Thetownend.com

The opponent:  Walsall

Off to the Black Country we go in search of 3 points towards our quest for promotion/likely relegation battle, depending on who you believe. The Saddlers (named after the famous local  leather industries saddles that are produced for Royal bottoms), were formed in 1888 after the amalgamation of 2 local teams, The Town and The Swifts, and with a bit of imagination, were known as The Walsall Town Swifts. Walsall are one of only a handful of teams that never appeared at the old Wembley Stadium.  However, they appeared at the Millennium Stadium in the first year that the finals were played there instead of Wembley in 2001. The name Walsall is thought to have derived from the words "Walh halh", meaning "valley of the Welsh speakers", so perhaps a trip to Cardiff felt like something of a homecoming for the 10’000 that made the journey to see Walsall win 3-2 against a Reading team that included ex Town players, Jamie Cureton, Ade Viveash, Ady Williams, and Sammy Igoe.

One of the surprising things about Walsall is the size of the place, the town itself having a population of nearly 175’000, and The Metropolitan Borough of Walsall itself numbering just over a quarter of a million! Walsall is quite an ethnically diverse area, with some 15% being of a non white origin. Back in September, the much ridiculed English Defence League organised a demonstration to “reclaim the streets”, they promised that thousands would turn up, Facebook was buzzing and they planned to make a real impact. In the end, a lowly 150 skinheads turned up to get a good battering off the Old Bill then scared shitless by 400 Muslims that had decided to meet up with them. So, all Town fans having a few pre match beers in the town, avoid joining in any marches through the streets.

Walsall has a decent line up of celebrities from the world of sport and television. Recent Paralympic swimming sensation, Ellie Simmonds, Slade front man, Noddy Holder, Drum ‘n’ Bass bad ass, Goldie, Sue Nicholls, better known as Miss Popov in Rentaghost and more recently Audrey Roberts in Coronation Street and every Nan’s favourite singer, Connie Talbot, who won the hearts of millions of people when she was in the finals of Britain’s Got Talent back in 2007.

What are they saying about us? –
 
“We're going to get arse raped”

http://www.footballforums.net/forums/showthread.php/292745-Walsall-vs-Swindon

The liveliest Walsall site is http://www.upthesaddlers.com/bb/ but at the time of writing, refreshingly, none of them seemed to give a shit about us.

Walsall Last 6 – LDDLDL (Walsall are currently 16th in League 1 on 19 points)

Head to Head at Walsall - Played 43, Won 11, Drawn 12, Lost 20.

The Threat – George Bowerman, a product of the Walsall youth academy, 21 year old Bowerman is leading the way with 7 goals so far this season. Much travelled striker, Febian Brandy, is also now on the books with The Saddlers.

The irrelevant stats –  After a decent start to the season, Walsall have suffered something of a collapse, having not won a single league match since September 22nd. In the last 6 games at The Banks Stadium, they have conceded 13 goals, 4 of which came in their last league outing against Scunthorpe.  Walsall have some strange statistics, one for example is their record against teams in the top half of the table and the bottom half. Top Half – W4 D1 L3 Bottom Half – W1 D3 L4, so it looks like another team that like to raise their game against supposedly better opposition.

The Odds –  Swindon 23/20   Draw 9/4   Walsall 9/4 (Paddy Power)   Coral are currently offering very generous odds of 33/1 on Alessandro Cibocchi to score the first goal! Personally I will be sidestepping that one and lumping on Andy Williams to score first at 15/2 in several outlets or go back to Coral and chance a few bob on Simon Ferry at 25/1.  If you are looking for better odds on a Town victory then a Swindon/Swindon HT/FT may be worth a shout, as believe it or not, we have scored more goals in the 1st half than any other league 1 team so far this season (14 goals). Most places are offering around 9/4 on this.

Sid Says – The Phasmatodeon one took a while to get going today, I think old age is setting in, but eventually he shuffled towards a 2-0 defeat (18/1 on SkyBet)

The Prediction – With our current away form being better than average and Walsall’s home form being positively abysmal,  I can see us winning this 3-1, with a Williams double and a late header from Troy securing the 3 points in front of 4’110 fans, with nearly a quarter of those being Town fans.

And Finally –  One of Walsall’s most famous landmarks is a concrete hippo in the middle of its town centre. It is around 4ft long and has attracted interest from The BBC, The Independent, and many other worldwide media outlets. The hippo has its own facebook page with 2000+ members. When the Hippo was moved a few years back there was public outcry from the folk of Walsall, as it was feared “George” may get damaged, although thankfully he managed to survive the journey and is still a meeting point for many people, much like the fabulous Millennium Clock in the middle of Swindon Town Centre, oh, wait a minute.............

COYR COYR COYR

2-1 town

Another impressive thread opener Rosso  :clap: Their fortunes have turned so hope we take advantage, also going for a 2-1 win. Williams back on the score sheet with both goals.

The match will be as entertaining as SR's effort there. 3-2 to Town.

