Thetownend.com

Hi everyone im a chesterfield fan in peace here, to start with sorry if this is in the wrong place its the first time ive been to your forum.
Anyway are you looking forward to the final and how many are you looking at taking? at the moment we have sold just over 15,000 should be a good game i for one am looking forward to it
hope you enjoy the day just as we will be doing and like ourselfs i wish you the best of luck

I think we've sold about 8k-ish since Tuesday, should be a decent day out.

Yep, but isn't that only season tic holders? I think general sale is next Tuesday.  Would be nice to sell 25K, and anything over 30k would be very good. 

What do chesterfield reckon they'll shift?  15k already would indicate a fair few.

30K each would be a a cracking effort.

I think 25 is more realistic, that said I'm going with a group of 6, none of whom came to the PO final, so who knows.

I think 25k is easily achievable from us, maybe 30k at a push, I would think that your (Chestefield) ticket buying momentum has hit its buffers now and that you probably wont shift more than another 1k or so.

I recon it will be a good 45k crowd which aint too shabby really, breaking the 50k would be excellent.

Fair play to Chesterfield for selling 15k so far, let's hope they get atleast 20k there as it'd be a shame to have their end of the ground half empty.

As mentioned, we've sold 8,000 so far (in 3 days of sales). Expect it to go up pretty quickly when they go on general sale.

Probably somewhere between 18,000 & 21,000 i doubt we will be asking for anymore were struggling now to sell the top £46 tickets we have sold the others people are rightly saying its too expensive. What does get to me though as i think it would some of your fans is that people who were calling it a pointless trophy or a tin-pot cup are now going to the final as it a day out at wembley.

Totally agree. I'd much rather there were only 7,000 people there.

7000 in a 90000 arena would be truly awful in all seriousness, I'm as pissed off with the day-trippers as the next fan but would love a big following from both sets of supporters.

I went to the non league play off final at the old Wembley with Chippenham Town. Crowd was about 12 -15,000 & the atmosphere was a bit like a damp squib

The atmophere at our play off final was a bit quiet but hopefully with the designated singing section this time setup then those that like to be noisy will all sit in there and it will spread to the rest of the areas

These "day trippers" statements make me laugh. Do you think some foreign tourists are going to take time out from Big Ben and Nelsons column to come and watch Swindon in the JPT final? Over the years there has been thousands and thousands of people who have supported and followed Swindon. There are people on here who can only make a couple of games a season and maybe even the finals but you couldn't  label them "day trippers " The " day trippers who will come to the final want to be part of the the day with Swindon and have a good day out with family and friends. Some may not want or need them there but you can bet your life the club does.

I have a season ticket but I can't make all the games due to work commitments, I also live in the midlands but still go to all the games I cam get too, anyway I haven't got a problem with people going but at least this time maybe join in the singing, you know be spontaneous, the play-off final was cringeworthy at times, in my section me and my mates were getting daggers for singing!!

think that was the FA Vase about 10-12 years ago

The thing is its better just to accept that not everyone will know the songs or that some just dont want to sing. I tried my hardest to get a section near us singing last time out but it was never going to happen. I've said before that the atmosphere in the other play off finals was always great so just put it down to a shit day. The singing section will be in full voice and it will catch on. Would love to see our end packed but for that to happen we do need the non regulars to come in the red of Swindon.

They will come and let's hope it's a good day out had by all, the fact it's Chesterfield might give this game a more relaxed, party like atmosphere, clearly lacking against Millwall in my opinion. Paolo has certainly galvanised the club so we should see this run off on some of the people coming for the day out.

What with the famous lengthy repertoir of about 5 songs

Bloody hell Dave, I had to re-read that. I was expecting something along the lines of "Grown men going to a football match?? Really ?? Get a life you losers!"

Or something along those lines 8)

For all the day tripper snobery I started following the town this season just for a day out with DiCanio being the main draw. My first game was the friendly against super marine and from that point on I have never looked back. I remember there were cars all over grass on the sides of the roads and that they had to delay the game to get everyone in. The draw of Dicanio along with all the personel changes meant for many swindonians it was their first look at DiCanio and the newly assembled squad, the anticipation was imense.

I never bought a season ticket as i was unsure whether i would just get bored with it so i was prepared to pay the £25 plus £2 admin charges so i could take it and leave it as i pleased.  This has now somewhat turned into something more than what I had ever imagine it would. I have missed two home games all season and I must have spent a fortune, much more than a season ticket. With this my father started coming with me and he has now stated that he has caught the bug. My father inlaw now comes and we all walk up to the ground, as i only live about a mile and a half away, talking non stop about football in general, the town and about Dicanio.

