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As Jimmy_Onions pointed out in another thread, it's curious that among all the chat about tickets and travel, there has so far been virtually no comment on the game itself. Maybe we're trying to block out our doubts, because as PNE point out, they're big favourites:

http://www.pne-online.net/forum/showthread.php?94635-We-are-big-favourites-on-Sunday (http://www.pne-online.net/forum/showthread.php?94635-We-are-big-favourites-on-Sunday)

They finished 10 points above us, have the top-scoring striker and the second-tightest defence in the league. They're a big, ugly Grayson team who on their day could give our pretty football a thorough mauling. Can we impose our game on them?

It's the past vs the future. I know which version I'd prefer to succeed. But then, I'm biased...

Heart says we will win, head says we will lose.

They've actually blown they're biggest chance of promotion via automatic, and as the Blackpool fan says their PO record is...shite.

They might be favourites, but even they would not have enjoyed seeing the first 17 mins last Monday when we went into a 3-0 lead, where we tore Sheff Utd defence a new one.

We've got to sort our defence, and get it back to what it was early on in the season.

It's down to one game...on the day...The winner takes it all.

Can we do it?

As a certain Flasheart would say 'FUCK YEAH!!'

Ya heads says no, but ya balls say yes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8qsqh885DM#t=2m0s

Agree with all the above and also this time we've got the other end of stadium....maybe the lucky/winning end ??.......

PNE bottled it on the last day of the season, I see no reason why they won't bottle it again.

I also think that deep down, the "actual game" is a big factor in putting people like me off.

The last 2 trips have been bloody brilliant until the game started. The it's become a tiring, early onset hangover, heartbreaking, dull, lifeless waste of time.

I can't face that journey back with my tail between my legs. Again.

I'd rather celebrate in my old mans garden whilst absolutely cunted.

Preston are favourites at the bookies and on paper.

But, our own firepower isn't far off theirs, I know the stats are skewed a bit by Garners injury, but they only scored 3 more than we did this season in the league.

Their strike force is quality  and the thing that worries me is a big pitch may further expose our defensive frailties. But don't let that 5-5 fool you, our defence is shaky at times but its not *that* shaky. Colchester conceded 20 more than us in the league and kept them out.

Can we do it. Of course we fucking can. But everyone has to turn up and be at it from the off. Tough yes. Mission: Impossible: No way.

Not sure there has ever been a play off final with there being such an outright underdog.

I think that can work in our favour with most of the pressure being on them rather than us.

Good news for Louis.....

http://www.flicwiltshire.com/STFC/Louis-Thompson-given-green-light-to-feature-at-Wembley-.aspx#.VVsp_UKprzI

would you risk it? I wouldn't

Scunthorpe v Millwall?

Yeovil v Brentford?

Pfft underdogs my butt. It's dead even, not a fag paper between us. Different styles yes, experience v youth yes, all cancels each other out on the day. Whoever handles the pressure best, or gets THE key bit of luck, and there will be at least one. Will win. No idea who that will be, but I go with more expectation than the Millwall game for sure.

Experience is over-rated - our last two trips to the home of profit show us that.

Good to have him on the bench.

Yeah that's my point, it doesnt matter they have more actual experience player wise.

Their frontline against our leaky defence worries me. However the form of Byrne, Gladwin, Kasim, Smith going into this fills me with confidence. We have to make the most of our chances when we have them.

It's too close to call.

5-4 to us in normal time
Att: 45,876

Garner's going for an early bath, I tells ya!

Joking aside, a bit of luck/deserved sending off like that is all it takes.

Grimsby showed that league position and league point means fuck all at Wembley. Yes they lost on pens, but the match was drawn and they looked slightly better than Rovers at times.

I was adding emphasis to your point. FACT.

Ah I didnt understand FACT FACT

Part of that is to do with the 10 point gap between us at the end of the season, but that's misleading, we were resting players they were going for autos. We've beaten them once this season with our full strength side, there is no reason we can't do it again.

Yes they are favourites, and rightly so, but not sure the difference between the two sides is that big a gulf.

As I said, just make sure you enjoy this bit..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqOmIHHf4zo

I agree totally, I was just stating that we ARE underdogs and rightly so even though anyone who has seen us play this season knows we can beat them if we play to the best of our ability.