2-0 Swindon, Collins & Williams...we'll take 1200 in front of 5112 C.O.Y.R!!!

2-1 Swindon. Benson & Ritchie.

You posted at exactly 00:00:00 therefore this thread was not posted on matchday, yet was also not posted before matchday. I can only conclude that you have broken the space time continuum and the universe as we know it will now end.

But we should scrape a 1-0 win, so it evens out.

I apologise in advance if this happens

2-1 loss

Fair play on the timing, for this reason we will win. 3-1.

Walsall have lost 4 out of 8 home games. We've won 4 out of 8 Away.

I'd hope for a decent result

Posting at 00:00:00 is very very impressive.

Taking into account the time your internet connection takes to send and actually post the thread.


Because of this it means you must have pressed the button a few seconds before. thus not on matchday and thus we'll loose.

Or of couse we'll win emphatically like I actually think.
4-1 Town.

Good stuff...i lived in Walsall around thirty years ago.
Remember Barons Court pub and Norton Canes dog track up the road right next door to an old pork scratchings factory.......that place was foul!

Anyway this match has draw written all over it....us taking the lead and getting pegged back late.
Walsall and Fellows Park was a ground i went to often,seem to remember it had a lovely little covered corner for away fans that generated lots of noise...also remember Alan Buckley seemed to score on a regular basis against us....though that bit maybe wrong due to the memory fading.

1-1

He posted at 00:00:08 for the Sheff Utd game.  Such dedication!

2-0 Williams, Ritchie

I don't know what I'm more impressed by - the content and quality of the thread starter or the Dr Who-like efforts to break open time and space.

We'll go 3-0 down in the first 10 minutes, on 12 minutes Di Canio will execute Devera pitch-side "pour encourager les autres", the forums will be divided as to whether "he deserved it and it'll spur the lads on" versus "He's gone too far this time, who's going to clean all that mess up?" and then our fight back will start with a 46th minute deflection off Gary Roberts' bum paving the way for a shock 3-11 win for Town. And we still won't get a mention on 606 which will be dominated instead by some minor spat between a haircut and a referee.

 :D

Win this - and we're certainly in with a shout - and our League form starts to look quite decent.  We need Williams and Collins firing up.  Plenty of local interest/motivation for the latter.  Hoping for a hattrick, James!  No pressure.

We will win 3-1, with theirs a 90+5 minute consolation that makes Fodderingham spontaneously combust.

Lose 2-1, go 2-0 down early doors, then batter them for the rest of the game, get a late consolation and PdC blames M'bargo again.  Is Ralphy on a day trip?? 

Where the fuck is Ralphy these days?

Steady now folks. You're going to have people bitching at you for talking about the match day thread starter.

East Midlands Airport

Triffic opening thread.
Walsall 2 Town 2

Very confident today - 0-3

Regardless of stupid superstition, i do enjoy the preamble of these threads; good work!

1-3 Town, Collins x2, de Vita x1.

Should be due a good win therefore am going for a 5-0 win with a crowd of 6326 (1147 town supporters)  :D

Walsall fans are saying they have been beyond dreadful lately. We really should win this one.

Who is Sid?

1-1 today.

Sue Nicholls,better known as Miss Popov from Rentaghost?.She's been in Corrie for donkeys years and the Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin as Joan in the 70's.Dodgy info from a youngster methinks,hope its not a bad omen!2-2 draw instead of the 2-0 i would have predicted

Stevenage form returns this afternoon as DiCanio master plan goes back on course......he is really only interested in winning the league and sees CUP competitions as distractions....therefore we will win 2-0 or maybe even 3-0. Not particular bothered who scores....

Youngster? If only. Better known to me in Rentaghost, perhaps to others in Coronation Street but I don't really watch Coronation Street

The family stick insect, Shaw's answer to Paul the octupus, although his success rate is as poor as mine  :)

3-1

2-0 win, Williams and Roberts. 1400 Town fans and 5412 overall.

Reading some of the comments on their forum I'd be disappointed not to win!

3-1 Town

Years ago, I used to know an eccentric Walsall fan, who had the nickname Clockstopper, as the story was told, the clock in Walsall General Maternity Unit, stopped when he was born. He had that Black Country way of  making even the upbeat sound downbeat. Walsall fans will always tell you they're shite and STFC are in for an easy game...it's been that way for the 20 games we've lost there.

Rosso is tampering with forces he little understands here, so I think should be cut some slack from the fallout following today's impending debacle.

Are these the same forces that bumped Diana off?

