Thetownend.com

The opponent:  Carlisle United

It would seem another 5-0 home thrashing has left most of us in good spirits, although it seems Sir William Patey’s comments have burst a few bubbles, depending on how you take what he said. I think the BBC and The Adver  have pretty much filled up a week of media picking bits from 1 interview and giving each bit a different headline. Yawn.  Personally I think its time Morshead recruited the TEF’s own man in the know, Tans.  A once a week column named ‘Tans Scans’, where he reports on all of the latest transfer rumours and gossip relating to everything STFC, with a large chunk of bollocks thrown in for good measure would be a winner for me. My money would be on Tans uncovering an exclusive before Sam. Carlisle away this season was a truly dreadful experience. We managed to get as far as the Morecambe Bay turn off on the M6 and its 2.55pm. Heard via Mrs Rosso that there was to be no delay to the kick off, so we drove most of the way back to SN5 with my phone on loudspeaker and my daughters mobile next to the kitchen radio tuned in to BBC Wilts back at home. The sound quality was appalling, but just about listenable, thank god for 200 free minutes! Thankfully we were going to pay on the day, so the losses were minimised, although the Burger King on the M6 must have had at least the cost of 1 ticket out of us.

With a population of around 75’000, ‘The Border City’ lies just 10 miles south of the Scottish border. By the time of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Carlisle was part of Scotland and was not recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. This changed in 1092, when William the Conqueror’s son William Rufus  invaded the region, kicked some arse, and incorporated Cumberland and with it Carlisle into England. Cheers Bill Jnr. The history of Cumbria and the changing of hands between us and the Scots are quite incredible and well worth a read if you get a chance!  In recent times, back in January 2005, the rivers Eden, Caldew and Petteril burst their banks due to as much as 180 mm rainfall up stream that day. 1,700 homes were flooded and three people died. The city's police and fire stations were flooded along with Brunton Park football stadium, which many of us may remember the images of the pitch literally submerged in water up to the cross bar. The police, fire service and Carlisle United were relocated, the latter as far as Morecambe.  At the time of the flood emergency services had to respond to cases of arson and looting in the city. What a lovely bunch!

Formed in 1904, Carlisle is the smallest location, by population, to have had a resident top flight English football club since 1906. Carlisle United have produced some real footballing gems down the years, including Steve Harkness, Peter Beardsley, Matt Janson, and freak throw himself, Rory Delap.  One of my favourite football quotes has to be from the Carlisle chairman Michael Knighton who once said, “I believe in a Methuselah, Frankenstein, alien beings, flying saucers and the hand of God. But, most of all, I believe in on-loan goalkeepers from Swindon who score goals in the dying seconds”. Brilliant.  A few famous faces hail from the area, including Blue Peter’s Helen Skelton, Norwich Striker Grant Holt, Ex Emmerdale blart Roxanne Pallet, and haulage king, Eddie Stobart.

What are they saying about us? –

“Swindon scored 5 in last two games so I'll gan for a 2-1 victory for Blues.

Miller & Berrett to score.

228 Sheepshaggers in attendance”


“.Tomorrow will be similar to Peterborough away a few seasons ago.

Swindon 6 Carlisle 0

They will have about 47 shots.”

http://boards.footymad.net/forum.php?tno=121&fid=18&sty=2&act=1&mid=2113507366

SHEEPSHAGGERS  ???

Carlisle United Last 6 –  LLLWWL  (Currently 17th in League 1 on 29 points)

The Threat –  Ex Watford striker Joe Garner currently leads the way for Carlisle with 8 goals in 21 games, could be a bit feisty (or clumsy) having picked up 4 yellows so far this season.

A Warm Welcome Too –  John Paul McGovern. I remember JP for a few reasons. Firstly the goal against Franchise which started his one decent season with us, but oddly I seem to remember his mum constantly popping up on BBC Wilts (breakfast, drive show, sports bulletins, news) before the 2010 Play Off Final v Millwall telling us she had never seen her son lose a game, or something to that effect. So she made her way down with the rest of the McGovern Clan to Wembley, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The irrelevant stats – So far this season, Carlisle have played 12 games away from home and have conceded on 15 occasions. Encouragingly, they have failed to keep a clean sheet away from home this season. One thing I did notice is their home form, they have let in 29 goals at home in just 13 games!

Head to Head – Out of the 39 times we have met each other the outcome has been  Swindon 11 Wins, Draws 19 and Carlisle 9 wins

The Odds –  Swindon  8/15   Draw 3/1   Carlisle 5/1 (Bet365)  First goalscorer odds look very similar and somewhat predictable. If you fancy James Collins to continue his goalscoring exploits with the first goal, best price is just 4/1. If you fancy the returning McGovern to score 1st then shop around as BetFred will only give you 12/1 whereas Bet365 will give you 22/1.

The Son Says – See what I did there? He seems to be taking his new found responsibility of secondary scoreline predictor very seriously. After much (and I mean much) umming and arring, he has gone for consistency and plumped for another 5-0 slaying. I hope and pray he is right as I have cash riding on it (55/1 at Coral).

