Thetownend.com

The opponent:  Preston North End

Still matters off the pitch lurk in the background in a Peter Mandelson-esque kind of way. It seems every day for the last few weeks a new story or statement appears somewhere online or in print, and each time its our name as a club that is getting dragged through the mud, while Red Jed offers everyone beer, Andrew Black published his life story on Twitter in the space of 1 evening, with Michael Owen offering him soothing words, and Paolo’s advisers firing off exclusive statements to the Adver at a rate of knots. Whatever Sam did in the time PdC was at OUR club must have been pretty special as it seems to be paying off for the aspiring journalist. I have to say in Sam’s defence, he takes some real shit off people, mostly unwarranted and over the last few weeks he has done a fantastic job so I would like to take the opportunity to say well done Adver Sam for doing the digging that we can’t do, he has finally filled one of Gary Rose’s shoes.

I must say, regardless of the madness of the last few days, I am still buzzing from Tranmere away. It feels like one of those special victories that come along once every so often, Charlton, Northampton, Weston-Super-Mare, to name but a few. Not only did the win take us to the top, but there felt like a togetherness was formed with the players as Darren Ward pump his fists in delight, Alan McCormack thumps his chest, roaring to the away fans, and Wes runs the length of the pitch to celebrate with his team mates and the fans. A perfect night, a rapid journey home, and on to PNE we go.

Its fair to say the last time we met Preston will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. A dreadful performance, Wes being subbed after 20 minutes and a Paolo press conference after the game that Sky Sports and The BBC lapped up. Things have changed since then. Preston, along with us, were one of the early season favourites to go up and earlier on in the season it looked possible. Since the 4-1 thrashing they dished out to us they have been consistently poor which left to the sacking of the much maligned Graham Westley.  In May 2012, Preston announced that 21 players would be leaving the club, 14 of which were released at the end of their contracts, while a further seven were transfer-listed.  Preston signed 18 players during the summer transfer window, including Scott Laird, John Mousinho, Joel Byrom, and Chris Beardsley, four players from Westley's former club, Stevenage. So much has been said of our alleged overspending in recent times, but not so much it seems about Preston North End.

Through my research, I found out the name Preston comes from “Priest Settlement”. Nowadays there are around 120’000 people that settle in Preston.  Some of the better known folk from Preston include former cricketer and all round rent-a-celeb Andrew Flintoff, Ex Scummer Mark Lawrenson, Richard Arkwright, Radio 1 DJ Mary Anne Hobbs, football legend Sir Tom Finney, and Manchester United reserve, Phil Jones. One fantastic bit of news I found whilst trawling through the local Preston media was this charming story –

Police in are hunting a naked man spotted doing star jumps on the street.

The man was first spotted strolling nude down Hill Road South, sporting only a pair of glasses and shoes, around 6.35am on February 19.
He was seen again two days later around 6.45am on New Lane and Park Lane, doing start jumps while naked.

Anyone here wish to confess?........


What are they saying about us? –

“I would have thought the point was, as they are our next game and doing well, we could get a good result because the club is obviously in total disarray.”

“It's got to improve our chances... but they're still a set of players who are on brilliant form. Top of the league.

There has to be a fair chance that a resolution will be found, and the whole lot, including the mad Italian, will be back in place soon. If that happens on Friday night, that could be a major disadvantage to us! So it's a risky bet IMO”.

http://www.pne-online.net/forum/showthread.php?79684-Entire-Swindon-backroom-staff-to-quit-in-the-morning

Preston Last 6 –  LDLLLW (Currently 17th in League 1 on 38 points)

The Threat – Rather than a player I think the biggest threat could be the change of manager. Preston beat Bournemouth 2-0 last weekend, and with Simon Grayson in charge will be looking to build upon this today. In the way of goalscorers, ex Wycombe striker Stuart Beavon leads the way with 10 goals.

The irrelevant stats – In 15 away matches so far this season PNE have only managed to keep a clean sheet on 2 occasions, hopefully something we can expose, although on the other hand, they have only failed to score away from home on 4 occasions.

Head to Head – We have met 25 times so far, Preston have won 11, we have won 7 and there have been 7 draws.

The Odds –  Swindon 8/11   Draw 3/1    Preston 4/1   First goalscorer odds are as consistent as ever, dominated by Williams, Collins, De Vita, Rooney anywhere between 4/1 and 6/1. Gary Roberts may well have found some goalscoring form, so if you fancy him to pop up with the first you can get around 9/1.

The Son Says – He still bears the scars from our defeat earlier in the season and still asks me daily when Paolo is coming home, but he boldly plumped for a 3-0 home victory.

The Prediction – If we carry on where we left off on Tuesday night then I tend to agree with my son and are going for 3-0, goals from Ward, Collins and De Vita. A crowd of 9’100 with 905 from Preston.

And Finally –  Based on all the results during its 112 seasons in the Football League from 1888–89 to 2010–11, Preston are ranked as the fourth most-successful English football club of all time domestically, while only Notts County have played more Football League games than Preston.

COYR COYR COYR

Hurrah - some normality amongst the madness.

Scrappy 1-0 win to us.

If we have the same grit and determination as shown at Tranmere we will get the win and stay top. They will come here looking to further unsettle things and with a new manager they might actually give it a go which should play into our hands. A 2-1 win with our manager scoring 1 ( probably not, but just sounds good ) and Collins with the other. Can't wait, been looking forward to this to blow away some of the frustrations of this week. Well done SR, good stuff.

A return too sanity, thanks SR.I think we'll be running on adrenaline today,3-1 and Di Canio claiming the credit at an impromptu press conference in the Town end.2 goals from Luke Rooney and a thunderbolt from McCormack

Oh yeah, Luke Rooney to return and score the sole goal of the game.

Got a feeling this will be 1-1, roberts for us and a Di Canio own goal for them.

