Thetownend.com

Hello, I'm a Swindon lad now living away from the town in Swansea. I use to go to the County Ground regularly a few years back, sit in the Town end and enjoy the atmosphere and the games. The highlight being stood right behind the goal in the 03/04 season when Rory Fallon scored that amazing overhead kick against Bristol City! Now I'm stuck with the appalling Liberty Stadium in Swansea which is as quiet as a library most Saturday afternoons.

I'm writing a paper at the moment for Swansea University on football fans, in particular Swindon and the atmosphere at the County Ground. Just wondered if anyone wanted to share what it means to them to be a fan of Swindon? what the atmosphere is like at the ground these days and is there a good sense of comradery amongst fans and supporters of Swindon? Any comments would be much appreciated.  :)

It's like a fucking graveyard and all the other supporters are wankers.

Swansea Uni is ace, where ya living? Hendra/Campas/Private?

Erm, I'll think about the Swindon question a bit more... The atmosphere at the County Ground ain't good these days. Not sure why it has declined, a trend in many football grounds these days. Its gone downhill, but I don't think an all seater stadia is the reason.

You may like to read this little gem from the Oxford forum. Contains some first hand experiences at the C*unty ground from fans of both clubs -

http://yellowsforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=3032#ixzz1RFj36Dlo

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:....i have been to every Oxford away game in the last thirty years and more and never experienced Oxford in our end,dont seem to be any pics,film or reports in the papers of this incident.....that yellow haze must be thicker than i thought.

You forgot to mention the recent time where Witney Oxford invaded the Swindon end of pizza hut. It was proper nawty...

That's a really strange place....seems to consist of a bunch of middle aged blokes, who've never quite managed to grow up. No women whatsoever....

I had thought that Eric might be some sort of refugee from there.....but now just seems a typical dull scummer.

It was lateish 70's and it did happen, around 20/30 oxford lads as described singing swindon songs  came in, and then started throwing punches at anyone in range, It's well embellished though as it happened around an hour before kickoff and there were very few of us in the ground, mainly young lads like myself and my 15 year old mate who got a broken nose for his troubles, yeah they were big hard lads alright, they didn't wait until the naughty boys were in, yellow in colour...... etc etc and Walter Mitty's to boot.

Knowing the ages of some of the posters on that thread, it was probably over 30 years ago. Anyway, why is your version of events any more believable? Everyone bullsh*ts about such things.

It was KFC. If you're going to relate war stories, get it right.

You may well come to that conclusion, based on that thread alone.

It's clear to me that the internet is ruining this rivalry for me.

Was at Hendra in my first year mate but now in Private accommodation doing my Ma. Good uni and very decent night life.

I think seat do play a part in atmosphere. back when I use to go I pretty much stood for 90min in the Town End. is that still happening?

Bloody hell, the stuff that passes for Higher Education these days.

This is only one step up from doing a degree in "What I did on my Holidays".

Yes everyone in the central blocks still stands. The atmosphere is garbage now though. A few half hearted songs here and there. Last season's horror show didn't help matters but in truth it's been poor for a few seasons now. Even in 09/10 the support was poor considering how well we were doing.

Haha! A masters degree at that. It's human geography and social and cultural identity. Football is a big part of popular culture and society today and in many people's opinions is as relevant and influential as religion, ethnic groups and other subcultures.

I have been to every Swindon v Pox match since 1975 home and away and not witnessed any problems in the TE.

The smoke bomb incident game was the only time Pox turned up in numbers and they certainly helped re-arrange the stand that night.
Of course their is always trouble usually outside of the ground.
Over the years I have heard so many stories from both sets of fans it's a load of old bollocks if you ask me.
Portsmouth, Millwall and Cardiff were always worse.

Give Pox the respect though they are our main rivals, not City or Rovers.
The 2 games I am looking forward to this season.
Sadly I reckon their hatred of us is certainly stronger than ours is to them. Maybe we need this Derby to remind us all again. Can't get why so many Swindon see the Bristol Clubs as our rivals.

Just don't want to see us lose at the CG against the Scum never have done up to now.
I am sure they will be in the mix though come May next year.

