Thetownend.com

Well, someone had to take the blame. I'll be that patsy.

Away from home, hostile home crowd, pressure match. Everyone expects us to crumble and surrender.


But We shall defend our goal, whatever the cost may be,
we shall fight on the pitches,
we shall fight on soggy grounds,
we shall fight in the midfield and in defense,
we shall fight in the set pieces; we shall never surrender.

COME ON TOWN

(1-1)

Sorry to sound so utterly negative, but can only see defeat today and next week. We don't have the stomach for a derby.

Pre match coffee  :( in The Commercial Rooms.
Nice setting for a pub, in days of yore a venue where merchants could tally the profits from fags and slavery.

So today it's a case of alright me luverrrzzz and 'opin fer a gert lush performance.

Hopefully the players will be inspired by Luke's pre match team talk where he threatens to rip off their heads and piss in the holes if they don't do the business.

Zero expectation and looking forward to the long trudge through gurning central.

Me too, two 3-0 defeats coming up in next two games - I so hope I am wrong (I was for the Bolton game!).

Setting off at 10. Daughter not been to rovers and meeting up afterwards with some old mates after the game not seen in 20 years in the Wellington afterwards. As for the football they are good at home, we are crap away. They score for fun, we don't. Will be interesting to see if our little darlings fancy the rough and tumble of a game at a hostile atmosphere. I'm going 5 1 defeat to set us up nicely for next week that has all the makings of a fuck fest.

Last week I counted about 4 or 5 occasions that any of our players broke beyond a jog into a sprint. Let's hope for an improvement today.

Every defeat is another nail in the coffin of this awful experiment that is, playing the Swindon way.

Last season I would sit in the D R and laugh at the drivel that was served up.

Every one of you that pays good money to watch this shit for 90 minutes must be on a suckers list somewhere.  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

However, the games against the two Brizzles and the piss stains are different. Local pride still counts for a lot and I will

be stripping wallpaper, listening to this latest car crash on the radio.

Williams tried to imitate his hero PDC with his wind up tactics and his team will take to the pitch imitating a football

team and lose 3 1.

Leaving soon, Looking forward to this one.

We need a change in fortunes in these matches. Let's start today with a win. Going for 3-2 to the Town COYR

Well imitating PDC isn't exactly a sure-fire recipe for success in derbies, is it?

2 or more goal defeat. Can't see anything else, hope I'm wrong.

Rovers come out all guns blazing and it'll be 2-0 by 12.40.
Game evens out and we pull one back by half-time.
Rovers come out all guns blazing and it'll be 3-1 by 1.40.
Game evens out and there are no more goals.

 The next 2 games represent games which are free shots, nobody in their right mind can see anything but a loss. We just don't have a side in any way able to compete.  The aim must be to avoid complete humiliation, keep the GD reasonable....no more than -2, and avoid injuries and suspensions.  The important games are coming up v our fellow relegation candidates and we need to be inte best shape possible, as these will determine the medium term future as to whether the club continues to be viable, at Div 3 level.

Gash 1 Town 0 would be a decent result the way things stand at the moment.

Proof that passion alone doesn't win these games.

A 10 match winning streak, against a team down to 10 men & PDC's team still couldn't win the derby.

As for today we need them to attack us, because if they sit back and play it tight at the back we have shown we can't break teams down. The problem is trying to stop them scoring, which needs a mix of good defending, poor finishing from them & a slice of luck or two. If that all happened we could win, however logic would suggest they will win some to nil

It's games like this that produce the shocks.

Town to Win

And I'll be on here later to remind you that I predicted it

Vigs, Thompson, Gladders, Goddard, Brophy. Feruz, Colkett, Dabo, Jones, Rossi-Branco, Norris

subs:  Henry, Conroy, Rodgers, Kasim, Murray, Stewart, Hylton

------
Surprise Kasim is sub TBH.

Presume you mean Vigs?

Yes, yes I do. That's twice this week now, senile bastard that I am.

Rovers: Taylor, Harrison, Sinclair, Lines, Clarke, Bodin, Brown, Sweeney, Lockyear, Leadbitter, Lumley

3-5-2 then by the looks of it.

I wonder when we last played against a team with as many products of our youth academy in the team as we have in ours? Mind you I guess when Thompson is out we generally play without any, so maybe the answer is really quite often.

Possibly soon be a 'former' Rangers player. They have had a bid for P Vale goalkeeper accepted. Mayby Fods is moving on up again?

(Prob best to talk about this rather than our chances today!)

Play 4-4-2. Lose. Oh, 3-5-2 will work.

Play 3-5-2. Lose. Oh, 4-4-2 might work.

Play 4-4-2....

Repeat.

Edit: Thompson at the base of midfield...

Bad feeling about todays game :(

Oh dear Vigs saves but could be injured.

Vigs saves point blank from Clarke/Bodin.

Vigs sounding busy the last few minutes..

Gladders off the line...

Vigs saves again from Clarke.

Sweeney header cleared off our line.

weather the storm, smash and grab...

But will we weather it...

Stop crushing my dreams.

Billy Bollocking Bodin. Bollocks - 1-0

It begins...

FFS

The fight back starts now......


(But it probably won't)

Who the f*** is this Bodin?

I predict a final score of 3-0.

He probably deserves that goal against us to be fair........

1-0 down & we hadn't had a shot yet :(

We are shite

sorry batch :(

We need a new manager mr power, or we are doomed......

We are playing absolutely shit. No urgency too many passes going astray and Norris looks out his depth

That OK. It's Bodin's fault.

Have any of the Washbag types done an analysis of whether our old players actually score against us inordinately often or whether it's just superstition?

My gut feeling is that we just notice it more.