We will fucking thrash them 2-1

This, imo, is a truer test to life after di Canio. The tranmere victory was masterminded by the unhinged one, this time the players are on their own.

I think they'll get through this one too, its 2, 3, 4, 5 weeks time that worries me more. I guess that's academic as we should have a new man in by then though. So as long as it isn't Newell/Sanchez !

2-0 Williams, Collins

Once again, for the umpteenth time this season it seems (probably only about the third in reality) a team who have been on a dreadful run, start to pick up point and/or get a new manager just before they play us. Hopefully the massive shot of adrenalin which recent events seem to have given the players will transfer itself to the fans and that, together with no small amount of ability, will be too much for them. Think it will be hard though.

A hard fought 2-1 victory with Paolo singing "Canta Help Falling Ina Love" before the match on the pitch.

5-0 in front of 9,765.

Williams 2, L Rooney 1, Collins 2

3-1 town Collins (2) Ferry

Snow flurries at the moment in SN2 (fuck off, Martin Samuel), the dogs have refused to crap on their walk and I've run our of lime marmalade.

All points to a damn good thrashing - 1-0

I think a Martin Samuel chant is needed today. 'You're a fat cunt... You're a fat cunt... You're a fat cuuuunt ... Martin Samuel, you're a fat cunt'.

were the glasses in fact sunglasses and was the guy carrying a stolen picture?

I'll go for 2-1, Ferry and Flint

The grammar in that article is terrible !

3-0 Town, Williams and another Roberts brace in front of 10056 including 927 Prestonians.

 COYR

well done Rosso. Very excited about this game and am going for a cracking 4-2 victory , with 2 from Williams 1 from Collins and 1 from Miller. Its gonna be emotional.



let's fucking stuff these fucking cunts.

1-0. Foderingham with a last minute header before he jumps into the away fans and decks every single one of the northern bastards.

2-1 Williams and Collins in front of 9,869

2-0 for me today with the crowd just being around 10.5k, Preston will virtually sell out the Arkells section.

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

I like it! But to what tune do we sing it too?

3-0 Town

We're from SN1, we're from SN1, we are Swindon...we're from SN1!

I'm with Martin Samuel on that one.  Always hated 'SN1'.  (It's another word/phrase that only journos use.  Like 'Robins'.  You'll never hear that from the stands either.)  Not sure why it just winds me up.  It just does.  And if we ever move ground and the local journos start discussing SN3 or SN5 I may just have to end it.

Dunno if its been mentioned but a few teams in and around us play each other today as well so a win is very important.

Donny v yeovil
Boremuff v sheff utd

.

Don't really understand the SN1 bit either. When did that all start?  Gloucester Leisure Centre is called GL1 which seems to be along the same lines but other than that not really heard of the postcode s being used in this way.  I can't really imagine Cheltenham, for example, referring to their ground as GL50.

Both games ending as draws would be good.

I believe it started with Wimbledon (the lawn tennis venue, rather than the football club) being referred to by the postcode.  SW20 I think?

2-1 hard fought win. Hopefully a good atmosphere if a few whippet worriers make the journey. Tom Finney was just a shit Don Rogers.

Looking forward to this, and I'd like to think the crowd will be in good voice today. I can't see us winning though, so will go for 1-1.

4-1 to reverse the earlier embarrassment. Crowd 9999 with a rowdy bunch of Northerners making some noise.

Be a big following of around 900 Preston today so should be a crowd of around 9,650 I think.

Today will show us whether or not they were actually scared of Paolo as Alan Mac has been suggesting, holding them back at home and them playing like scared children (his words not mine).

This will show us of there was a Paolo effect or whether the players do deserve to be top of the league in their own right ignoring any Paolo input.

Oh, also unable to call this one, it could be excellent it could be 'meh' or the players could actually be missing his leadership, we will see come 5pm.

Got a virus,feel rather poorly so will be missing this today sadly(for me),the last two days it feels like i have been walking through quicksand.

Tough one today.....we are there to be shot at.

To be honest after the display i witnessed at Tranmere which was full of class and character i am expecting us to win rather than hoping.

sw19. Did I mention my centre court tickets for this year. Well chuffed to finally get some.

With the games happening around us, it's vital we win today. Looking foward to watching football after another manic week.

2-0 Ward and McCormack in front on 10111 and a thousand odd from PNE.

A win today will be huge given that teams around (well, below) us will be dropping point. Wish I could go. Instead I'm working near Milton Keynes. Grim.

Oh, and whilst I was in fact out in Preston on Monday night, I was safely tucked up in bed by 4am on Tuesday morning, and wouldn't hang out on New Hall Lane if you paid me. No starjumps here!

Was this in print somewhere PV?

I'll go for 2-0 for the Swindon Workers Cooperative in their first outing since the dictator overthrew himself.

Nope not in print but he said it after at least 3 games this season (Orient and Col U ring a bell) and the last one being after the Hartlepool draw at home.

Ok. Not checking you. I wouldn't have been/be surprised to see something like that.

To be brutally honest I am a bit fed up with Alan Macs constant criticising of the team, even when I have been to a game and seen with my own eyes that we played fairly well he still always finds something to moan about, it is never ever in praise of the team and he always had bad things to say about Paolo.

I loved him as a player but as a manager/coach/pundit he does only ever see the negative in things.

i really do think the players were playing with fear and this is a chance for them to express themselves more , on the other hand the discipline that paolo has installed may slip and we go to pieces . We will find out soon.
It is though , time for US to start giving the players more credit and appreciation  instead the god like praise handed to our once great leader (albeit deserved ). COME ON TOWN

I understand PNEThor will be at the game.  :bye:

Hope he provides pics again :)

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

I'd love us to win 12-0 to silence my gloaty northern friend. However I reckon a 2-1 will probably be on the cards. Roberts and Collins. Crowd of 9156.