This is why the Pox rarely sell out at the CG, they put off their own fans by incessantly wanking over the trouble.

Funny seeing Pox fans dress Hatred up as passion. Complete wankers.

Tradition DofB, my many years of following Town were formed with Shitty as the main enemy, let us not forget Oxford were still Southern League in those days aka Headington!  Reading were also seen as an enemy as well.  Oh the days, getting the stopping train to Reading for the match, Town fans would get on at places like Uffington and Wantage Road before the train ran fast from Didcot to Reading - seem to remember a long walk to Elm Park in those days!

Any idea why you reckon this may be? Use to be quite decent when I went a few years back now. Do you think people just aren't as passionate or is it a different type of crowd to 10 years ago? I can assure you though it's a better atmosphere to the games I've been going to in Swansea. Liberty is an awful ground. Far too big for the crowds they get and never any decent atmosphere going on. Even when Cardiff come to town.

Good stuff, lived in Brynmill myself after the first year at Hendra. The Mumbles mile must be gone now though, was in a rapid decline when I left in 95 (jesus that's gone quickly) with only about 12 pubs left (plus Cinderellas).
------------------
-
Back OT. The Vetch had a small but dedicated following, I guess moving to the Liberty killed that then.

Swindon - My memory may be playing tricks, but there was a season where the similar pricing of seats meant that a lot of people left the Town End for the main stands. Due to taking my young lad I've never gone back. I wonder if there are a fair few that this also applies to. The atmosphere was on the down before that though. I can't remember the last time at home I've hear a chant so loud your ear drums vibrate.

I don't. "Hating" a whole town because of football rivalry is somewhat daft.

Seems to be that younger groups became more dominant, and they cannot keep time with their chants. Some of them seem to speed them up deliberately because they cant be bothered to chant for more than about 30 seconds.

Over stewarding of fans is also a problem.

I went to every home game from 1976 till 1999 in the Town End and that included all the games against the Pox since 1976 and they have never had anyone in the TE. Loads of trouble outside the ground but not that I remember at all inside the ground.

As Mr Banbury says Millwall, Pompey, Cardiff were the worst but witha  few smaller teams trying their luck also such as Dagenham, Stockport, Wovers and Boremuff but they were all a tiny amount of fans trying it on, probably less than 20, only the first 3 teams ever brought any numbers inside the ground.

Of all of those Pompey always seemed the worst back in the 70's with the 'Wall coming to a fore in the 80's.

But never Pox in our end.

Yeah Mumbles miles is dead now. Did a couple in my first year but now there are a handful of pubs left, if that. Everyone sticks to Wind st or Kingsway now. I'm living in Brynmill now mate. Opposite the Rhyddings pub. Perfect location! :)

A lot will depend on where you are brought up as well, West Wiltshire will definately give you more of a loathing for the slave traders.

On the point of them having a more intense hatred of us, it's a bit like the rivalry between England and Scotland.  Sure, we don't like them, but from their side their inadequacy in comparison to us winds them up further.

Agreed. There were far more City (and Rovers) fans in Westbury, Trowbridge and Warminster... I knew two Oxford fans but they supported Spurs when it was more convenient for them.

I personally think it's down to mostly a sign of the times. The new generation of football goers are now families. It's quite common that you'll see mums dads and their children at football these days. Of course there is nothing wrong with that but it's hardly ideal to join in a chant that could be rude or offensive infront of your son or daughter is it? For me that's one factor. With the TE it's the cheapest ticket so it's bound to atrract the family goers to an extent although more so to the left hand side of the stand.

When you look at our attendances in recent years they have increased. This is probably the genre of people that the attendances have increased with therefore it's less of an outright hardcore following and the season ticket deals a few years back saw some people move to different stands so the general TE area where the noise is created suffered as a consequence.

The final factor for me is probably the most obvious one. The football itself. Let's face it the football has been shite for sometime now. Bar the season before last there hasn't been much to shout about since 03/04. People lose interest at games quickly and it becomes a library when there's no entertainment. Last season was a real painful one to watch.

