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How, realistically, do you expect Swindon to do this comming season. Last Season was fantastic but id imagine it will be a lot harder this year. I loved singing we are top of the league last year especially on the last game of the season with our emphatic win over Port Vale. Will it happen this year i sure hope it does.

There is so much wrong with that sentence

Relegation

Wasn’t it Port Vale?  My short-term memory is so shit im now doubting myself on that

I think we will be in and around the playoffs come Xmas/New Year.   Then I’d expect the Board to back Paolo during the January window with a bit more £ to bring in a couple of quality players with the intention of pushing for the top 2 spots.

I always try to temper my expectations after being so let down following the Colin Todd pre-season when I was convinced we had brought in a promotion winning team.  Took only 45 mins of the opener against Colchester to blow all my optimism out the window.

New signings to prove why they weren't offered new contracts in the first place.

Di Canio leaves for the first job offer which comes in. Graham Rix takes over.

The board demand their money back in 6 months, and the ground implodes on itself

A merger with the Pox

You are right, it was port vale. I knew is began with a P, i'll modify it now!

We have the players to do well....if morale stays good! Top 6 if it does. If it falls apart  before xmas, bottom half.

I can see another trip to wembley on the cards in the play off finals. Id be nevous going there based on our previous two visits but i'd still have to go

Hopefully we go out of the Paint Pot trophy in the 1st round, cant be arsed with that crap again.

i think play offs but will probably not go if we get to Wembley

Id just like to see us win there

Come on arriba!

Even though we have only been out of League 1 for 12 months, there are too many teams there that I don't really know a lot about.  So the honest answer is that I don't know how we are likely to do.  I am, however, optimistic.  On paper, signings look strong and the feeling in the camp appears to be good.  Based on that, I would be disappointed if we are not up there and challenging for a play off spot at the very least.

Champions. We'll absolutely butcher this league at a canter and set a new points record total. :)

Allardyce to be sacked at WHU within 10 games and our leader to jump ship because the players he bought in do not have enough desire, passion, rottweiler mentality

I do hope so!!!

I met a West Ham fan last week at work on my travels. I saw he had a tattoo of Di Canio on his forearm and made comment to him about it.
We got chatting and he said the majority of their fans have wanted him as manager for months, and that it is only a matter of time before they get him.
Allardyce will get stick if they are not pulling up trees. That guy is right up against it so it's inevitable he will get the boot sooner or later.

DiCanio and WHU will happen. It's just a matter of when. Allardyce has to hit the ground running or his head will be on a plate. I really hope the 2 do not coincide with each other but I have my worries.

With the money we have spent and the noises from the boardroom anything less than playoffs would be a failure.

If only football worked like that. Honest answer - don't know.

This time last year most people wanted to believe that El Supremo would lead us out of the basement at the first attempt but didn't really know what to expect.

After 6 games opinions were beginning to polarise.

Now everyone knows what to expect from PdC, we have the momentum (which is a huge benefit) and have faith in the players brought in.

Add to that it appears to be a weaker league than in recent years and, hey presto, it'll be a replica of last season.

And no fucking Oxford

We'll reach tea with Bell and Prior still at the crease before a total collapse halfway through the final session giving the Saffers ample time to knock off the few runs required for a win.

The league is an unknown quantity to us.

Looking at the signings of other the teams and what players they had last season and with our current investment I feel we could get promotion this season.

We have the desire and players with the ability to achieve it. We play good attacking football but results will be harder to come by this season, obviously, so we will need a good squad and a couple of players getting goals regularly for us to be successful.

I don't give a shit about the JPT this season, the league is the priority.

I just don't want to go to Wembley again. If we got to the p/o final, i would give serious consideration to staying at home. If we keep Di Canio for the whole season, and he gets the support we expect from the board, I think we'll easily finish top 6.

I think PDC has a little more loyalty than that, think he will see the season out with STFC, then maybe he will go, still think he has a lot more to learn yet

I would most definitely settle in to a local establishment. Wembley's shit, it's an enormous ballache to get to, it's so expensive it's untrue and we seem to bottle it there.

We're going to win the league.

