Thetownend.com

Or is it just me?

I'll be at the Bradford game and still have my season ticket, but I'm just not looking forward to it as much as I usually do this time of year. It's got nothing to do with a lack of signings, or the way we play, or the press ban, or anything else I can put my finger on; just a lack of interest. And it's not just Swindon, it's football in general.

Maybe I'm ill....

Male menopause?

Are you going through a sex change?

You are not alone I have been a ST holder for many years but I just cannot get excited about this season I think it is the saturation on TV there is just too much football on TV and that coupled with the ridiculous transfer fees being spent in the PL it just makes you realise the chances of us ever getting there again are next to zero

I am the same. Not sure why, maybe the scars of Wembley, loss of the spine of the team or the general feeling of lethargy around the club but also feeling "meh". 

Another factor may also be that we are still playing or will be playing the same way, have the same formation and will have the same weaknesses this coming season. Nothing I've seen so far really excites me.

Come 8th August I might have changed my view though. Or end of October when we are top by 18 points  ;D

And play the same old sides. It's a general malaise I think after we've fecked up 3 promotion chances in 5 years.

I think this sums up my feelings quite well.

Ditto.

But that could all change come first game of the season, its still early.

There's always Millwall at home to look forward too.

All those cheeky chappies coming to town.

What a jolly jape it will be!

No. Hint of autumn in the air, means thinking football is starting to feel right. 

I guess the days when I'd truncate a holiday to pedal across Ireland, to get a night ferry to ensure making the first game v Port Vale with 3 and a half K other long sufferers, have gone, but I have an away day at Gigg Lane pencilled in..although hoping to find some good black pudding as much as to get 3 points.

I like it best when we are either a small fish in a big pond, or a big fish in a small pond. This season feels like neither.  

Deep Gaz.

And I'm not talking about the pond

Maybe you should take up fishing as a hobby instead of football?

Freshly boiled is lovely up at Bury Market, my sister in law until recently lived just outside Bury so I was a regular visitor, the 2 best ones are actually the low fat "diet" black pudding and the one with chilli in...yummy in a roll (barm).

For me it’s the lack of a target to aim for. The simple fact is that, rightly or wrongly, I don’t want Swindon to get to the Premiership as that isn’t football as I started following and want to see. I’d like us to get promoted to the Championship, for sure, but the top level? I’d rather not pay £50 to watch some players with no affiliation to Town other than a paycheque get thumped by a world XI funded by a human rights abusing oil baron purporting to represent the working class of Manchester. Not every week anyway, maybe a cup run would be interesting but 38 games of that a year would be awful. Lower league football seems to be having a bit of an identity crisis, we want our sides to do well, but perhaps not too well. It’s an odd one.

Yes, same ‘flat’ feeling here, too, but I’ll be there on 8 August and have already booked travel to two of the early away games.

It’s hard to put a finger on the reasons but the ‘non performance’ at Wembley definitely has something to do with it. It truly was dreadful.  Being stuck in the ‘Third Division (North)’ with many of the same old clubs is also a factor, as is the prospect of another season of the same uninspiring on-field tactics.  I am by no means a paid-up member of the “get it forward’ brigade but I found our one-dimensional game plan last season quite tedious and uninspiring week after week, and everything I’ve seen and read during the close season suggests were going to get more of the same next season – probably together with the same comedy defending. 

But I’m not reaching for the razor blades just yet and, maybe we’ll see a couple of inspirational new signings in the next couple of weeks which will improve everyone’s demeanour no end.

Feel the same. To be fair I felt the same the season pre-Di Canio too.  The PDC years were a welcome relief from it all.

The only reasons I can think of is that a) its age related, b) I'm sick of league 1. c) The club is back to drifting, being left behind by those who have found money - and I fully accept STFC has absolutely no choice but the do what it is.