Except for Andy Monkhouse, who always seemed to score against us but hardly anyone else

Revell always seems to score againat us

We realy do need a striker maybe two.

Has anybody broken into a sprint yet, or made a tackle? Last week was football on Benelin. Never seen anything like it.

Nope same old shit different week.  All that bollocks of them talking about the importance of a derby and they all seem to be a bunch of bottlers

3 halves of football without a single shot on target, in fact we've only had two attempts on goal at all today,

I'm not sure a striker is going to help much, we would need to create a chance for him to score

Dabo is the stand out player for me

What's our record in derbies like since Power took over?

sounds like we can't get a grip on the game, our midfield are too weak and not doing anything to protect the defence

Well,  when the team talk is by Neil from The Young Ones, it's hardly surprising.

'Hello shoes'

That was Banniuster & Warboys wasn't it? (Ooops! Too much knowledge on 1970 BRovers! :-( )

3 attack minded midfielders through the middle in any game is asking for trouble, let alone away from home in a local derby. Be surprised if Colkett or Gladwin successfully complete a tackle all afternoon. Totally naive.

don't have much choice though do we but Thompson sounds like he needs to push forward as he (and the others) are inviting the high pressure from Rovers, we need to push them back and put them under the pressure.

were a bloody shambles when it comes to derby matches ,come to think of it are club is a shambles.

You'd have thought we'd at least have created chances with these midfielders?

For God's sake get Williams out now!

Listening to Williams, I have a feeling his teamtalk pre match will send the players into a coma which is why we start so slowly, god he is soooo dull.

Sounds like we are second best yet again all over the place apart from Vigs, and as Steve White says we are "lightweight" in the middle. As that has been patently obvious all season why on earth cannot those in charge of the club see it? Talking to an ex Town player the other day, he was at a loss to understand why a couple of "senior" pros had not been brought in on short term contracts (if necessary) as they are out there.

It's not all his fault. The entire club 'philosophy' is holed below the water line and Power is either oblivious (unlikely) or unwilling to change tack in the search for another gem he can sell for big bucks.

This, and we need to get hold of the ball first before we can get it to our 'creative players'....

Was that our first attack of the match? 48 mins into the game?

Power was a player, Sherwood to. Surely they knew what made a good team.  Yet we put out a team with no battlers, no leaders, no balance and very little experience.  Fans been crying out for a ball winner, a dirty bugger for like 3 years.  Total joke from those in charge.  Powers fault with recruitment.  Williams is out of his depth and couldn't motivate anyone.  Surely Sherwood has to go to the touch line and wave his fists at them or something. A derby and we have no passion. Shocking.

The Big Comeback begins here .......................

I'd like to think Kasim could sit in front of a defence and at least make some interceptions. Colkett and Gladwin in front with Gladwin pushing into the CAM position when we've got the ball.

Listening on the radio.  Any chance of a freak thunderstorm in Brizzle to get the game abandoned?

Can't think of why i didn't want to go to this.

I can, it's my second farthest away day of the season, only Fleetwood is farther away from here ;)

is that the only reason ??

Anyone wanna buy an Oxford ticket?

  BUY !!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????? :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

 :cry: :cry: :cry:

Its by far and away my closest and I can't be bothered too.

I went to Bolton

Bloody hell......we made a chance.

Don't worry. It was a swing and a miss from the Irish Messi.

Conroy on for Jones.

'Nearly got something we didn't deserve' says White when Goddard has a shot deflected.

FT 1-0 from the CF who wasn't good enough for us. :-(

Disappointing.

Come on power fucking dip your hand in your pocket and buy two strikers, norris and hylton and furuz just aint good enough.

'A number of players across the midfield didn't battle for us today' White

Well, fucking hell. I'm not sure what to say. Can only judge it off the radio comms and half time tweets but

"out-battled"

No shit - if only it was blindingly obvious lightweight midfielders and luxury players can't work together 8/10.

Fuck off football.

Please for the love of my sanity get rid of Williams and get someone in who knows what they are doing!

Attacking line up today and created barely anything.

This team make me wretch.

In fairness he wasn't good enough for us back then. Fast forward to now and he's better than anything we've got. That's not a reflection of how far he's come, more how far back we've gone...

to see us lose another derby no thanks.

Really looking forward to next Sunday.

it took a pretty spectacular goal to beat Vigs but we are too lightweight in midfield, don't close down quick enough and get pushed off the ball too easily, which has been shown in the last 2 games, if a team closes us down we struggle but when we get freedom to move about we actually do play well (Bolton). Disappointing but could have been so much worse so there is a slight gilmmer (dwindling by the day).

Thoroughly Pissed off - Not good enough - Not looking forward to next weekend.

I concur totally.

Other than not going, the only things as fans we can do is really get vocal about wanting change. Next week is the perfect opportunity.

This wasn't down to Williams imho, it's the type of players we have, we have all skillful players who are lightweight, we don't have a skill-less midfielder who is built like a brick to get into the opposition.

I doubt Williams will see it that way!!  Soon be out to tell us how unlucky we were!

Then he can take Sherwood with him, they've been terrible as a management team.

Williams is utterly inept. Whether he's a coach a head-coach or whatever, he's been failing at his job for a long time. We haven't been able to get results playing 'football' for two whole seasons. We need some balance, some experience, some realism.

Sustainability is all well and good but shitness is not.

Perhaps if Sherwood actually did his job and didn't hide in the background behind Power/Williams it could be different....

Sherwood has the contacts however, which I presume led to the Chelsea link so can we not restrict him to just doing that?

So many negatives right now.