League 1 and League 2 playoff finals are at Old Trafford, Champions League Final is at Wembley this year

Nope.

http://www.football-league.co.uk/footballleaguenews/20120125/league-and-fa-reach-agreement-on-2013-play-offs-_2293334_2588586

I think we'll do a Brighton from a couple of seasons ago and go up as champions.

Don't kid yourself!  If we get there again, you'll be there again.


Paolo will go to West Ham one day, but not before he has some Championship experience on his CV...hopefully with us.  League 1 to Premiership is too great a leap, even if you do have history with the club concerned.  No experience of buying multi £ million players, no experience of managing those players (and their 'entourages'), no experience of managing the greater technical complexities at that level.  Too much of a risk.

Paolo's brand of passing and passion works well at this level, and may work higher up as well.  But there is no guarantee - and it will need a lot of refining as he goes.  He's ours for the time being.

You're right there.

At the moment any player under PdC must be in awe a bit - Preimership players will have egos and playing ability to match his. See Leon Clarke plus some.

If he does manage by instilling a bit of fear into lesser players that wont work higher up.

We know this, but does he?

i can't see pdc leaving during a season anyway - he places so much emphasis on pre-season and getting the squad prepared how he wants.  can't see him wanting to join another club in november , if he leaves it will be close season, and early enough for us to replace him before pre-season

I am quietly confident of back to back promotions, it is the weakest league one for many a year, we have the hype around the club for winning the league and improved our squad immensely, can see more great times ahead for us.

Promotion.

we'll go up as fucking champions

The Reds are going up (although I think its going to be via the play offs and the end of the new Wembley jinx )

I will be happy to be comfortably in the top half and play offs would be fantastic

I am expecting a similar season to last really. With the new players taking time to settle in. This will put pressure on DiCanio but hopefully he will have matured from last season...Ritchie will be sold and 2 new players with Championship experience will come in and steady the ship...going to be a stressful season but we will just about scrape into the plays off and will win the final against Sheffield Utd...dont forget where you heard this..I will moan about DiCanio being childish and people on here will will tell me to stop whinging...Or or course it could be mid table security with DiCanio leaving UK for good as the pressure gets too much

I'm quite optimistic, which I can assure you all doesn't come naturally to me especially when Swindon Town are concerned  :)

On paper we've got a very strong team and there's nobody in League 1 to be frightened of.  Hopefully the momentum from last season should still be with us and I don't believe we'll ever have a better chance of making the Championship.  If we don't, we may struggle to keep Di Canio for another season.

Top 6 finish and unfortunately I can see the play-offs with another dreaded Wembley final being a real possibility.

Of course the normal negativeness in me worries slightly that the large number of new players fail to gel, we start to struggle and Di Canio has upped sticks by Christmas.

Whatever happens, we're in for a ride again.  Bring it on.....!

Top two.

A strengthened squad, financial backing, a manager that has matured, fans that believe the club are on the up........

It's going to go horribly wrong, isn't it?

I discovered a long time ago that it was best to avoid expectations.

There's always hope. Precious, precious hope.

Agreed. I dont think he'll go anyway, hopefully that 2 year extension shows his loyalty.

Perhaps im blinkered

Admin

100% effort from team and fans.

Anything else will be a big bonus......got a good feeling about it though.

Luke McCormick to break the clean sheet record

I don't believe anyone who says they would be happy with 9th. I certainly wouldn't be.

To stay up. I think we'll do better, but that's my minimum expectation.

9th in the league

second round in League Cup

third round in FA Cup

Regional semi's in JPT.

Don't be a cunt we'll go up as champions  :D

Top ten would be great for me.

Mid table please.

flirting with playoffs, maybe even with the autos at the business end of the season - this is what matters.

PDC to continue as manager unless Hammers job is offered

couldn't give a **** about the Cups, hope we get one or two motivating results without too much distraction

Be disappointed if we didn't come in the top 4  Only teams at this moment in time who I reckon could come above Swindon are Franchise, Bournemouth and Doncaster.  Sheffield united have the potential but have a poor manager. If they sack him early enough, they may have enough time to turn it round. If we don't push for promotion this season, di canio will leave and we will probably be scrapping against relegation next season

Playoffs by Christmas, last few matches we surge to first or second. Echoing what a lot of people have been saying, I don't see anyone really worth fearing in league one this season.