Oh and unpopular as it may be, d) sick of ticka-tacka flicky fanny football being proclaimed as the best thing since sliced bread - lets be honest its brilliant when it works, woeful when it doesn't-A bit of a mix would be welcome for those times. edit: Doh - Sir Pissalot just posted similar.

Thankfully my lads still seem to enjoy it, so I'm not tempted to pick and chose games. But I can see how its easy to go from ST holder -> occasional. Something I'd have branded "tinpot and not  becoming of a real fan' not so far back.

Hey ho.

Got to say Pissy I agree with you, have not been to any of the friendlies (live in SN2) and at the moment finding it hard to get enthusiastic about the coming season, as you say felt very let down by Wembley and the amount of negativity that is around is self-defeating - and I guess I am not helping with that!!  If only we weren't told that our business would be done early and we would be investing in a couple of players which clearly has not happened!!  We have still got our four ST but not sure if I am going to be there on the 8th, only because I have to be in Solihull at 9-30 am, on that day - still hoping to be away by 1-30 for a quick dash down the M5 to take my seat though!

Hope I don't bump into any of you wet blankets in the pub on the 8th.

I'll know who you are. Just keep a look out for anyone who looks like I've just pissed in your pint.

I'm not. But I've got tifos to organise! It's giving me another channel of excitement.

I'm quite looking forward to it. Not necessarily expecting to see us do anything dramatic in the League, just looking forward to watching us play good football. Which I think we will. And I've enjoyed the pre-season games as well. So there.

I've tried a chilli pudding from the Bury Company.....not bad, but like fruit in cheese, flavours in cider/vodka etc.....it's marketing and not needed.

I fully expect gates to be significantly down this season, as we very much get back down to the hardcore fan.

I'm up for it.  Football is a day out with your family and/or mates.  There will still be a team to cheer on and, last I heard, the Glue Pot is still standing.

Don't think the Autumn chill mentioned by Reg is quite here yet - not permanently, anyway - but I'll be more than happy when it is.  I miss football.

This to the power of 5000.

I worked out recently, that for the past decade I've been to roughly the same amount of home and away games each season, regardless of what division we are in and how we are faring in said division.

Obviously, I'll be delighted if we storm league 1 and proclaim what I believe (though statistics do not back up)to be our birthright, a place in the second tier.

But whatever happens I'm looking forward to getting to games, and getting to the Gluey.

See you in there on the 8th I hope Mr Ardiles.

This. Can't fucking wait to get back on the piss with my boys.

Wembley was a disaster and a terrible way to finish a fantastic season.
Dared not to dream of the Championship, as typically With Swindon it always ends in tears.

Still feel wounded, have not watched any football since.
Have renewed all the season tickets but not excited. Keep thinking of the miles, same Div 1 grounds but look forward catching up with the lads.

Hoping come Bradford some excitement will kick in and we have a team that surprises the league and are in the mix again.

was really looking forward to getting the away top on the 24th but just couldn't be bothered

I can't wait for the season to start, no idea how we will do but that's half the excitement! Some decent away games to look forward too and nothing beats watching live football on a saturday or a night under the floodlights at the cg having a few beers with mates/family.

Supporting swindon is never easy but id much rather have that than some boring midtable l1 side that never does anything good/bad.

Hurrry up bradford game!!

I enjoy the day out, train to Swindon, lunch and a few beers with my dad etc. If we win, great, if we lose, well I'll survive.

Bit meh about the season, have a feeling we'll finish 15th.

Also given my calendar this year I'll probably be going to more pre-season games than actual proper fixtures!

Oh yes.

And we're certs for Sep 19th as well.

I genuinely can't wait for the football season to start.. But then again I hide myself away from football the moment my own footie season finishes, as well as Town's, so.... Food for thought, y'all!

STFC

Who is Meh?

I feel meh every season but at least i don't actually have to go this season!

I temper my excitement every pre-season as I'm still getting over the summer of 2000.

Raft of what I thought were excellent signings, what I thought was an excellent new manager in Todd, convinced we were going straight back up. Couldn't beat Col U first game and it didn't get any better from there.

