Thetownend.com

It's another big game for the fight towards safety. damage limitation time, anything better than a 4 0 defeat as got to be a result.
5 0 to Bradford City.

I would be very surprised if anything less than 3. Hope we play for a 0-0 with Thompson back in the side

Bradford have scored the fewest goals inside the top 18 and we have not lost in our last 5 visits to VP, our squad will be obviously be threadbare but we will get a point today,1-1.

it's a bit early in the day to be drinking?










/

Don't hold much hope for this, if we have obika/ajose/n thompson then we might get a point. Without those 3 were fucked

Sent from my SM-G920F

2-0 Bradford

If we can get through the first 15 minutes without conceding, then who knows?  It's not going to happen, is it?

4-0 Bradford.

Weren't Fleetwood on a run of about 7 games without scoring before they played us?

If Obika is playing, we might get something out of this; we're missing his presence hugely.

Otherwise, a good day for us would be if the clubs at the bottom lose.

This is my home game, will be making the five mile journey with no hope and no expectation. Anything else will be a bonus. My sympathies in advance to those with a 400 mile plus round trip to the frozen tundra wastelands of the north. It's actually a nice and sunny day up here but fear it'll deteriorate 3.00pm onwards.

My home town team - the scillyreds lived in the Yorkshire Dales as farmers/lead miners from 1537 and moved en masse to Bradford in the 1880's to be house decorators.

Strange, that this is what I am doing now, having escaped the wacky world of chartered surveying  8)

Spent many a happy day at Valley Parade.

Not good for us today I fear  :(

We are going to be crushed today, like worms in a soggy field under a barrage of Wellington boots.

As banker a home win as you can get today. 4-0 my prediction

Us nought, them a fair few. Not even going to bother keeping an eye on it.

Possibly the ground Where I've seen us play most times other than at home. Don't think I've seen us ever take a real spanking there though, think there was 3-0 loss in the late 90s but equally seen us win against expectations - last season included and New Year's Day in the early 2000s. That's my real fear, if conditions were ever right for a hiding, it's today. Christ we're a positive bunch aren't we? Also, Sheehan's on loan at Luton so we don't even get to call him a cunt.

Positives. Nathan T will presumably be back, Hopefully Obika and Robert will be able to play at least some part from the bench. Heard no news as to his fitness or availability but we do possess League 1's top scorer. On their day Doughty and Louis T are up with the best quality League 1 midfielders have to offer, We ground at 0-0s at Gillingham and Coventry. We do have a reasonable record at Valley Parade, and against Phil Parkinson teams..

Negatives. After the feeble defensive performances of the last fortnight hold out no hope for anything other than a tonking. Team morale must be non existent. Power is noticeable only by his absence and Williams and Embleton are increasingly resembling a duo with zero football league performances between them who are being constantly outsmarted by vastly more experienced opposition managers like Phil Parkinson. After a typically shambolic opening half Bradford will be out for revenge following their 4-1 beating at the CG on the opening day of the season. Our star that day in currently languishing on a subs bench somewhere in the Black Country.

With Ajose lose 3-1
Without Ajose lose 4-0

We're now reduced to hoping results are favourable elsewhere and the damage to goal difference is kept to a minimum.

Nah, I think we're a pretty realistic bunch.

We'll probably drop another place today, and with our goal difference getting closer to many of those around us, we could do without another hammering.

I'd be chuffed with the most mind-numbing 0-0 in history, but it'll be more like Bantams 5-0 Town.

Pre match nitrous oxide in The Turls Green.

Should be more difficult to beat today with Nathan back.
Might be closer than anticipated.
Maybe 1-1 or 2-1 either way.

I'm going to watch Fulham today and judging by the highlights from their game last week, I'll be in for more comedy defending:

https://youtu.be/_4x6mCcAOIc?t=183

Obika and ajose not in squad. Branco starts over JSW

:suicide:

Are we playing 0 at the back again?