White:
- Slightly better in second half
- Werent really at the races
- Rovers worthy winners
- They totally dominated midfield
- Surprised at how deep Nathan Thompson was playing. He was just infront of back two.
- That was why Rovers dominated midfield
- Raised a head of steam when it got desperate in the 2nd half, but that was all
- Vigs kept us in it early on. Pressure built and goal was always going to come
- Fantastic strike from Bodin
- Back to the drawing board for us
- Serious fight against relegation now.
- We cant score to save our lives
- Still noone in the 18 yard box
- Back line OK
- CFs are doing fine job
- Across midfield. Good technical ability, but big problem. If you cant get ball to your strikers then you are in trouble.
- Team looks much weaker than in the last couple of years
- Brophy did well towards the end and set up Stewrat who
- We are attempting top play purist football, but in derby games that should change.
- We can't battle
- We aren't able to go 90 minutes
- Need midfield and forwards in transfer window

Been saying it since he came in that he doesn't want to put his face to the team he has "inherited" so stays out of the limelight until he can bring in the players he wants, not sure how much longer he can continue to be behind the scenes though but it an unusual approach of not having a manager but having a coach (with media duties) and a director of football.

If I had to sum up today's game in word then it would be gutless. Dabo was probably the only one to come away with any credit today. Colkett showed glimpses but when you have no one controlling the midfield then it's always going to result in us running around like headless chickens.
Serious questions have to be asked about today's tactics and why we 3 attacking midfielders in a local derby.
Absolutely gutted today but not surprised on the result. I seriously can't see a way forward with this  present team and  questions need to be asked about the motives of the Hierach at SN1 from Chairmen down to coach.  
I don't give a flying fuck that we have talent in the team because without having experience on the pitch to guide the talent then they will continue to play the way they do with the occasional win to give us a bit of hope until the next game.

Please fuck off Williams.

That is all.

What the fuck is Williams talking about?

Chatting complete bollocks. These players aren't fighting. They're folding.

Williams:
- Game got away from us at the beginning
- Overpowered and overwhelmed
- Got stronger and came into it in the second half
- Opposition out run us and won more second balls. Over powered us in middle of the pitch
- Looks like on todays showing we had no physicality even with Thompson in it
- On another day the midfield would have put in a better performance
- Opposition better than us on the day
- Didnt take chances in second half
- Might have deserved to score in the second half
- If Stewart hadnt slipped it would have been 1-1
- Thompson in midfield: Tried for more of a physical presence
- Tactical change taking Norris off. Felt he wasnt performing
- Chelsea kids: Shown that they have real qualities we can use
- Oxford & fan frustration: If we dont win fans will be upset. In last games. In first derby we had 2 sent off. We showed passion in second derby but were able to win.
- We are completely aware of what the fans think of us
- We are trying to win every game
- Its one thing feeling hyped for the game, its another to walk all over them.
- Dion Convoy: Didnt feature for long. Will get a better feel for his game as the weeks go on
- How do you see a way out? Key is not to buckle under pressure. Key is to be strong and never quit. Lots of people pretend but successful people dont quit
- Full confidence in this group of players. We are all ambitious.
- We are still fighting together and working hard to get out of this.
- Transfer window: Would love to answer your questions but transfers are not in my remit. I trust people are working in the background to get the right people
- I think we can all see that physicality and experience in midfield is lacking. But its difficult to bring those players in.

LW: I've got full confidence in the players. We'll keep fighting together, we won't turn our backs on each other.

Good god

Utter bollocks, we are not good enough and haven't been all season.

White again:
- Williams says players with stature are few and far between. But we have to look at how we bring players in
- Obika not available is a big loss
- Because of the loan philosophy the continuing revolving door makes it difficult and you have to question whether its the best way.
- Do these players have a great affinity with the club?
- But we have to go this way because of the lack of funds.
- This team is nowhere near the team that got to the play offs
- We're short
- Easy option is to take unproven players from Prem. You would like to think we could get someone who is not getting a game in the Champs.
- Player recruitment has always been the main thing. You can only improve players by upto 10%.
- Can we rejig our scouting network to bring in Conf players, improve them and sell them rather than improving other's loan players?
- Ref Norris off: Talked about Hylton getting more results than Feruz. Norris battled against 3 players often. But none of them got any service.
- Are we pinning our hopes on Obika? This is why we have to look at recruitment as everyone wants goalscorers and they are few and far between

Good goalie,poor defence,lightweight midfield,forwards with little or no threat,frontman/manager who bores the shit out of me and an owner who got a debt ridden club on the cheap and got it apparently debt free now.
One person seems to have done allright here,if there was anyone interested in buying the club why would they and why would he sell anyway?

This is the problem, Williams knows we need physicality and experience, but he has no say in who comes in. Williams is a puppet really

That's true. But what he was saying between the lines is that they type of player we need doesn't want to come here.

Every week we seem to go further backwards.

We've got a coach who's way out of his depth and has no say anything.  We've got a chairman and DoF who seem incapable of bringing in the players that are needed.

League 2 here we come without a doubt.

That's my thinking and maybe we are trying too hard to get someone who wouldn't come here and we need to lower our expectations e.g. instead of a champs player coming down, get a league 2 who can still improve.....

I can't see money would be an issue as we had Thomas, Ricketts and el-abd so money is available for players (wages) and will bring in those type of players but it's convincing them to come play here and finding the ones who will fit into the way we play.