I do, therefore I'm daft. I hope the Oxford boat sinks every boat race. Never watched Morse. I always wanted Tim Henman to lose. And fuck Supergrass while we are at it.

They only thing I like about Oxford is Timmy Mallet. True he's a cunt, but that's good because he's one of yours.

I think over stewarding is a key aspect in every ground in the country from what I've found out. It seems the clubs/FA want everyone sat in their seats and watching the games rather than getting up and showing a bit of passion and emotion.

Shame about the mile, good for end of term hangovers. We lived just down from what was the Cricketers Arms, in King Edward's Road. Happy days :)

You are boring me now. The bloke asked what it meant to be a Swindon fan, and youve hijacked it.

In terms of 'what does it mean to be a Swindon fan' you lot dont get on the radar. To be honest, weve gifted you a chance to play us in the League, you should have had to work to get yourselves up to a half decent level.

I agree with the other 2 paragraphs, but not this one. Used to be fans would chant harder, louder, longer out of desperation to get a bit more performance out of the team.

The game is much more cynical now. Everyone just talks about money all the time. The fans dont seem to think you can inspire mediocre players to produce better performances, they just think more money = better players = more wins. Take the money out of football and you would see the passion and the romance come back. Paolo Di Canio is a breath of fresh air because you know he is doing this because he loves football. I do think the atmosphere will be better next season.

Some good points. Historically stadia and football teams were part of the community and an expression of people coming together creating an identity whilst supporting their local teams. Now it just seems to be a family day out like visiting the zoo or going to the cinema. There is a lack of interaction and emotion that you would have got at the county ground 10 years ago. I don't think the local media helps that much either. I remember when the Adver and GWR was right behind Town and promoting them left right and centre. They seem to have lost interest in recent years.

All seater stadium ruined it for me. Nothing used to beat the surge down the Town End/Stratton Bank or South Stand terraces after a goal. Oh,the memories!  :D

Good point Spencer when you look at it from that perspective. And this further illustrates why last season's support was so shite. If the players dont give a shit why should we support them? I do think it will be better next season as well. Seems to be a buzz around that we haven't had since the Wise days.

I blame the old regime for the media part. It's taken a long time for the media side of things to get to how they once were after the whole Brunel FM saga. It doesn't help that The Adver in general has gone downhill over the past few years. Non stories, poorly written artices and the fact that the reporters seem to come and go quite often. I remember Jon Ritson back in the day. He was here for a fair few years and knew his stuff. You don't see that anymore.

I don't disagree but do you think the passion and romance has been completely lost at the county ground? Are you still chanting with the few or conceded and taken a quiet seat with the many?

 I agree Di Canio is a breath of fresh air. He was an inspirational player to watch in the premiership. You would think/hope that the young lads would all remember him and have a good amount of respect for him when he's talking to them.

Its a lot more forced than it used to be. Things used to just seem to fire up all on their own, takes more effort now.

After 2004, the TE did change (used to be very informal, but started getting fammilies saying thats my seat etc) so used to do some in the South, some up near the away fans in the North stand for a few years. But the Rovers aggro killed off going up the North stand, and the South stand seemed to die with the lack of fans on the bank (away followings have nosedived over the last 4 seasons). So went back to the TE. Fitton appointing Maurice Malpas did seem to cause our support major problems, an embaressed silence. The reaction of the fans under Malpas was the worst I can ever remmember, so hopefully we never appoint a manager as dour and as useless as him again.

But the atmosphere under Wise was electric, home and away. Hoping for that sort of injection this season.

The Scummers are completely delusional. That website seems to be an absolute wankfest. Oh we gave Swinscum a good kicking - pass the kleenex. They never turn up - oh better clear the screen, can you just hold this for me brother?
Oh dear, oh dear. The sinple fact is we've given them a fucking good hiding both home and away and received it as well. And as from 1976 there has never been a Scummer in the Town End to my knowledge. There have been no fights in the TE, plenty with Portsmouth and Millwall, City and rovers but no Scummers.