It seems a few Walsall fans are predicting a slaughtering today, hopefully the negativity is the same with their players. This did make me chuckle though -

"Smith is interviewed in the Express & Star today and says that the club have taken inspiration from Bradley Wiggins' Olympic triumph by getting on their bikes for a team bonding session. Let's hope this men's trial cycle does the trick"


"Not great timing, Wiggins has just been knocked off his bike, take that how you like".

http://www.upthesaddlers.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=41440

Nah it's more about the dualistic nature of reality...and the links between quantum mechanics and time. I take for my evidence the classic two slit experiment whereby a stream of light is projected at a slide with 2 slits.
[url width=610 height=430]http://www.physicsoftheuniverse.com/images/quantum_double_slit_photon.jpg[/url]

What we find is that the light can be seen to behave as a wave entity or a quantum entity, namely a photon. If the observer looks for wave energy it is found, if for a photon it is found...but you cannot find both at the same time. Ergo, light has a dualistic potential, and behaves according to how the observer wishes to see it. So reality is not what it seems.

Single photons passing through the slit create an interference pattern as though they are a wave, this should not be possible with single photons. It's as though the single photons duplicate themselves or are in more than one place at the same time.

The really nuts thing is that when we try to get a closer look to see what is happening the photons begin to act as they should and no interference pattern is created. They change their behaviour for no other apparent reason other than they are being watched.

Very well explained Flashheart...Rosso is being watched.

Fuck me - is this a football forum or an Evening with Stephen Hawkin?

Explain the God Particle, you clever dicks

Well explained. So is our thread a wave entity or a quantum entity or neither?

I've got a good feeling about this.  2-1 Swindon COYR

 :yikes:

When adding up everything that makes up a particle the total mass of the individual building blocks is far less than the mass of the particle itself. Kind of like 1 kilo of flower and 1 kilo of sugar making a 100 kilo mixture. To try to explain where the extra mass is coming from it was theorised that there is another piece of the puzzle that we cannot see. This theoretical particle was called the Higgs-Boson after the clever fuckers that thought it up, and nicknamed the god particle.

The LHC was all about finding the Higgs-Boson, and they found it.

Always the last place you look

Fuck this shit, what would chairs look like if your knees were on backwards?

This discussion is the first time I'd come across Wave/Particle Duality since my first term at university.  This forum never ceases to surprise me.  Long may it continue.

Parallels exist with PDC who manages to appear as a promising young manager and, simultaneously, a complete nutter.  Experimental evidence can be used to support both theories.  Which is correct?  I am naming this concept Potential/Nutter Duality.

I generally have good memories of Walsall and they were good fun a few years ago down here in the Merlin after.

I'll see your Slits and raise you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYBCWXKry2E&feature=related

I liked the spirit of The Slits, but they weren't much good.

A well loved album sleeve mind

[url width=480 height=468]http://mimg.ugo.com/201104/7/3/0/187037/cuts/slits-cut_480_poster.jpg[/url]

That Pink Floyd album cover would be banned now - bit paedo

Or have I got the wrong band? The cover with a topless pubescent girl

Blind Faith

Thanks for that - racking me brains there

Mind you, if you want a real disgusting album cover have a google for the 'Origin of Faeces'

Some of their stuff was 'ok'. Unfortunately, Ari Up passed away (aged 48) in 2010 after completing the video of Lazy Slam from their final album 'Trapped Animal'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owoOVZVBbQ4

...what

[url width=295 height=176]http://i.imgur.com/T8ZeZ.gif[/url]

TOWN v Walsall: Foderingham; Thompson N, Ward, Devera, McEveley; Ritchie, Bostock, Ferry, Roberts; Collins, Williams

Good to see Bostock back, Looks quite a strong team, apart from the centre backs.

 ON THIS DAY

Saturday November 10 1990

Today marked the debut of Nestor Lorenzo in a Swindon Town shirt, with 8,621 at the County Ground for the game. The Argentine scored after 29 minutes to kick-off a 3-0 win over Portsmouth. Steve Foley and Duncan Shearer got the other goals.

Remember it well!

I'd love to see that midfield play. Very attacking and creative and no doubt relying on scoring more than the opposition.

I like that front six.

I thought they did well on Tuesday, solid enough.

Bow Wow Wow?

Did he not make his debut in a reserve match I have a memory of going to it with their being a big crowd, it was the infamous wall kicking incident

Tends to be the case Barry  ;)

Do you mean this?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ac/Seejungle.jpg

Yes.

jesus, the sound is awful on player today

why has it been a tough week off the pitch? did i miss something?

noice

Yes! Simon Ferry has scored his second of the season already!

woop!

Ferry 1-0 !!

Ferry you beauty!!!!!

Simon Ferry - goal machine.

Reasonable start!

:D

\:D/

http://gobarbra.com/hit/new-82d8c2fd8a719f7740fda77f5e332483

Started well here.

Sounds like it's all us.  Commentators seem to be confirming pre-match expectations that Walsall are poor defensively.

Save from Collins

Danananananana

Simon Ferry

Love it when Ferry scores.

Keep it up and get some more lads!

Think I'd like us to score one or two more to kill the game before Walsall drag themselves back into it.

Another chance missed.

Defender clears from Collins.

Definitely.

The Walsall commentators are sounding very bored.