The Prediction – I am plumping for a 3-1 home victory, with goals from Ritchie, Collins and Martin in front of 8’881 with 133 from Carlisle.

And Finally –  Her Majesty’s Theatre in Carlisle was the first Theatre ever to be lit by Electricity in 1880. The theatre finally closed down in 1963, and to this day the people of Carlisle still have no main theatre to go to. Can we not give them the Wyvern?

COYR COYR COYR

I hope theres an earthquake on the M1 forcing the fans to get to the game 85 minutes at 0-0 only to witness three late goals from Swindon to send them backing back to the Scottish border.

Cunts.

 :clap: Your timekeeping's improving. But you're cutting it fine. The knives'll be out if you get in a second earlier.

Cutting? Knives?  :eek:

I've got a good feeling about this.  5-0 Swindon COYR

I think 3-0 Swindon, goals from Collins, Martin and Ritchie. There'll be 8376 in attendance, with 143 making the trip down from Carlisle. C.O.Y.R!!!!!

Posted at 00:00:00, Impressive.


I've had the opportunity to see 2 games so far whilst being home for christmas seeing as Colchester was called off.

both as we know were 5-0 wins.

Would be lovely to make it the hat trick...

I am normally overly optimistic, but I think there is a real possibility of compalency, going for a 2-1 defeat with a Ritchie goal

Unless its 5-0 or better then we're going backwards.

3-1 with Martin getting off the mark.

7,786 - 156 from Carlisle

Love that they call themselves sheep shaggers (or at least one person does!) Excellent work as always Rosso.

As a result of two consecutive 5-0's my expectations have risen to ridiculous and unreasonable levels.

Therefore, rather than my usual 2-0 Williams, Ritchie I'm going for...

6-0 Williams, Ritchie, Collins x 4

This is my minimum expectation and anything less will lead to multiple disgruntled/angry texts to BBC Wilts.

3-1 win, 9100 attendance.

Hopefully,a continuation of our recent home form although i don't expect the same sort of capitulation we saw against Pompey.3-1 to Town with Martin finally on the score sheet

2-1 defeat.

Can we play like Barcelona or Rottweilers every week? Not sure we can so think today will just be a boring but important 2-1 win. Williams & an OG by JPM if he's playing.

Just leaving, any win will do!

Same as me, only I'm off back to uni later and can't make the game so, naturally, we will lose. 1-2.

Taking the scenic route then?   ;D

Hoping for more of the same after the last few games but we have to be wary of overconfidence.

2-0 Town in front of 9,107. Ferry and Ritchie with the goals.

2-0 Martin, Williams

Give over, Martin Williams hasn't played for us in over a decade!

Solid 2-0 victory.

0-0

A good read above, top notch effort I'm convinced SR must be rather bored or unemployed. That Helen Skelton bird he mentions is top notch, I'm a big fan.

Anyway, 2-0 town ... Martin and Ritchie

This is going to be a poor game. I can feel it in my bones. I'm sending out an MSF to Di Canio (Must Start Ferry) and hope he picks it up. Also if we still have Bostock then he should really go on the bench ahead of Navarro.

4-0 ritchie , roberts , ferry and ward in front of 8,444 with 102 from cumbria

we will crush them, 2-1.

Frustrating 0-1 causing Paolo to rant about needing cash in transfer window.

Or 5-0

I don't normally predict, but it has to be 5-0 today...doesn't it?  I wonder how many have money on this result this afternoon?

5-0 Anything less would be a complete failure

Sadly there will be the odd mong who will be declare a crisis if this is this happens

nah 7-1 today

50/1 on sky bet

got 55/1 at Coral, well worth a fiver

1-1 roberts for us att 7124

I know a fair few who have gone for both a 5-0 win for us and also a 0-1 Carlisle, only scores they seem to think will happen!

2-0 Town today for me, Williams and Ritchie

People's prediction for the team today?

Fods, Thompson, Ward, Devera, McCormack, Ritchie, Hollands, Ferry, De vita, Williams and Martin for me.

Bring on Collins around the hour mark for Martin for a repeat of Pompey :sherlock:

    1 Wes Foderingham
    5 Joe Devera
    8  Simon Ferry
    10 Matt Ritchie
    12 Alan McCormack
    15 Nathan Thompson
    16 Andy Williams
    22 Darren Ward
    23 Raffaele De Vita
    24 Chris Martin
    26 Danny Hollands

SUBSTITUTES

    4 Aden Flint
    6 Alan Navarro
    9 James Collins
    11 Gary Roberts
    18 Tommy Miller
    28 Adam Rooney
    30 Leigh Bedwell

ouch! poor Collins

Town: Foderingham; N Thompson, Devera, Ward, McCormack (C); Ritchie, Hollands, Ferry, Roberts; Williams, Collins

subs: Bedwell (GK), Navarro, Miller, De Vita, Martin, A Rooney, Flint

Absolutely the right team, all 11 who effectively won the game on Tuesday

so which is the team or am i being thick here?