BTW I like that :D

Gosh, look at the time. COYR.

That could lead to some fun chants, not least a new twist on "come on you reds"!

The Football League
The Football League
Are capitalist pigs
Are capitalist pigs
The Football League are capitalist pigs!

He was a really unfunny, tiresome cunt.

Jed is in the Legends, and to make a few of you happy he IS wearing a tie :)

Is Mike Newell with him or is he in the dugout

Phew. Thank god for that!

Lock up your daughters!

Corrected for you.

I'm really curious to know if they've renamed Paolo's deli or whatever it was called

Its now Jeds greasy spoon café.

Will the cashiers be behind double glazing? Bullet proof perspex?

I am a fan of greasy spoons.

Its greasy poles you have to watch out for.....

Xenophobe :D

TOWN v Preston: Foderingham; McCormack, Flint, Ward, McEveley; Roberts, Ferry, Miller, De Vita; Collins, Williams

Subs: Bedwell, Navarro, Thompson N, Rooney A, Rooney L, Oakley, Thompson L

Not so keen on Macca playing right back, would rather Thomo started with Macca at LB.

typical bloody managers picking themselves!

Ba Dum Tish

Team full of senior pros. Would prefer to have seen one of our managers in the dugout but there you go, will there actually be anyone there?

I have visions of Louis Thomson directing traffic from the bench now.

yep not keen on mcevely to be honest ,

in reply to PV

Digby, Peacock and Di Canio in a disguise.

I think McEveley is more of a centre back IMO.

My daughter works at the ground, they got called in early to be informed about the details of the take over and Paolo turning up today.

She just text me, the call has gone out that Paolo is there, and all stewards and turnstile ops have been put on red alert, whatever that means.

If I hear anything else I will let you all know.

Any news on the megaphone?

holy fuckshit!

[url width=500 height=250]http://i.imgur.com/j9O6gYh.gif[/url]

2-1 win with a last minute McCormack goal which leads to Paolo running onto the pitch to join the celebrations...then pulling the captains armband from him

He's not bought a ticket yet.

Cannot wait to hear what happens.  Surely refusing him entry would be the worst thing they could do?
Cursing my luck at having to work all weekend for once, when this is shaping up to be a highly interesting encounter from many angles - I would have absolutely loved to show up and lend my support to the team and interim management too... but will at least be following on here.

Hes outside the townend lighting flares

Pity for those wearing them! Mind you they deserve it, flares are so last decade.

Can you have STFCplayer on at work?

So if Ward and Miller are both in the starting XI, surely some one needs to be looking at the game from the bench or stands?

Edit: Sounds like Pitman's involved. Fraser as well I suppose.

Clem's at the game, SM has just tweeted. FL Show should be interesting then.

I can, as I'm at home working, but I have a bit of a superstition regarding listening to our games - every time I do it we seem to lose (this has been going on for years).  Mostly away games, granted, as I have a ST, and I know it's irrational and stupid... Maybe I can start listening and switch off if we concede? 

Is player on yet? Don't want problems today of all days.

Main feature tonight apparently. Let's hope we win...

Yes.

Yes

Have we lost when you didn't listen? Sorted ... turn it on, if it works that is!

looking forward to kick-off.

I keep idly glancing at fixtures and flights...

soapy tit wank@Skyfall

what would make this sequence that much better would be SM to tweet that he's just seen PDC in a bond suit

Right come on - JUST WIN YOU CUNTS! :clap:

YOUUUUUU REEEDDDDSSSSS !!!

Coyr

C'mon Town

Very loud crowd on RS at the moment.

is the sound quality very very poor for anyone else on player?

yeovil winning

Yeh, it's not brilliant. Decent enough to listen to though.

On/off/on/off etc

save from Miller

It sounds like they have turned the gain up on the line to almost intolerable levels as well as intermitant break ups.

listening on headphones so had to turn it off. Switched to Preston comms which is fine.

And top of the league as it stands

Good first ten minutes - sounds like we've started in a similar way to at Tranmere. Hope we can take a chance a bit sooner this time around.

Tranmere winnin

HAHAHAHAH!

Bolton 3 Hull 0 after 8 mins!

I remember us doing that against City a few years ago - we ended up holding on for a 3-2 win.

Coventry winning

When was that? Don't remember it at all! I do remember similar games up at Stockport - one we won 4-2, the other we drew 3-3.

Round about 98/99.

Edit: 5/9/98... http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/MatchCentre.asp?MatchID=19990106

a few years ago for OST means 15 years...

1998

http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/MatchCentre.asp?MatchID=19990106

cov drawing

:D Andy Radcliffe "Andy Williams is almost prostate on the ground there"

prostrate perhaps?

True I'm afraid.

Bristol City winning

Love seeing that team sheet - some classic (though not classy) players!

Ooooooh, I don't like this, Preston have started to attack us....I'm off....

Bournemouth losing

Sheff Utd winning

Bangor City winning

Sheff Utd top now, god the top of the leagues is soooooooo close.

Trannies 1-1

Apparently someone started a Paolo chant in the townend and and got told to shut up by many!

:)

Pack just scored a pen for Cheltnum

I take it he didn't turn up in the end then?

Franchise winning

He must have been spotted because the call went out, maybe he was persuaded not to go in?

Dunno tbh.

Bristol city 2-0

0-0 bore draw written all over this so far...

Depends who is going to throw the tea cups at half time I suppose

He did but left when told to shut up after trying to start a Paolo chant.

Very good  :clap:

 :D

tranmere 2-1 up

Are you at Prenton Park, you are quicker than Sky!

James Beattie plays for Stanley? What the fuck?

Doncaster 1-1 yeovil

HT - ZZZZZZZ

:D

That was one of the duller 45 minutes to listen to.

Paolo in the car park, with a stewards jacket on!

whaaat?

You're making that up aren't you?