...and another start for Rodgers.  His dad must have incriminating photos of Lee Power.

Thompson playing so got 1

...at least until he gets sent off.

Comfortable Bradford win looking at that 11, at least 3-0

Bradford some, Swindon none

With a reserve keeper, suspect defence & no threat up front can't see any other result (unfortunately)

I know we, OK me, are a moaning fuckers, but even as bad as it is at the moment, surely fans of Sheff Utd should be feeling more shortchanged than us.

Nearly 3 times the fan base, fair bit of financial clout and they're still stuck in L1.

Just sayin'

I'm looking forward to the final game of the season because imagine the line-up if we continue recent tradition and use it to introduce youth to the senior squad.

Only if we're already safe...or already relegated.

Last season's Orient game really was quite a hoot - farcically funny.

Agombar selection aside, I enjoyed the Orient game.

It's quite likely that we'll need something from Shrewsbury game to stay up or not....the first such occurence since 80/81, when we needed a point to avoid the drop at the CG v Brentford. That side was quite adept at grinding out a 0-0....having managed 4 in the final 6 away games, and duly obliged.

Here we go

1-0

What's wrong with Ajose?

I truly hope it's a very short term problem.

We are in serious trouble

Bradford goal.

Cos I'm freeeeeeee


Free falling.

cock sticks

Look for positives. We almost managed to break the 20-minute mark without conceding.

Bradford 70% posession, 5 shots, 2 on target.

As opposed to us, with no shots.

If we stay up, it's because teams below is fail to close the existing gap.

He who doesn't listen to Reg pays the price.

Things are getting pretty serious now. Shrewsbury are in great form and leading at Millwall.

23 mins - Town win a corner

But it comes to nothing

DO SOME WORK ON SET PIECES IN TRAINING YOU USELESS, USELESS LUMPS.

do we have much proof of this 'Luke Williams supercoach' mythos?

The tools at his disposal are pretty shite

O*ford losing

His own fault....

Yup. I'd have some sympathy if he hadn't, by his own admission, failed to act when he had the opportunity.

Michael smith and Miles Storey are currently out on loan yet we have Hylton and Iandolo up front.

I get that it's unlucky that Obika and Ajose are injured but for me this is a mistake we couldn't have recalled one or both.

He had the chance to change it but chose not to.

Fair enough, but we need more than the one loan space we had left

What price are we to go down? I'm going to lump on.

Commentary has started cutting out.

That may be a good thing, as I could go and do something more fulfilling.

I guess whilst there is only a goal in it we still have a chance....sorry I've been on the hippy crack

I had a fiver at 100/1 before Oldham

Son has got money on us at 100/1 as well

Strangely enough I did question at the time not signing Stephens (around the Port Vale game if I remember) but several on here also suggested that we didn't need any cover with Turnbull & Branco as first choice centre halves. So not just Williams that had that opinion ;)

SHOT ON TARGET ALERT

The apocalypse is coming!

Sky said Bradfords keeper didnt touch the ball until the 17th minute 8)

During the last phone-in Power was lording Williams for insisting that he didn't need any additional players. All was okay then but in hindsight it was a naive decision but we should hopefully get away with it.

But with MKD, Charlton and Bolton on their way down and teams like Oxford, Plymouth and Bristol Rovers coming up... L1 will be unforgiving to any club who doesn't have a good/sensible summer transfer window.

People seem to be genuinely enjoying our shitness?


Sent from my iPhone

Whilst it's 1-0 you normally never know, but I don't think we'll be coming back from this.

Power was never going to bring extra players in while we were looking like a mid table finish, I doubt that Luke really had much say in it..

Whether Power has made a mistake or whether it was the sensible thing to do, I guess we will find out over the next few weeks..

Have you ever heard the phrase "if you don't laugh, you'll cry"?

It's a big game next Saturday against Bury. Time to stop the rot.

Yes, but we need players back before we are going to beat anybody.