Thompson:
- First half cost us
- They dominated
- We know it wasnt good enough
- Midfield battle was tough.
- Difficult to press when you are outrun
- When you have creative players on the pitch but cant get the ball for them you are doing the team a disservice
- We were way off it in the first half
- Disappointed that we didnt take chances in the 2nd half
- Inconsistence? Story of our season. Allowed heads to drop when we go behind.
- One of the most promising bunch of lads in the division
- Dont know if physicallity is the thing. Desire and making tackles if the issue.
- Tension from the crowd? If I was in the stands i'd be giving the same abuse!
- Need to do well against Oxford to change the mood
- Tim and 'the gaffer' have said numerous times that we need to forget about previous performance and focus on what lies ahead
- Competition for places is always good.
- Your contract is running out. What next? I'm a fan of the club. Of course you would like to achieve things but contract is a secondary thing.
- Would be disappointed to leave Swindon if he had not led them into the Champs first.

That's what White was saying: Don't get loan players from teams above us as they dont have the clubs best interest at stake. Get people from lower down the leagues who we can improve by 10% ourselves and sell them on for a profit.

 So only a -1 GD, nobody sent off, and maybe only NT getting a card. Jones being injured could be a blow, but at least we've now cover in the Chelsea kid.

 We've got approx 3 days in order to save our season and probably medium term future.   This squad as presently constructed,  "led" by the management, owner and D oF will go down.  The vague hope that the other strugglers won't pick up is sadly wrong thinking....you need to play relegation football, that won't worry the likes of Oldham, Bury, Chesterfield....get ugly. We're not capable of what is necessary.

We could be in the relegation zone at 5pm. If so, I don't see us getting out.

The buck stops with Power.

If he wants to run a sustainable club in National League One, please just go away, buy one and don't take STFC there.

Which we have done over the years but it's getting harder as he also said these players are now getting agents and are commanding bigger and bigger fees as the championship teams are trying to pick them off as buying English players from L1 and higher is just so expensive now (Roofe £3m, Lookman £11m). I can see why Power is (supposedly) struggling to get players of quality in as the money being thrown about to get the quality players is ludicrous, I get we are have a budget and that maybe plays into why we don't go for some experienced pro's BUT we had had a few in Powers time so there has to be more to it than money.

The buck stops with Power.

It's his coaching staff, his players and recruitment this his mess.

He should put us up for sale- he is a chancer and has only bought into Waterford as the money has dried up here.

It will turn very nasty if we lose next week- the atmosphere today was poisonous.

Hence what everyone is saying, we don't have gritty, tough tackling players, we have too many technically gifted players in the team, especially today when we needed a mccormack type of player to kick the shit out of the Bristol midfielders and to give us something going forward..... Murray should have been in instead of Goddard, Thompo and Goddard in front of defenders (cm) and Colkett and Gladwin on the wings, least then there would have been some form of steel to hold back their attacks and given us something to build from the back.

Who would buy us, seriously, a small minority keep saying this but last time we were for sale, 1 person came forward and look what happened. If someone was really interested they would come forward to Power. If Power put the club for sale it wouldn't guarantee someone will buy.

Waterford will not make money for many years, they are Chippenham's level, the investment needed and the "profit" is going to be really minor.

Not sure if you remember but Power didn't buy into this club, it was forced onto him as he lent money to Jed when his other investor backed out, Jed couldn't raise the investment neded so Power put the money up and then Jed couldn't pay it back so he took Jed to court and took control of the club. If you asked Power 5 years ago if he wanted to own a L1 club you will probably find he wouldn't want anything to do with it.

Who would buy into Rovers, Bournemouth (who don't own their ground either)

Seriously Gareth how can you keep defending Power? He has turned us into a crock of shit.

What's happened to money from player sales- Loungo, Gladwin, Thompson, Byrne, Ajose

He is seriously mugging us all off.

Rovers do own their own ground hence why they sold it to Sainsbury's (who then backed out).

I am not defending him, I am stating facts, we have never been attractive for purchase, Black wiped most of our debt and still couldn't find an owner with money so got "given" to Jed. If Black and Patey with all their contacts couldn't find an owner how well do you think Power will do? Patey had a lot of contacts and got jack shit.

Maybe I will be proven wrong but I can't see it, if anyone buys us it will be the same as we have now, an owner with a few million who will invest a bit to get us going then try and earn it back, we aren't suddenly going to get a white knight who will spunk millions and turning the team around, that rarely happens.

Is there not a middle ground?  All the talk is of either under-investment leading to a gradual, but inexorable decline on one hand, versus the billionaire owner who will throw money at the club and transform it over night.  The middle option would be someone who shows an interest not just in the football side of things but also in some form of capital investment - particularly in the stadium - which would then make us more attractive to further investment.

As things stand, we're already in the drop zone....if we could find a player or two of the right type in the next 3 days, then there would be some hope. Personally don't see it...

Jed and Co were the only ones willing to meet Blacks timescale, avoiding due dillegence i thought

Correct Tans- they didn't go through the proper due diligence as it was a fire sale

I'm not renewing my ST- drain the finances to force the issue

Although I despise the competition, look at the checkatrade trophy. No U23 B-teams left in a competition against weak division 3 and division 4 teams.

That's not to say many won't have good careers, but you can't keep lobbing u23s together and expect it to work.

---

Oh, good, we are currently in the bottom 4.

Gills have just pulled us out  :)

It's not just about under-investing, it's the entire Power ethos of only recruiting players he thinks he can make money on. He peddles sustainability as a cover for a refusal to recruit experience. Looking at the prices good L2 players can command I doubt very much if he gives a shit if we are in that league.

There is still money to be made at lower league clubs if you are prepared to skimp on recruitment.

Oh good, now Oxford are beating Newcastle.

Still, this made me chuckle

http://truststfc.tv/tim-sherwood-speaks-how-the-swindon-town-director-of-footballs-post-bristol-rovers-interview-should-have-gone/

I have the same feeling I did after we lost at home to Yeovil and Wilson got sacked. That's probably it now isn't it? Unless he performs miracles in the next 3 days I think we're fucked.

