50 situation whereas the short routine should ensure posession.except that in our case,it doesn't.

I absolutely loved Scott Leitch

Scott Leitch was actually pretty good, how you can put him in ahead of Rodgers or someone like Darren Bullock who was a thug not a football player I'm not really sure....

Oh and Tony Thorpe was much worst than Grazioli!

the going short or blabbermouth keeper coach tweeting fans?

I did as well.  Especially when he linked up with Walters.

Yep, I'd hazard a guess that short goal kicks are not the problem. Rather the problem is that we're just not that good at it..... yet.

Fucking woeful start. Really woeful.
I had a pact at 3 zip to the pub and Southend really should of sent me there when they squandered a great chance to bury us.....they paid a high price for it.

We turned it round....

They were second best throughout the second half and the result was well deserved

Bizarre match and three points on the board towards safety...amen...

that'd be it

Thought so. Agree by the way.

I absolutely loved Ajose's 2nd goal, you don't see a breakaway 1-on-1 often enough :)

Wait till you see the highlights. We persist even when the short one is not on. It's fucking embarrassing.

Likewise. Not all bad in there. Pompey got quite a deal getting him for about £25k I think. I actually thought Adam Willis could have been decent. Had a string on MoM performances one year...

I have seen 'that' goal, what a mess. I still stand by what I said though. It may not be the notion, but rather the execution.

If it works, it works well - draw their midfield onto you and create space to play through them - but if a side is closing you down well, it's the fastest way to look like fools.

Doggedly sticking to anything despite it not working is stupid. There's a time and a place to play it short, we need to mix it up.

Whatever Williams instructions to Vigorous are, I cannot believe they are to short pass to a defender who is obviously in a corner being closed down.

Nice to see the coaching team all standing together on decisions as a group - bodes well for the future doesn't it.

I would say the complete opposite, the fact it happens week in week out and Wes was doing it last season says that it is coaching instruction.

Its not the first bit thats the problem in this case, but if anyone has scouted us and seen us doing it, the second bit, where Branco goes from his second pass from Vigs is the issue.  

He needs to hoof it at that point not play it into Kasim who has a man on him.

Thing is, our style of play is risky, its playing with small margins.  When it comes off the swift passing is a joy, this season whether through lack of coaching, not good enough players or other teams knowing our style, its not coming off.

I'm with the flash on this, short pass with the keeper worked fine but Branco chose to make one more short pass when he was closed down rather than the safe punt down the line. In the second half we did more of that when in the same situation and as someone else has already said we mixed it up more.

Williams said in his post match interview that they do it to try to keep possession and stretch teams rather than throw the ball forward and battle against what are more often that not with our squad far more physical teams.

I can see what he's getting at but we need better decision making and execution.

I dunno, 2nd half we did it again and Branco put the first pass on to Vigs wrong foot and we almost got ourselves in trouble again. Branco is arguably our least technically gifted player so to choose him to be the receiver from the keeper and be relying on his passing is also a bit stupid in my opinion.

Luke Williams said that was the case in his post match interview and it ensures longer periods of possession. He also said the players have to decide when they do and sometimes they get it wrong. He also explained their thinking that with young players they can't play a typical league one style.

What I would question is that Vigouroux and Branco got it wrong. Vigs hesitated before doing it which brought the Southend players in tighter. Branco didn't look up and play the situation when he got it back as the pass inside wasn't on and should have hit it down the line.

We seem to do that so many times where we get away with the 1st time but still carry on trying to play it out when there is obvious danger. Interesting that both Sam Parkin and Chalky White couldn't understand repeating the tactic. Chalky played in Ardiles and Hoddle teams that played out from the back but knew when to go long. Mind you Kerslake and Bodin were better players to play that game.

It might also have helped if Kasim had actually come to meet the ball, instead of standing there like a disinterested statue as their player intercepted the pass.

No comedy, just a thing of beauty. Rolled the ball with his studs, went through it on the radio how he practices it

I missed the Williams interview, if there was one. Anything of note?

I didn't catch it all but what I did catch was mostly just the standard type of stuff. "Proud of the comeback" and what not. What I did notice however is that he comes across as very personable, he just sounded like your average bloke that you'd meet in a pub and end up having a good chat with.

Not surprised where he's concerned.

Care to elaborate Arriba?