I think that was JJ's guess, SY

The one i posted at 2, PV was speculating

Yep I was and was wrong....happily :)

Sorry if I sounded like I knew...I didn't :)

Come on Gary, I can't be there today so he'll no doubt play well. Show that fucking Leeds fan what you're all about.

/facepalm

hoping for a performance like the second half on Tuesday

Really hope Roberts plays well today, I want to see the Roberts we were excited about signing.

No Bostock again - not even on the bench.

He must be off soon which will be a pity - really rate him

My first match since Macclesfield. Apologies to all if they lose!

Di Canio said in his post-match interview that he'd like to keep him, I think.

2-1 Swindon ; Martin off the bench to net

wonder if Don Rogers remembers 1969

Don who?

Can't help but think Bostock would be too pricey to justify having as a squad player.

I rate Bostock highly as well but if he isn't going to be played (which he hasn't in quite a while) then send him back to spurs and lets get someone else in.

Pointless paying money for someone who isn't playing, especially with the limited funds PDC keeps harping on about

Having read his biography I get the feeling that the Don doesn't remember much! the bloke writing it says regularly....Don Scored 3 goals in this game, when asked he doesn't have any memory of the game.....its an underlying theme in his book!

Bostock has been here for a while now and has completely failed to establish himself. There has been the odd decent performance from him but the love for him seems to be a result of reputation rather than production.

We don't need him

Matt le tiss is watching our game on soccer Saturday. Lovely stuff

Le Tissier's watching our game on Soccer Saturday today.

Matt Le Tissier is watching our game on Soccer Saturday, so I hear.

What's Le Tissier doing today I wonder.

sucking off goats

Is Collins playing?

not sure but Le Tissier is watching our game so I hear

No he isn't, he's watching our game - pay attention ::)

Haha! Though jj put up our team a few pages back but it was his guess.

Collins is playing and le tiss has said we've started well.

Next week in Frankfurt apparently...

http://www.concertboom.com/phil-collins/tour-dates/

Williams

1-0

Here we go again!

Gazza esque goal for Williams

Get in Williams! push on now Town

Bravo! Another tonking on the way

Peach according to le tiss.

An absolutely superbly taken goal by Williams.

This is good.  Very good.

We want 5!

We want 6, 5 is so last week

Just backed the 5-0, come on Town!! Let's do this.

my commentary has gone :(

What Di Canio actually said:



What the Carlisle News & Star wrote for their headline:



What Jeff Stelling said about what he read:



This journo lark sounds easy :)

Click the blue Swindon button again

Scum on down too in cup,  :D

done that. CMD/R too and also closed it down. now have it back via the old player

Oxford U - Loosing

Brizzle Rovers - Loosing

Slave Traders - Loosing

The Great STFC - Winning

Ah so good to support quality!!

To be fair, at least they're in the cup...

I'd prefer it if they were losing personally  ;D

BOOOOOOOOOOOO!

We've not scored for ages...

BOOOOOOOOOOOO!

He hasnt played for us for 40 years!

True, but on reflection we are better off out of it if we want to go up again.

Carlisle commentary having a good wank over us. "Their football is ridiculous"

What's this??? Player cuts out, and when I get it back Carlisle have the ball!!

Then it's nearly a second for us. Better.

2-0

Collins

3pts in the bag. We are immense  :clap:

Hahaha player is delayed

Get in coyr

'And I'm feeling...............'

Bullet header, lovely stuff.

Just logged in.  :toocool: Heard the second goal go in - Carlisle commentary saying "Swindon tearing Carlisle apart".....

We want 5!!

Hooray :clap:

'.....glad all over'

P.S. Its shite when you answer your own posts!

happy days

stupid Palarse song, didn't want to encourage you! :no:

'Big nose - he's got a fuckin' big nose'

Carlisle commentary -

"As much as I don't want to say it - It's enjoyable to watch Swindon play like this......"

Sorry, I had no idea what you were on about. They really need to a put stop to that :no:

If we are going to play songs when we score(which I frown upon) let's be original! Maybe "Senses Working Overtime"-1,2,3,4,5..........

That would do :nod:

That couldn't have gone much better, great half :D

I don't like music after goals :no:

In the good ole days .... when I waz a kid etc etc - a goal used to be celebrated and followed by a "you're not singing any more" or other suitable chant....

How this isn't 5 nil I don't know. Class first half. Totally dominant and unlucky to only be 2 up.

Agreed I hate the music after goals, much rather hear the TE telling the away fans to fuck off.

I've always loved the fuck off chant. Pretty much everyone else finishes it with their club, we're the only ones that I've ever heard end it with fuck off  8)

This Carlisle commentator sounds close to tears

i wish they'd get rid of the whole tannoy system

We have a tannoy? Wouldn't know in the drs!

Ha ha - yes. That was one of the highlights! Used to love that one. Does it still happen at CG?

I was very proud showing the videos of the TE in full voice to mates who support other clubs (generally premier leaguers -  boo hiss!) when we ended with an almighty 'F off'! What a bunch of mean spirited fans we are.... tee hee hee!

Yeah it still gets a run out. Not much does though any more. Strange lack of player songs as well.

Amen.

Norwood of fgr scored again. He's the fella we are looking at, other clubs as well apparently.