I hope not!

It was just on the radio that someone had spotted Paolo in the car park.

I made up the bit about the stewards jacket.

They did just say that he was outside in the car park...no mention of steward jacket but i wouldn't rule it out!

Well? He was out of work.

I think they should get him selling Italian Ice Cream.

Started well, good save to deny Miller but it went a bit flat after about 20 mins.

I hate to say it but this is exactly when you will miss Paolo, they need someone to fire them up & send them out for the second half.

First goal is all important, if they get it I'm not sure we will be able to break them down.

This makes me sad.  We've been praising his passion for the last two years and, even now...after he resigned himself, he can't let go.  I miss him.  We'll never see his like again.

Sam Morshead‏@SamMorshead_SA

Apparently Talksport are reporting that PDC is at QPR v Man Utd. If so, is uncle 'Arry lining him up a coaching role?

Sam Morshead ‏@SamMorshead_SA
Apparently Talksport are reporting that PDC is at QPR v Man Utd. If so, is uncle 'Arry lining him up a coaching role?

Sam Morshead ‏@SamMorshead_SA
Apparently Talksport are reporting that PDC is at QPR v Man Utd. If so, is uncle 'Arry lining him up a coaching role?

How many PDC's are there?

Ward and Miller should threaten a 5am training session tomorrow if they don't buck their ideas up

Absolutely. Loved his infectious passion. Get him back in.....

From Sam

Who is to say that Miller, Ward Digby etc cannot do this?

Theres a picture on Twatter of Jed at the County Ground today, I can confirm

a) he's wearing a tie so obviously his is now fit to be chairman and b) he looks to have aged about 20 years in the last fortnight.

Shite

Oh dear

Are you sure it's not Jed's Dad?

Arse

Shit.

Cue meltdown....

ARRGH

PANIC.

Milward out!

Our home form worries me.

I'm melting!

Bugger

our last five home results:

Swindon 5-0 Tranmere
Swindon 5-0 Portsmouth
Swindon 4-0 Carlisle
Swindon 2-0 Shrewsbury
Swindon 1-1 Hartlepool

what exactly worries you?

Forza! Turn it off!

This has the makings of a seriously rubbish football weekend for you.  It's at times like these that I'm glad I live in Farnborough.  :D

The score's going down?

We are all over the shop now by the sounds of it..

ooh, corner

Shitty are spanking Barnsley.  4-0

Hmmm...Nobody to make the decision of a sub. Surely this was discussed before the match?!

I'm pretty sure it will have been.

Swindon 0-1 orient
swindon 0-1 colchester
swindon 0-1 brentford
swindon 0-1 preston

Losing against teams we should be beating and not winning enough games at home. Form my not be the right word but I get more worried playing at home than away

I'm actually considering it...  :(

yes, form is the wrong word.

we've won as many games by a 3 goal margin as we've lost 0-1.

i guess it's all irrelevant now as we can't even work out how to make a substitution anymroe

Then lets make one.

There's nothing new in this, for as long as I have followed town they have without fail beat teams they should lose to and then lose to teams they should beat.

Navarro for Ferry?

Interesting.

This forum is going to be a horrible place this evening if we don't get this back.

I'm thinking civil war is going to break out.

Just hope its not full of people desperate for Paolo back. Yes, we need a manager, but not him.

Pack scores a 2nd for Cheltnum

Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

You know that this is inevitable....

Get in Rooney!!!!!!!!!!!

HA! GOAL!

1-1

GET IN ROONEY!!!!!!!

Milward in!

fuck yeah

Now lets finish them!

Yaldi

Beautiful

Good stuff civil wall avoided, its like Gino Bartali in the 1948 Tour de France.

A timely deletion Ardiles...

What a substitution...  :)

Paolo would have done it better with more arm waving and passion

And a playfull kick up the bum

we are no-ones red and white army!

I may still attend to those bottles of Tribute!  :D

*still listening, holding my breath*

Penalty denied for handball

fucking hand ball. i could see that from here you blind cunt ref

"Supporters in the Townend are on their feet" Well they usually are...

Come on boys, let's get another now while we are on top

Maybe just stick your fingers in your ears?

ooooooooohhhh!!!!!


come on town

mk 1-1

A winner for us or an equaliser for Bournemouth will put us top

Ritchie should score for us then

that's damn close

Seems like we have had the better of the game but just haven't been able to get that second goal.

FT 1-1

not a bad result tbh

FT

I'll take that.

well, at least we didn't lose!

Considering the week tats very true, but looking at the away fixtures we have we need to be winning these home games against teams in the bottom half.

Lets see what next week holds

Well done boys, not bad at all. Still unbeaten this year and 2nd in the league.

With all the goings on you can keep your heads held high.

Our away form is pretty good though, and we usually lift it for the better sides.

My thoughts exactly

At least we didn't lose, keeps the unbeaten run going

Thank fuck for that...I had to pull out all the stops to get that result. Turned the commentary off and turned the TV off and read a book...it was worth it though - still in the top two 8)

This.

Wonder if NMH is putting his feet up tonight now he doesn't have his translating job?

Hope we dont rush into a new appointment

Any good new chants chaps?

OH NO-Tranmere have reduced the goal difference deficit to 15!

I'm a bit fed up of hearing DiCanio's name. Can we call him Voldermort from now on?

Players still going through warm down on the pitch?

Watching the egg chasers now, so will be hoping for a NMH style summary of the post match interviews.

Good start, rubbish middle bit, their goal was a bit like the Hartlepool goal, ours was a bit fortunate but a cool finish, good ending.

De Vita not in the game. Ward a colossus as the back. Roberts good again. Midfield a bit lightweight, front two too far apart. A bit too much hoofball, but Preston are a strong, well organised team. The type we struggle against.

Well, for me that was a good result - A point from a poorish performance.