With you on this one Chalkie. Never seen a Pox fan big enough to have a real go either inside the CG or anywhere outside of it for that matter.
Different story up their way though over the years. Have seen them serve it up to us and Vice / Versa.

I remember once (fucked if I can remember the year), the bastards chased us all the way from the city centre to the fucking ground and then they got a pasting afterwards at the bottom of the Cowley road on the bridge over the river.

Silly Fuckers...

Why does this make you sad?  It makes perfect sense that they hate us more than we hate them.  Lots of reasons, but to name just a few...

• They were founded 50 odd years ago.  Relative newcomers, so have always perceived us as the established side in their locality that they had to prove themselves to.
• Their record against us is shocking.
• Their ground has a garden fence at one end.
• Having to wear that yellow abomination of a strip, which makes them feel a little dirty and ashamed every time they put it on.

Perhaps if you lived in Bradford-on-Avon and not Banbury you'd feel differently.  I simply don't buy the argument pushed by some that hating Oxford is hard-wired in to the DNA of every Town fan.  As mentioned above, they didn't even exist until the late 1950s.  The rivalries with the Bristol clubs and with Reading go back much further (although I'll concede that the Oxford rivalry has a nastier edge to it now.)  Times change.


This is what really upsets me about football rivalries though...some people just don't know where to stop.  For me, I love beating Oxford.  I've seen this happen home & away.  Great times.  But that's it.  The best quote from the Oxford forum post is 'they'll always have to live with that' in reference to some of their fans throwing some punches in the Town End half an hour before a game nearly 40 years ago.  Seriously, who gives a fuck?  I honestly don't know where to start with that.  I genuinely feel sorry for him.  Massive chip on someone's shoulder there.

And what's more, my extensive training in psycho-analysis leads me to the certain conclusion that the forum poster's poor self image and desperate need to 'hate' can only be a manifestation the self loathing he feels every day resulting from the exceptionally small size of his penis.  [Cowleyox - we hope you manage to come to terms with this, and that things start looking up for you soon.]

I could agree with you, but do you feel the same about your fellow fans' comments above?

Truth is, all this historical brinkmanship (and I'm old enough to remember plenty of games) is not worth reading. No supposed hard nuts on either side are ever going to admit defeats, and they'll always over-exaggerate the vaguest of "victories".

Some of the older Ox fans I know (50 years+) swear blind they always "took" the Town End and that they rarely faced much resistance. Your guys say exactly the opposite.

It's not delusional, it's just pointless bollocks.

In my time, only Leeds in the lat 80's springs to mind of seeing a sizeable chunk of away fans in the Town End and the only game I ever felt a little uneasy at was against Bournemouth around the sam period when chunks of the Bank/Shrivvy Rd extension were traded over the fences.

Being a Swindon fan is about living with being shit most of the time but every so often giving us hop with periods of success.  We are blighted by being a big enough town to support a better team than we have been most of the time, but by having a population that just doesn't buy into the club wholesale because they've mostly come from other Towns for employment.

The atmoshphere began tailing off in the late 90's I think.  Even after all seater, it still clung on for a few years but as Spence mentioned, the lack of fans in the Bank has completely killed it off.  You can barely hear each other when you are so separated so you don't get the niggle and banter plus the desire to outdo each other.  Leeds away 2 seasons ago was how I remember it.  Us as the jumped up little nobodies coming up with some pretty good witty chants, Leeds in dcnt numbers right next to you trying to outdo do us by sheer weight of noise before finally vanishing when the fire alarm, or was it the third goal, went in/off.

I think you would have to find a way of getting the two sets of fans closer in a ground like ours and with attendances below 10000.  We don't have the luxury of massive ends keeping noise in.

The Oxford fan's post was so over the top.  He was completely consumed by his own hatred of a group of supporters he actually knows very little about.  So yes, I do hate it when fans from either side go overboard...but (in my view) none of our lot have in this thread to quite the same degree.


Absolutely agree.

Trying to be rational about this, I really can't think I have ever come across another club so defined by their hatred of another as opposed to what they achieved. Maybe they are just guilty about the Daily Mirror pension funds financing their rise to the top..