Do we know what the issue is with Ajose?
or when he & Obika are likely to be back?

Come on, then. What's the full time score?

Been on the Cornish IPA,  but 1-1

Who's going to take the pen?

Good point

The gashead 3 obviously have

Robert on for Hylton.

no strikers then, cunning.

1-0, Bradford will shut up shop & we won't score

Shows how rated Hylton is

Nothing wrong in damage limitation, GD is going to be important.

Remember Cooper saying big things were expected from Hylton this season

could be injured, but he's never struck me as a lone man up front type

I have sympathy for him, he tries hard but on the evidence so far just isn't good enough.

Maybe if he was playing up front with Obika he would be better, but I doubt it

Apparently Doughty playing up front now.

Are we playing a second half? I am hearing Managers from Arsenal v West Ham talking.

Hylton was a Cooper signing. I remember the story of him watching the birmingham practise game and wanting him.

Not good enough and we have been horribly exposed by having only 2 good forwards. Lets limp through this season by winning one of the home games and hope the summer is better than the last one.

doughty up top : he's no van der linden, he's not even a Matty Heywood

It's not worked out for Hylton at Swindon to date.

This was supposed to be his year but injuries plus Ajose/Obika form killed it off.

Jordan Stewart started for Grimsby today fwiw.

Hylton needs someone to play with, just like Ajose. He was a threat in the play-off semis last season. Unfortunately, with Obika injured we have no-one with a physical presence up front.

Looks like Oxford are coming up.

plus hes a two bit non league striker.

Fleetwood winning now.

Shrews and Fleetwood winning.

Fuck

Fleetwood winning, we are f*cked

now is the time for calm heads, we will stay up, but not by a lot.  these teams at the bottom are also there for a reason, we probably have enough points already to survive but we should be able to eke out 1 or even 3 more

Looks like we will need to win another game, we need players back and soon

1-0 Colchester get in there

Probably Williams thinks this as well. No point rushing them back only to get injured again.

Mustn't get too excited....mustn't get too excited  :zipped:

Also, better to have them in a game against someone you have more chance of beating

Millllllllwalllll

Now Millwall level against Shrews

1-0 Oldham.

Chesterfield 1 up

It's all about Blackpool now.

Shame we aren't going up really, St James' Park and Villa Park would be cracking away trips

:)

Haha. Yeah.

2-1 millwall.

Got Ballycasey in the National

yeah, only chance of that happening now is if they both get relegated again :)

If Blackpool lose today they have to win 2 of their last 4 to get to our current points total, thats quite tough, and if we can just get 1 more point they can only lose 1 of their last 4 matches

And one of those games is against Wigan

Now Southend have levelled against Fleetwood

251 at Bradford.

Mad bastards

Fleetwood level

Donny losing.

I need goals from Donny and Wrexham to land my btts accumulator.

Fleetwood losing now.

I take my hat off to them.

We seem to have had a fair amount of possession, but it's not much use when you've got no forwards.

Farewell Crewe Alexandra. In recent seasons, a 3-point banker at home (despite our efforts this season).

Bolton on their way down. I don't believe we've played a game at the Reebok/Macron, or anything else they want to call it.

just said on sky, Northampton against wovers is the biggest Northampton home attendance since 1987, was that the Swindon game we all went to :hmmm: answer please Reg

We lost a couple of times in the late-90's in the new build (after the 7-0).

We did better than i expected

Full time. 1-0.

Could have been much worse to be fair.

:nod:

To counter all the negatives, I think we can feel slightly more positive about our performance today,
Yes, poor defending and goalkeeping let in one goal, but I'm pretty sure we were expecting a lot worse.

And Obika is hopefully back for Bury.

Actually sounded like we played alright. Huge bonus Blackpool and Doncaster losing.

This is the key, we are always likely to concede a goal (or two), so we need a threat up front

At least we gave it a bit of a go and it wasn't a mauling, but unfortunately it was still a loss.

