Thetownend.com

As an aside to this game it’s being reported Reading will go into Admin later this week. Journo on their local rag seems to get info from inside the club so it’s not just idle twitter talk.

Anyway, 1400 tickets sold from our end plus there’s POTD as well. Seems some care about thus goddamned competition.

No injuries please, result immaterial.

Don’t particularly care about the competition but got fed up waiting for a proper opportunity to tick the ground off the list.

0-0 at full time and us to loose on penalties.

6341 with 1452 from us.

Remind me, is this on IFollow?

Aye tis.

Imagine Young starts tonight - flynn hinted at it last week.

If he starts I would think he wont finish the game, have to keep all our players fit for the weekend, Kinsella to start and Minturn, Lewis Ward, Uwakwe, Genesini, Obodo, Brown, Hart etc.

                        Ward
             Hart     Minturn   Ward(if fit)
Genesini                                      Uwakwe
                  Kinsella  Brown
                         Shade
                  Obodo      Young

I'm not going to moan at Town fans wanting to support Town. But I'm not sure what they are expecting tonight. We will protect as much of the first team as possible. Reading went strong last round.

I hope I'm very wrong but this looks like a bad set of circumstances to get a result.

I guess its a new ground for some though.


I concur.


Why risk him? I suppse we have to play some qualifying players.

Not for me...boycott means boycott, but each to their own.

Will wait until they get relegated and we play them in the league, or maybe the FA Cup.

As I said in the other thread, the only professional players we have who don't meet the qualifying "standard" are Minturn, Dworzak and Genesini I think. It's pretty lax now, not like it used to be in the early days of the boycott. I expect to see a very weak team today! Would imagine Kinsella and Uwakwe will play, Young might get a half, one of the CBs probably *has* to play but that's about it.

The result doesn't matter at all, I like to see how the squad players perform in what is a 1st team fixture, even if many of us fans dont like it, it is still a 1st team game and its extra experience for the kids.

I hope we dont get thrashed 9-0 like Exeter did vs this lot 2 weeks ago as that could have a demoralising effect on the squad and the kids, give a good showing, let the young lads express themselves and get confidence and just enjoy it.

I don’t think fans suddenly care about this competition.

I think it’s simply a ground 40 minutes up the road that anyone under the age of 30 hasn’t been to.

Yeah regardless of the opposition, can’t say I care too much about this one, probably won’t even check the score until tomorrow but fair play to those going and each to their own.

Will need to be a heavily rotated squad tonight so they’ll need a decent support if Reading go strong.

I read that quick and thought you said a heavily rotted squad :D

Can we agree on putting quotes around "1st Team" :)

I agree its useful to see how fringe players do. The problem is that I don't really know of any players that will be involved that could be staking a claim to the squad. Heck we only had 6 on the bench the last few.

So while its good to see a bit more Genesini, Minturn and Kinsella they aren't going to be surprises and won't be in a representative environment in what one would assume would be mostly yooths.

I guess assessing the level of the yooths is kind of interesting in its own right.

The reason we havent filled the bench with youngsters in the last couple of games is because the U18s have had an important fixture on the last 2 Saturday mornings, so they can lose 1 promising youngster but not really 2 for each fixture. The shortage of players also comes down to late injury/illnesses to players who would have been there, namely Cain and McEachran.

When you think that the chances of us needing to use the U18s to come off the bench is pretty remote I think its understandable why we have not put a young player there just for the sake of it.

Last season we had Kanu as the extra attacking option, who this term has picked up a very long term injury hence Abodo being the only attacking option we have left at the club.

I do think him coming off the bench on Saturday was a statement from Flynn to Clem and not necessary because he was the best option.

Play whatever we can get away with. I don't really care. Resting players is of the utmost importance right now.

You might be right, but it was good for him.

We could have stuck Shade up top instead and brought on Genesini for e.g.

I haven’t been under the age of 30 for over half my life. All our fixtures at The Majdeski have occurred when I couldn’t go.

I have been to games at the ground but in my former capacity as a paid fascist  bastard.