Sent from my SM-G930F

But apart from that, we were like Brazil, right?

That was a sad old performance with no positives. People might have a go at the ref but we forced him into blowin his whistle with silly tackles.

Vigs: Some good saves, some errors. Will Henry warmed up A LOT during the game.

Jones: I want him to be a commanding CB. He's a pussy cat.
Thompson: Will never, ever have it as good as he'll have it at Swindon.
Branco: I don't remember him offending me
Dabo: faffed a bit too much going forward

Colkett: did nothing
Gladwin: as bad as I've ever seen him play.
Brophy: head down, runs. Comes to nothing.
Goddard: looked frustrated. Didn't do much.

Norris: looked dejected during warm up. Didn't do anything for 45 minutes.
Feruz: plays like a Blue Peter competition winner. A passenger throughout. There was a moment where had Feruz had an ounce of pace then it could have been interesting. His pace is as useful as his height.

Hylton: probably our most positive player.
Stewart: so dainty and small one wonders whether the English game will ever suite him apart from the odd moment.

Bit better in second half.

Gladwin very disappointing.

If we don't get someone in who knows what they are doing in the penalty area then we've had it.

That's because Bristol Rovers lessened their own urgency... and they still could have easily scored two in the second half (the one that hit the bar and when Gaffney got his feet all wrong).

Apart from the last minute of injury time, the chance that Stewart got all wrong was 'the' moment.

 Back in the drop zone Shrews equalise.... :(

Can we get out of this mess.

Come on you Saddlers  :)

  :wotjump:

Three goals in 8 minutes for Walsall -   Bury 2 Walsall 3 !!!!!
Oldham just gone behind against Bradford -
Must be Christmas, Its bad when we have to cheer other teams results, but then thats all we've got these days !!.

Oxford 2-0 up now

  :pint:

Sharpening their knives.

 See Anderson who we were so say after in the summer, has scored a hat-trick for Cobblers... :(

fuck oxford.  Newcastle are lulling them into a false sense of feeling like world beaters so we can hammer them next week.

3 now

That's the spirit...

 When I worked for New Zealand Milk, there was the exact same attitude. You daren't turn your backs on your colleagues for fear of how they would stitch you up.
That didn't end happily as the company no longer trades (as a factory) anymore.

 That could have been a lot worse....we've still just got our head above the drop line, despite being so poor.  I'd imagine it will be next week that we enter, and then with the window closed, we'll probably know if it's time to get out the Div 4 road map, and start looking for who we want to be there next in August.

  G
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oWvGlPf-z7I

We were total fucking shite. The first half was an embarrassment and Rovers should have had the game in the bag. The second half was marginally better. Some Town fans summed it up well afterwards when they told the Rovwrs fans they were fucking shit as they only beat us 1 0. No player other than Vigs can be happy with their performance. Fruz offers us as much as a traffic cone but possibly with less effort - exactly the type of player we don;t need. None of the players appeared to give a flying fuck. Tactically we were inept as well. We played so narrow that Rovers could run down the wings at will. Then theyd bang the long cross to the back post and we were clueless. Colkett, Gladwin and Goddard were total toss. Norris may as well have stayed in bed.
The movement was non existent, the effort non existent and we could have been there all night and not scored. We are fucked. Most of the players would get away without having a shower afterwards, such was their total apathy. They were going through the motions waiting for something to happen.
I met up with a couple of mates afterwards who were Rovers and they said we were total shite as well.Not nice to hear a pub full of Rovers all laughing at how shit we were.
I am absolutely dreading Sunday. The players have obviously given up. They and Williams all need to fuck off bar Vigs and we need to start again.  

I understand Power/Sherwood (if he exists) are in control of transfers. I don't understand why Williams is not aware of what they are doing. If he is such a respected coach, why is his opinion not wanted and taken? Why isn't he informed which players will be dumped on him from one week to the next?

I've been ambivalent all season to this pathetic rabble, but we're heading towards a season where our record might show less than a goal a game, with crowds down to sub 6,500, without any shred of fun or enjoyment from the season. It makes me so
angry that someone could run this club with such complacency, arrogance and utter ineptitude.

Chalkie's comment on the radio that Town didn't work hard enough is the simple reason why we'll get relegated.

Not having the ability/desire to compete in local derbies, not having the ability/desire to compete in cup matches against teams from lower divisions means that we're not equipped to battle it out against teams who are also in the relegation mire.

If the Williams/Sherwood combo remains, it wouldn't surprise me if we finished bottom.

Considering Power and Sherwood came out in public and said we needed experienced players, if we don't get any in before the end of the window, then they have pulled the wool over everyone's eyes

I suspect are transfer dealings are done for this window


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To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if one or two come in, not necessarily experienced players though.

Experienced pros aren't necessarily the answer. We just need players who are motivated to give as good as they get, regardless of age and experience. Having a game plan in which defending as a team and attacking as a team is a given would help.

2nd half today showed a little more desire but unfortunately we just continue to look completely out-matched by every team that we play.

Credit to Billy Bodin, great shot today.

We DESPERATELY need a couple of strikers, nobody can/will finish - Hylton did show desire but just isn't strong enough and will definitely get flattened by League 2 defenders next season.

Brophy and Dabo were my MOM today if I HAD to choose, they tried but unfortunately their final ball let them down. Gladders had a stinker, Goddard was quiet but at least lumped it forward when he gained possession. The others don't really warrant a mention......

Anybody else concerned about Vigs double cross armed waving at the end of the match? If he's off we are well and truly f*cked!!