 A little bit like the Tony Thorpe and Jamie Cureton era.... Everybody had high hopes, but it soon turned to shit... I'm so happy we have the set up we have these days; those were really fucking shit days.... And that team in 05-06...  :suicide:

And we had a fairly good pre-season that year didn't we? Wasn't it a narrow loss to the Hammers, and a draw/win v Saints.

T*dd, what a wanker. Stitched us up with dodgy agent signings then fooked off. Probably the worst manager in the time I've supported Town - and that time includes McMahon and Malpas.

 The Cureton/Thorpe era, might seem like shit, but at least we still had regular AGM's, and open days pre season.  I remember there being an open training session at the CG, and watched Cureton and Thorpe bitching with King, clearly they had no respect for the bloke and looked distinctly big time Charlie....I thought we might be in shit after watching that.

 In fact watching a bit of pre-season training was always instructive, in a way that friendlies aren't. Unfortunately, now out at Calne makes it a bit difficult.

I'm personally not all too worried about AGM's and the like personally, Reg, but I see what you mean - but that whole set up, right from the team to the management and to the board room staff, gives me nightmares.. I am so thankful for where we are today and what we have.
As for the open days, mind - I did enjoy the open day for Di Canio's first season; that was a gooden.

I'm looking forward to it, i can't wait until january when we are in the top 2 and every says how well we are doing considering we were likely to get relegated etc.

Wembley really hurt me and then I felt that the club made me feel I was lucky to be there.

Got an ST but wish I hadn't in some ways.

Very concerned about this season but my love runs deep, so I'm hoping someone will be ramming this post down my throat in April/May time.....

Football, in general to me has felt flat since Paul Hart stepped foot in Town.
I missed more games under his management than I had the previous 10 years - been to two games since.

It's the lack progression and ambition I don't like (please don't get me wrong....I understand why our business philosophies are what they are) but we are exactly where we were 10 years ago. Same ground, same division with fixtures against the same teams we've played for years and years now.

We've bottled every chance we've had to get out of this division (upwards!) and we've not backed ourselves (like say Bournemouth did - look at them now) Di Canio would have done it, say what you like about him but he had that drive, determination and passion that gets you places -  we as a club have fuck all of that.

I know we've had our dark days and we're lucky to still have a club but the whole 'just happy to be here' mantra is weak and small time.

Football as a whole....
I don't like how short termist it has become. Managers don't get given enough time, players don't stay at clubs long enough, youth players pick money over football. The rich get richer.
We can never put a foundation in place (playing side) to build on, we will always have to rebuild year on year - don't think that gets you anywhere either.

Lastly, it's been done over this forum before but fuck the notion that football is about entertainment!
Maybe it is to Johnny Armchair fan but I don't give a fuck. Win, it's a sport, fucking win - if that means ugly hoofball to a donkey of a target man who falls on his arse as his flick on gets to his strike partner who scores for a 1-0 win - then brilliant! Happy days - I'll take 25+ of those a season.

So yeah, don't enjoy it anymore - no passion for it.

Johnny Armchair fan? Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's you isn't it? Didn't you stop going when Di Canio stropped off?

Not really.....no, I don't claim to support from my arm chair....hell, I don't even really claim to support any more full stop. Plus 500+ games tells a different story.

I said I've been twice since Paul Hart took us down.

I went to as many games under KMac as I did Di Canio.....

Here's a thought . . .

Get to an actual game again, it's more often than not an enjoyable few hours.

Stop thinking of it as a tiny part of some overall scheme and treat it for what it is - 90 minutes of fun

OK, so not even a Johnny Armchair fan then. Just a glory hunter who can't enjoy watching good football for it's own sake?

To be fair DV has explained in great detail why he has lost the love. I been and seen him at enough away games when we have been absolutley dog shit in relegation scraps and he has been there so think armchair is a bit harsh..