The Swindon ones are obsessed with wanting Walsall to do well.

decent score at half-time.

here's some entertainment for all y'all

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wAMr3V5lN4

Just back from my daughter's birthday trip to Cadbury's World - depressing to be so close to Walsall, yet so far! Sounds like we should be more than one up but I'll settle for 1-0 at the end!

Thoroughly enjoyed that. Half time entertainment should be a regular TEF feature.

lovin' the Prof!

Score you bastards, score.

Today's attendance - 4,139 (962 from Swindon) #STFC

Not bad

Storey on for Collins.

Storey on

I fancy him to get one

Yeeeees. Ritchie 2-0

Yes!!!! Matt Ritchie!

Yay.

Walsall have a corner on my commentary.

BOOM!!!!

Then it'll be a nice surprise....oh.

Ritchie special.  Hopefully this game will be put to bed now.

Ferry, Ritchie.  Who needs PDC signings?

Midfielders showing the strikers how its done.

Wasn't that hard was it! Much better :D

now don't concede you bastards

Score another one you bastards.

Why does it sound like Skippy the kangaroo is on STFC Player?

Every few seconds it sounds like the marsupial is there helping to commentate!!

Roberts getting a mention continually.  The opposition may be weaker than is usual for the division, but it's good to hear him getting involved like this.

One more goal to go above Notts County.

Is it the live text thingy at the bottom? That randomly unmutes sometimes.

What has happened to Stevenage?  Just too quick out of the blocks early on?  They seem to be in freefall now.

I'm praying for a Coventry to get agoal to get my 4-fold up

Know what you are saying, but they are only 1 point behind Sheff U.

In other news, the Oxford MDT is threatening to make it on to a 4th page.

Thompson on for Bostock.

Think someone might have told Leon.....

Rotherham 4 nil down. Is poor old Rooney making his debut?

Yeah he started

Sounds like Bostock has had another good game.  Him and Ferry seem to link up well.

Williams misses again with only the the keeper to beat.  

Yes, subbed at half time.

In goal by the looks of it.

and taken off on 46 minutes.

so how many people are going to text in after the game to say that our forwards are donkeys?

me for one!

Why would I wait until after the game to get in my ill informed opinion?

I have a feeling that Williams is going to go on a mental goal scoring spree after Christmas, Fjørtoft style.

Cheers for that. God it's annoying!!

Look likes Sheffield United unbeaten record is over, Franchise just scored a 90th minute penalty.

This is in the bag, isn't it.  Nice not to be crapping it for once in the final stages.

3 points off second. Excellent...

3 league games in a row without conceding

We're three points off 2nd at the moment, despite a rocky month.

That was about as comfortable as it gets. Well done Town!

Brittle Shitty bottom of the league to boot!

Bonus!

Brilliant routine win. Ferry had 4 (four) shots and another goal. Marvellous.

Good win, 3 points off second so very happy indeed!

Roll on Yeovil

Di Canio needs to get on the radio quick and say something controversial for everyone to go spastic over and thus completely ignore our result!!

Leeds 1 Watford 5  made me smile !!

Very happy with that.  Back in to the top 6 again.  Let's stay there this time.

Ward and Devera, both towards the bottom of the pack in most people's estimations recently, seem to have had a really solid game.  Ferry and Ritchie have been Ferry and Ritchie.  Thompsons: promising as ever.  Only niggle seems to be that our strikers still seem a little goal shy...but even there, I have a feeling they're going to come good quite soon.  Happy.  I'm going to be able to enjoy Match of the Day later now.

My Leeds supporting friend is having a breakdown on my Facebook, I'm in stitches.

I'm ready!!

Now 6-1 !!

Is my radio tuned right, does he sound quite happy?

full of praise for Ferry and the team!

Uh-oh, here comes the whine about lack of boardroom support...

OK, maybe he was just trying to set expectation. Especially with Storey...

[url width=400 height=221]http://i.imgur.com/Havt0.gif[/url]

anyone still awake?

I as per don't have a fucking clue.

"Alan McCormack ‏@almc16
@siferrythe3rd cads text me n told me. I cudnt believe it. U were on fire today lad.
 View conversation"


Caddis there today then?

Did he just say he was the best manager in the world?

either that or at home. sounds as if McCormack didn't travel though

Great 3 points, sounded very comfortable, up to 6th and 3 points from second. Happy days.

There's an interesting pattern, that a lot of the teams, there or thereabouts, seem like us to be better away from home.  No idea why.

Not exactly far for him, so wouldn't surprise me.

Hmmm, I actually think although he was whinging he was setting expectation that the boardroom target for this year is league 1 survival, and next season to go for it (presumably extra financing dependant).

I say fuck that, we are 3 points from second and have had injuries. Lets fucking do it.