We'll get walloped on Sunday against the Pox.....

A goalscorer or two could/should take us out of the relegation battle but we need more than a couple of centre forwards. I wish the issue was as simple as that.

That's the only aim this season isn't it. I think I know what you mean, putting Ajose in this squad isn't going to make much difference if we can't get the ball to him in the box.

I'm just thinking short term fix - the bigger picture cannot even be considered realistically at the end of January.

If we stay up then we are riding on our luck, completely.

Agreed.


How we've avoided the relegation zone is a almost baffling but luckily we have some shite alongside our very own stinky effort.

That's exactly why we're in the shit we're in, bringing in players with "potential" (who often turn out to not actually realise that "potential") that we hope we can develop and sell on, instead of bringing in what we need here and now

I'm still confident I'll wake up on Wednesday to find we have the players in that we need. If not then I'll really be seriously doubting Power's competence, but that's a hypothetical situation that I won't be working myself up about right now.

Ha ha that's terrific. That should put the kybosh on any lingering hopes of a relationship between the Trust and the current regime. Which is no bad thing IMO

I think we'll make signings.

So do I (although possibly not plural). I just don't think they'll make any, or at least enough of a, difference

Real ones, or U23 job lot punt ones?

I'm not snobby with signings  ;)

Judging by Vigs postmatch waving I think we'll be needing a GK too!

I've been drinking and I predict 4 signings and then a 2-0 win next week. Job done.

(https://media.giphy.com/media/GCLlQnV7wzKLu/giphy.gif)

He's been doing that all of January.

Haha nice one - brilliant

this line gets repeated after every game  ::)

Oh, and while we are in the matchday thread. Did anyone hear why:
  - Norris was withdrawn at half time - injury or tactical
  - Was Kasim simply dropped ?

I'll have what he's having...!

I haven't noticed it previously, I must admit.

If he does then why? Why in transfer window January does he keep doing it - does he want to go or simply is aware that he is?

Doris was poor - I didn't notice any injury....Hylton performed much more convincingly

No idea about Kasim, a few people around me saying that he's been sold.....had to laugh at the lads around me singing "Yasser sort it out" really????

Tactical apparently. Although I don't remember hearing the rationale for it. TBH I may have heard it but dozed off halfway through

Norris was bad today, really bad and he looked disheartened during shooting practice pre-game. He fell over at one point (during the warm up) and was looking at the ground, hoping to find a divot that wasn't there... this amused me.

Cheers.

No idea but he was doing it last year as well, so it's not just a January thing. I'd be inclined to suggest he's just acknowledging the fans that made the effort to be there and support the team, no need to read anything more into it than that

I really hope so!

My beloved Swindon Town is making me so sad at the moment - will be even worse next weekend when we hand the scum 3 points on our turf  :cry:

I like to think he's just trolling people. I'd buy him a beer for that.

Who me? Cheers, anything cold and wet will do the job

Williams took some real abuse from the crowd today. Lots of people calling him a cunt when he was clearly in earshot. Felt sorry for the guy tbh, I know he hasn't helped himself with some of his comments but a lot of the shit handed out today was personal & over the top imo. The only positive from a playing perspective was Hylton who was excellent & should be mightily pissed off if he doesn't start next week.

Norris was shite today but feruz worse. We must have been fucking desperate to get him. Maybe a loan two get one free deal. I suppose with Nathan playing as the the defensive midfielder there wasn't room for kasim. To be honest it really makes no difference who plays. They are 11 strangers meeting for the first time and going through the motions. Fuck knows what training looks like. The players and coaching staff are totally shot and I can see us finishing bottom and not winning another game. Don't think it gives a fuck who we get in. Too late.

Problem with Hylton though is he can't score for bobbins. So should he start?

That's fine, so long as it isn't a "has to play/has to play or you pay his wages" deal.. Time will tell on that one

That's a good question. Fits all of our fit strikers though. Rather have someone that works hard, is contracted to us and can't score than someone who ...well you get the idea.

Doris and Hylton to start, Doris and Obika when/if he's fit. But ideally a proper strike to be brought in.

Completely agree with you FreddySTFC! I must've been stood in a similar place!

I understand the frustrations but as long as Power and Sherwood are keeping Williams in place what is he supposed to do?? He can't win......

I've heard far too many people "in the know" say what a great coach Williams is but unfortunately i'm yet to see any evidence of it. There are some very deluded people running our club......once more.......

Oh and to the people that keep chanting for di Canio - PLEASE have a word with yourselves!!!

I was having this discussion with my cousin during the game. The reason for this, imo, is because he drifts wide a lot and runs the channels, which he's done very well recently. His hold up play has also improved a lot, he didn't get knocked off the ball at all today, against considerably bigger opponents & his only mistake was a misplaced pass to Brophy when he made a run which Hylton hadn't anticipated.

FFS. Sorry NMH, I even read that before asking.  I missed the interview, needed to re-coal the BBQ smoker. Pulled lamb was the real winner today.

At least Sherwood, who clearly picks the team and is in charge of everything, has seen we need physical presence in midfield. Even if NT isn't the answer.

Beforehand I thought if we lose to Rovers & Oxford, Williams will be gone.
I sincerely hope we don't go a goal down very early in the game against Oxford, otherwise we will get destroyed

Do you really believe that?

It makes Mark Cooper's sacking look harsh by comparison and was clearly a sticky plaster over the problems.



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wat

Seemed to be just a couple of blokes who from minute one were giving Williams dogs abuse with very little interest in the game. Liked the sound of their own voices and thought they were comic geniuses which all became a very tedious after about ten minutes.