I think this is right. Loads of people paid out a mint to feel shit. Twice. 10,000 of them don't want to take that risk again. Shame, but I kind of see their point. What else would you pay that much for with a 50% chance of misery?

staggered to read how many are writing - well last couple of times I have been to Wembley it wasn`t much fun because we lost --- bloody hell I remember going to game after game when we were on a losing streak destined for the drop - I often questioned what I was doing there but a visit to Wembley no matter what needs to be attended if at possible....surely??

For the diehard/committed  supporter yes. For the not so committed, no.

I'm going again and we're going to win. Don't care who we're playing, what the form is, or any of it. We are winning.

Simple.

Exactly. Annoyingly this is also exactly how I felt in 2010. Difference is, this time we're right

Viva La Cooperino!

 :beach:

COME ON TOWN!!!!

The End.

Preston slight favourites, but it's the final, anything can happen, form goes out the window now, its just what happens on the day.

If we put in the desire and commitment, apply ourselves to our game plan, start brightly, then its game on!! Start like we did in the 1st Leg against Sheff Utd, then it tricky.

But fuck it, we should know better then most, to come back into a playoff final after going behind 3-0 is not beyond the realms of possibility!! (if we do go behind)

Perhaps this time, at the new wembley, its time the tide turned in our favour :)

Hopefully, we'll see the benefit of the Asian Cup with Luongo and Kasim playing high pressure knock-out games this season already.

I find lots of positives but can swiftly think of plenty of negatives to counter them.

Roll on Sunday so we can get this over and done with!

If we can keep hold of the ball and play our passing game, we'll win. Players like Welsh and Kilkenny are seasoned pros, but they're certainly not as good ball players as we know Kasim, Gladwin and Luongo can be.

In style they'll be very similar to how Sheff Utd were in the first leg. The full backs will need to be disciplined and stop them getting down the sides.

For me, defeat on Sunday would feel far worse than the last two trips. Millwall we were on a huge high getting to Wembley and that seemed a victory in itself and I was over the Chesterfield defeat within minutes of leaving the ground.

Now this is as good a chance as we have had for promotion for a very long time and next season in a northern League 1 after our side has been ripped apart would be soul destroying.

I'm nervous already.

Millwall had our number in 2010, the match at the Den showed that. I have no idea what happened against Chesterfield, odd game and carried on drinking post game without too much of a downer. This time reminds me of Sunderland. A sexy team against a dull but efficient team with most expecting the latter to triumph, but we taught them a footballing lesson that day. So that means we witness the second best ever 1-0 win.

"Fucksake, right pub then?"

Millwall on the other took bloody ages to get over. I refuse to allow my optimism to get that high again.

This  ...I hope I will take 1-0

If we score more goals than Preston both ends,i reckon we have a chance of winning ,thus gaining promotion.

I only managed to get to one game this season, Preston at home. My second game will be on Sunday, I hope it's an omen!

I've only managed to get to one game this season, it was Yeovil at home. I hope it's not an omen.

Looks like rain on Sunday. Booooo

I had a very vivid dream that we won last night. It's enough for me. We've got a huge chance. If the midfield 3 get close to playing how we know they can, if Byrne runs at them, and if Smith plays a 90mins like his last, we won't be far away.

I do hope Obika starts with Smith.

I've been pleasantly surprised at how decent he is - that goal against the Blades was very classy.

Have the 2 of them ever started a game together?

Showing light rain from 4pm, It changes rapidly though, so I wouldnt read too much into the forecast until Saturday.

Yes, more than 10 I think. The home win against City and Blades were certainly both with those two starting. Yeovil at home was too.

I personally think that with everything that has happened over the past few years this is possibly the biggest game since 92/93 playoffs with what it means to the club, both on the pitch and financially.

Interesting to think about next season if we win/dont win

If we go up, are we in a position to compete to survive?

If we don't, Who in our league would be strong favourites?

Yes via our football and recruitment ethos.

Wigan

Oh deary me.....!

Edit, could this be post match in front of our support..... ???

Rodgers is shorter than Byrne and he's on his tip toes.

Gladwins dad is going to be upset, when he realises he cant go out as ben has nicked his shoes..

(https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/v/t1.0-9/11181873_10206623150715752_1938896203472267143_n.jpg?oh=a4074d7efb355aee35660a170f36b2cf&oe=55C2EF9E)

Is that SSP with the boys at Wembley?