The PDC post match rant:
- Wasnt the best game.
- We created another 5-6 clear cut chances
- A draw would have been good
- We did our job properly. The players focussed and concentrated
- Today more than ever we came out with intention to press forward and higher and get a quick start to damage them and destroy their confidence
- Good start
- Every player can improve in his career. Ferry is still young but can improve through getting in goal scoring positions. Think he can get 6-7 goals per season, which he hasnt done before.
- Second goal killed the game
- Back 4 were fantastic. The best in the team. Didn't make any mistakes in the first 45 mins.
- Second half was easier for us.
- We're in the same position as last year, but last year PDC had the backing of the board. This year we are luckier to be where we are because we have used more young players
- Storey is a good player but he has been affected a bit by people saying he could be in the Premiership. However, right now, he doesnt have the touch of a League One player, let alone a Premiership player. He will improve under PDC though.
- Last year PDC was presented with 5 youth players who were touted as the next greatest thing. Where are they now? They are nowhere. Only one is playing in L2 and has scored only 1 goal!
- Basically he was having a rant about people in the club over valuing some of the youth and questioning why PDC wants to bring in other players when there are youth players who could step up. He basically said they are not ready.
- Massive rant about PDCs spending. Complained that in the last 2 years spending he has spent 1/2 as much as one team who got promoted from L1 last year.
- We are in a better position than he thought considering the amount of injuries.
- Clarified that he wasn't saying that the board had told him that they don't want to go up this year. Everyone can say we want to go up. If it happens this year then its fantastic. The club are trying to build proper foundations so that they don't repeat mistakes of past.
- He is just being realistic. Next year is more realistic than this year but he will do his best.
- Now its difficult to find players as other teams have already taken quality players.
- Targets that they had before. Some flew away because of a variety of factors. Not having the embargo lifted sooner has ruined some opportunities.
- Gary Madine scored yesterday. 'I don't know who he is?'
- Joe Riley. 'He's a good right back.'
(He was trying to be coy about Riley & Madine)

Bloody hell I can understand Di Canio more than Ferry!

Ferry:
- Doesn't get much better than that!
- 2 is the best he has ever got in a season
- Quality that we have on the wings should mean that Ferry scores more
- Walsall kept trying to pass the ball despite being behind
- They were deflates after the 2nd goal
- Has enjoyed being captain

so we must have been in for Sparrow...

Good result. 2 games away with Bostock playing in centre mid, no goals conceded. Doesn't suggest to me that he is a defensive liability when he is in there.  I really hope we get him in permanently in January.

Thats why I typed it literally. Think that PDC was being a bit playful at that point. He was being careful with his words. It struck me as a strange phrase to use after he had paused and thought how to explain himself.

did you hear him say he was the best manager in the world?

Good win.
League 1 is piss poor this year in my opinion and we wont have a better chance of creeping out of the division than we have this year.
To be fair all the teams in the top half will feel the same,no two or three teams stand out.

After an inconsistent first 3 months, it does feel a little surprising to be just 3 points of the automatic promotion places.  Maybe that just goes to show that the division is there for the taking.

I think he said something like:

- We can be proud. Given this situation I prove everyone that in my area no body can say anything because I am the best. Not because I am the best manager. No body can talk about my professionalism in my areas because I am the top in the world. I burn for the cause. I will do my best. I promised something on a stage 1.5 years ago in front of 500 people. I don't change my word. I will do my best, but I have to tell the people what is realistic.

Other bits I picked up listening again were:
- Not realist to be in top 6 for long
- Didnt receive any help from board for 2 months
- Miracle we are there
- Fantastic technical staff who worked hard and tried to improve players
- Storey lost confidence because he was not living up to others expectations
- Fans can idolise players. Not people within the club.
- Then the bit about youth academy
- I know how to manage my players
- Thanks to PDC staff as we made a miracle. 8-9 injuries. Playing 2 youngsters in game
- We now have to be realistic
- I work hard, will go mad trying to help
- 3 years ago we nearly went up. Then next year we went down
- PDC took team from L2 to L1 by spending 1/2 as much as 70% of clubs in L1
- Last year 1 went up spending more than Swindon did in 2 years
- Imagine if we had some (financial) help in last two months (to end the embargo)?
- We need to maintain this year and look to spend in January for the future.
- It would not be the end of the world if we finished 14th or 15th. The club would be happy with this as long as we then pushed on to get promotion next year.
- The plan is 3 years

I'm confused.  Not sure where you would get figures from to verify our spending and that of other clubs in the division.  But the perception is that already we have spent heavily - very often on players that have not worked out as we would want them to.  Is that incorrect?  Out of the 24 clubs in League 1, where are we in terms of spending?  Does anyone know?  I'd assumed that we were up there somewhere.

Didn't we spend more on agent fees last season than all the other League 2 clubs put together?

Ssshhhh we won today. Anything that could raise eyebrows  cannot be mentioned until we lose

Yes Caddis was in with the away fans.

Comfortable.....Wardy & Devera solid today.