Aden Flint my MOM by a mile - with James Collins leading the line really well alongside a very out of sorts Williams.

Impressed by PNE although Wes didn't have a save to make and if they have to play any team in the top 6 they'll have a chance to take points off them as well.

Very difficult circumstances for the team, missing an obvious leader on the bench - but salvaged a point by sheer will and determination - all deserve great credit.

BTW the PNE fans were gobby, spotty shites some of whom got a bit of a deserved shoeing up Manchester Road pre kick off

Content with a point on that showing. As Batch said, their goal familiar to the Hartlepool one in that header won at the back post and whoever scored volleyed home from the 6 yard box. Introduction of Rooney changed things I felt and we looked like the team who would get the winner in the last 15 minutes! After the week we've had to still be in the top 2 and unbeaten in 13 (?) games now I'd take that! Big game against Bury at home Tuesday, lets get behind the boys again! It was strange not seeing anyone on the touchline instructing/encouraging players! Ferry looked heavy legged to me and probably why he was taken off!

Every club has them, we have a fair few ourselves.

Too right.

Ferry has been struggling with an ankle injury picked up in the Tranmere match, he missed a couple of days training. He did it again during the game hence the sub . But he was poor anyway (perhaps due to the injury)

Considering the week we've had not a bad result.

A bit too much hoof but at least we didn't lose and most other results not to bad either.

Bury looked a bit of a shambles at the back on tv last night so should / must be three points on Tuesday and hopefully improve our shitty goal difference!

NMH, translate this interview, please. This is completely foreign to me. Something to do with, Gary, Barry, terry?

Not great , but who's too say it would of been different with you know who. PNE had just beat Bmouth so as everyone is saying , at least we didnt lose .

Oh it might just be me but it's a lot better to actually have clubs that bring a fair few fans to the CG! Good effort from PNE today, i dont expect the same on Tuesday.

The fun has gone from the MTD since voldermort left I see  ::)

Wiltshire sound appear to be struggling to fill the twenty-five minute slot usually taken up by our previous manager!

Not the prettiest of games and not the best of performances in terms of quality from us but we worked hard, continued to restrict the opposition to very limited chances and were still creating enough to have put the game to bed. We've come up against another keeper who was absolutely on his game and he's earned his team a point.
So as I said, not the greatest of games but it's still 2 points dropped.

2 points dropped and hoofed after conceding.

but....we never gave up and took the gift nicely.

Once again an away keeper has a blinder...I have to see the one he saved low down in the dying minutes....how did he do that.

Massive punch up in the Mancy road pre match too.

Need a manager....I don't like these player managers.

Bury is massive game now.....and I'm missing through work.....bollocks!

Ticket for Coventry...

I suppose if we had drawn 1-1 with Tranmere and beat PNE 3-1...all would of been happy?

Forgot to say I thought the ref started off OK, but became a dick. There were pushes, handballs, free kicks that weren't, play ons that were .....Bad for both teams mind.

Looks like a lot of PNE fans arent happy and call the CG a death trap because we only opened them 1 turnstyle, what a bunch of whinging Northern fuckwits.

http://www.pne-online.net/forum/showthread.php?79734-Death-trap

They also didn't like the comment about the spotty shites getting a shoeing.

http://www.pne-online.net/forum/showthread.php?79737-spotty-shites

Interesting that fans at the game saying that Rudd in goal had a blinder of a game because during the commentary Chris Wise (I think) made a comment that their keeper was awful and how he was even connected to a Premier League club (Norwich) was a joke.

To be honest, I can't rememberhim being outstanding, and I was only there an hour and a bit ago....Can't remember testing him seriously too much.

The Hartlepool keeper, he was outstanding.

Now that bit I will agree with you on 100%. Stupid sexy Flinders!

He made a few good saves, also a few cock-ups, the save in the first five minutes probably won them the point.

Started off brilliantly but went down hill after 15 minutes. We just can't play against these 'in your face' sides and tend to start hoofing it. Jay Mac and Macca were the worst culprits but Macca improved after the break. Great effort from the players but we really do need a manager/coach in the dugout.

Bury is a must win game  :)

No-one can out hoof Flint, but I would rather he did that than fanny around with it in the back 4and cost us a goal.

TBF their keeper made a great one handed save from a fierce shot just after half time.

All in all I thought PNE were a decent outfit - would imagine they would have a good end of season run

Funny how they are questioning why we didn't open up the SB but why would we? Be pointless for an extra 50/100.

Stop whining you bloody northerners  ;)

Did they actually sell out the Arkells?

My thoughts too!

Looks like they got close judging by the pictures posted on their forum.....

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BDzm8RYCMAIf9HS.jpg

Oh yes, and Flint. Actually some of his hoofs turn into good passes.

But if there were, say, 20 tickets left unsold, then STFC made the right decision. They may have sold them all, I don't know.

There were at least a couple of hundred spaces in there (I was directly opposite).

Their keeper made some really great saves but I suppose other than that he was average. Very, very flappy.

That was a shit game of football. PNE were fucking awful and we were a bit better but still shit. This is yet another game that we didn't put to bed and should have. Williams was a passenger for the 90. Macca was woeful in the first 45 but much better in the 2nd half. I'd rather have Nathan at RB. McEvely was also shit. Probably put Macca there.
Ward was MOM for me.
Although PNE were shit you can't doubt their effort. It looked like they had more players than us and I thought we looked tired and clueless in patches. Hopwfully, its just the events of the last couple of weeks catching up with them.
I have been really critical of Rooney and Roberts this season but Rooney looks a completely different player now. As for Roberts, he's now showinh his true worth, which I think is also due to the fact he's putting a shift in and not trying to hide during games.
Fair play to PNE - that was great support considering the dogshit that must ha ve been servueed up to them. Saw a lot of police activity after the game - not sure if football connected but they did appear to have been busy near 6 o clock.