I remember in my journalistic capacity going to a friendly game there in 2003 I think it was - I kept my STFC links quiet - and yet in the press box they were still banging on about beating us in 1995/6 - during a pre-season game seven or eight years later.

As for what STFC means to me - a bit less these days for reasons I ought to set out in a giant rant somewhere if I can be bothered to write it and get some decent research done.

Interesting view, but Uncle Bob's criminal proceeds were hardly destined for OUFC's coffers! He had plenty of other financial gaps that needed plugging!

To your second point, it certainly does appear the hatred runs more strongly south west down the A420. It also seems to run deep. Youngsters on our forum at least claim to hate you, although this may be bravado.

To an extent it's a few strong-willed, bile-laden "old skool" people keeping it going and spreading it to anyone who'll listen. Some of the stories I have heard about previous "engagements" are laughably unbelievable, but many do ring true, especially when it's admitted by our side that Oxford came off worse. The more these stories circulate the more ingrained the hatred gets.

Personally, I would make two comments -

1. There will be little if any actual confrontation at either game, but plenty of noise and abuse. Policing and CCTV will see to that;

2. I cannot buy in to this hatred, although I know intelligent, sanguine people who do. When you ask the diehards whether they really "hate" a four year old in a Swindon shirt they bluster and change the subject.

That you are completely obsessed with, like most hardcore Pox fans.

Yep, it's all I think about. Scummer.  :girlgiggle:

Surely being a Swindon fan is no different to being the supporter of any other cunting club?

four pages until the simple question was answered.
Thread clogged up with oxford shit

With my journalistic hat on, why let the mere facts get in the way of a cheap shot at your rivals? Interesting to hear the reverse view nonetheless..

Certainly a ring of truth to that.  My love of STFC is the most important point for me; dislike of other clubs, Oxford included, comes well down the list.  As a group of fans, I do agree that a lot of Oxford fans would struggle to say the same.  (Don't want to tar all with the same brush, however.  The geriatric idiots on the Oxford site need to take a good look at themselves, but others like Eric and oxfordfan seems decent enough.)


I think your avatar gives the game away a little!


Some sense!  Good point.

What a shame this thread has turned out to be `what does it mean to be a Swindon fan in relation to Oxford Utd` what a waste I wanted to write about my first ever game of live football was Swindon Town v Charlton and Swindon won. In spite of having an older brother who supported Tottenham, who I had followed up to that point, the game had a profound affect on me and as as result I have never really been able to truely support any other team. Never lived in Swindon, always thought the place was a complete dump but couldn`t get enough of watching Swindon play. For better for worse....now my son who is at Swansea Uni - Barns Turner - is carrying on the mantel of being a Swindon Town fan. As I had, of course, had to take him to his first game of football so I could share with him the life experience of being a true football fan.
Oxford Utd is in the mix of being a football fan, just dissapointed that this thread didnt take off as it should have done. 

For me, it's a mainly social thing.  Over the years, I've met a lot of people through football who I still see today.  I've not lived in Swindon for many years, so the football gives me two things in the main:

• A link with the place where I grew up.  (Still have other friends in the area, but it all helps.)
• A decent day out in Swindon every so often.  Starts the minute I leave the house, train journey, meeting friends in the Glue Pot.  I suppose the football is just another part of the day - but it's the excuse that I need.

And of course, lots of memories.

Perhaps you are right to a point. However there are variations in clubs and club supporters though. The obvious and most example example would be if this question was posted on a Rangers or Celtic forum. Franchise fans also would be interesting to ask. Spurs historically have a large Jewish background and teams like Liverpool and Man United were prominently supported in the earlier days by the Irish immigrants who moved to the UK during periods in the industrial revolution and needed a way to be part of the community and have an identity. I'm a Swindon lad who grew up in the town and supported the club. Never going to try and claim to be as patriotic as many of the people on here but I'm just curious to understand what a Swindon supporter is? Do people need to support Town to feel part of the community and create an identity for themselves? At the clubs peak the best part of 30,000 was turning up for each game in the early 1970s. Mostly from the Railway works and places like Rover as it was the thing to do, you'd work all week and then go with your work mates to the game on a Saturday when the factory was closed with a certain amount of pride about your job and the place you lived in. Anyone think that kind of mentality has left the supporters at the County Ground these days? I must admit myself I found going to games in my late teens and early twenties with a whole group of my mate who I went to school with and worked a great buzz. There was a pride about who we were and where we were from. I've never managed to feel that at any game I've watched in Swansea. Only England games and going to the Nou Camp have given me a similar feeling to when watching Town play. Anyone else feel pride when supporting Swindon?