53 and never been. Not going tonight mind.

Last time I went, I ended up in their medical room as they threw a brick through the bus window on the way to the game.

The walk back to the train station was chaotic as well.

They've sold 3,900.

What he said

I don't care about the competition but the ground is 15 minutes from my house so not gonna miss a chance to watch, even if it's yoof vs yoof. Want us to beat Reading regardless but won't be upset if we lose.

FIFY

I'm here for the sake of completeness.
Pint in hand & soaking up the big match atmosphere.

A new ground for some.
Some older fans will make the trip overcome with a sense of misty eyed nostalgia at renewing the rivalry with the berks from Berks.
Inevitably some will be looking at reviving the traditional pursuits involved in a footballing visit to Reading, literally.

Always interested to see how our youth players shape up in these games.

Not sure if Jaxon Brown is fit as he put on his social media on Saturday him at the Millwall stadium and he wasn’t in the U18’s squad. I think he is from London as we got him from Tottenham Academy - so maybe just supporting his team while injured.

Last few years we seem to be picking up lads that have been in good academies to help boost our own.

Kanu - WBA
Brown - Tottenham
Hubbard - West Ham
Adams - Ipswich

He may well be injured but hes 20 now so wouldnt qualify for the U18s any more anyway.

I’d like to see Hubbard start. Looked good when I saw him in pre season.

Played for U18’s two weeks ago… he is a scholar.

Technically he’s the best in the current U18’s just his size perhaps will be an issue for him - hopefully not.

He’s a titch for sure. Reminds me a bit of Pritchard

All too often down the years we have technically gifted players that are way too small or lightweight to achieve anything in the game, there needs to be a balance.

Many time dating back even to the 70s and 80s we had really talented small built players who on the ball looked world beaters but put them into a mans side and they looked awful up against any form of physicality.

Thats why Minturn is special, a well build, strong physical youngster who can play a bit as well.

I read this about six times as "reminds me a bit of Pericard" and was fucking baffled. Thanks eyes.

As for small, good footballers out of youth academy, I was always sad Chris Allen didn't make it.

Obodo has a very good physique for a 16 year old & he'll continue to grow.
Flynn seems to rate him, which hasn't always been the case with some of our managers when it came to young prospects.

The key for rated youngsters between 16 - 20 is attitude & staying injury free.
Jordan Young fell foul of the latter.
I worry for Kanu's future prospects but hope he has the strength of will to come back stronger.

One youngster that I had very high hopes for, but whose name escapes me, DIV will remember.
Scored loads for the youth team, made his debut in brightly coloured boots & got stick from the TE for not chasing down & that was it.
Attitude & mental strength possibly the failing that led to a career in non league.
Remembered! Lloyd Macklin.

A few that slipped through the net & were let go & then went on to play in the league.
Denny Mundee springs to mind.

With the pressure for results on the pitch most clubs won't have the time or patience to give their youngsters a chance unless they really standout, at which point they'll end up in one of the human warehouses higher up the league.

Getting naughty already in Reading

DNA is going to Pompey v Gills tonight.

I have a few mates in the Monks Retreat saying it could well kick off, about 100 Swindon fans in there at the moment.

The warning signs were there a few weeks ago with many old school saying they were going and were getting in the pubs early afternoon.

4 of my "old school" mates left on the train for Reading at about 10.30 this morning for a day drinking pre game.

If we were in the same league this would definitely become a tasty derby again!

Tbf, 20 years ago that would have been me.

I remember late 90’s we took 4000 there :pint:

.

Chortle

Unconfirmed reports of Jimmy in central Reading clad in stone washed jeans & braces with 14 eye DM's showing the Yoof how it's done.

Be interesting to see who gets Pro deals as Kanu, Brown, Hart (hope not), Hubbard and Evans all have scholarships coming to an end next summer.

Name these

https://x.com/official_stfc/status/1711786155153174860?s=61&t=HYPly50GSEZLTKzNdaNp7Q

Shade, Uwakwe, Genesini and McEachran there.

The under 11 team?