What about that godawful song which appears to incorporate about six players names repeated over and over to the tune of 2 Unlimited, "No Limits"?  I'm amazed that hasn't caught on more!
 :gay:

Darren purse signs for port vale. Some marquee signing!

More like a tent signing

Wot no tunes like "There's only one Steve Finney......"

"Walking in a Finney wonderland"

3-0

Williams

Goal! Williams!

3-0 job done

Yabba dabba doo  :pint:

We want 5!

2 more please.

15-0 in 4 games  :D

Williams "too good to be true in this league" according to Le Tiss

I don't think the football league show is on after MOTD tonight

Is Le Tiss watching our game then? :hmmm:

It's turned out nice again  :toocool:

No, but a goat told him about it.

 :D

9162 (246) Good crowd, decent away support as well

Well well,Barry Corr with a brace

He hasn't broke another bone has he? ;)

around his shoulder

Bbc Wiltshire said it was but having checked it isn't. And no motd either just fa cup highlights on itv

Rubbish!  Have to wait for the goals online then

Goals express on ssn at 7.

What happened to Raufhoss fan Norway Red, he was good value

Martin goes close again...

Martin sounding lively

Pox 0-2 Sheff Utd

4-0

De Vita

16-0 in 4 games

 :clap:

We are magic. Get the fuck in!

1 more! I want my 5-0 bet to come through

There is time, people.  There is time.

Donny just scored. :(

This is getting boring now . . . :D

Jeff Stelling calling Rafa  Ryvita    :D :D

this is getting dull

Where is he getting his Palace v Stoke scores from? 4-0?According to sky and bbc its 0-0

Dunno why. He only scored from a yard. It was hardly a cracker.

Team is finally clicking lately. And there are so many games ahead.. Gotta keep rolling

Miller hits bar

Stelling greeted the first goal by mentioning the rest of his team mates 'watching the goals go by'

Derby doing a Swindon on Tranmere

What a side Macclesfield are!

Do you understand why he made that comment .......

Pish. 4-0 FT

Full time.

Purple patch

Only 4. What a disappointment.. Paolo is not gonna be happy :no:  

Pox 0-3 Sheff Utd Hahahahahaha.

Ffs, we are on the slide :-D

Never seen such a one sided comprehensive victory.

Scum can concentrate on mid-table mediocrity! :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Carlisle commentary is very very very excited about us - they said 4 - 0 flattered Carlisle, 8 - 0 would have been fair.

They said on paper Carlisle shouldn't be scared of Swindon but that we were fitter, tactics were better, passing was excellent etc etc

Said that it's not about budget but is about hard work and Di Canio input. They seemed impressed with us!

that's what it feels like to have no Cox

Play on words. Famous song by Andy Williams = Music To Watch Girls Go By:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBb5y8IHAtE

Do we need to pick that apart? Utterly dominant in every single way.

Shame that behind the scenes its all going to ratshit! :-)

4 wins in a row, 16 goals scored and none conceded.....very impressive indeed.

Bournemouth have a replay in the cup against Wigan. Hopefully they take their eye off the ball next weekend, 6 pointer now we have a little points gap above Franchise, bmuff etc.

                P    PTS  GD
Tranmere   26    50   18
Doncaster  26    50   15
Sheff Utd   26    47   15
Brentford   25    46   13
Swindon    25    45   28
Franchise  25    42   12
Boremuff   25    42   10

We are in a very good position and our goal difference is fantastic!
Exciting rest of the season in store

Great result again! If anyone has a programme from todays game i am trying to get hold of one. Didnt go due t sickness and clubshop av sold out . I will cover postage, cost of programme plus a couple of pints !

haha, did Paolo just start his interview with the words "one step backwards"?

Well I'm bitterly disappointed - Angry text going off to BBC Wilts as we speak :crash:

Yep

that's brilliant.

he did!

Goals will be on ssn in a second

Great first goal by Williams

What are we going to meltdown over tonight :)

Is meltup a word?

... or maybe you go out of a meltdown?

He just said he'd spend his own money to keep the squad if he has to.

One step backwards, one goal less. 

I sense a decline

They've still got a Johnstones Regional Semi Final = which John Lennon (of Urine Forum rather than Yoko Ono fame) described as a "big game" - bless!

I've had a bit of a moan about Di Canio about different things this season but this post match interview is top drawer.*





*I didn't understand every single word of course.