Yes, yes it is.

Certainly looks like him.

Cocaine and caviar.....nice.

It is him. Obviously went with BBC WS, as he's normally on commentary.

I think SSP was there with BBC Wiltshire as one of the press gang that went there too.

Yep, Beeb were the only ones with access. Think they've got some interviews later today.

SSP on emergency loan!?!?!

Be nice to see him on a contract coaching the strikers or something.

"Trolling" Jose Baxter....

Negative coverage in the Guardian
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/may/22/football-10-things-to-look-out-for-this-weekend

Louis Thompson arrived after the start of the season?

Who was that in our youth team for years!?

Coverage on Friday doesn't count for shit. It's the coverage on Monday that counts. (I'm assuming, perhaps naively, that we will get some credit when we win!)

Why single out our poor finish when it was the same for all four play-off teams?

If you want to talk about a poor finish, blowing autos on the last day of the season strikes me as pretty poor ...

They know jack shit, fuck em, we know our qualities!!

Guardian writers being cunts shocker.

I've moved to the usual relaxed stage of my build up.

I've over-thought how we could really do it.
I've over-thought how we are never going to do it.

Now? I'm content and won't feel anything close to nerves until they walk out.

I'll get to Wembley at about 4pm tomorrow (which makes me mildly tempted to see if there are cheap tickets for Wycombe vs. Southend) and I'll enjoy as much as the build-up as possibe.

Tomorrow???

Yeah, my brother lives just off Wembley Way so I'm making a weekend of it (hence temptation to go to Wycombe/Southend).

Is Crystal Clubs a nominated pub? I think I saw it on the forum here but the FB official thing didn't mention it.

Right next to where we are parking the coach for me.

Preston only, according to their forum.

Cheers.

All the best to Swindon for the final. We experienced some play-off delight at Alloa last Sunday and I'll have my fingers crossed that you folks will be experiencing similar scenes this weekend. Good luck  :nod:

You're not exactly a guardian angel but it's a good feeling to have a benign fan from Alloa looking over our shoulder - you're no glory hunter, that's for sure but maybe, just this time, eh?

Ok it's about time someone stuck their neck out about the game itself....

Because we can be got at behind the wing backs on the flank, and with those two buggers in the middle in such good form,
I'm going for us being 2-0 behind by half time, and letting in a third while chasing the game 2nd half. The one thing my crystal ball doesn't show is if we then score in that half or not.

 :sherlock:

Ok if you don't agree, it's still about time we had some alternative predictions on here !

And the other half of 'The Actual Game' is arguing about which team to put out.

I know we've got a lot of variables with these injuries but it wud be nice to discuss 'em.

If it were me I'd want 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 or even 4-3-3 for this match, but that ain't gonna happen.

So given the 3-5-2 I'd have to not risk Nathan for a start.

And I'd wan to go back to Beaks with Smith a la last autumn, with Willo coming on if need be at the 2/3 mark.

So with Louis also on the bench the middle 5 wud pick themselves.

Rodgers for his free kicks on bench as well.

Ditto hylton.

The loans system thing wud mean swift wud miss out that way. (Same with Rodgers ?)

WWYD ?

Rodgers missing out because of the loan system?... He's on a permanent deal isn't he?..

I'm not sure if we'd be 'risking' Thompson, it could be played up a bit to throw the opposition tactics..

Also, I know the second half of the season was a bit poo, but the 3-5-2 system did work at one point, big pitch, big game, I'm sure it'll be ok...

That Said...

Foderingham, Thompson (if fit), Stephens, Turnbull, Byrne, Toffolo, Kasim, Luongo, Gladwin, Smith & Obika

Toffo down the left with ricketts dropping into the back three at the expense of Thompson(hate a back three but hey ho)
Obika in upfront for hylton.
Rest as it was.

 Head Thinks we'll lose 2-0. Heart says we'll win 3-2. Come on!!!

I have convinced myself that we have lured them all into a false sense of security.

Power and Cooper "KNOW WHAT THEY ARE ABOUT"

Well, last night we were winning 2-0 until the dogs woke me up.

First was a thumping header from a corner, the second a toe poke during a goalmouth scramble.

2 very un-Swindon like goals.

The crowd was 7486 with 413 from Preston

And....how did the match end up? Or were you paying too much attention to the dogs ?