Redmen Evans (GK) Fletchard Hubbard (MID) George Alston (MID) Unsure, Unsure, Fin Adams (LB) Sonny Hart (CB) Josh Keyes (MID) Dworzak, Shade, Obodo (ST), Mceachran, Fox (LWB), Uwakwe, Genesini, Mino.

There is one very tall youngster at the start of that, looks like he about 6 foot 4!

Don’t they all look happy to be there!

Redmen Evans - GK he had trials at Palace last year.

He is certainly a big old unit.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F8F6_HyW8AAZyWM?format=jpg&name=medium)

Ward

Genesini Hart Mino Adams

Kinsella McEachran Dworzak

Shade Obodo Uwakwe

Hope McEachran is double bubble wrapped tonight

Not too bad!

Fin Adams the LB we got from Ipswich a year ago.

News to me!

Always good to see the kids in acton to see if we have any rough diamonds.

Looks like there are over 5,700 tickets sold today, 1,400 of them Swindon sales.

Spanking tonight?

First 11 isn’t horrendous just that bench has 0 experience on offer. Always good to see what academy gems we have tho…

I’ll ask Mrs Audrey. I’ll let you know.

I half expected to see Clayton tonight.

..................................or a signed free agent, despite the rhetoric.

I think its come about a week early to risk him, hes back in full fitness training but no need to rush him.

Bit of an early mistake by Fin Adams almost gives them a goal after 12 seconds!

All over the place at the back

Nice from Obodo

Its a lively game but you can see that Reading are way way more experienced than our side.

Ward’s kicking has been awful so far

Ward kicking hadn’t improved any

Very good save by Ward there at point blank as they cut us apart at the back.

Good save from Ward

Never been his strong point.

Well, after 10 minutes, it’s looking like this could be a long night. Can tell Reading are much more experienced and physical. Hope we can grow into it

We’re offering zilch. Can’t pass, don’t tackle.

0-1

 Doomed

Bad mistake by the young lad Adams who sets up the Reading player for an easy goal.

Be lucky if we only concede 6

Hart and Minturn both looking a bit shakey against this expereinced side. Understandably so.

Yep, can’t blame them at all really. Lambs to the slaughter stuff sadly

"Our big day out"
I'm quite certain Reading wouldn't get the attendances (home or away) we do after the same time in the basement

But its good they get experience in these games rather than being thrust into a starting slot in the league.

They’ll find out soon enough

Yep, good learning curve for them. Playing against a lot of regular L1 players can’t be a bad thing

Plastic melts away

We did a shot, only took 30 mins!

Hate to be critical of the young UN's but for me Dvorzak neither looks or plays like a footballer to me

He has been very poor so far for sure. Then again Hart is not looking much better, also the lad Adams looking a bit lost.

Get Hubbard on in the 2nd half.

For one of the more ‘senior’ players, in regards to appearances at least, Uwakwe has been really poor thus far

He looked seriously pissed off in that video

They are cutting through us like butter.

Not just him, Shade and Kinsella both look like they dont want to be there too.

Think the yellow Shade picked up probably sums it up

He has also been constantly moaning at the ref too I have noticed.

Minturn has made 3 or 4 bad touches too that have almost cost us.

Not many players actually impressing tonight unfortunately.

These are the games Minturn needs to shine

Since you mentioned him he has made 3 good interceptions!

At least they could put themselves about a bit

I dont think Minturn is the sort of player that does "shine" he is just solid and if you dont notice him much then hes playing well. With defenders you often notice the mistakes far more than the blocks and tackles.

2-0

0-2

That is pissing me off a bit, McEachran, Shade and Kinsella just seem to be strolling around not giving much effort or quality so far.

Likewise. McEachran has had a few chances to drive forward, but just drops back and passes to one of the CB’s. I know we have fuck all going forward really, but at least show some intent

Just sent a picture of Johnny Wiliams with the word ‘Wanker’ attached.

HT 0-2

No surprise, we look like we are just going through the motions sa far.

Yeah,was hoping that would happen!
He just looks so ungainly!