I thought they both did well against the aerial bombardment on Tuesday as well. Devera especially.

absolutely textbook away performance, looked like we could have stepped it up if we needed to, roberts had his best game since portsmouth, bostock did very well defensively - been heeding paolo's words.

very pleased

Just got back from Walsall, comfortable is the word I'd use to describe the game today in that 1) we were never threatened and 2) we did we what had to do to win (take 2 chances & score)! The back 4 were comfortable and having John Bostock back added a touch of class to the midfield department! A week of training now until we face a bogey side in Yeovil at home, fingers crossed we can do them, no more injuries, a few return and we bring a couple of new faces in! C.O.Y.R!!!!!

I enjoyed the game today and a good atmosphere amongst the Town fans - always helpful to be winning for virtually all of the game.
Was very comfortable and although Wes needed to make a couple of good saves in the 2nd half we never really looked in danger.
Good performance all through the team today.

Wes looked confident.  Nathan was solid right through the game; very impressive.  Ward and Devera weren't threatened much but always inspired confidence.  Jay had his best game I've seen for a while with his crossing mostly back on form.
Ritchie was lively and had one of his good days whilst Roberts was on fire for most of the match.  I really liked the centre midfield partnership - Bostock looks class, though was tiring before being substituted.  Ferry is on top form at the moment; I think he is stepping up a level as fits his potential.  Williams & Collins both worked hard but I don't see either of them as being the 20 goal striker that any team likes if wanting to challenge to win titles.  Storey showed potential but has lots to learn - a good option to have on the bench.

I'm certainly enjoying the away games much more than the home lately.

Can tell we won. Dead as fuck on here tonight

Superb efficient away performance just got back had a great day despite the cost to get in which was eye watering, how teams have the nerve to complain about our prices when they charge £57 for 1 adult and 2 under 10's. Anyway back to the game I thought the whole midfield were superb as were the back four still work to be done up top as Collins and Williams just dont seem to be able to play together with any cohesion.

£57, that's crazy. How much was it per child? I'm guessing about £15 each? Did you get the match ball for that price ! Sounded like a professional job done and with two home games next we should be looking to cement a place in the top six during the run up and including the Christmas period. Nice to see Si on the score sheet, he makes himself plenty of shooting opportunities and most of the time looks for that final pass so maybe now he will start having a pop more often.

£17 each for a 9 and 10 year old, he said £74 at first to which I obviously said you are having a fucking laugh he then got some sort of matrix thing out and showed me £17 per child. I said to the guy and the steward that is a piss take but they just shrugged there shoulders.

Still people moaning on twitter/radio though.

Not really that surprising, is it?

Win: Yay, we won.  Pub.
Lose: Get it off your chest - for the whole evening.

they were obviously not there totally dominant and we could have probably gone up gear if we wanted.

That's a piss take for under 10s. Can't imagine there was many kids there at those prices. Weren't they amongst the awards for family club of the year !

The away attendance is quoted as 932 although the walsall fans say the capacity of the away end is 1900 if that is the correct then there was way more than 932 in that end today!!

Just saw that on their forums, a lot of them seem to think we had a fair few more than the 932 stated. To be fair to them they are not slagging us or Paolo off like most fans do but are more concerned about their own team/manager. Well done to the 932 ish who went today.

Towns crowds at Walsall always appear to be on the low side. Its normally pay cash at the turnstile. I don't think these 2 sentences are unconnected.

I reckon you and the ticket operator fucked up, and you ended up paying for 3 adults

Was advertised.

http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/news/article/ticketstravelwalsall-438467.aspx

There was no fuck up on my part I turned up with 2 kids and the cunt charged me £57 I protested loudly and the cunt got out some laminated matrix which clearly had £17 for kids the adult price was £23. Thankfully I am in a position that a) I had enough cash on me b) I can afford it but that still does not make it right to charge a 9 year old kid £17 to watch any football let alone league 1

From the link Sippo posted, you would have saved £2 each if you'd purchased in advance.  It does seem expensive, but out of interest does anyone know what we charge under 10's away supporters?

£11

Just back in Calne. Very pleasing steady performence. Definately more than the away total declared. Bring on Yeovil

You should not admit or even mention you are in Calne. Do you have 6 fingers on each hand?

Good win today, only got to hear it on the radio but sounds positively comfortable. Hope we can produce a similar effort against Yeovil, glad Ferry got the 1st goal too, paid for a couple of beers  :)

Ha ha ha, what a funny well thought out post. Because this town fan lives in a town 17 miles from Swindon he's obviously an inbred!

Fucking hell is this really what this place has come to. This kind of shit is usually levelled at Town fans from moronic supporters of other clubs.

Apologies, I stand corrected, that's shocking. I nearly took my daughter glad I didnt at that price.

They do family tickets for their own fans so 1 adult & 2 under 18's would be £36.
It seems wrong that they're not made to apply the same pricing structure to home & away fans alike!

With the greatest of respect, one thing I normally do is read up how much a ticket is before I go to a game, this saves any nasty surprises. Although I do think £17 is steep for a junior ticket.