Guarantee he has got himself a bird doing well at work and going through that fuck football stage that we all go through at some stage.

He will be back

The worst day out at football is better than the best day shopping - or whatever else people do instead of football

Yes it is to his credit to be honest about he's fronted up, but it is something I've seen down the years, whereby the seemingly most commited, become the first to drop off, whereas the Steady Eddie, who just enjoys his pint and 90 minutes keeps going.

Agree with his sentiment, nobody wants to watch a John beck style team, but I'd take it for a season or two to get into the championship over 'total football' and stay in league 1.

if things were that simple

When you think about it, it's surprisingly easy to see why.  The most committed 'die hards' demand more from their football in the first place.  It's everything to them, and the buzz/rush they get reflects that.  But you can't sustain that over a long period.

Eventually, we all become the stereotypical, Arkell's Stand, rug-on-lap, thermos flask drinkers we all used to poke fun at.  (Either that or stop going all together.)

i'm the opposite. As I've got older I care less about the opposition and the grounds (and the passion!) so the quality of football we play is much more important. I love that we are doing something more interesting that Beck stuff hence I keep renewing. Another season of Hart would have killed off my interest (but for a different reason) but Di Canio didn't do that much for it either.

I love it, and will be there as often as I can from my vantage point in Wales - home or away.  And I will, without guilt sit in the Arkells, not because I'm old and decrepit (tho I am), and have no passion (which I have oodles of) but because I can see the football!  The challenge is to make the Arkells as responsive as, well, the DR at least...and it showed in the Sheff Utd game that it can be transformed`into a wall of noise, if not a pack of baying hounds.  I will do my part, if others will....but i will never be a solo singer!!!

Bring it on......

I actually quite like the Arkells.  Relocated there from the Town End a few years ago when my boys started coming.  As you say, it's nice actually being able to see the game...something you can't always guarantee in the Town End.  And the view of Christ Church silhouetted on the horizon at sunset on a crisp November afternoon from my vantage point at the top of the Arkell's is a sight worth living for (even when the football on the pitch is ropey.)

I've struggled Pre-season to get the get up and go I usually like pre-season seeing a couple of games against the local teams that just eases me back in, have missed that not really been up for watching all the premier teams, I will go to my first pre-season this year on Sunday.

I have concern about the players we have lost not having been suitably replaced and the size of our squad, how many we are going to concede and how we will score goals, but equally the transfer window is open until end of Aug and I'm sure Power will sign a few more.  There are probably a few he is waiting on for when the season kicks of and players find themselves not selected and realise they need to move on, he does seem to have his contacts for decent players.

Not happy about their press ban either as I used to enjoy reading pre match comments from manager and players and listening to interviews, now seemingly we are to have nothing about than crap on Fanzai which I have no interest in.

All in all I suspect the excitement will return once I'm sitting in my seat and we hear the team news against Bradford.

Come on you miserable fukkers!!

"Wise men say, only fools rush in, but I can't help.... falling in love with you. SA-WIN-DON!!"

Get it together. This is our mantra. Slap yourself in the face and hear those echoing concrete concourses, as you climb the short steps up and out to a view of luscious green turf.  Feel the fresh late summer air and bite those nails down to the skin. Where dismay and elation are but seconds from each other. Drama. Emotion. Success. Failure. Tense, with three minutes remaining, Robert hustles Liddle and releases Byrne with a cutting pass. Byrne ducks right, ducks left, cuts inside the box, lifts the ball over Sheehan with the outside of his right boot....GOAL!!! Obika slams home from six yards with Ben Williams completely at his mercy. STFC 1-0 Bradford. Parkinson looks furious as he was waving his arms at Roberts' challenge on Liddle. Cooper calm, with a wry smile, breathes in and looks to the sky, while new signing Traore and Robert dance in front of the Town End and Liverpool loanee Jordan Williams goes down in Town folklore history by cupping his ear to the Bradford contingent then miming "shhh" to them.