probably not short of a bob or two

PDC:
- One step back! Not very good! (jks)
- Today was a banana skin and we didnt fall into the trap
- Pleased players tried to push for goals
- Very happy with the way that we played. Not one player who upset him. Not like in the two 5-0 wins where there were some individuals who didn't play as well as they could
- Every game now is a big game
- Bournemouth next week are one of the best teams in the league
- Players have tomorrow off
- Hollands and Martin have been very good at integrating into the squad and have stretched the rest of the squad with their professionalism and desire
- Big surprise has been to win the last 3 games 14-0. Not even the top teams in the world do this
- PDC says players have made 10 steps forward in maturity and are asking PDC questions as they want to improve themselves
- We have made big steps and have been getting closer to the top of the league. We can continue if we can maintain this group of players
- The difference in Williams from earlier in the season is that he is now attacking the ball rather than waiting for it to be put in right position
- Winning 5 or 6 games straight 1-0 from now would be a great achievement
- Talked about the way that the team is defending well as a team. Lavished praise upon them. The team has more confidence because they can see that if they do make a mistake, we are capable of recovering from it as a team.
- We can improve even more as the players have started studying football and working as a team
- PDC will do everything in his power to keep Hollands, Martin and Bostock, even sacrificing his own money. It would be a shame if we could not keep the squad together. He talked about putting in £20-30k. He wants to win. He has ambition. Thats more important than his money.
- Has to check what is going on either tonight or tomorrow when he receives a phone call. He wants the players to still be here on Monday. He doesn't want them to leave and come back.
- Fee agreed, but answer from Birmingham is that they can't pay for Caddis now. 99% not by end of transfer window. Sounds as if Caddis might be left at Birmingham for the rest of the year (and Birmingham will pay an agreed fee then)
- Flint is an important player especially with Troy out for a while. Don't want to lose him (from context)
- Have received interest from other clubs who are willing to pay for one player (Flint). But he is not the player that PDC wants to sacrifice. Selling him would be the worst madness situation in the world.
- It might be that a player has to be sacrificed to keep others. But, that is not a definite its only one potential option.
- Another option might be that a sacrifice might result in another player coming in.
- PDC hopes he can sort everything out quickly so he can be fair to the team and to the individuals involved.
- He was off to talk to Phil Spncer about it now !

We'll only realise how lucky we are to have him when he's gone (let that be in the distant future ) and Steve Cotteril is appointed boss.

Roberts:
- Missed a bit of this........
- Team game. Thinks his performances have improved of late
- Good game against Bournemouth next week. They are going well

Best interview for PDC for ages, great passion..

He shoud put money and become the president ;D

We love him Alessandro. Absolutely adore him.

Will they ever sort the chips out.

Only 4, but a much better performance than against Portsmouth. Ran carlise ragged on the attack (not hard, they were dire. Worst side i've seen this season).

No-one had a bad game. Roberts had his best game in a while, which was pleasing. Front two did well, Williams' first was Gazza-esque.

Good job we've made the most of these truncated festive period, because we've got a lot of tough games in the second half of the season.

The Carlisle forum has gone into meltdown! sack Abbott etc etc.

Doesn't this happen to almost every team we play against?

Maybe, and its just a thought, maybe we aren't a half bad side?

That's why I fucking love Di Canio.

To him this is more than a job, that desire to win is something we haven't seen here for years and it will transfer to the players.

Long may it continue. I don't think we should ever appoint a run of the mill managerial merry go round just a job manager ever again

I don't think it's anything to do with us. If i'd watched my side put that performance in i'd be angry. We didn't even have to do anything to fancy to create most of our chances, their back 4 were all over the place.

Ward:
- Pleased to have signed. Has worked hard to get his family settled in the area, which has helped him concentrate on doing his job properly
- Players need to concentrate on each individual game. Foolish to look further ahead than this.
- Need to concentrate and work hard in training
- Lot going on at the minute behind the scenes. Important that player keep working hard and concentrate on doing their jobs.

Good work nomoreheroes. Much appreciated.

If Portsmouth was 5-0 that should've been 14-0. Carlisle were fucking dire, as someone said worse tem of the season to come here. Not one shot on target.

We were tight as fuck and the movement was fantastic and that's what's doing teams, our pace and movement on attack.

Apart from the sublime football, was there any reason the crowd was a very good 9000+?

Next home game it will +1

£5 off the side stands and quid a kid.

Cheaper tickets

Well there you go then

Cheaper tickets = more fans

Make it permanent

Ten goals in the last two games may have helped also.

Fantastic win, performance and result...It should have been more than 4!!! Roberts should have had 4 himself, along with chances from Devera (2nd half corner), whoever hit the bar, Martin...I could go on! Great attendance as well! PdC what a legend, more great things to come I feel...lets keep this run up!!! 2-0, 5-0, 5-0, 4-0, ??

Don't know if its been mentioned on here at all but I see Blackburn vs Bristhole Shitty had an attendance today of just 5,504.

I presume there was some sort of a Rovers fans protest going on.

Electric performance on the pitch with an electric post match interview to match.

Teams like Blackburn and Wigan always get shocking attendances in the 3rd round of the cup. No surprise at all.

Not content with 5 goals in 2 games for Town, James Collins has just grabbed one for West Ham as well.

Brilliant, just brilliant. Every player did well but Thompson was brilliant. Roberts gets the award for the most improved performance!

Much better from the Town End. Now keep that up for the entire match  :D/

Cannot wait for Boremuff.

corrected for you

Total and utter domination could and should have been 10, the confidence is oozing and we look fitter and stronger than sides at the moment. I have to say Carlisle were woeful but you can only play whats put in front of you and we sure did that today. Cant wait to go to muff next week I reckon we could sneak a little 1 - 0 win

Okay, so the whole Paolo "I'll stump up my own cash, if needs be" thing...Should we fans not have a whipround too?