Good answer and fair points. You sound like a bright guy, but it doesn't change the point that people currently in UK HE are getting the shitty end of the stick with crap courses, huge fees and no jobs at the end of it whilst China and India are turning out engineers and scientists by the thousand. Frankly, given the economics of university at the moment, I'd be tempted to borrow an equivalent amount of money and open a Subway franchise.

There's an oxymoron if ever I saw one.

I agree. I finish at the end of September and hopefully will have Ma at the end of my name but that is no guarantee of a job and my debt from 4 years pretty substantial despite working throughout my whole time at uni and several years beforehand in order to go in the first place. Ironically we've been training most of those Indian and Chinese engineers and scientists at our Universities as they have been paying the full fees that subsidise many of the British kids at uni. The standard of teaching and courses is still good at most universities and so are the courses. The Crappy courses tend to be at a lot of the old polytechnics and small Universities. (But not exclusively) It'll be interesting to see what happens in the future. The amount it's going to cost to go might mean your idea of opening a Subway isn't a bad one at all.

You might like to include paragraphs in the aforementioned paper.

Haha! Thanks

Came down from Nottingham in the late 60's as a young lad. Most of my family who still live there are County or Forest die hards. To me it made sense to follow a local team. 1st game for me was home to Fulham in the cup? stood in the old Shrivenham road stand bottom tier ! Think we won 5-0 or something like that. Recall George best and Rodney Marsh playing for Fulham. After that I really got hooked and have been ever since. Highlights I can remember are: wembley playoffs    ( missed the cup final ) kenny strouds screamer v Everton, climbing the Stratton bank clock when the 8th went in v Bury and generally traveling around the country watching the town.

I'm probably the longest serving regular poster...and up until last season, my pride in being a Town fan had always been absolute, but last season was the biggest disgrace I've seen in 50 years, and has certainly knocked that pride.

For me:

Heart ache
Piss ups
abuse
comradery
and.....a few highlights

Understood completly,to be honest i am still smarting.
An interesting manager has got my interest back though,always proud of Swindon and not just the football team, but for me i have been tempted to give next season a miss and spend my hard earned on other things.

Agree.............It was difficult going to the last home game but still managed it.
At least this season has some surprise element to it.

Yeah except 2 or 3 games last season was crap. Was going at the end just to see if we could get that last win. Ups and downs is all part of it but really in need of some more up times this season !

 OK last season the results weren't great, but it was more the sense that numbers of players were just taking the piss out of the fans....

I was a season ticket holder from 1992-92 until 2008-09. There were plenty of times during those years I was tempted to give up as the football was crap, the manager knew nothing, and the players couldn't give a toss.  I then had to give it up as I moved further away than I already lived (Cardiff to North Shropshire) and couldn't afford the trip and the ticket.

Trust me - you miss it when you can't go.  I've also given up smoking.  Not going to the CG is ten times harder.

It means wading through season upon season of unadulterated shit, for that one good season in 10 and the highs that brings when compared to the bottomless pit of lows that have gone before it. It means going to Nottingham knowing you're certs for the drop and seeing your side lose 7-1 and yet it still ranks up there as one of the best away days in the last few years... etc.

I think the biggest thing for me is the social element. That's not to say I wouldn't go on my own - I have done a number of times, but making a day of it is the best way to enjoy being a Town fan.

I've lived in London for nearly 4 years now, and will be here for atleast another year, so haven't been able to go to all that many games recently (can't afford to travel back too often). When i am back in Swindon, I feel I haven't done the day justice unless I've spent a couple of hours with a bunch of reprobates in the Merlin before the game.