I'm struggling to see where a goal is going to come from with Obika and Ajose missing and we need to score, as we're always going to concede.

We're now relying on Blackpool to struggle further....they're loss today was massive for us. However, we did drop a further point nearer the drop line, so this will probably go down to the Shrewsbury game.

Blackpools last 4 games are away to Rochdale, Away to Fleetwood, Home to Wigan and away at Peterborough.  I think they will do well to pick up 4 points from this, what about everyone else?

I posted this stuff back in the Oldham thread...here you go

Here are our rivals run ins....

Blackpool (45):  2 home games v ColU and Wigan. 3 away v Dale, a massive game v Fleetwood, and Posh.

Fleetwood(45): 3 home games v Oldham (massive) Blackpool (massive) and Crewe. 3 away v Sarfend, Millwall, and Walsall.

Oldham(44): 3 home games v  Walsall, Crewe and Cov. 4 away v Barnsley, Sarfend, Fleetwood and Millwall.

Chesterfield(46): 3 home games v Sheff U, Donny and Bury. 3 away v Barnsley, STFC and Bradford

Shrewsbury(46): 3 home games v Bradford, Sheff U and Posh 4  away v Millwall, Gills, Walsall and STFC.

Bury(51): 3 home games v Donny, Millwall and Sarfend. 3 away v STFC, Scunny and Chesterfield.

Of those, there are none who cannot make a reasonable case for getting to 52/53 points given current form.

Blackpool look the most vunerable. This Saturday's visit of ColU for them is a must win.

I think those run-ins show why Town will stay up regardless of our own results.

Yeah although it's gonna be close it looks as though Blackpool will drop with the other 3 at the moment. Would have looked a whole lot different if they hadn't lost today though

ghanima says : "Stonewall penalty".

Have to say I'm getting a bit twitchy now. The problem is obviously no Vigs possibly for rest of season, and Obika and Ajose were hoped to be in contention today but felt "uncomfortable" after training. Got to hope uncomfortable=another week just in case.

N'ah. I was twitchy after Oldham but results elsewhere today plus the run-in of others have eased my mind (for now).

Aaah the voice of reason, I didn't clock that Blackpool had played 1 more..Still it would be nice to put it to bed ASAP so we fans can mentally go on holiday too.

I'm not sure Costanza has looked closely enough at this....as I said all the teams below us have shown some recent semblance of form.....indeed Blacpool had taken 10 points from their 4 games previous to today. We're the side in freefall, not where you want to be at this stage as the season, it erodes our goal difference, and means we're relying on others. Very dangerous.

Agreed, likely that the majority of these teams will overtake us unless we win another game.  The point is though that they all have to do it which is another thing altogether.

If you worked on basis that the 5 teams below us are each 75% likely to overtake us, that would still only mean a 24% chance of all of them doing it.

Bottom line, we're probably safe now, a point would help and a win would ensure it.

What did Williams have to say post match?

Don't know about Williams, but Parkinson said their problem today was that is was too easy...and he conceded we should have had a pen late on.

Parkinson said he thinks they were lucky to not concede a penalty. Always had a soft spot for Parky.

So in theory the goal could have been ruled out, Bradford could have been down to 10 and we could have a pen. You have to say that those are finer margins than the tonking we expected.

This, according to the Adver:

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/14416976.It_s_ref_justice_for_Town_boss_Williams/

... and Parkinson, thought we were easy pickings:

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/14416984.Parkinson_says_Bradford_were_fortunate_to_get_away_with_late_penalty_claim/

Sounded quite good with no striker today when hylton went off, rather do that if no Obika/Ajose again

A mate of mine went.

Played well and couldn't fault effort.

That's good but shows we will always concede and cannot score.

Need Beeks back at least. I'm of the view that Ajose won't kick another ball for us. Glad to be ripped to shreds if he does.

Hopefully our terrific mid season run will be enough.

Whats wrong with Ajose?