Very odd game but we deserved the win, first 30 aside. We look brilliant going forward and extremely dodgy at the back, great 3 points and thoroughly enjoyed it!

No. Sorry. Don't think I need to make my personal opinion known right now.
Theakstons post says enough anyway.

Stop moaning you bastards it was brilliant.

Wait.. You're not all sober are you?

Ive just had a beer to toast Lemmy.

We've Vale in the week...it may be a controversial view, but I'm disappointed Lemmy's funeral wasn't in Burslem

On another note, tell us whether you feel 5 wins in 7 (or 6 wins in 9) have given us a 'fighting chance' in our 'relegation dogfight'

That's cool, I see this guy nearly every morning he doesn't come across very approachable, I thought it was just me,

If we play like we did for the first 20 mins yesterday we wouldn't pick up another point.
Play like we did after that and we will be just fine.
Biggest concern is any depth of squad/team, but hopefully Power will be addressing that in the next couple of weeks. I guess ultimately that will determine how our season ends.

Im confused who you are talking about now? Williams or Goalkeeping coach as ive found them both very approachable so im surprised by the comments

Highlights

http://www.skysports.com/football/swindon-vs-southend/340393

The passing short tactic actually worked pretty well last year, I don't remember us conceding a goal from it. This season it has been a nightmare and we've conceded at least 2 from my memory from trying it.
The difference? Nathan Thompson. He's composed and got us out the shit with it last year, Branco is nowhere near good enough on the ball for it to work with him, hence the goals conceded

Given us more than a fighting chance. A 1 in 3 win ratio is now enough to stay up.

Last years team were shit loads better than this one, I think NT is just a small part of that.

 But its the passing out at all costs that's the issue. Not the idea of passing out itself. Teams scout opposition, they know to press us and watch us disappear up our own arses. But we pass it out even when they are doing so, and even when the oppo is standing next to the man receiving the fucking ball. We aren't good enough. Fuck me, even Holland saw total football would ultimately not work.

While we are on the subect, I've been wholly unimpressed by our method of defending in general for getting on for a year now. Even my 11 year old son takes the piss out of me on FIFA when I don't close him down, the cross comes in and he scores..."don't defend it like Swindon dad...you need to close down the space not stand off and watch."

Crap defensive coaching.

4-2 win, after being 2-0 behind, would usually be enough to please most people. Looking on the Facebook fan page, it seems we have a lot of supporters with unrealistic expectations who would rather dwell on the negatives. If you can't enjoy a 4-2 win, what's the fucking point?

enjoying moaning about a 4-2 win :)

There were loads of positives yesterday. Two goal scoring strikers, one who has power and strength and another who is a predator, Barry and Boo having their best attacking halves adding some much needed width and pace. And, I know I'm not going to be popular, but I thought Kasim and Rodgers had good second halfs too.

To help keep the warm fuzzy glow intact, I'm putting the first 30 minutes down to us being unsettled due to manager and players leaving etc.

How many times have we read this season that the strikers had little or no service, they got the service yesterday and proved a point I guess.  The final hour we were so much better at closing down, pressing and winning the ball than we have been, first 30 mins Rodgers and Kasim were awful but they did grow into the game, Kasim especially!

We were up against a team that has now let in 11 in three games. The win was nice, but our defence won't be handed the same get out of jail cards most weeks. Suggests we really need a replacement for El Abd.

Same can be said about the defences of about 75% of this league. What yesterday did show is that if we up the pace and go more direct we will create chances. More importantly it also showed that contrary to a lot of doom mongers beliefs here is enough in this squad to stay up. 2 or 3 additions will see us comfortably midtable in my opinion.

The defence grew into the game after the first 20 minutes or so, though not enough that I could relax even after we were 3-2 up. I expected a traditional fuck up allowing them to pull us back. Very glad it didn't happen.

Vigs is a very good shot stopper. Reaction keeping at it's best. He has no vision however. I often find myself screaming at him to throw the ball out to Barry, BOO or one of the midfielders in acres of space. This is something we should work on- Vigs being encouraged to look up and react, our defence and midfield learning to be more proactive after Vigs has gained possesion. Get a fucking shift on instead of ambling out all the time, staring at your nice shiny pink/ orange/ green or whtaver colour boots.

I have said any times that we are shit at taking throw ins. Fuck me but I was proved wrong for our second goal. Mind you, probably the exception that proves the rule.