I started off as one of those quiet people who was reluctant to sing due to not knowing the songs, just if i looked out of place or If i was the only one. Now I do generally get involved with the singing when others around me are and generally i now go home with a horse voice. I have now bought swindon merchandise as well as presents for my dad from the ground and enjoy being part of paolos red and white army.

I think the point I am trying to make is that an occassion like wembley brings new people out who are not normal swindon town supporters but for some, like it did for me, it will manifest into something more and they will wanna go to more games, bring along family members and friends which inturn will generate more income for the club. Swindon has a big population to draw uppon and if STFC can captivate more of them it will only benefit the club more and push STFC up to the heights of where we all wanna be.

I currently try and get seats for the DR stand and I always look to the town end and think one day I will occassionally join all those and bellow at the top of my voice. I feel proud of the atmosphere generated by the town end and even when we were playing shite against shrewsbury the town end just kept bellowing.

So please dont knock the day trippers as some will find a new love in swindon town that day. Me I am chomping at the bit to get my tickets on the 28th, the coach is already booked. I look forward to the day when I can walk up to the ground with my two boys, currently 2 and half and 4 months along with their grandads to a packed county ground and it all started with DiCanio at super Marine, everyone has to start somewhere.

Good post, and well done for sharing it. There are only a few miserable anoraks on here that seem to think they should be the only ones at wembley , fuck em. Enjoy yourself, and i personally hope many more feel and do the same as you.

Littlered, fair play to you and like you mentioned we all started somewhere. Hope you enjoy the day and many years to come supporting the Town.

Good job you didnt come last year little red......you would of never come again.

Enjoy your day but please don't sit behind me and bitch when I stand up when Benson gets his swede on a long cross to put us one up!

I really pity your fans with the stupid charges for buying the Tickets through the agency. It's a shame it's the true fans that are being ripped off.

I'm glad CFC have decided to Sell the Tickets through their own Staff at the Ground.

It's nice to see you moving your tickets as fast as we did. CFC are expecting to sell less than STFC specially as the allowance of selling the tickets is out of CFC's hands. Hence their request for just the initial 21,000 tickets. The Club don't want to be left with unsold tickets and end up paying for the pleasure.

We only have the £46 tickets left and cannot have anymore £26 tickets until the £46 have all been sold.

Comparing the sales is a little difficult but here is a breakdown of how ours went.

We have 5,800 season ticket holders in total, with unrestricted ticket allowances.

Tickets were sold in blocks working from behind the goal towards the corners.

Day One was for the Kop & Legends Lounges Only - 6,000 (Mainly Singers) SOLD
Day Two was for HTM Main stand only - 2,000 SOLD
Day Three was for the Coop Stand - 2,000 SOLD
Day Four was Loyalty Card - 1,500 SOLD
No Day Five, Six or Seven Due to Match Day Tickets Sales and the Local Derby with Real Madrid of League One (Megsons Quote Not Mine)
Day Eight was Club Online & General sale - 3,500
Total To Date - atleast 16,500

Expected after Pay Day & Dole Day 18,500 to 20,000

110 Confirmed coaches with only 47 from the club and the rest from surrounding pubs with the Bridge in taking 17.

Several fans waiting and hoping the Top Tier £26 Seats come on Sale or the Balance of the Seats towards the Half Way Line.

Good Luck with the Sales and everything else except the result. Atleast let us have pleasure in winning something other than relagation after all we have done what you are doing lets hope you don't do what we are doing this year.

You wont find me bitching. The only Problem I had when I was at wembly before was when a pissed up guy, along with his pissed up GF was in front of me standing on his chair and spilling his pint over everyone. Thats where I draw the line. The singing sections should sort out the problem of people who want to stand up all the time and those that wanna sit.

I will enjoy it, going for my obligatory half a pound cheese burger and the walk around the outside of the stadium, the coffee on the inside and then finally the game. Should be a good day out.

Good luck to you guys. The main thing is that it should be a good atmosphere unlike when we last went there against Millwall. I'm going to enjoy the day, win or lose. The last 3 times I went to watch Town at Wembley was all about the result, this time less so.
I've been up to Chesterfield a couple of times including the Friday night game where it was called off and the game was played the next day. i had a good kip in your copshop after several beers were thrown down the neck. I've enjoyed my visits there.