FA cup fourth round, JPT final, League Cup third round.

Bring on the Brighton game.

(alternatively, a massive sinkhole is discovered in the CG partway through our second game of the season, and proceeds to devour all players,supporters, staff, and buildings over the course of ten minutes. Club is disbanded and Oxf*rd win back-to-back promotions all the way to the Premiership)

You are the first person to have called me a cunt 200+ posts in, thank you.

I'm thinking in the top six by Xmas but if not in the top two or three the board will inject further funds which will strengthen any weaker links in the chain to see us into an automatic spot by the end for the dizzy heights of the Championship. We need to continue with winning the majority of our home games which I think we will do.

Top 6 finish, but I'd happily take top 10 at the half way stage with a minimal number of points seperating autos-10th place especially looking at the teams in L1 this season. As many have said it's the 'weakest' league for years so I expect a number of teams to be in the running until the final 15-20 games where hopefully last last season in L2 we'll go on a stormer and finish in the autos!

I can see it being between us, Franchi$e, Sheff U, Bournemuff, Donny and some other random team (maybe Cov if they get their act together)

Wouldn't mind a cup run in the FA Cup to draw one of the giants in Round 3 and take them to a replay!

I remember singing 'We're coming back as fucking champions' at Bramall Lane when we dropped out of what is now the championship.

Our next trip to Sheff U and we are fucking champions!

Our next game in the championship...we'll be champions too.  Why not...who should we be scared of in L1?

I would be happy with 9th, my initial aim is to just stay in L1! I always have a feeling we are just going to fuck it up, hence why 9th i would be happy with

It'll be tougher than we expect, our form didn't fall off but it did get worse in the last half a dozen games last season.

Our options up front appear to be very good though, especially compared to last season. This makes me a bit more optimistic.

Think we look strong in midfield and out wide. If the defence is as good as it was last year and the supply is there then we could do very well. Its all ifs though. I'll play the cautious card and say top half.

Oh please ::)

We will be there or there abouts. Top six I would be more than happy with

Well what happened the last time we were all very confident about getting promotion out of L1?  ;) (I dont think we will be anywhere near getting relegated but my expectations are pretty low)

I think that di Canio will storm out for one reason or another at some point this season, probably leaving a trail of scandal behind him. It's bound to happen sometime.  :)

Top 6 and a decent cup run would be an excellent season for us, promotion or not.

I do have the feeling the board will back PDC in Jan if we're anywhere near the promotion places.

We're going to be in the mix for promotion. I can feel it in me bones.

As a minimum.  POs are the least we should be expecting.  We can win this league.

Who should we be scared of?

Recent history in Div 3 has taught us that it's not the opposition we should fear, but our own players. I'm more than a bit worried by having 3 Scousers in the squad. 

In the same way that Smeeton's rule one states that, trouble is on the horizon if there is more than one headband wearer in the side...(see Dossevi and Prutton). Rule 2 states there should be no more than one Scouser around the place...(see McMahon et al)

How delighted would that make you?

I think he's just in need of attention SY

I wouldn't look forward to the fallout but it was always a potential part of the package.


Are you my stalker? Rather than feeling you have to react every time I post a view different to yours, why don't you just go ahead and press that "Ignore" button? It'd save both of us a lot of grief.

Why don't you just ignore flashheart?

Cos I'm open-minded.

Fascist

 ;)

From sunny Auckland I can only see a bright future for Swindon this year and for the future.
Gone are the worries of taking chances on journeyman players as with the Andy King's hit and miss plans.
We have a professional board who are making all the right noises and showing financial support for a manager who seems to get players either loving him or hating him. As long as there are far more who respect him. Where is the problem ?
We currently have a defence that showed others how to defend last year (although in a lower division) this has been further reinforced with a Player of the year from Exeter.
The midfield has the same players from last year and again there have been sensible transfers from Championship teams.
We now we have options up front with young new raw talent who will only gain from the experience gathered from manager..
I can't remember when the future looked so bright for STFC...
Trust me this club has the ability to make serious in roads this year and for the future especially with the current partnership of Di Canio and Wray in charge. Long may it continue.
Come on you reds.... ;)
       
         

A good point about our own players given the history.  But to counter your 3 scouser concern, I would say that a young Scottish captain has just lead us out of the bottom division...that went well last time.  We also have a young talented keeper who originally joined on loan before making the move permanent.  Oh, and an Italian manager in his first job.  ;)

So open-minded you once reported me to a mod and asked for me to be banned. Your behavior is more fascist than Flashheart and I combined.