If non registered junior red £12, if registered junior red free. Although initial charge of £25 to join plus ID needed for child.

Another way of looking at it: you might be a life long Town fan living in a town 21 miles from Swindon which has had a rivallry with Calne for a long long time.

where as on the flip side to this when i went to Shrewsbury i took 3 kids with me. Total price should have been well over £40 but the lady on the desk let us all in for £21. Which was fantastic value.

a shitty little club like Walsall should not be charging £17 for children

Oh no!! You're not from Devizes are you?!

I'm a (ex-)Calney and only heard about the rivalry when Calne Town played Devizes Town in the league (the home game v Devizes often seemed to be on Boxing day). Some of the older lads in town used to say it was really fierce....

That said, my brothers said they remembered the time (?late 70s or early 80s) when a bus load of Devizes lads jumped out on the Strand and "took" Calne town centre - the Calne lads came out and fought them back off. Apparently there were Raddy wagons and blue-bottles everywhere....

Chippenham hate Calne more than Devizes

Oh god. The hicks are getting restless again.

Get orf my land!!!

[url width=117 height=145]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t200/Zenzoidman/Shoebox/imagesqtbnANd9GcQbPcLoU84sHPGXhGWWvrpO0en8jGxHp_5anBzw87c5MGjHg9Utt1.jpg[/url]

I thought it was Melksham who hated Devizes...and Malmesbury not enamoured of Calne. It's a shame we've lost the days, when lads from Old Swindon would meet lads from New Swindon for a punch up in the fields between the two towns.

Richard Jefferies v Walcot schools used to get a bit juicy. :D

Park would take on all comers....

Are we talking about football teams or just people.  Im from Chippenham, lived in Calne for a couple of years growing up and have absolutely no opinion on the town of either place in terms of one being any better than the other.

Indeed they did. Walcot rule OK! soapy tit wank

That's home supporters though not away?

Oakfield, pah what kind of pansy name is that? No wonder they demolished it.

Get yourself down to the library and read up on "The Chippenham vs Calne Skinhead Wars 1971-3"
Henry Kissinger was called in and brokered a peace treaty where all involved were encouraged to support Swindon Town The peace between the two towns and support of our beloved Town has continued to this day.

I was growing up in Chippenham in the early 70s and it was a right old rivalry.

No handbags in them days

Ah.  I missed that, what with being age aged 0 to 2 and a bit at the time.

Talking of Calne... ventured into the Jenny Wren for a pint a couple of weeks ago for the first time in about 25 years... probably be another 25 years before i go there again... That is all...

The Jenny Wren used to have a Sunday league side, not sure if they still do? And I've been in there after playing them a couple of times but that was years ago. A proper drinkers pub back then, and the blokes in there used to enjoy a pint too  ;)

Well bugger me! I used to live up the Jenny Wren end of town (and before anyone says it, yeah I know it's the rough end of town) - and used to walk past it every day on the way to school. Only ever been in the Jenny Wren about 3 times - including the time when England got knocked out of Euro 96 (back when I used to care about the national side).

Cor - some right old nostalgia flooding back to me.

There's the proof.  You were born in the 1850s.  All those jibes about Reg cheering Harold Fleming on from the terraces were true.

Out of interest, when did New Swindon coalesce with what is now Old Town?  The period when their were fields between the two must have been fairly short.  Both areas now fairly central by today's standards.  I saw an interesting old map a while back of the area that is broadly covered by the urban extension of modern day Swindon.  Interesting to see places like Swindon (Old Town), Rodbourne, Stratton and Shaw as separate villages.  Connected, very often, by country lanes that have now become urban in character (such as Wootton Bassett Road).

Live in Calne....and I'm from the deep south (Codford....home town Warmnster).

My opinion of Calne is that it's like Westbury.....factory town with no factory.

So now...just a big developed dorm town with lots of housing developments.

I like living here but don't rate the place as a town per say......

Old maps show Walcot,Nythe and Eastcott....Manniington and Coate....bigger than Swindon,also Rodbourne Cheney is a very ancient place with lots of old history.

The Museum in old town has an old letter addressed to a Doctor in Swindon.

Bath Road,Swindon near Highworth :D

New Swindon was started up approx 1840, and by 1850, there was still plenty of space between the 2 towns. By 1890 the 2 still hadn't coalesced...interestingly Old Swindon had expanded along Stafford St/Dixon Street, and also down the hill to Rolleston and Byron Street.

The only thoroughfare between the towns was Eastcott Hill....but about this time Victoria Road was being laid out and known as New  Road.

The 2 were amalgamated in 1900...and the tram network linking up both Old and New by 1904.

BBC Domesday project, 1986

You're right Ardiles

Reg isn't giving us a history lesson, he's reminiscing. 

this thread has properly derailed.


here's a random image

[url width=900 height=674]http://i.imgur.com/IBa8r.jpg[/url]

I like the way threads on this forum heads off in odd directions.  It's one of its strengths.