Imagine how connected/loyal to the club Paolo would feel?

If 5k fans all gave a tenner, that's £50k!

Just a thought. Discuss.

Don't think you're giving us nearly enough credit there. They were poor but that was at least in part because we were so good. No one could have lived with us today, we utterly destroyed them and when we had them on the floor and our foot on their throat, kept squeezing. As others have said, could have been 6 or 7 easily. Completely superb.

IIRC there's still a few grand left in the Red Army Fund. Any Trust board members care to confirm?

No, cheaper tickets + good football = more fans. If the game's bilge, doesn't matter how cheap it is, folks won't come.

Collins scores again!

Flicked through,

Home for 3 games, 14 goals scored zero conceded. Not bad stats...


Haven't seen it mentioned, Nathan Thompson had a superb game today in my opinion. Could have easily been motm.

That was just lovely, student loan came in today tempted to lump it all on us going up. Who needs to pay rent anyways?

Hollands and Ferry put in a great shift today and IMO the best CM pairing we've had all season...hope we hang on to Hollands!

Mate of mine said he'd been told some bookies were offering 50-1 against us winning 5-0 today, anyone know if that's true?

That's correct, lad behind me had £2 on @ 50/1

I don't think that it helped they lost their CB vey early on, but agree they were never in the game, because we didn't let them in.  A long way to come to watch a 4-0 beating that honestly could have been 7 or 8.

The first half performance particularly was utterly dominant and some of the football we are playing at the moment is superb.  The whole team is playing with confidence and confidence breeds goals and clean sheets.  I think the consistency with the core 13/14 players has helped as well.

The whole team played well, but Thompson was probably my MOM.  I also thought Roberts was excellent today and he could have scored a couple.  The full 90 minutes and crowd acknowledgment of some of his runs and passes will do him no harm. Hopefully he's coming good at the right time.

Fabulous stuff.  It's a real shame the games against Orient and Colchester were postponed.  If we'd played and won both, we'd be sitting pretty at the top tonight  :)

I put some money on at half time for 5-0 and got 35/1.

Yes....and Nick Watkins knows about it.

Bet365 were offering 40/1 before kick off, was 22/1 when we were 1-0 up.

Had we got another today I think there would have been quite a few to benefit. I spoke to at least 3 today who'd had a cheeky pound or two on 5-0.

Well, that was rather good again.

Should have been 15-0 but Carlisle did rival Oldham for the worst team I have seen this year. Was good to have another big crowd, maybe we should really consider permanently reduced prices?

Better atmosphere today as well, 'You are the South stand, you'll sing when your told'  :D

Goals on now on SSN

I think the big difference in the last few games is the workrate - we're chasing and harrying teams into mistakes from the 1st minute to the last. We're giving no opposition player any time at all and we're hunting in packs. A settled defence doesn't do any harm either.
Carlisle were total and utter shite - worse than anything else I've seen this season. It was good to see JPM put in the kind of performance that meant he must have signed a new contract.
We really are very good at the moment. It is an absolute joy to go to the CG.

66% possesion apparently, which is an awful lot.  Thats getting into the kind of Barcelona levels of control.  Really enjoyed the game today and the banter between Town End and Southside was great. 

 

Which we sang to the town end first;-)

McGovern put loads of weight on.

The shit jock lazy cunt

First half today I really thought the football that we played was as good as anything I have seen since PDC turned up. Wes had next to nothing to do (some in the town end were shouting for him to come up for the corner when we were 4-0 up), the back 4 looks settled, each one excelling for different reasons. Hollands and Ferry should be the central pairing of choice IMO and our options out wide have been evident for the last 3 games. The way we attack as a unit is fantastic, Collins is starting to look good value for money and Williams has the pace and ability to scare the shit out of most defences in this league.

The bench was strong today too, I thought Chris Martin put himself around well and Miller was unlucky not to add a 5th. Obviously Bournemouth will offer a hell of a lot more than the last 3 opponents but we have trounced them once this season, our away form is decent and I feel we have enough ability to get a decent result against them. The comments below from a Carlisle fan some it up nicely -

"What is glaringly obvious is that Swindon have much more time on the ball because they are prepared to close us down more than we are prepared to close them down. They look fitter than us, more alert than us, technically superior to us and sharper around the penalty areas".

I'm starting to enjoy this matchday thread thing  :)

i think the difference is the team are starting to gel now, plus the centre forwards are gaining more confidence, have seen that in the last few games, i just hope PDC dont doesnt get aload of dross in in the transfer window and disjoint it, i agree with you aswell tho john :girlgiggle:

Must have missed that (I'm in the DRS as well)

We even got a bit of noise from the arkells!

Says it all really. Watch out Bournemouth.

Whooooooooooooooosh

Cibo?

That was sublime today, a pleasure to watch. I can honestly see us winning every home game from now until the end of the season, we've already played all of the top sides.

I think it's starting to be a bit like last season. It took until around Christmas then for us to kick on then, just like now, but instead of settling with 2 or 3-0 wins, PdC wants us to kick on and win big.