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Really?

Ha ha. That was a breathtakingly tasteless joke though...

For you and Flashheart: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law)

Yay. Godwin's law

A convenient substitute for when somebody can't think of anything else to say using the power of their own mind.

What was the joke, Jay?

You'll love it.

It was this one. One of my better efforts... or so I thought.

http://thetownend.com/index.php/topic,46893.msg1043294.html#msg1043294

Ah yeah, I remember that one now. Did cause a bit of a stir, good work.

The joke itself is entirely irrelevant, just pointing out the double-speak undertones of the moral crusader that is red frog.

Not that fucking open-minded are you? Cunt.

No, not quite that open-minded.

Do you like a finger up your bum though.

Being a bit of an anorak every season I go through the fixtures and see how many points I think the Town will get based purely on "we never get anything there, we usually do reasonably well there", which is not very technical but it is funny how it often works out. Looking back through the last ten seasons it goes as follows:

2002/3 - Me 61 Actual 60, 03/04 69 73, 04/05 65 63, 05/06 54 48, 06/07 63 85, 07/08 53 61, 08/09 67 53, 09/10 64 82, 10/11 71 41, 11/12  79 93 and this season I have us getting 73 points. Not sure where that would put us in the table but I hope that would put us there or thereabouts.
 :hmmm:

Some decent estimates there.  I think we were all caught out by 2010/11.

I'm no fan of the Smoking Chimp but to be fair, that's had to be, through necessity, pretty much every manager's transfer 'strategy' up to now. When we've signed players in the past, they've been signed in the hope they would do well i.e your journeyman pro who certainly was good a few years ago but now, maybe his legs are gone, maybe he can do a job, maybe not - Gareth Hall, Gareth Whalley, Lilian Nalis etc etc etc. or your youngsters from PL or Championship sides who have not quite been able to cut it at that level but who have 'potential' i.e. Alex Smith, David Ball, Steve Cowe. The players we've signed this summer are expected to do well and there's no reason why they shouldn't - they all made significant contributions to their respective teams last season and beyond - and for that reason, they've not come cheap.

Essentially though, I'm agreeing with you 100%. Happy days!

I believe we are broadly a "League 1 club" and I think we will do ok and finish 14th this season. PDC leaves just before Christmas realising the mountain is just too steep for us to dominate at this level and that winning is an essential drug for him which is in short supply here.

Top 6. Nothing to fear. -+

I can see a wobbly first couple of months and then kick into gear around Christmas.  Hard to call where we'll end up.  To many other sides are hard to call at this stage.  The likes of Sheff utd, abomination and Donny all look like they could go either way.  I can't see any clear front runners at this stage. 

That said I think and hope we'll be sniffing about the playoffs come the end of the season.

Agreed. Said after the JPT game that Wembley is a fucking awful day out now, and I wouldn't waste my time if we ever played there again.

I agree. Especially as I now have to take my wife and son along. I reckon the JPT final cost be at least 150 quid all in. A day at home with plenty of beer decent food no parking or general transport worries etc etc. League cup or FA cup would be different though. JPT or play offs I doubt it.

Yay. Let's have another thread moaning about what a crap day out Wembley is.

It's no place for losers that's for sure. No way I could miss it if we ever got there again though.

Agreed. I will be there every time

-Tears
-Tantrums
-Turmoil
-Teetering on the brink of success or failure

Global domination

Gary thinks we are going to win the league!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18986495

Shit or bust for me.

It worked well last season, so why change it  :D

If Wray's fears about Premiership 2 are realised then I think it has to be shit or bust for the next season or two.