To be fair,he looks much better with more experienced players around him I think

Which, with the squad size we have, is probably a good idea.  Just exit the cup as quickly as possible.  I couldn't even be bothered to have it on in the background, lord only knows what our fans were doing going to the game.  An utter waste of time, effort and money.

Didn’t get the TV on until we weee 1-0 down.

It hasn’t been as bad as I thought it might be.

But it hasn’t been good either!

Reading don't have a game on Saturday, first team goalie and first team defence, so what do you expect?  Genesini has looked bright when he has got involved.  Expect McEarache off after 60 minutes.

Good turn out TBF.

(https://i.postimg.cc/SKqv4CJP/387849503-879950637252550-443037658467791470-n.jpg)

Fair point just hope Flynn gives him some opportunities throughout the season rather look to loan him out again in January.

Not even on my firestick tonight. Not overly arsed.

Personally I would expect a little effort even if there is nothing riding on the game from the more experienced pro's.

Professional pride if nothing else.

Like the old days there are no reserve games to impress the manger so why wouldn’t players want to give everything!

Interesting- Commentators who don’t commentate, but talk mostly about time wasting! Then Bon Jovi instead of match summary!

It's never that, although I fully understand the sentiment.

When a manager is showing he doesn’t care about winning, hence the team selection, I can’t really then blame the players for not giving a shit.
They all know Saturday is more important than tonight and they’re only on the pitch to avoid the club getting a fine.

Minturn disposessed while playing out from the back and then nutmegged in the box, not great by thr young un.

Penalty to them. Awful tackle by Genesini.

Stupid challenge

0-3 hattrick

Could well be 9

Its early still.

Just shake hands on the 3-0.

I would settle for that right now.

Must be so difficult for Minturn with no reserve games and no game time.

McEachrans time is done, protect him for Saturday.

I know we can’t take much out of this, but we are technically heading for a third straight loss. I like Flynn and think he’s done a sound job so far, but his issue at Walsall was that he could not stop a losing/winless run. Hope he’s able to change that narrative here.

He’s always looked fine when he’s stepped into the first XI

Aye but different playing 10 mins alongside the usual defence to 90 with the youth team.

I remember him being at fault for the equaliser at Rochdale last season as well at an error that cost us a goal home vs Stevenage, he got sent off vs Walsall last year as well, that was in his 8 games he played.

But I think he has a bright future, but not sure I would say "always" looked fine in the first team. He has looked a good prospect but very very raw at times. He needs more game time though and these games are the sort he needs against much stronger opposition than he would have got at Youth levels.

And with that Reading bring on a centre back with 550 1st team games behind him who once cost Birmingham £2m!

It’s all right having big match day squads but when do the fringe players get to play any games other than in training.

We have 1 game every few weeks against academy sides from the Premier or Championship teams, training games of either 90 mins or 120 mins. So basically the same as these Pizza Cup games.

Fans hardly ever hear about the results though as they are almost always played behind closed doors and treated as training sessions.

Williams equalises at Pompey. WANKER!

In the shop window for a fire sale

Not sure, he only signed for them 2 months ago.

Well if as suggested they’re about to go into admin…

I hear Reading could very well be in line for yet another points deduction in the coming weeks over finances and late wages payments.

They have had 16 points deducted in 2 years already and this would be their 3rd points deduction this season.

The Gray lad looks not bad

8 more fucking minutes, fucking blow up now ref I will take 0-3.

0-4

Poor keeping

Poor defending

Ward made one very good save early on but otherwise hes been poor today.

0-5

No defending!

Might be some free agents available in a few weeks.

Unfortunately though they wont be able to play until January for any other team, I would take Harlee Dean if he was available though. Experienced CB.

FT 0-5

At least it wasn't 9-0.

No injuries by the look of it so job done.

Arsenal are beating Exeter 3-0 so that means we’re out!

Bit of good news to end the evening on.

We still have to play Exeter?  Can't we just register four admin staff for that game and get them all sent off to have the game called off and take the defeat?