The highlight of the camaraderie comes with away games though - whether travelling by car, coach, minibus or train it's always great to chat about years gone by and built up the excitement before the game. As well as having a drink or two along the way!

Just as an example, losing 5-0 to Gilligham on the opening day a couple of years back was a huge let down - a disgraceful performance from the players. But as a day out it was pretty decent - time in the pub and on the train with some TEF the lads and ladies and plenty of laughs.

Having said all that, I'm not too disappointed with the number of games I missed last season - didn't sound like much fun!

At Forest game We were taking bets how long ifil was going to stay on pitch, Tyson was taking the piss out of him from the very first whistle. I also enjoyed the day but as I was staying up there with family I had to put up with the piss taking all night and it carried on over breakfast Sunday morning. we did get some revenge back at the county ground, the best part being the own goals and the numpty sub getting booked down at the town end !

Carrying on a proud family tradition

I think the reason I go is that there's very little else to do on a saturday afternoon. I go with mates from school who, without football i'd just drift apart from, so it's good to see them in that sense too I guess. And also the weird sense of pride I get by being one of the (relative) minority to support this football club.

Swindon Town, for all it's faults, is my football club still.

Inherited Swindon Town from my dad and my support has never waned.

Expect that heart-warming tale to be made into a Hollywood film soon  ::)

Horror Tale no doubt :)

I'm thinking Quentin Tarrentino fucked up bloodbath of a tale. 

Being a Swindon supporter....

80% of the time you feel like total shit. Possibly must have killed a black cat in a previous life.

10% Seems OK.....Next week will be better.

5% Really good and almost able to walk on water

5% Fucking orgasmic.....well nearly !!!

These feelings are still there after 49 years of following this fucking football club and still loving the journey.

 ;D 

 Catching up with friends old and new on a match day for a couple of beers, bit off subject does anyone know of a Mark Willis (Wilf) Went to school with him and it would be good to see him again. He lived in Penhill but that was back in the late 70's early 80's. Any info would be appreciated, and no I'm not the old bill !

Town End lost the atmosphere when a lot of the regulars moved to the Don Rogers Stand. The atmosphere didn't go with them and a lot of it didn't stay either. Then of course being subjected to the Maurice Malpas era of football didn't help matters.

In the not too distant past the Town End got quite full, it happens rarely now.

Thanks for all the useful posts over the last couple of days. Really interesting to hear from people and their experiences and feeling towards Town. Much appreciated.  :)

MI6

Considering the passion that PDC seems to be promoting at every turn, if we get a few wins under our belt early on, particulary against the pox...this could be the season that the atmosphere begins to return....possibly.

M1,M42,M5,M4 ?

Agree with all that. That's a big part of it for me as well. Met some great people through going to Town games down the years. There have been some great away days as well.

I hope so. The atmosphere will be great for the Oxford game regardless of numbers. That's one game where i'll think "bloody hell I haven't heard the Town End like this for a long time" and i'm really looking forward to it. I'm hoping it will start to go back to it's old ways this season. In recent years I can only really remember a few games where i've witnessed the full potential of atmosphere/numbers in the Town End.

It means being in Rome in 33° of heat and waiting to travel to the first pre-season game tomorrow to see the new manager and players in action.

I wouldn't get your hopes up ISOB....early kick off in the holiday season.  Having missed the last 2-1 win, I have to think back to the last century, for the last time they visited, and don't recall the atmosphere as particularly special.

To be honest I love all day piss ups , travelling the country, and the lads you do it with have the same interests. Supporting the same club you have that something extra in common. My world would have been much smaller without football, it opened doors for me. As for the club itself, I still feel the same way I did when I started supporting, STFC is proper football, a ground in the centre of Town amongst the Industrial terraced houses and pubs with passionate fans. Proud of its history, still dreaming of good times in the future.

Spot on.  Very important...in the heart of the town, where the club belongs.  Not shunted out to a retail park miles from anywhere.

Clubs like STFC are the bedrock of English football.  Journos would do well to remember that.

completely completely agree