Both Beeks and Ajose's second goals were a joy to watch. Two very good runs. I was with about 90% of the crowd screaming for Beeks to fucking pass it though. I deserve one of these from him however :smugfu:

I actually thought the first was really good as well, technically very difficult what he did.

Those rum punches tasted sweet last night. Happy to have got my prediction wrong :)

I'm not sure it has great relevance, but this is the first post-war season, that we've got into the new year and not had a clean sheet at home. The nearest contender was in the 05/06 relegation season when we got to December 17th before keeping one. 

We have a strong chance with Crewe next week.

The stats don't really back that up.  Crewe are on 11 away goals scored, and have some company in the low away scorers bracket...foot of the pile Port Vale with 9, 2 at the CG, then Burton as Crewe 11, 1 at the CG...followed by Oldham and Sheff U, both with 12 both scored twice at the CG in wins. Blackpool are also down there, but yet to visit the CG.

Our next 4 fixtures are very winnable, particularly if we get 2 or 3 decent in.

Vale have one of the better home records in Div 3, it's away they struggle.

We have the voodoo sign on them though, that's why I class it winnable.

I'm hoping that with Mr Smurthwaite wanting out, their season might start to unravel starting Tuesday....but it's very much hoping rather than expecting.

That is the encapsulation of being a town fan..

I think we will draw at Port Vale and win against Crewe and a return of 7 points from 9 in a week would be a good one

I thought this was a thread about the game not a witch hunt of the staff which its turning into, Rogers, Williams, Hale, Belford to name a few

As i said to someone earlier, ive met Williams and Hale on seperate occasions and both seem very approachable. I met Hale at Next Gen and got chatting and it was clear how much the club means to him and any away game ive been to he is one of the first to go and applaud the fans at the end. I always thought tactics are decided by the manager of any club certainly not a goalkeeping coach? As for peddling gloves, i think youll find he has a private coaching school if you look at his twitter account which he sells his gloves through which has nothing to do with Swindon.

We should all be pulling together and not pulling apart, nobody benefits from that.

Can we get back to the game itself or up coming games

14 posts says you don't know the residents yet! Moany old bastards to a tee, who spout shit a lot of the time, but all town fans, just albeit ground down a bit..

Ive been around a while i just dont frequently post, just now and then and i guess probably because of the negativeness that comes out, i understand everyone has different opinions but the amount of negatives i just personally dont think does anyone any good. We are a league one club with limited budget, we are not Real Madrid so we are not going to win every week and our players are mostly young learning the game at this level and will make mistakes as they go along, as will the staff who also have limited experience and i feel we should cut them some slack amd get behind them not fight against them

Think he's having a carafe....

Yeah i'm in the glass half full camp, but I know why others aren't. If I'm honest we've been pretty crap for most of my supporting life. I's say 10 seasons kept me excited, 15 have been anonymous, and 15 pretty appalling. I think I did a post a while back here, or somehwere where I had seen 200 wins, 200 draws and 200 losses with a +1 goal difference, which has made my entire life supporting us pretty much a waste of time....


But it hasn't obviously!

Fans have always been negative and love gossip. It's just that nowadays the internet is full of it rather than word of mouth like it used to be.
Even when we were strolling to the premier league under Hoddle people were abusing the chairman of the club.
The stuff in this thread is pretty tame really.

If you didn't enjoy the comeback against Southend after the first 20 minutes or so when it looked like a right tonking was on the cards, then really you are never going to get much joy from attending the County Ground. Rodgers for all his faults was inches away from scoring a very good goal. Boo and Barry are both kids who have a lot to learn, but both put in a real good shift on Saturday. If you weren't there you won't have appreciated what a good job our boys did, and who cares if Southend have let in 11 in 3 games, a team bereft of manager and 6 players they had available for the last game stuck 4 past them to fully entertain all their paying customers

Good post

It was, right up until he referred to us as customers

Its completely relevant if it relates to coaching that's reflected in the game. Sorry if negativity puts you off though. I use TEF to let it out rather than grump around.

Whoops

Ajose was wearing gloves ;)

Official highlights up (for those who can't view the Sky ones):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZexMvDZ7o8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZexMvDZ7o8)

I got the impression from Williams post match interview that he is not too keen on taking on the manager job full time, but if he gets told that is what he's doing then he will get on with it until power tells him any different.