Thetownend.com

After today's shower of shit I sincerely hope the squad turn up next Sunday and put everything into the performance. This has been a dreadful season but defeat against scum will be too much to take for some (me included).  The players need to be brave, committed and show the supporters they want it. Fingers crossed we get the win. We owe them.

I think  for the fans a loss to the scum will be the point of no return for manager and players this year.

I think it was DRS who made that point actually.

Perform next Sunday like we did today and I am done until Power fucks off. And before anyone says loyal supporter bollocks, been week in week out for 29 years.

I see far too many posts like this. Loyals at the brink. I'm putting my finger in my ears and hope that its mostly frustrated bluster (not saying you aren't serious, not judging it either).

Let's just see what next week brings. Just hope we do them.

And get a couple of player in  before ..

Can't we just get over this week's disappointment first before looking forward to the next?

Maybe today is the low point and with Oxford beating Newcastle makes it worse. Things can turnaround fast in football, look at Liverpool a week ago. Now out of 2 cups and the PL gone.

I am just hoping that Oxford beating Newcastle takes a lot out of them mentally, could almost do with them getting a big draw to further the distraction. We then need to find a reaction performance like we did a Bolton to the Shrewsbury game.

Wishful thinking but you've got to have some hope

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They play Bradford in the paint pot midweek, hopefully they'll play a strong team. Couple of red cards and injuries would be nice.  ::)

No chance.

Considering they say its a none competition, they have played a strong team. They'll save them for the sunday

 Sundays game has no relevance to our position....like today it's a free hit. Anything is a bonus....the proper big games are coming up thick and fast against the 4 below us and Gills, Cobblers and Burslem PV.  These are all must win. Can we do it... :hmmm:

Stick a Sturrock type boss in then...yes. With Luke then...no

Sadly the Facebook generation will just vent their anger and frustration online, whereas 10 years ago, that was barely an option, hence the anti Diamandis orange protests.

If our arses are handed to us on a plate, then no more CG for me this season..

I just cannot do it to myself.

Fucking shambles but in denial.

Feel a bit for Williams as he clearly isn't up to a job he probably didn't want and cannot be put out of his misery ref the contract.....he's got bills to pay like everybody else, so he'll just plod on.

I can see it getting very nasty, with pumped up self important stewards ready to pounce on anything or anyone.

I'm Fucking dreading it.

I'm only certain about 50% of the shoreline.

STFC 0......

Two different scenarios
1. Sign 2 experienced heads including a goalscorer. Beat Oxford and fans onside for the upcoming 7 key battles against relegation rivals.
2. Sign no experienced heads, get one more youngster in. Lose against Oxford, fans calling for everyone to go. Crowds down to 5k and almost certain relegation.
Vote now. I hate the thought but I suspect the latter is far more likely.
Rovers fans summed it up as insipid sideways passing.

I know we are all at sea at the moment but that is frankly ridiculous ;)

I've got to say that I am considering not going next Sunday, have been a season ticket holder for more years than I care to remember (apart from the 14 years exile in Suffolk - and even then travelling back least six times a season) but I am so disillusioned with the present set-up and team.  I have threatened this before and always crept back but this time it will depend on the type of signings (if any) we make before Feb 1st.

It will be fragile but I'm sure the fans will be united (no pun intended) for next Sunday

Too right. We need to get behind the boys 100% and lead by example.

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The fans will be up for it and backing the lads initially like always, just won't take very much for it to turn on its head and turn into abuse for Williams/Power/Sherwood/the players/Nigel the kit man.

Has the potential to turn toxic next week but won't be dull either way.

Hope so, if we go behind and start falling to bits then don't really want to see their lot taking even more delight in a crowd meltdown.

It's a derby so hopefully the form book will go out the window. (Straws - clutching at).

Didn't work out like that yesterday!

To save you all the hassle of next Sunday, here is the match report

Town start brightly, with plenty of possession but nothing to show for it.
Then after 2 min, an unarmed scummer wins a 50/50 on the half way line & the little darlings in red retreat into the dressing room to get away from the big bad men in Piss Stained shirts.