Yeah, some of their lot moved down to the front when they scored and that picture looks deceptively full. Still great numbers of support for a long trip during a mediocre season for them mind.

Their keeper was woeful at corners

Fullbacks and de vita were wank today but, given the circumstances, i think the players can be proud with that today.

Not sure what was up with Williams. He just didn't look interested.

Also, mad props to the major bell behind me who shouted 'fucking rubbish town' at full time. Knobhead

And I don't know if anyone has mentioned it yet, but the Di Canio Deli is now the SN1 deli, which I'm sure will send some posters into apoplectic fits of fury

I think it ws given as just over 900 visiting supporters, in an area that seats 1200!!  Perhaps the norther whippet fanciers have forgotten how to count!!

Considering they've just got a new manager and beat the previous leaders last week, and our bizarre week, I am happy with a point.

Not a great performance, lacked some creativity.

Big game on Tuesday.

4 points from the last 2 games  away to one of our promotion rivals and then to a team with a new manager i am happy with that

This is becoming a common theme at the CG, away keeper makes a number of great saves!

Disappointed not to have taken all 3 points to be honest.  I thought Preston were crap and were certainly hanging on at the end.  I can't remember Wes having a proper save to make?

We started well and could have gone in front early one, but then seemed to lose our way and looked a bit of a shambles for a while.  As mentioned, the Preston goal had shades of Hartlepool about it.  It stemmed from De Vita (who was dire all game) losing the ball just inside our half.  Williams also looked off the pace and disinterested, which is a concern.  McEveley was another one who was poor and personally I feel a bit sorry for Thompson who seems to have lost his place.

I noticed during the second half that Pitman was standing and giving instructions from the side.  It was after this that we stepped up a gear and should have gone on to win.

Tuesday is a potential banana skin we need to avoid.

all the energy seems to have left with him
the team missed his energy
the comments on here are so 'ah well' we didn't lose
the spark has gone out
who is going to rekindle it!
i hope someone does soon

Preston they have good players, but Simon Grayson has them playing dirty crap style of football. Lee Holmes didn't get a look in today, usually he rips us apart alone.

You sound like Elton John

Would have preferred to be translating! I am no longer a useful part of this forum and am now considering my future.

Quitter.

Are you secretly hoping we get a Geordie manager who none of us except you can understand? :D

That is not the NMH way! You don't realise the conditions that I have been working under over the last 18 months. One day, when the time is right, you will understand!

Maybe you could translate Dostoyevsky for us. on second thoughts......

If I now see a late night thread with a picture of you burglaring the TEF pictures......

I didn't think their keeper made any save any other competent keeper wouldn't have made - nothing really special, decent but no more. Flinders, however, did make some special saves.
Also, there were 2 handballs intheir box. The second one was pretty blatant.

Their keeper was ropey and a disaster waiting to happen, pulled off one decent save, which is like most Goalkeepers at this level

As was Flinders despite the excellent saves he made.  Sadly in both games we failed to take advantage.

Agree with most of what has been said on here.  PNE were far from the worst of teams this season; fairly disciplined and kept it tight.
Sloppy defending to give the goal away; both the guy who nodded down the cross and the scorer had acres of space.
It really looked like it was going to be one of those days again leading to a disappointing 0-1 loss but we stepped it up in he last 20 which was good to see.
Williams was more profligate than ever today, Raffa didn't get into the game, Jay had too many wobbly moments, Macca still gets pulled out of position too much for my liking but mostly the team played as if they wanted it s much as before dC.
Hopefully we can pick up 3 points on Tuesday before the next of our away matches against the top clubs.

Jay Mac is still here!

This is bollocks, obviously you did'nt go to tranmere tues or see the highlights, the spark was fucking massive, today was a shit game but a good point, roll on bury

Oh did Thor come back? I found him on facebook.

mceveley summed it up we need "more bodies in" - we seem light on numbers, we need competition up front and desperately threadbare in midfield...... for the run in we need 2 / 3 loan players in as soon as manager situation sorted.

i'd like us to get a new left back in please

As I didnt go to the game .....

Who was barking out the orders from the touchline?
Were Miller/Ward in regular dicussion during the game?
When subs were made ... Were messages just sent from Miller/Ward to the sideline?

1. No one, Pitman just sat in the dugout.
2. They just came across like their normal selves, leaders on the pitch, didn't necessarily see any more communication
3. Yea Miller passed information on to Macca to instruct Pitman on who to bring on or did hand signals to Pitman himself

Today was a gritty game, which is why I was very pleased to get the point. PNE were very well organised and had a game plan which worked effectively, us on the other hand, we started very well, but feel we looked a bit lost after the first 15. By hoofing it kept it simple but without an effective target man up there it just didn't pay off. Ferry's passenger performance made us struggle in the middle hence why we hoofed it alot. Miller put in an astute performance and looked like his new found responsibilities spurred him on even more. Ward was a collosus as usual and Flint was by far the Man of the Match, here there and everywhere. Williams had a poor game but looked must more assured on the Left Wing and although Rooney didn't contribute much, he showed again that he knows how to put the ball in the net so I'd start Tuesday with Willo on the Left and Rooney up front. I feel when Nathan isn't at right back we lose alot of balance there, feel he is much more effective there than Macca. But all in all, a thoroughly decent point against a team with a good manager 

Team with no manager vs a team with a new manager, I'm happy with a point, although we deserved all 3. We need 3 or 4 loan signings desperately, the lack of depth is worrying. Fair play to Preston, good turnout and sang a bit too.

Did people notice probably Swindon's best 3 keepers post war were all on the same pitch today?

I think I'm right. (not including Flowers or Given here)

In terms of performances for STFC, those have to be the best three keepers.

Given shouldn't count as he only played six games (although he was excellent in fairness). Flowers as I recall, was not very good for us (apart from not playing many games).