Power protecting our main asset from injury to ensure a summer sale, if some of our fans are to be believed.

Yeah, but what's wrong with him?

Williams citing the training pitches at Bassett as a possible cause of so many injuries.
(pre match interview on BBC)

sore/tight hamstring

Why don't we use Calne any longer?

We started playing ok after their goal & did well in the 2nd half. Gave Bradford some problems particularly when Doughty played further forward. But only created half chances. Re the possible penalty, thought it was marginal at the time although seen them given. Fuck knows what Belford was doing for their goal, he can blame the defence all he likes (as he seemed to do with the inquest in the aftermath) but he just seemed routed to the spot. Doesn't compensate for his lack of height with sufficient agility. Overall, didn't think much of Bradford, if they're near the top just highlights to me what a poor league it is this year. We should be ok now just. Last game I saw was cov away, obviously seen the results since but just hadn't appreciated the threadbare squad we have. If we don't replace / strengthen in the summer, next season will concern me.

What for Ajose and Obika's hamstring injuries? Unless they are training on a complete bog then I suspect those two playing pretty much every minute of every game with no decent subs to replace with 20 mins to go (and we are often chasing games)has more to do with it.

Didn't it get badly flooded?

I don't know, it has been wet recently.

If the rumour mill is to be believed and Vigaroux and Ajose won't feature again the season, we really will be reliant on others, which is never a good position to be in.  If we pick up any more injuries, we genuinely might not get another point.

Having seen the goal, I hate to say it, but Belford should have done better.

While others were relaxing a week or so ago, I was stating that Town were not safe yet... and we're not. However, right now at this very moment in time having looked at it? I think we'll get away with it.

Just.

Our players were claiming a foul, but he has to be stronger. Is jump is very poor. It's obvious the defence are not comfortable with him.

Like others have said, I wish the season would end now.

Thought Marshall might have had 15/20 minutes for Rodgers today. He's gonna be gone in the summer I think.

Did LW mention whether the 3 amigos will be considered for selection against Bury?

He does the moan at the defence thing after every goal he concedes, I've noticed it before and is a reason I don't think much of him. He gets up and holds his hands out as if it's always someone else's fault, you do that if you are a decent keeper but when you yourself are terrible some defenders will take exception to it and he just looks a cock IMO. To think people thought he'd be good enough to be number 1 this season, think that belief is firmly dispelled now!

We've not one a single league game that Belford has appeared in and he's kept one clean sheet in 21 senior appearances. FACT!

I really hate to say it, and you can say the defence is shit (and it is) but Belford is struggling to the point I think I'd rather have a youth teamer in goal.

0-1 was better than I was expecting. Can this season just finish now?

Players have been given 4 days off now, back to training on Thursday. Struggling to think why they deserve this time off 

Coventry?

From Sam Morshead:

#stfc first-teamers now have four days off, I'm told. Back to work on Thurs ahead of Bury on Sat. Can't decide what to think of that.

Absolutely disgraceful, you reward players for days off if they have played well or have gone on the back of good results. What kind of message does "you've had no wins in 7 - have a rest" give?!

I don't think we can rely on 51 being enough....if we don't get another point then 7 straight defeats at the end of a season would be a new unwanted record like the conceding in home games that we're heading for.

In seasons like 96/97 we even managed a couple of draws in the last 7, like in 55/56, generally reckoned to be one of our worse seasons, we ended bottom of Div3 S and had to apply for re-election, we manged 2 draws.

So that's the level of historic shitness we're talking about here....a very sorry state of affairs. The Bury game really is shit or bust

The sympathetic part of my brain is thinking players who really shouldn't be first teamers/90 minute'ers have been thrust into the game when they aren't ready and the time off will do them good.

The other part of me is thinking "what the fuck?" I think I'll go with that one.