Nice image though.

[url width=400 height=260]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NUqdNPuBvIU/UAVylFoPvTI/AAAAAAAAFMg/WNE9K9LRQ6k/s400/1906+Tram+accident.jpg[/url]

Bit like the tram, in the notorious Swindon crash of 1906

Were you injured, Reg?

I don't think this image is random. It looks to me like the trailer for the Walsall v swindon match. Not sure if Yeovil n Brentford matches trailer will be the same though

Dont be silly.






He took the photo

Thanks for that Reg, like a bit of local history. Never even heard this story before and was surprised to read 4 people died in the tram crash and one later in hospital. Up until now I didn't even know Swindon had trams.

Beat me to it Notts, hadn't realised either. On a dark note, would that be the worst tragedy in Swindon's history? Guess we must have been a target for the Luftwaffe because of the railway works.

http://www.swindonweb.com/index.asp?m=8&s=116&ss=1550


I find that fascinating. So Swindon was, in the grand scheme of things, largely ignored. Unfortunately not totally ignored though as the above shows.

Cheers Batch.

Great post batch. That is fascinating. To think those events were in the not too distant past. Incredible. Guess we got off relatively lightly but still, some major loss of life evidenced there.

I was always led to believe we were never a legitimate target.  German bombers returning from raids on Birmingham and bristol were rumoured to off load any unused bombs on towns and cities found on their return routes to ensure they didn't run out of fuel due to payload size - this was particularly the case where bombers were damaged and didn't make the intended target...

Fun fact, the house I grew up in was one of the ones bombed in Swindon. Ipswich Street. There's 4 houses in a row which look different to all the others.

There's also an empty plot of land in Beatrice street where a house should be, which I've always assumed was bombed down in the war.

Its weird how you can still notice all this stuff.

Thank God they missed 365 Ferndale Road as my Gran and Dad lived there at the time, Ferndale Road took the worst of it from reading that website.

My nan got blown off her back step by the Drove Road bomb.

Amazing that the town was not targetted more because of the industry here.

A tricky target considering Swindon is West of Britain. They would have had to fly over lots of hostile land to get here try to sneak in from the channel.

I heard Reg was tearing down blackout curtains in Oxford at the time

The Luftwaffe made it to Coventry which is just as far in land and did a pretty good job of it. I'm sure they could've gotten to Swindon if they wanted.

My nan-in-law tells me that Adolf went easy on Swindon as he thought the railways would be useful when Britain became part of his empire.

Would be surprised if anyone in Coventry were able to tell any difference before and after the bombing.

Swindon can't be described as 'West of Britain' can it? Well it can, but it'd be wrong to.  Edinburgh's further west than Swindon, as it Aberdeen.

the few original bits of Coventry that remain are actually really nice, it's a shame they did such a shitty job of rebuilding.

The Germans got Dresden, we got Coventry...

And Inverness is further west than Exeter..

To be fair, much of Coventry's historic city centre was being demolished and rebuilt by the local authority before the start of the war, so the post-war reconstruction was not all to do with the Blitz.

I've nothing against the desire to replace the old with new, forward-thinking planning and design, so long as the plans create a place that functions well, can be maintained and is built to high standards. I'd rather see a radical new design than the historicist pastiche that plagues a lot of places, especially the mock-village housing estates that ruin townscapes and pretend to work well.

A few weeks back I discovered Edinburgh is further west than Liverpool and was really surprised. Thought Newcastle was on approx the same latitude  :eek:

Longitude :)

Maybe he thought Newcastle was in Scotland  :)

Plymouth is further west than here, and was hit by a greater proportion of bombs per capita than anywhere else in Britain (apparently)

As a port, not much hostile land to fly over though.

My Great uncle made plane parts in Swindon during ww2

Back on topic. I have'nt heard anything about the 12-15 Swindon lads who got put back on the train by Walsall police before the game. It was about 14.30 ish from outside the Saddlers club. :sherlock:

They looked about 14 years old, but I am an old git so they could have been older!  8)

I left the bar at the same time as these young lads and saw they were all being rounded up. Didn't know they got put onto the train. That's a bit of a joke as they were not causing any trouble in the bar.

I see my geography A Grade was well earnt  :doh:

O level?

A level, how standards have slipped!

£40.00 for an adult and 11 year old to get in...shocking

I'm led to believe they didn't do anything wrong. Police told them to go to Saddlers Club, then when they got there they were refused entry by more Police who told them to go to a different pub....then when they got half way to other said pub the original Police intercepted them taking them back to the Saddlers and made them get back on a train home.

I can't imagine anything interesting ever happens in Walsall so the fixture must have been a particular highlight for their police. I don't mean in football violence terms, just in general.

Pathetic. Can imagine the who harr if it was a group of Muslims rather than football fans.

I got a D at A-level Geography in 1992, that's the equivalent of an A* now ;)

.

Degree!

No because they wouldnt have been going to the pub.