Come on this is why, we love football. For these moments. Regardless of how shit it can get. Even beating the likes of Fleetwood on a Tuesday night with seconds to spare is every bit as enjoyable as "those 3-0 Leeds beatings" or "that 6-4 reversal against Birmingham" when we were 4-0 down at HT.  We live through the peaks and the troughs, like in our day to day life, because (in most terms) STFC is part of our life.

"WE'LL NEVER DIE, WE'LL NEVER DIE, WE'LL NEVER DIE, WE'LL NEVER DIE..." COYR!!

It was DV who used the term armchair, to describe people who (shock, horror) might actually enjoy watching football. All I did was point out it might be more appropriately applied to someone who didn't attend games. When he then clarified that he wasn't an armchair supporter because he didn't support the team in any meaningful sense any more I was happy to recategorise him as not even an armchair supporter

Speaking as a true 'armchair fan' albeit having had 30yrs of live viewing - I found last year's televised matches largely dire & embarrassing - hopefully this year will be better :(

I can accept the financial restraints placed on the team - what I find really galling is driving past Reading & Brighton's new grounds, on my occasional trips to the mainland & realising that we have really stagnated over a long period of time.

2-1 at half-time. 4-1 down with about 30 minutes left..... 8)

Like when we won at the Ricoh, Bramall Lane and were involved in the epic 5-5 game.  OK the 3 others were shit....

I wasn't embarrassed walking out of Trashton either. Pissed off with the result and the fact they were more clinical than us but far from embarrassed.

<3

Not looking forward to it for the first time in 46 years. Loosing interest all together due to lack of transparancy and secrecy in football in general also disapointed that of the 4 million received not one penny has been spent. Thought we might have invested 400000 in a couple of headline signings mind i do understand that we need to use most of it to pay down debt trouble is this may well result in lower gates so costing more in the long term. Things need to be balanced i have a season ticket but will still pick which games i attend not going to Exeter out of choice which is unheard of for me. Will do a few away games as nearly done the 92 now

How do you know it was 4 million? For a start we had to give Spurs probably at least 1 of it. Secondly Power is several mill out of pocket, no one has a never ending wallet, and he will pay if the right player is around. So i dont see how your maths is relevant in the slightest in regards to not going for a a starter.

As has been mentioned any fees received will come to the club over a period of time - not in one lump.

I enjoy my Saturday/midweek games and unless we are completely hopeless or put a cunt like McMahon in charge again I will continue to give my beer-fuelled support in person.

It's what I do.

Well obviously no one knows the amount that,s one of the points I was making everything is shrouded in secrecy these days and its turning me off the game. However I made the point that debts have to be paid I would also make the point that last year we had good money from TV appearances we were over break even in gates, we have no high earners left at the club this year, we had a play offs including a  Wembley appearance and we also charge the highest match day prices in the division I would of thought that it was still worth investing in a couple of 200,000 reasonable quality players. our squad does seem a bit thin. I am realistic and believe the club did the right thing in selling Gladwin and Luongo and do believe as i said that we should use the vast majority of the money to pay off  the debt.

There's still time.

The offer for Goldson was surely six figure (unless Power was really taking the piss). It may have been done to appease the fans wanting cash to be splashed, but I don't think Power is that kind of bullshit-Jed chairman.

For what it is worth, I will miss Bradford and Exeter due to hols, and am a tad glum about it.

Without fail, every season, someone will decide "I have been supporting Swindon for x years and this is the worst I've ever seen"

I've only supported Town for about 15 years (I'm 24) but I recall the worst times being when the club nearly folded completely, not our lack of signing this ethereal experienced centreback who costs exactly what we sold Luongo for.

Sections of our support genuinely seem to think we're going to sign a Greer, a Foderingham and an Austin, all while not renewing their season tickets because we've no ambition.

Football has changed. Our ambition as a club will match what we are financially capable of and what the supporters are willing to do to support that.