Littlered, good posts, if only more new fans were like you, you are an example to follow, when the stadium is finally redeveloped I anticipate a positive impact in getting even more new fans/old fans to come and watch the town. The club is moving in the right direction on all fronts, long may it continue.

Good post from littlered, having been a regular through the 70's, 80's through to the post premiership bollocks I have only really dipped my toe in from time to time in recent years. Two games have restarted my interest, Fulham in the cup and this seasons Cirencester pre season friendly. Will prob end up with a TE season ticket next year, so it takes all sorts little of little sparks to get people into/back into it.

Btw ref the scum blather on other posts, I only recall 3 teams taking the town end. Millwall when they charged from Stratton Bank, Arsenal in the cup 72 and Ayr Utd in a pre season friendly (think there was 7 pissed up jocks)

"Ay, son I was there" & " One day son all this will be yours" spring to mind. I have to say I have mixed feelings about day trippers they fucking annoy me TBH, however, you make some valid points and your post overall warmed the cockles of my heart especially about you two nippers. To that end mu wife has caught the bug after 12 years of being a Saturday widow and both she and my 7 y/o are coming to day. Could two more ST for next year flying Swindon's way..

Snap Farmer..

I too have refound the faith...thanks to PDC...a man of honour and i hope loyalty...
I can only see goods times ahead for STFC...

In Paolo we trust.....

It's certainly when we're having a successful period that we can attract new fans or bring back new fans.  We need to welcome such fans not put them off with our one-upmanship.

After attending when I could as a teenager I only made the occasional match betwen 1979 and 1995 due to living away from the area and other things in my life.
I brought my daughter to the first match of the 95-96 season and got sucked in by the success of winning the 3rd tier that year and ended up going to 16 matches that year. 16 seasons later I'm a ST and my son also gets to matches when he can.
I'm not sure such a scenario would have happened had we had a season like last when I returned and I may still be a daytripper.

Welcome back ABR/Farmer :)

I think the organisation at Wembley last time was appalling, though there was not much time to organise anything. Technically speaking Wembley stewards should have had everyone sat down, though I'd hate that.

For the 'home of football'' you'd have thought this problem comes up time and time again, some people want to stand and sing, some people want to sit and sing, or not.  You'd have thought there would be some kind of guidance given rather than just giving the tickets over and letting the club get on with it in a big free for all.

Thankfully we learnt from that and hopefully it'll be a lot more agreeable this time.

According to our own lads it happened regularly, and was taken twice by Oxford.

Oxford have never taken the Town End in my time following Swindon since 75. Dagenham got close as did Spurs and Arsenal in 79 but none of them actually did, Shitty and Rovers have all tried and failed as well.

Sorry but this can't be right. Eric Read has been to every game ever and has taken it every time!

Any chance we could leave anything Oxford out of this thread at least ?

Arsenal didn't in 79, they got as far as the half way line & the flare that was fired at them slowed them down a bit.

Tottenham were definitely in the Town End before the game, we were only young lads but got a bit of kicking from some of theirs. However when some of our more experienced (;) ) fans turned up they did decide to vacate.   I still remember one extremely fat spurs fan struggling to get over the fence at the front of the Town End, and also the guy in his pyjamas.

All (largely) before my time so can't really comment myself, just going by some on this site (http://swindonlad1.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=762). They're referring to early 70s

I remember the Pyjama man too, fairly made I chuckle. But as you say neither them or the Arse actually took it, I vaguely remember West Ham getting close as well once or twice.

This needs to be put in historical context.

Before segregation became the norm at grounds 'ends' were regulalry taken all over the place.

What usually happened at Swindon was the away fans used to enter via Stratton Bank and if they fancied their chances walked round the ground to get into the Town End.

A lot of away fans used to get in the ground about 1.00pm hours before any home fans turned up so they could encamp in the Town End beforehand. There then usually ensued the scramble to either kick them out or they legged it of their own accord. If neither of these things occurred a line of local plod kept the 2 opposing fans apart.

Swindon fans did exactly this at Bristol City's East End in early 70s (and stayed there). My first experience of Swindon/Oxford was also around this time and was viewed from the London Road with numerous other Town fans.

As far as the noted 'Eric' he is fairly accurate in happenings but as he must now be in his mid-50s he comes across as a pathetically sad individual whose life seems to have been consumed, even defined, by Swindon.

See the irony there, Eric.