Don't know why I thought of Lucas whilst best ever keepers are being mentioned but I did notice he was in goal for Fleetwood v Aldershot today. Has he played for them all season? Shots won 2-0 .
Edit; Just looked it up and it was his first game for them.

He played last week as well. Came on as sub when their keeper got sent off. They lost 0-4 at home to Burton. I thought Lucas was pretty good for us to be fair though.

Same as a lot of players - good first season, total cunt the second.

I liked Lucas and was a decent keeper, just not up there with best ever.

Lucas foot injured a fair but in that second season. When he did play he was of similar level to smith.

Good in the first season though.

So they interviewed a load of people in the Legends for the FLS and didnt even show them. Bit of a waste of time that.

I hope the FLS don't cover us again.  They've covered us a few times and I don't think we've won when they have?

Some interviews on SwindonWeb, here (http://www.swindonweb.com/?m=133&s=2028&ss=2057&c=12099&t=Swindon+1+Preston+North+End+1)

Shaun Ryder being interviewed right at the end.
"You're twistin' my melon, man"

[url width=450 height=392]http://www.swindonweb.com/uploaded_files/12099/images/jed_mccrory_swindon_450.jpg[/url]

a tie! all is well with the world.

Thats funny but it does show that a lot of our fans seem to be a bit deluded about the prospect of Adkins who although I would like him he aint going to come to us in this league.

I thought we deserved to win to be quite honest. Other than their goal Preston didn't really offer much. The first half was quite poor but we were much better in the 2nd. We switched off for their goal which was on the break but after that we stepped it up and could have easily had another couple on another day. By the end of the game we were all over them. I lost count of the amount of corners we had in the end. A good result against a decent side with a new and good manager at the helm, especially more so given circumstances this week. Confident we can beat Bury on Tuesday.

that was funny as fuck, he was pnethor like

Just watched the highlights on player.......their keeper was a right flapper!

Bad marking by Macca again, I am not convinced by him player fullback at all, was clearly at fault for their goal losing his man at the far post the same as he did against Hartlepool.

Our goal was a little fortunate from the backpass but scored brilliantly under the advancing keeper by Rooney.

Just watching the FL show..In Clem's intro he said we had "lower than expected crowds".....really?

Totally agree ref Macca, he looked good going forward but left short at times at the back.  Would like to see him in Centre mid, with Jay & Nathan at FB, especially if Ferry's injured. 

I was in hospitality yesterday & right behind the dugout & was surprised at the lack of communication (even amongst themselves) on the bench, it was glaring that we needed to change things & it took a Ferry injury to spark anything.

Fought back well and played some good stuff in last half hour when we played it on the deck!   

I've read that a lot to and thought what ....

The other thing to come out the FL show is what an unbelievable tosser Steve Claridge is ...  Blithering on about how high PDC's stock is and all that. If his stock was so high would a club not have come in for him?  After all a title, followed by team in the play offs of the league above, a cup final and 8 wins against teams in higher divisions to boot ... And not a single approach ....

The article in the football league paper was pretty good think it was from today.

Was also a town fan on 606 last night.  Not to sure what he said but I listened to his first 2 sentences decided he was a cunt and switched off!

Don't think that wasn't already known before yesterday!

We met Clem at the station on the way back from Gillingham last year. He seemed reluctant to pass on our "regards" to Claridge.

Would your "regards" have included either or both of the words "wanker" and/or "cunt"? :D

Clem also mentioned that crowds were lower than expected. Really? Claridge just talks out of his arse.

From the rest of the highlights, I hope Bury defend like they did at Notts County on tuesday, and Paynter's miss was horrendous.

I thought that as well.

I think 8.5k gates would've been expected if we are doing well, especially the lack of 'big' clubs in this division this season, and that we had one of the bigger clubs (Sheff Utd) on a Tuesday night.

and the fact tickets cost £25 ...

Lucky guess!

It was more the fact that crowds remained about the same even though season tickets went up this season (albeit to normal). Thought we'd lose quite a few, surprised and happy we didn't.

But would we really have budgeted for higher than our league 2 crowds given the price increase? Or were they already lower than expected following our relegation and subsequent appointment of a "name" in PDC? Most odd.

The other guess would have been minge-slop, but I guess the right 2 :)

If you look at 95/96, attendances were largely the same and we ran away with it that year.  The last 4 or 5  were above 10k and maybe we had a few higher ones (Crewe and Blackpool who were both doing well that year saw 12k+).  It's the age old problem for anyone running our club though, we don't see massive upswings, equally though, when we are doing badly, it takes a while for attendances to really bottom out and even then we get half decent crowds for a shit club.

I think our crowds are good for league 1. If we do make the step up to the Championship then ground redevelopment is a must. Most clubs in that league have new or redeveloped stadiums and average over 15k. We need a 20k seater stadium if we want to do a Brighton, Swansea, etc. Without the facilities we can only ever hope to do a 'Peterborough' and try and survive.

But 94/95 were on the downslope of the STFC pinnacle, the premier league. I think we did well to get near that this year after a decade in the third tier (with dips into the 4th).

Not sure how we get to make the step up in crowd numbers though, except sustained championship football.

As Ralphy states the extra crowds can often come from ground redevelopment or moving to a new ground creating a "feel good" factor.

I don't think that effect would happen if we redevelop the CG though even though that is my personal choice. As you state the crowd would go up with a sustained period in the Championship though.

Ground redevelopment

That doesn't always = bigger crowds (Colchester, Darlo, Oxford..). It is crucial though that the right redevelopment is made ASAP.

Fair point but we're a bigger club than those teams with championship football a real prospect. Look at Brighton's crowds now they've moved, highest in the Championship.

Brighton still making whopping loses! Without a wealthy benefactor it will be a struggle!

It's tough, we haven't shown the capability in the past 40 years to sustain decent crowds consistently above 5 figures, even under Hoddle.