I'd say it was a clever move, get them relaxed, take the pressure off. No point grinding them into the ground when we barely have enough players to start. People who instantly moan I suspect have never managed people. Carrot and stick, too much stick has a negative effect whatever profession. It's certainly worth a go anyway.

http://youtu.be/VReU7EgfPLc

I can understand the logic behind it in one way - and it's not the entire squad, just those who have featured regularly. It's just irritating because of recent form.

That would be the one clean sheet, yes.

You need to supply the balloons for the table for the sponsors dinner :D

We had a similar run to this when he came in during the first Cooper season when Wes was injured and Belford played 5 or 6 games in February/March time. Whilst there's obviously other factors involved this season I don't think it's entirely a coincidence either.

Like all these sort of decisions, if we can get a point v Bury, then it was worth it, however another comedy display and questions will be asked about judgement and competence.

Ultimately if we lose all our remaining games & Blackpool are unable to pick up 6 points from their last 4 it'll be irrelevant anyway. Bury is far from shit or bust.

Blackpool losing was a massive bonus, they'd taken 10 points from their previous 4, whereas we'd taken 1. So their form isn't that bad, ours is. We can't rely on Blackpool.

Bury represents the best chance of avoiding defeat in the games we've left...not great travellers and now safe.

On hearing about the 4 days off, my first reaction was WTF?!  But another way of looking at it is that they are unlikely to learn in the next 4 days what they have failed to grasp in the 30-odd weeks of the season so far!  

These are truly worrying times.

Twitter account @experimental361 has us at a less-than-1% chance of getting relegated. Blackpool around 72%.

https://twitter.com/experimental361/status/718893434128506880

Luckily I don't rely on stats to form my opinion. We can and probably will need to rely on Blackpool to be worse than us over the remainder of the season to stay up as I don't see where our next goal is coming from as long as the front two are out let alone a point.

Do you think the 4 days off is to try and rest some injuries and niggles maybe?

Far too sensible, behave!

Yeah for sure, seems like as someone else mentioned the training pitch might be causing issues, we might have picked up more today as well.

Shouldn't that be the Chuckle Brothers?

Considering the drop in form of a couple and key players struggling for fitness I'd say it was a good move giving them a few days off. We will see on Saturday whether it was a good decision or not. Hopefully this will allow Obika/Ajose time to recover and be raring to go

Given that most clubs and managers will identify games where they expect to win, expect to lose and hope to get something, I would anticipate that this was a fixture STFC had marked down as one where little was expected.

As such, giving the front two an extra week rather than risking them may be a sensible option, given that they are often the difference between a loss and a point / win. Making sure they are available for Bury and Shrewsbury and that we get something from those matches could be vital; having them back too early against a team we were unlikely to beat and thus injured for the vital matches could be lethal, especially if a single point is needed in either case.

Assuming that Obika / Ajose come back next week and secure the necessary points, the proof of the pudding will come in the summer. The prospect of a bouyant Oxford, Northampton, Rovers and Plymouth in the division means we'll need players who can compete in pressure fixtures.

For the second time this season (the first being Coventry at home after Cooper had been sacked and Power was in temporary charge), I've gone to a Town expecting an utterly dire outcome and like the Coventry game I game away pleasantly surprised and encouraged.

Given our recent form and lack of strikers and Bradford's league position and home support, it was a very decent, battling performance which deserved a point. I don't feel inclined to criticize any individual players as everyone played their part but on the plus side, I thought Branco, Turnbull and Brophy did particularly well.

I think some one suggested on here in the week that we should get rid of Brophy? I could be wrong but if they did that's bollocks. He's impressed me every time I've seen him this season with today being no exception. A beautiful bit of skill in the area led to him being fouled for a blatant, nailed on, bolted down, stick on, guaranteed mother fucking penalty. The only problem was that somehow or other, the ref and lino both managed to miss it.

As I say, a point would have been well deserved but on that evidence I would be 100% confident of us quite comfortably getting the required points to stay up - assuming we've not already got them.