Dreadful numb boring performance again. Fed up going to away games, millwall, Franchise and now rovers - I missed bolton!- knowing after about 15 mins we were going to lose. I have been a Power supporter - as haven't seen an alternative - but he needs to pull something out of the hat and get lucky, otherwise the fans, even the die hards like me, will find it hard to take. Sherwood should front up by doing the interviews and sit in the dugout as maybe that will at least bring a bit more passion and energy to the team and crowd. We need something to give us all hope.

Sherwood is probably doing exactly what he did for us pre-press conference just with a Swindon tracksuit on instead.

Everybody is going to Chelsea for players. I don't think his masterful negotiating and contacts list can take credit there. Oxford signed a centre forward on loan who cost their parent club £2.5million. We signed a centre-forward on loan who Chelsea scooped up because Celtic overhyped him when he was 13.

Knowing the ineptitude at the top of the tower it wouldnt surprise if they give him a contract extension!

Even for Power, he's gone very quiet.

I agree, it seems like he is being deliberately kept in the dark or hes a liar.

As much as it pains me their recruitment is miles better than ours. As well as that example they spent money on Kane Hemmings who has double figures for goals and we bought bloody Norris.

It was abundantly clear in pre-season that they were building a better squad.

Some of me thinks that Williams knows full well he shouldn't be in the job and would be mad to resign and waive the compensation of 4 years.

Yep, we should have gone in for Curtis Nelson, would have been the type of centre back we need.

Really looking forwatd to next weekend. Not.

I don't think there is any way he will resign, and he would be a fool to do so and lose 4 years salary, he will have to be pushed.

Virtually every one of our signings is a punt of some sort - rejected youngsters, those who have shown promise but not kicked on and the usual maximum number of youth loanees.

I just cannot believe this present squad cost a top half budget. If it did it shows huge incompetence in recruitment and if the budget is, in fact, substantially lower than stated, well, we know what that means.

I think we have been hoodwinked along the way.

Every signing is a punt so not sure that's a fair criticism. We've also done fairly well picking up rejected youngsters in the past as have many other clubs.

I imagine a large chunk of our budget is taken up by players like Vigs, Obika, Kasim, Thompson etc which is why we end up signing cheaper players to fill out the squad. The unfortunate part of this is that they aforementioned players have been unavailable or ineffectual for large parts of the season and we are thus reliant on the squad players.

The major criticism I would have is that it was fucking stupid to rely on those players given their records lately.

I really meant a punt as being the same sort of player - physically small, technically decent, always young.

If us dunderheads on here can see exactly what's needed, it makes you wonder why Power et al refuses to stray from the failing path.

Because somebody, somewhere, keeps telling them how good they are - so they can get easy points off of us.  No physicality was being talked about on the radio this morning, it's been like that all season!!  When Tom Smith played in midfield against Rochdale he added much needed bite and energy in there and we probably had our best result of the season!  Doesn't take a genius to work out what is wrong!!

Fair comment SY. I think there are degrees of risk, and that someone with a bit of experience is less risk than someone who hasn't played league football before.

Murray shows experience doesn't mean brilliance, just to prove your point. I'm not using Delfounso as an example, god knows why they signed him as a forward given his scoring record. Desperation I guess.

But right now we don't have time to wait for youngsters to find their league feet. Being brilliant in two or three months will be too late.

I'm staggered we were recently  linked to the non-scoring striker and yet another right back. They obviously know we need a physical presence in midfield, hence gambling by playing NT out of position yesterday. Surely to god they don't see this as a permanent solution (and hence need anther RB to backfill).

I'm still expecting us to have a couple more signings by Wednesday, surely.

I think we will get at most 2 more signings by Wednesday but I am fairly certain they won't be the experience most fans crave.

As SY says every signing is a punt, look at Peach, Whalley, Cureton and Thorpe, they had the experience we need but had no stomach for a fight, we need battlers who want to play for us and not purely look at Swindon as a way of "quickly" forwarding their career.

I have no problem with players using us as a stepping stone to play at a higher level but please for fucks sake give us 100% effort while you are with us, not too much to ask is it?

Just read they are bringing in 2 more attacking players next week. One permanently for a fee and one on loan. Transfer news here is deadly quiet, praying for more attacking recruits and a couple of experienced no nonsense players.

Thompson was rubbish yesterday. Looked like he'd never played that position before which funnilly enough he hadn't. Because of the total lack of movement / giving a fuck we're back to passing it around at the back which they were on to it quickly with their pressing. Billy goat gruff didn't stop harrying our back line. They had done their homework. The only width we had for the first 70 was up front where feruz and Norris ran the channels leaving us with fuck all nobody in the box if we actually could get a cross in. We got a bit of width late on with brophy but again the movement around him and in front of him we're non existent. The 2 shots we had on target were easy for the keeper. Rovers fans were pissing themselves at our pissing around at the back and how easy it was to get the ball, at it out wide and ping it to the far post. We got away very lightly yesterday.

Aha - can't remember where it was asked, but this season's LW/TS stats:

(from Andrew Hawes ‏@talkinghawes 11h11 hours ago)
#STFC Stats:
Williams 16pts in 16 games
Sherwood 13pts in 13 games

Goals per game:
LW 0.85
TS 1.00

Conceded per game:
LW 1.46
TS 1.44

PDC would undoubtedly be better than any of our so called strikers.  Sign him up!

This for me...

Money, fees, budget etc etc is all 'implied'....we don't actually know anything for sure...

I feel we have been mugged off since Preston at Wembley....

'Just tell me what they need to hear!'....

I will be amazed if we sign anybody, dumbstruck if it's anybody over 25 and thunder struck if it's anybody over 6ft tall and imposing....