Hats off to anyone who pays to watch that shite considering there’s nothing to play for:D

Damned hags!

no injuries, good run out for the u18s, some making their debut.

no dramas

You’re too observant :D

Reading forum
It’s all kicking off police helicopter out fights everywhere people windmilling riot police deployed

In their 9 : 0 win at Exeter, Reading didn't have as many first-teamers involved, so not bad.

is this satire or a genuine post?

Genuine page 6
https://hobnob.royals.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=190802

I meant did the person who posted it do it in satire

Clayton in contention for Saturday, great news.

Sorry, no idea but I would guess it would be kicking off outside the ground as it’s always been a flash point.

Flynn:
- Finished the game with 7 players under 17 years old
- Miles Obogo played up front and didnt stop running
- Not trying to sugar coat a 5-0 loss.
- Important for Flynn to look at players coming through
- Reading have a much bigger squad
- Didnt want to play McEachran, but had to in orderr to meet criteria
- Harry Gray looked promising
- Miles looked a handful. He's bigger than Flynn and only 16!
- Kinsella did well. Others should have done better
- Its a big learning curve.
- Players who have played in the first team have made basic errors
- Timing of the goals. Second and third goals were poor
- A few of them could have been cut out
- Ward made a good save, but they are first to react.
- Support was excellent
- Disappointed that Flynn couldn't play a stronger team
- Tried to pre-warn supporters on Saturday
- Not disrespecting the cup, but the squad size means we can't afford injuries
- Chose not to jeopardise key players for the league
- The club are behind Flynn for that
- Young and Clayton are available for Saturday
- Haven't decided on whether Young starts
- Benn Ward is with Burnley. They have to assess him. There was no tear, which is good news.
- Free agents: Not at the minute. We have 2 in with us. They have done quite well. But have to make the right decisions. But we may have to wait until January.

seems to be genuine. See one post saying TVP directed both sets of fans into reach other to go to car park and..

Things haven’t changed then since the late 90’s when the police let the two sets of fans meet in the car park.

Spot on. Obodo impressed me the most out of the youngsters. Dworzak had a decent game.

Any of the kids look handy enough to involve in the squad in the next few weeks if needed?

Which is quite frankly a ridiculous question to have to be asking in October for a club claiming to be going for promotion with a “competitive budget”

‘May have to wait until January’

surely if we are not going to sign these 2 trialiasts that are in its a waste of both theirs and our time?

I imagine they come in handy for Training, when we need to work on two full teams.

Absolute scenes after the game TVP should be ashamed just filtered the Swindon fans into the Reading fans on the dual carriageway. The atmosphere was feisty in the ground it’s obvious the Swindon fans all left on about 75 mins to wait for the Reading fans no
Police there whatsoever ever. Then it all kicked off fighting in the middle of the road Swindon got absolutely battered. Then the riot police turn up with dogs peeper spray full riot gear swinging kloshes never seen trouble like that.

Some footage on Twitter of two town fans KO’d

There were a few fans around me that were only there for the post match ‘entertainment’.

When I got back to my car in that car park there was a Reading fan out cold receiving medical attention next to it, god knows what was going on.

We had no chance with the side we put out. Men against boys from minute 1. Not a lot of bright spots really. Some running around from the young lads but ultimately they were lambs to the slaughter.

Obodo definitely best we got as a squad option in the academy. Hubbard only academy lad who wanted to get on the ball and make stuff happen.

"Competitive budget" for promotion. !!!

Who said this ? Think it was Rob Angus when he was trying to sell Season tickets

Flynn seems very good, but he is not a magician.

I will be very surprised if after 46 games the current squad is anywhere near the automatic promotion places. For no other reasons but the depth (numbers) in the squad.

Really sad especially with all the passionate support shown to STFC 

       

It was said before the last season ended as part of a "lessons learnt" and was implied up until Clem's live mea culpa on the sofa

https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/sport/23805559.swindon-town-budget-sufficient-promotion-says-owner/

I watched about 55 minutes of this but it was painfully evident of the chasm between the sides. Unfortunately it was very much 'rabbit in the headlights'. Which is completely understandable given the young side we put out. Obviously Reading had youngsters out also but also a smattering of very good professionals, Harvey Knibbs for instance who won't have been in as much space for his first 2 goals for a while in a game I suspect.