I don't like relying on other teams.....I think back to 00/01, when we'd got to 52, by beating Posh with the Invincibile wonder goal....leaving Rovers needing 4 points from 3 home games in hand...given we were at a strong Stoke City side last game.

I'd have much preferred it had we eked the necessary couple of points to avoid that trauma....in the same way I would be very happy with a draw a against the Shakers.

The decisive Rovers v Wycombe game is probably the best match I've been to as a 'neutral'.

I put him on my released list and I'll stand by my opinion as you will with your own. I don't think it's a 'bollocks' opinion though, that would saying something like Jon Obika shouldn't be offered a new deal because he doesn't score enough (for example).

If Brophy stays, he's squad back-up again (and I wouldn't be fully against this). Next season we have Bolton, Charlton, MKD (who are expected to compete) and then the usual threats of clubs like Coventry, Sheffield United (who are the sort of names that come good in this division eventually) then we probably have Oxford and maybe Bristol Rovers (who can both attract players) and then plenty of clubs in-between.

My point is that 2016-17 will be a tougher division for Swindon Town if we don't learn from the mistakes the club made this season. Lee Power thought we had promotion potential this season and got it drastically wrong so can we risk punting on 'potential' players like Brophy and Hylton?

Of course, the way the club choose to operate will result in Brophy in getting a 2-year deal thus making my point null and void :)

Well, whoever is editing the OS still seems to have kept his or her sense of humour:

http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/news/article/williams-positives-to-take-3052193.aspx

Did LW mention whether the 3 amigos will be considered for selection against Bury?
Shouldn't that be the Chuckle Brothers?

I think he said the the Fun Boy Three would not be considered for the Bury game and that the investigation into their actions  is ongoing.

Was interesting yesterday, Turnball got clattered in the first half, took his sock off so the physio could take a look and he's got tubigrip all down his lower left leg. Watching Nathan T walk off at half time, I thought he seemed to be moving stiffly as well. Don't follow the news closely enough to know whether the club has said anything about Turnball carrying a knock, but guess my point is there are the injuries we know about and then, given the lack of depth to our squad, others are being asked to play through pain. If it's those players being given a few days off at this stage of the season, actually think that's quite sensible particularly after yesterday which was quite physical. To be honest, sounds like the training ground needs fumigating anyway given current form so a few days away may be no bad thing.

Fair enough - I should have said 'strongly disagree' rather than 'bollocks' which was a bit childish. I do think though that Brophy is way ahead of Hilton. I think Brophy has realised quite a lot of his potential already and his main challenge this season has been the step up required in match fitness from the Spartan South Midlands Football League (FFS!) to L1. His experience this season followed by a full pre-season and hopefully expert coaching from Williams and Embleton will benefit him hugely and I would definitely stick with him.

Obviously it wasn't Jermaine's fault that he got injured in the first game of the season but that has inevitably set back his development and I think he could do with going out on loan to Braintree Town or some one of that ilk next season to toughen him up a bit.

As a side note - I used Braintree purely as an example as I know the Club but it's worth noting that in the last few seasons they've had Britt Assombalonga and Bradley Dack for extended loan spells and it didn't do them any harm  :hmmm:

I think playing with hidden injuries is part and parcel of the game WestYorkReds. I've heard a few pro players say there's always something that hurts !

just seen the goal on c5. Balford has flapped at that and we've got 6 defenders in shot marking 4 attackers, and yet they still get the header in from a long throw. Piss poor all round.

They didn't show the penalty claim

Steve Foley was never not injured and was pumped full of cortisone most games. He probably drives a mobility scooter these days mind you...

Fair enough, occupational hazard I guess. As an aside, heard Phil King speak at a dinner up here a few years back. Pre league cup final 1991, reckoned one of his ankles was the size of a balloon and black and blue all over. Big Ron kept the team up drinking til whenever the night before the final, next day King had a blinder and the rest as they say is history. Based on a sample of one, then, suppose it can work both ways.

Steve Foley got in a spot of bother with the law post-career, did he not?