We've now doubled our goal difference in 3 games, and now our GD is worth an extra point as well as the best defensive record in the FL.

We still have to play 8 of the current top 10 away.

I'm wondering if that's more of a hindrance to them than to us. Bournemouth should be a good indicator.

Some fella on Twitter @TrevorSTFC has started the Di Canio Fund to try and raise funds to keep the loan players we have in. If Paolo is willing to stretch to £30k and the trust have a few bob then that ain't a bad start I guess  :)

Bloke behind me had a fiver at 20/1 on 4-0. After the fourth went in he was shouting for town to back off, understandably.

As others have said, I thought Thompson MOM, had their left winger in his pocket, and cant believe how many times he came away with the ball, Should put the caddis stuff to bed now. Fair play to the Carlisle fans thought they came in good numbers when it was pretty likely they would get beat. Didnt like the announcer at the start of the 2nd half though saying about another 5 on the way, I'd have been mighty pissed the other way round.  Finally saw Jeremy Wray round the back of the arkells wearing his swindon raincoat, was in good humour.

i had fiver on 4-0 aswell at 17/1  but got greedy and put ritchie to get first goal aswell at 100/1 , that will teach me  :no:

Just reading in our programme you could get 66/1 for another 5-0 before KO with Towns offical betting partner BetButler. Don't expect it will be so good for our next home game though! They were poor today but we didn't really give them a sniff, kept closing them down right to the end and you could see it still meant a lot to keep that clean sheet. Should be a hell of a game next week and if it goes tits up I think we will still hold on to fifth place, I'll be happy with a single goal win down there.

Just thought of 3 other things. Williams was not happy coming off, threw a water bottle to the ground. De Vita looked a mile offside for the 4th( happy to watch and be proved wrong) And it wasnt a back pass for the free kick in the lead up to the crossbar effort, It came off Collins foot.

A mate of mine was sat next to Nathan's dad who was loving it, He said how proud He was and was jumping around in his seat. especially when Thompson went on that run to challenge the keeper.

Seeing these last results I'm wondering why on earth Swindon is not on top of the league.. is it the same team that was having erratic results in the first part of the season?

I hope now we found the right rhythm and we keep rolling.. I'd love to see a double promotion in this fashion.
Maybe it's the physical preparation that was meant to bring the team at a peak for the second part of the season. I really hope so.

I think you answered your own question in the first sentence

Felt for Williams a bit, he had a good chance of getting a hat trick, which would have been his first.

In terms of the free kick, that explains the prolonged complaints from the goalkeeper and CB.  We couldn't understand why they were moaning as looked like a back pass from the Arkells.

Watched it a few times on SSN and it appears it came off a Carlisle defender en route to Rafa. When the initial ball came in he was onside.

I was in the Arkells directly behind the linesman, he definately saw it, and bottled it.

Agree, Williams looked gutted to be replaced but didn't see the water bottle thing. Any striker would be the same on a hat trick but he will be hungry for more goals next week. Taking Ritchie and Ferry off gave others a run out and kept them injury free. Saw Ritchie get booked but not what for? He had a right go at the fourth offical after the booking.

i think ritchie got booked for having a go at the lino for awarding throw-in to carlisle

Descent apparently. Complaining too much about a throw in. Carlisle commentary thought he has a reason to complain.

Oh right thanks, didn't see that. The word got about today that an England representative was there watching Wes, anyone else hear this?

They came down hard on him

This was mentioned on commentary also. The under 19/21 goalie coach was there. Or something like that.

Didn't really have much to judge him on then, I guess helping keep clean sheets should impress them regardless.

Did Wes actually have a save to make?

I can remember two shots both of which went over.

Yeah  he pushed a long range trickler round the post for a corner 2nd half.

At that stage he was just glad to be involved, thought it was going about 5yards wide but can't blame him for getting the odd touch of the ball  :)

Having seen the goals on SSN, Williams' first goal was quite rightly judged to be goal of the day but I have to say I loved his second. That was an absolutely quality finish which he made look easy but that was very missable and putting it away like he did is the mark of a striker full of confidence and at the top of his game.

I could only listen to the game on the radio but they mentioned Wes punched a cross/corner away with great force which lead to a Town attack and almost a goal

Are you finally going to stop slagging Di Canio ?
Your lack of faith when things weren't going 100% makes you look a little bit twatish
Feel free to pipe up again next time we win by less than 4

:hmmm:

What's all that about?

Someone's had a shandy or 2

Didn't Williams score something like one goal in the first half of the season last year and another 16 in the second half?  Let's hope for a repeat of that pattern.

http://Not quite sure how to respond to this. The best I can do is...


[url width=320 height=215]http://i.imgur.com/aAx0Y.gif[/url]



or...



[url width=175 height=175]http://i.imgur.com/2aMK1.gif[/url]

*Thanks Sonic

Just saw the highlights - Williams' first goal looks even better there than it did from the Town End at the time - an absolute cracker. De Vita's did indeed come back off their defender, hence no offside. Why do we have to wait a whole week. Surely we can arrange a game on Tuesday....an Oxford friendly perhaps.

