Lee Power radio phone in

[Flashheart]

I dont blame Power for refusing them entry, all they do is report the bad and not the good things at the club, often storms in tea cups that turn out to be very trivial and not even newsworthy at all. The Adver does seem to have an agenda against the club now which is a total reversal of how it used to be.

I don't know if it's a case of having an agenda against the club or just sloppy/lazy reporting. Either way, a fair few of us have recognised the same thing that Power has noticed.

[RedLadyBucks]

Yeah I know the stone bridge was the proper bunky brudge but as little kids we always called the metal bridge that name too, no idea why though.

Yes we did used to occassional collect numbers while watching training as it was close to our school at Gorse Hill, especially in the summer months close season where we used to go and sit and watch training in the stand which they didn't mind, watching Kamara, Rowland and Mayes et al doing their stuff which consisted mainly of 11 v 11 games and running round the pitch back then.

Their always used to be a charity match at least once a season and I saw Midge Ure and several TV stars like Dennis Waterman play there also. Something silly like 10p entry for games unless you crept through the fence

I went to that charity match but don't think I have a programme from it anywhere.  all I remember is a host of mature ladies waiting outside the players entrance to ambush Dennis Waterman.  I've never understood the appeal myself

[RedLadyBucks]

Ha ha ace.  The real Bunky Brdige, was or maybe still is the concrete job on Gypsy Lane...so called because the 0-6-0 pannier tanks used to rumble under it on the Highworth Branch....by the time I got to see them in the late 50's very early 60's, it was freight only, plus a couple of trains into and out of the works from Highworth for workers.

Did you get numbers at the same time as watching training?  I used to do that up until it was flogged off....the closest I get to multi-tasking.

Ronnie.....the only house owned on Shrivenham Road was #1.  An extension was built on it taking it right up against the ground, and apprentices used to live there and the occasional lodger like Stan Harland, who never moved here from Liverpool.

The club houses were in Walcot East....Wigmore Avenue way, off Upham Road.  Not sure how many, but I know the likes of Peter Noble, Owen Dawson, and John Smith had places there....

As for the place by the MR, that'd be Cliff Puffett, who you refer to, again don't know much about it...but didn't BB have something to do with it?

I used to babysit Gerry O'Brien's kids and their (STFC owned) house was on Upham Road

[Peter Venkman]

The other charity match I do remember well was played at the CG in 82 which was the last time I saw George Best play live.

For the widow of ex speedway rider Martin Hewlett.

Players included were Viv Richards, Ian Botham, George Best, Johnny Francome, Mick Channon, Don Rogers, Mike Summberbee and Phil Hughes (Bests agent at the time who also looked exactly like Best with a big black overgrown beard) and several others that I forget now.

Heather Hewlett Fundraiser 1982

George Best
George Best's last playing appearance in Swindon earned him the then princely sum of £300.

That was the amount the Evening Advertiser stumped up to secure the services of the former European Footballer of the Year at a special game in aid of Heather Hewlett, the widow of speedway rider Martin Hewlett, who had died early that year.

It was an all-star game that not only included some of footies' best-known names (Channon, Rogers and Summerbee) but also other sporting celebrities such as cricket's Viv Richards and Swindon's own champion jockey, John Francome.

Best's show helped boost the attendance to over 7,000, and contributed in swelling the charities coffers by over £5,000.

The 36-year-old Best even ended up on the winning side, triumphing 12-9! He scored five.

[Bedford Red]

http://www.swindonviewpoint.com/video/showbiz-v-swindon-town

I don't know if anyone's posted this before, this is a 90 second video of a charity game at the County Ground in 1975 (28.4.75)

[tans]

Dan the fans joined in now haha

@danwjonson: The club could be sitting top of the Premier League under Mr. Power & he’d still be doing a bad job if he is banning local media #STFC

@danwjonson: Sir Alex was a great manager, but this was how the old fool treated the media at Utd for years, he ruled by fear, do we want that at Town?

@danwjonson: Just when u think the regime at Town is starting to get it right, they ban the local newspaper f/ the club, a pathetic move from Mr. Power

@danwjonson: Despite all the new media available, @swindonadver is the only daily print dedicated to #STFC, he’s harming the fans & club w/ this decision

@danwjonson: How can the Chairman expect local people in Swindon to be interested in #STFC & come to games if he bans local media?

[LucienSanchez]

He's such a prick.

[tans]

Hope he gets banned

[horlock07]

Dan the fans joined in now haha

@danwjonson: Despite all the new media available, @swindonadver is the only daily print dedicated to #STFC, he’s harming the fans & club w/ this decision

@danwjonson: How can the Chairman expect local people in Swindon to be interested in #STFC & come to games if he bans local media?

He does realise how low in terms of people accessing news the print media has dropped, his argument may have held some weight in 1985 but now not so much. On that basis I am going to contact Mr Power and say that I am going to report the news from STFC to the local media in the medium of interpretive dance and song, and as the only one I demand full media access!

[Power to people]

I agree to a point that the adver shouldn't be banned, banning local press is just crazy but they really dont help themselves though, if they done a little bit of research then they may be taken more seriously.

The adver used to be the first place to go to for stfc related news but I think now for a lot of people they are the last place to look as they just seem to re-hash stories others have printed or copied what others are doing.

[Flashheart]

I don't think it's a great PR move from the club, other than that I really couldn't give a flying one.

[Costanza]

I don't think matey-boy at the Adver Sports Desk helps himself.

They should be getting coverage but it's win/win for Power as banishing the Adver isn't as big a deal as it would have been a year or so ago.

[Red Frog]

I do think it's a bit tinpot banning local media. We may all be web warriors, but there's still a portion of less techy and less committed fans who won't get much news if they don't get it from a local print outlet. If you're not happy with the coverage, engage to correct it rather than shunning them.

[Tails]

Dan the fans joined in now haha

@danwjonson: The club could be sitting top of the Premier League under Mr. Power & he’d still be doing a bad job if he is banning local media #STFC

@danwjonson: Sir Alex was a great manager, but this was how the old fool treated the media at Utd for years, he ruled by fear, do we want that at Town?

@danwjonson: Just when u think the regime at Town is starting to get it right, they ban the local newspaper f/ the club, a pathetic move from Mr. Power

@danwjonson: Despite all the new media available, @swindonadver is the only daily print dedicated to #STFC, he’s harming the fans & club w/ this decision

@danwjonson: How can the Chairman expect local people in Swindon to be interested in #STFC & come to games if he bans local media?

I cannot stand that guy.

[DiV]

Dan the fans joined in now haha

@danwjonson: The club could be sitting top of the Premier League under Mr. Power & he’d still be doing a bad job if he is banning local media #STFC

@danwjonson: Sir Alex was a great manager, but this was how the old fool treated the media at Utd for years, he ruled by fear, do we want that at Town?

Firstly, he hasn't banned local media, he's banned the Adver - plenty of other local media.
Secondly, hell yeah I'd take being ruled like Sir Alex used to rule Manchester United, they did alright for themselves whilst shunning the media.