The aim of the game was to get out of there without any injuries and also to give the scholars and youth players experience on the top stage. Pathetic shenanigans off the pitch also, but clearly that's why some of these people travelled.

Newport on Saturday is massive now, if we lose that, it's going to really get antsy again potentially.

Presumably a quote from the reading forum rather than your own account?



A stark reminder of how threadbare our squad is. Everything on the cheap ....best case scenario once Morris and Brand are paid off in November (?) Those wages become available to Flynn to strengthen. Worst case sweet Clementine has gone sour and decided not to fund the playing side now he's gifted us fans half the stadium.

Arguably Rob Angus is another salary off the books isn't he?

Flynn has done pretty much everything in his power but we are at least 3 first team standard players off a meaningful promotion push. All the stars would need to align for a play off tilt over 46 games.

Really happy with the evenings work. Out of the shit competition and no injuries to first teamers. Young and Clayton back on the weekend, could do with a win

Reading talking like it's gonna turn their season around  ;D

Absolutely not IMO. None close to being good enough yet.

Any idea of the attendance last night?

Don't think its been announced, the only one I have seen was 1,644 Wrexham in a crowd of 3,751 at Crewe.

One realistic post on the Reading forum.

We should cobble together a TEF dirty dozen to have a kick about.

Its a totally pointless fixture for both clubs so just cancel it and not bother playing as both Reading and Arse have qualified already.

Well, the 9-0 at Exeter didn’t do them much good.

Merge it with the annual play on the pitch - £2500 each, seven spots to say you played a first team game for STFC and get a profile on Rich Banyard's site.

Bad luck to Tyrese Shade, Tariq Uwakwe, Harrison Minturn and Brooklyn Genesini for having to play alongside you.

Shame but understandable, too early for any of them. Would have been nice for Minturn/Genesini/Uwakwe to have put in a good showing to put them back in the picture but understandably difficult to do in that sort of team and match.

I hoped they would all step but yesterday they just didnt. It is what it is though, we have to work with what we have got now.

I'm Taylor Curran,
no I'm Taylor Curran.

Average age of the Reading starting XI was about 24 compared to our 21. Twice as many professional experiences in the side. Three times as many goals. And that's without including the benches which would only skew things further!

Shame we let those late goals in as 3-0 would have been a very respectable result givent he above. But it's all pretty irrelevant and will be quickly forgotten if we can pick up a win on Saturday.

Spot on.

Just seen a very disturbing video of a town fan that's already out cold on the floor being booted in the head by several thugs.

Cowardly cunts, hope they get caught.

I saw that on the Reading forum, their fans mocking him and that they beat us on and off the pitch, fucking twats.

A group pick on an individual and they call it a win. Clueless pricks. Typical modern day "tough guys".

Reports of a couple of Reading fans in a similar condition in the car park.

Yeah, I think any attempt to claim the moral high ground from either side seems misjudged at best.

But at least some 'lads' will have got the chance to shout 'come on then' at each other whilst hiding behind a police cordon.

I think if our fans aren't booting theirs in the head when they're already out cold, its absolutely acceptable to claim a moral high ground. Or maybe a not a high ground but certainly not as low as that.

They get a couple of clips on t'web and it's a battering. Don't think it works like that, plastics  ;)
Hope the innocents in all this are OK

You look a bit like Ernest Borgnine  :)

I have Telly Savalas's haircut.

Who loves ya baby!

Forget sending Asylum seekers to Rwanda, or wherever, send anyone involved in such fighting to Gaza and see if they get their rush there.

6,121 with 1,435 of us. Pretty good guess.

Pretty comparable to the Disney Reds who had a trip of just 26 miles to Crewe compared to our 44 miles.

It was probably their  :bandwagon: Staffordshire based fans  :D

Shame about my score line prediction though