The rel question is does that matter a great deal in the short term?  I don't think so.  Somehow you have to boost the commercial revenue, within which I include hospitality, and that does come with a new/revamped ground.  The past 2/3 years have been an eye opener that we really could push that more because we boosted revenue by over a million in commercial terms alone.  Way more than we can muster by adding a couple of thousand on the gate, and that was with the restrictions the current ground had.  Look at Rugby, games with 10k crowds but also with people paying nearly £200 for matchday hospitality.

Fair point re: commercials. Wonder if the increase is just better/harder sell, or whether (like it or not) PDC brought in extra cash

I guess you could argue it doesn't really matter short term.

It was pre PDC, so something the new guys brought with them.  Sponsorships were a key part fo this I think, and we did that without a big name Manager as well.  I can't remember a time when we had so many match day hospitality options, and that is with a small area available.

The Championship is always going to be stuffed with big clubs, with big away followings - this is where average attendance will go up.

I really don't think STFC as an average Championship side would really attract much of an increase in home support - maybe 1000.

When Peterborough play one of the smaller Championship sides they get less than 8000.

I'm not really convinced that a new, or revamped, stadium would per se be enough to attract more fans - it's always going to be down to what is happening on the pitch

It's a difficult one. What were Readings average attendance pre madjeski move?

I think it would have to be a combination of a winning team and good facilities to attract the floating fans and make them regulars. Who's to say if we went up and we were hovering around the bottom of the league that the attendances would go down as we're not winning.

About 3k

The last season at Elm Park...both us and Reading were in the second tier, we averaged 9,917 Reading 9,160, they finished a place above us.

Championship football and a properly redeveloped stadium would see a step change in our (by League 1 standards) already respectable attendances.  It's there for the taking.  We have had nearly a generation of under-achievement...and we're one of the very last clubs to look at doing something with their ground.  (Millwall, Middlesbrough etc. were leading the way there 20 years ago, post-Hillsborough.)  I've never once heard an explanation as to why Reading, Swansea, Hull etc. can move to the next level and multiply their attendances, and we supposedly cannot.  Of course we can.

Regarding hospitality, the whole non-matchday hospitality thing was being pushed very hard during the recent ground tour I attended. The club has a full time events organiser, whose role is to fill those three suites Monday to Friday (and non match day Saturday's), and it seems to be working somewhat.

The big down side is that all the suites face away from the pitch, so while they are used heavily on match days, there is a recognition that there needs to be more, and facing the pitch, in any re-development to maximise revenue.

Well at a guess I'd say that most of these clubs if not all owned their grounds. Furthermore they were able to move because the old grounds were developed for housing/job creation schemes, councils love these. Also there was plenty money sloshing around the ecconoy to afford these changes of use, development of the old ground and building the new ground. In short....money.

Simply not true...on several counts.  Swansea and Hull, for example, have both developed new stadia in partnership with their local authorities.  (A lesson there for Swindon?)  And not that this bit makes a lot of difference, but we do own our ground; just not the freehold.

I think people under-estimate our potential fan base, since 2002 we've doubled our attendence and we're in the same league. It goes to show what a few exciting seasons can potentially do. We're averaging about the same now as we did in the late 90's and I think the return to the 2nd tier might re-kindle a bit of excitement amongst the fans again. I reckon we could average in and around 11k-13k, taking into account that most weeks we would sell our away allocation too.

However, to take it to the next level a redevelopement/ new stadium has to happen. It's blindingly obvious that without the types of facilities that will come with it we'll always find it hard to compete in the long term.

I made this a couple of months ago, seems relevant again.

[url width=900 height=371]http://i.imgur.com/dIHYNNC.jpg[/url]

Just realised we averaged more last year than we did in the PO season under Wilson in a higher division.

This will also be the 4th consecutive year we've averaged over 8k. Time to push on.

yet we averaged more in our relegation season than we did in either the PO season or last season

Anyone know this years average att?

Don't let facts get in the way of a good argument SY.

Yeah, expectation was high that year. We sold quite a lot of season tickets.

8,535

My memory might not be great but didn't the club push the season tickets prior to the play-off final and prices were geared towards early purchases?

I think so. I think that year they had the cheaper 249 priced ST too.

sounds about right, I nearly bought a ST that year but didn't as I moved away.

The biggest challenge for STFC is getting people from Swindon interested. Purely speculation on my behalf here but I can't imagine there are that many league clubs who have such a high percentage of hardcore fans who come from outside of the town.

Based on what? Everyone I go to football with is from Swindon and lives in Swindon.

Out of everyone I've got to know through football over the years, I'm struggling to think of a single person who now lives in Swindon.  Just about everywhere but!

I would say that for me too the majority of Town fans I know do not live in Swindon any more.

And most of those that do still live there pick and choose their games or do not bother going any more even though they are still interested in whats going on and results.

Because you are both from out of town maybe? I could reel of a list of 30 people who live in Swindon and support the town. I know hardly any out-of-towners.

There are Jay.

Because Swindon are the only professional club in Wiltshire, the potential is there if/when we can get the redevelopment going.

I don't know too much about it but could the club do more to attract fans from further afield?  

I doubt it.  A common thread amongst almost all of the people I know is that, while they don't live in or around Swindon now, almost all of them used to.  There are a few who have pretty much a zero connection with the town (other than a relative etc. who took them to games as a child) and, for example, would get completely lost if they veered off their usual route to/from the ground - but they're in a minority.

You can't market the Club outside of the local area, and nor should you.

as I said, it is purely speculation based on my personal experience.

I'd imagine this bit could be explained partly by ST sales, and partly by larger numbers of away fans.

yup, agreed - which would also suggest that crowds would increase if we reached the Championship. Higher calibre of opposition likely to encourage more season ticket holders, big teams drawing more day trippers and more away fans