Excellent game.

Strange :

Tranmere....we could of had 10
Pompey: never looked like getting one let alone five
Carlisle: should of had more

Good gate an'all....

He was indeed.

Martin Thomas the goalkeeping coach for the England U21s the ex Rovers, Newcastle and Birmingham keeper ex Wales international.

Based on a phone call I just received, I'd expect BBC Radio to be all over this on Monday morning, seems they have picked up on the tweet and want to push it.

would not go overboard too much? Carlise keeper is highly rated also.

Better for us because a home team cannot sit back and frustrate like when they come to the CG.

I really want to fuck B'mouth up ...really bad!

Nobody is going overboard it was a statement that the U21 keeper was at the game, nobody has read anything into it.

And anyway Wes has only let in 4 goals in 10 games....whereas the Carlisle keeper has conceded 21 in the same number of games.

I noticed in the goals from yesterday the amount of red shirts we are getting into the box now. I remember games from earlier in the season where the wing backs/wingers were chucking the ball into the box and there was only 1 red shirt in the box. For Collins goal, there were 4 waiting for Ritchie's cross and the same for De Vita's goal. Martin was gutted when the ball fell to Rafa and not him!

Thanks for the heads up. They've been in touch even though I'm not available. Hopefully another Trust board member will be available.

By the way, if anyone want's to donate to the RAF, please find the details here :

http://www.truststfc.com/raf/contribute/

Just watched the highlights, and can see why the carlisle commentators were so impressed! Brilliant first goal from Williams, and the control on his second was great. We seem to be passing the ball about with real confidence and class, making space, and really working to make every opportunity count.

The main benefit of the last few games is that there's now much less pressure going into the Bournemouth game. Even if we lose, we're still in the play-off spots and in sight of the top two.

Still haven't seen the goals. Are they available on iplayer or tinterweb anyway? Cheers.

here you go. http://www1.skysports.com/footballleague/league-one

Williams' 1st is sexy

He did take it brilliantly, one of the best goals so far this season IMO.

I could watch that again and again and again. Awesome.

The slow and bored sounding commentator really adds to the excitement.  ::)

Gazzaesque

The 3rd goal is a bit special as well.

Thompsons shot from the pass back free kick is a disgrace.  The Carlisle bloke took the ball full force in the face.  He could have killed him. 

Cheers manc

I doubt it was intentional.

At the risk of being whooshed myself.

FUCKING MAHOOSIVE WHOOSH

How do you do that?

It must be said that I wasn't being entirely serious. 

Good job the sound is disabled on the work pc then :)

And Stuart Pearce was at the Kassam.....grumpy git when asked to pose for a photo!

Right click on the image, select 'copy image URL', click on the 'insert image' icon and paste in the image URL.

Bob's your uncle.

Wouldn't you be if you had to go to that shithole?

Thanks for that's Manc, nice to see a few of the other chances and not just the goals. I also thought in real time that DeVita looked off side as I didn't see the rebound when it happened. Someone also mentioned we are getting more bodies in the box and on the end of good quality crosses, at the time you don't notice it so much but it's definitely noticeable watching it back.

Well in an echo of last season we've really kicked it up a gear over the holiday period again. Granted Oldham, Pompey and Carlisle offered very little but Christ we've played some good football over the last few games. Hard to ask for more than 16 goals without reply and 12 points over the last 23 days.

Here's hoping we can keep the momentum going for the rest of the season, looking at the table we're right in there now and the goal difference column is frankly bizarre. Quietly (well not that quietly) Collins now has 10 in the league and is one away from second top scorer in the division. Maybe we don't still need to search for a 20 goal man...

Could one of the gif gurus somehow get Williams' first from Saturday into a little infinite loop form? I would like to have this on the corner of my screen at all times. Seeeeexy football.

Why were you at the Kassam?

I wasn't.

Creosoting the fence?

Two or three games a season like that make a season ticket worth it!

Sublime first goal from Williams.

A solid performance from every player on the pitch. The defence is now so settled and gelled that I almost fail to get the jitters when the opposition is on the attck.

I think one of the big differences recently is the impact Thompson N has had on the side. He just get proper stuck in every time his channel is threatened and his interplay with Ritchie is spot on.

Wes has so little to do at the moment that his quality is revealed because, on the rare occasion he needs to do something, he deals with the threat. His punching the ball clear from set plays was good to see again.

I thought the ref did ok also. Not helped by the complete bellend of a linesman on the DRS.

Trevor Kettle is usually pretty decent. Like's to let the game flow, which is odd because you'd think he would like whistling.

It's a pity the linesmen weren't called Potts and Black.

He likes to let off steam

You missed Tranmere off that list!

We got a prity young squad it can only get better,, anyone know the average age?

average age of Saturday's match-day squad and the starting XI was 26.
A good balance of experience and youngish players.  Other than Bedwell, Wes is the youngest - 22 next week.

Thompson is still 21.

Do you hail from Alabama?

Birthday was in November I believe so is now 22.

Also only 3 of our squad is the wrong side of 30 so the others have plenty of time to continue improving