As someone keeps posting, Power wants him to resign so he doesn't have to pat compensation, and Williams wants out but doesn't want to resign without compensation.

The suggestion has been poo-poo'ed on a number of occasions by several people, but it is looking more & more like there may be some truth in it.

The fact that Williams keeps indicating he has NO involvement in recruitment would surely suggest that there's something going on

To paraphrase:
"We work as a team, I'm comfortable with TS role"
"I don't know about transfers"

Either frozen out, or BS..

Hanging on to a sinking ship is going to make it virtually impossible for him to get a job in the future.

The longer he stays the lower his stock falls. Picking up his peanuts at the CG will finish his career.

I'm coming into some money - maybe I can pay the twat off!

Maybe, maybe not but if so what sort of tw!t gives a rookie so-called "manager" a 5 year cpntract without a break clause or ability to easily pay it off?

Exactly my point I made ealier mate.


There has to be some element of truth in the rumours IMO.

We have constantly been told that Luke Williams is the best coach in the lower leagues and was wanted by Sunderland and others, surely if he is THAT good then he will be poached by a bigger club....

Although I fear the longer he stays here and the worse we get then the lower his stock will get.

So it makes sense for all parties to come to an agreement in his release or we will have a coach we don't want and he will have on his CV the record of being one of the least successful managers in the history of STFC. (currently with a 27% win ratio)

Managers with over 35 games in charge of us...

Gorman 21%
Allen 21%
Quinn 22.5%
Todd 22%
Onoura was 25%
Williams 27%
Lindley 28%
Mackay 31%
Malpas 31%
King 33%
Trollope 35%
Wilson 36%
Beamish 38%

So you did, sorry!

:D we are speaking from the same hymn sheet

T*dd never did 35 games.....

Perhaps his 5 year deal is a rolling one, renewable at the end of each season and that's what Powers waiting for. Sack him and pay up the remainder or wait and don't renew.

Dangerous game if is the case as may save the contract cash but be in div 4.
 :hmmm:

Who knows.
All I do know is current set up definitely isn't working for anyone

One concern I have with Williams and Embleton is through injury neither had long playing careers in the Football League.

You get the impression they have a football purist approach rather than being wise to the dark arts of grinding out results, knowing when players are are not putting it in and knowing when to get dirty yourself.

 So you know Rovers and Oxford in a local derby are going to get physical. Then you prepare for that and win your battles, from there you might get a chance to play your stuff. Not thinking you can tippy tappy your way out of a relegation battle.



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Didn't realise Dave Macay did that well. I know I shouldn't speak ill of the dead but I still hate that cunt.

Surely you mean"crap managers that have 35 or more games"

My mistake.

Yes worst managers I meant to put.

It was an interesting list, thanks

An opportunity to take a trip down a Memory Lane of lean times.

I was surprised to see Ken Beamish so high...38% is pretty reasonable for a win ratio

I was too, that was a terrible season he was in charge, crap on the pitch, lowest average post war crowds and lowest ever league position of 17th in Div 4. I was surprised but we had a couple of good cup runs that season which helped.

As I've pointed out before KB record wasn't anywhere near as bad as Luke's and we had some decent players and results. Yes we did finish 17th, but you may recall players often clocked off late on in the season as with no PO's or relegation not a lot to play for in Div 4.

Of your win rate list...taking out T*odd as he didn't do 35 games, they mostly were shit in a higher Div than 3. Often because of a car crash season induced by a fire sale of players, having to use kids or maybe non league types....so we would put out a side just not able to compete, like on Saturday.

Les Allen a classic example.....a coach promoted to save money, just not a manager in 73/74.  A terrible season in Div2 , played out then as now against a background of Tory economic incompetence, in which only 1 striker, Peter Eastoe managed a brace, and finished leading scorer on record low of 8 for a FL season.

Then, as now it was obvious we were down from a long way out....but we could still field a side able to beat Oxford at the CG and draw at the Manor.

Win ratio? Draws are a big part of football. Wouldn't the number of points per game a manager gets be a lot better way to judge them than this?

Yes I agree, something more like a loss ratio might be a better option.

<Nods head vigorously>

(http://68.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsopzthUdW1qbvx0xo1_500.gif)

I'm sure Vigs doesn't shake his head like that

Williams (42 Games) 1.28 ppg
Cooper (120) 1.5 ppg
MacDonald (14) 1.21 ppg
Hart (11) 0.63 ppg
Malpas (42) 1.19 ppg

Cant be bothered to go any further its depressing enough. Williams has had the same amount of games as Malpas and is 4 points better off. We aren't progressing. Can't see any change

Williams has never really been involved in transfers, previously it was always Power that done the recruitment, now it seems its Power & Sherwood, so for Williams to not know would not be surprising as effectively his role is 1st team coach.

I am of the opinion he is in the role as for whatever reason it allows Sherwood to stay in the background which means there is less known about his role, then when something else comes up he can easily go and he is not tainted by his links with stfc as 'manager' he was DoF.

Why do you think he does not appear on the bench anymore ?

Since the BBC did that article on him after his first couple of games where he came down to the bench and they asked why a DoF was on the bench etc, he has stayed away from the bench and refuses to talk to the local media.

I think we need to turn the heat up on Sherwood I suspect he will not like the publicity as it would harm his chances of getting another club seeing how poor things are here under his watch

We have had the same attendances for about 30 years, in the same ground, with the same facilities (bar replacing some concrete with some concrete with seats on it.  Aside from a brief stint where Di Canio was allowed to burn cash to keep his office warm at night, nothing in that time suggests we should ever have expected to progress.  Everything in fact suggests we should have struggled and stagnated as a club.  Some brown paper bags have a lot to answer for in terms of setting expectations as a club.