So a) see our lack of spending as a detriment and sit at home. b) find a new club that'll really satisfy you like Liverpool cos you know, you'll never get to anfield but they won stuff once or c) get off your arse and support the team, giving them the money they need to get better and watch some decent football along the way

You never know, that fiver you spend on a disgusting half time pie might go towards something special.

:coyr:

I think eating a pie is a step too far tbh..

Surely a Greer is exactly what we are looking to sign ... a decent player who is on a free transfer because he has hardly played for two years due to injuries.

Clearly the complete opposite of what we're trying to sign. Old, unfit, big wages and no resell value. Fair enough, it worked out with Greer but obviously not the type of signing we're going to make.

 :D

Eating a pie doesn't help the club either, not for another 8 years or so anyway.

We've never found out, if Jed's flogging of the family pie franchise, was to the benefit financially of the club in any way, or rather as implied in last summer's court case an example of how an asset was stripped from the club.

Where has the Jedmeister actually ended up?

Seems he has been linked to a number of clubs

I think the lack of news in the press is making me lose interest. Didn't matter if it was good, bad or indifferent, but I used to like looking at the TEF, Adver, Flic, TotalSwindonSport (not necessarily in that order) to see what was going on.

I'm a Luddite with a crap phone. I'm not paying for some poxy app that won't work well with my phone that I only use once in a blue moon.

My former season ticket holding friend is a bit 'Meh' about it for a different reason. His views are that its fine to 'start from scratch' once, but it would be nice to see the same team 'tweaked' and developed to make it better.

Last year was an unexpected success, although the team were not quite good enough for promotion. I would have thought it 'unlikely' that we can repeat the same level of 'success'. I suspect we will be competitive, but challenging at the top of the table again - I would doubt it.

I understand what you mean about the lack of news - pre season is usually when there is loads of things happening.

It does, somewhat, give you the feeling of not being valued by the club - a couldn't care less, take it or leave it attitude.

Obviously this is not the club's intention - or I hope it isn't - but all this fanzai bollocks and the club keeping a tight lid on any news at all has, no doubt, pissed off a few people.

It says something when the biggest news in pretty much the entire off season has been the lack of any official news/updates..

I feel like it is like that every off season, doesn't really feel like anything new to me

But previous years we have got news/updates from the club, even if it was how the pitch was looking, updates on the new scoreboard and how many season tickets have been sold..

We haven't this year, so this has meant it has felt like the quietest off season for a long time.  Maybe you switch off from football completely every summer so it seems no different for you.  Don't get me wrong, it has been quite nice, but I think this has added to my general meh'ness about the new season.

It would just help to have a couple of updates a week where Cooper comes out and says, well were still looking for a couple of players, irons in the fire all that usual bollocks.  This absolute silence does not help at all.  Look at the last few updates on the clubs website, its all a big fat nothing.

Im not dreadfully excited.  Who know whats going to happen.

I don't get our pr strategy.

you may say if there's nothing with saying, don't say anything.

but what (not all) fans see following Wembley is a mass exodus, a falling out with the press and not much incoming to get excited about.

that may well be the reality of it all, but you have to try and create a buzz don't you? or is that only for when season tickets are on sale?

This whole media ban/fallout call it what you will is just a bit silly really isn’t ?

All it’s done is get quite a lot of people quite annoyed with no benefit to the Club and that stupid Fanzai app is a joke.  Ridiculous really, I thought Power had a bit more nouse than that.  Apparently not where the media is concerned it would seem.

You would have thought that seeing as it's pre-season, it would be an ideal time to put Fanzai through its paces and get fans onboard with club news, player interviews and manager comments.

It's done the complete opposite. No nothing.

Got my Season ticket but gonna miss first couple of games. Am I bothered?  No.
I just hope I can get my enthusiasm back for when I can make it. Sheff Utd I believe.

First game of the season tomorrow! FUCK YEAH!

Yep I'm not working so going, cant wait.