Stigger Foley has probably got something in his drug cabinet to relieve post career pain!

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Cobblers had 11,135 v Cardiff in 86/87 for a festive fixture at the old ground. They won Div 4 that year, we were in Div 3.

Are you perhaps referring to this game woolster?

http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/MatchCentre.asp?MatchID=19860128

Feb '86 - When we pissed the league, loads went to Northampton and it got pwoppa nawty...

Edit: It seemed like a much bigger crowd at the time.

Probably was bigger, cash on the gate into turnstile ops pocket...

Strange looking at our team that day. I went to most games that season and have no memory of Paul Roberts or David Cole.

Did he come from Chelsea?

Edit. I'm thinking of Simon somebody

The pen claim is included in the official highlights:
http://youtu.be/yDm6c7IZeE4

Can easily see how it wasn't given. Looked 50/50 and the ref knew we wanted to buy one as our only chance of registering.

The goal we conceded was horrific. No commitment, not one touch among at least six players, and a weak flap to top it off.

Think you mean Simon Gibson. That was earlier. David Cole was a considerably more successful investment.

Was he the fella charged with tugging himself in front of a schoolgirl?

How does a long throw bounce on the penalty spot without any of our useless rabble getting something on it?! Fucking awful.

They only had 3 sides to the ground at the time as I recall - 2 ends and one side. If I remember correctly it was shared with the cricket club and a rope ran down the middle separating the two.

thats the one, kicked off big time, thanks OST

The goal we conceded was a shambles, although Bradford had put us under considerable pressure at the point not least with a number of corners.

Regarding the penalty, we were behind the goal and it seemed clear that his legs were completely taken away with no attempt to playing the ball.

100%. You just don't see it on the clip but in 'real time', it was an absolute nailed on penalty.

Nice bit of glove wearing and finger pointing by Rogers in those highlights.  :facepalm:

The defender's reaction makes me think it was a pen. You don't throw your arms up as immediately as that if you didn't bring him down.

Thompson at fault for the goal. Fast asleep.


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The goal is a disgrace. Defenders then Belford having a shocker.

This season needs to end.

Looks a pen to me, but as others have said I can see why it wasn't given. Tough call for the ref really, you win some you lose some.

The defending for that goal is atrocious. Schoolboy stuff.

Do we actually have anyone who takes a pen? How many have we had this season....maybe 3. I'll hazard a guess there's a reasonable correlation between the amount of pens given/scored and whether a decent or shit season.

Ajose's been taking them hasn't he? Off the top of my head.. Coventry & Millwall. Cant think of any others.

Last year we must've had about 15 or so. Missed most of them too!

We had one at Rochdale in the cup as well, but yeah, just the 3 I think.

Not to mention the perfect 7 in the shootout at Newport. So when you look at it like that, we've actually scored 10 out of 10.

Yes, but he's no longer around. You'd like to think someone is the designated pen taker. Probably Tyrell Belford, now that would be fun...

Surely you mean "not currently around" unless you're writing from the future?

Or Reg knows something we don't...  :o

Or it's a half-baked, unfounded rumour, based on little other than the fact that it would represent bad news for Swindon Town :)

He's assuming we'll sell him in the summer. Reg predicts bad news. If his predictions had come true we'd be an AFC Swindon forum by now.

But we'll need the money to fund our fight against relegation from L2 next season.

To be honest I expect we all have a suspicion that he might be sold by the end of August.

What I find harder to relate to is the assumption that, because he's a half decent player who was injured last week, there's some kind of deliberate arrangement whereby he'll never play for Swindon again. Bearing in mind that this is a guy who has played the whole of most games since September, and was visibly miffed when subbed after about 85 mins at Colchester when the game was already won.

He's already gone as far as I'm concerned. "No longer around" was just an odd turn of phrase, I thought Reg might have killed him or something  ;) I suppose that's one way to stop him going to Brentford (it's always bloody Brentford.)