Swindons DoF/Manager/Head Coach/Tea Boy (whichever one they decide to roll out this week) says after the game that they had more fight & desire than us, but we will be working hard all week to turn it around, we won''t give up fighting, blah, blah, fucking blah.

Is Jaybox  making a banner?

"Be less shit"

Swindon "for the draw"

Just a plain white flag Williams can give to the scummers before the game.

I think the crowd should throw orange towels on the pitch, when the first goal goes in.... to indicate to the ref to put a stop to the punishment.

From the general comments being made. not to mention the obvious absence of the Gilet-wearing pretty boy in the dugout and post-match interviews, it's apparent that we've all been had over by Power.

Add to that the excrutiating embarrassment that Williams puts us through every week when he has to pitch up in front of the media after yet another poor performance, the picture becomes clearer; Williams is hanging around because, like someone else said, he's got bills to pay.

I can't say as I blame him.

It's obvious that Williams has to be extremely careful what he says when interviewed. If he so much as hints at anything derogatory about the club or Power, they'll be on him, which is why he constantly tries to empathise with fans being frustrated with the situation.

He obviously knows that he daren't react or say anything untoward, but he regularly makes it clear that he works with the players he's got and that 'I'm sure people are working hard to bring in the right kind of players this club needs' blah blah.

Again, I can't say as I blame him.

If we accept the above as fact (we have precious little else to go on) then rather than settle his contract it looks like Power is just trying to bully Williams into resigning by exposing him to a steadily increasing amount of public pressure.

Quite rightly, the manager of a failing team gets stick, and I'll hold my hands up as being guilty of giving Williams as much stick as anyone else, but any normal Chairman would remove the manager or put him on garden leave, and then appoint a replacement.

Power thought he was clever by going through the charade of bringing in his best mate (anyone who feels the need to declare that they have a best mate clearly has some kind of mental deficiency in my book, but that's for another day) but Williams scuppered that by (rightly) refusing to walk away without a pay off.

Pig-headed Lee typically digs his heels in, hoping Williams will fall on his sword or buckle under the pressure, and we sit around like mugs waiting for something to happen.......

Williams may not be very good, but it looks like he's being stitched up along with the rest of us, and at this stage of a tough season, the situation as it stands is going to damage us the longer it goes on.

IF we perform badly on Sunday (I can just about stomach a loss, but not another gutless performance) our vocal frustrations ought to be directed at Power and Sherwood.

Reading his Adver article today that's about right.

Saying 'people' want him to quit and not 'fans' is a good indicator. I presume all this manager/owner/DoF falling out is affecting the team - much the same as when the Cooper/Williams combo turned toxic.

What a fucking shambolic way to run a football club - never mind one staring into the abyss.

Sunday feels like last-chance saloon for this lot, for sure.

However, if we get pumped, am I still going to support Swindon? Yes.

I can't imagine given up on years and years of being a fan based on what we do on transfer deadline day and if we play alright next weekend, because we're having a shit season and don't really like the way we're being run - two things that are regular occurrences.

Agreed.

I am still in 2 minds about Sunday i really am. I am just so fed up with it all now. I have seen us go through so much shit and much worse than this. Have been to the protests when needed have put in the money when players have needed to be purchased have bought our absolute shit fucking shirts just through loyalty.Have been to the arse end of the country to watch us and loved every minute of it because when you support your club that's what you do.

The problem is it really doesn't feel like our club anymore that's the main issue. If we got beat by Rovers on saturday or Oxford on sunday and i believed for one minute that those players management and board members were more dissapointed to lose against them than any other team then i would have a bit of hope but i hand on heart do not believe this lot give a fuck.

I read in a Sunday paper yesterday that Academy football is a non contact sport - which is why our bunch of pansies have got about as much tackle as a dwarf with brewer's droop.

 Tis true that supporting a club which is shit and being in some sort of existential crisis is nothing out of the ordinary for Town fans.

 Going back a few years there was some sort of survey published, on the worst club to support in terms of stress levels induced in fans....we came in something like 3rd. The survey was based on relegations, admins, court cases, winding up orders, ground move sagas, that sort of thing.

 Above us were Notts County, now heading for the Conference, and Wimbledon transposed as they briefly were into Franchise.

 The paradox here is that we haven't got the existential threat....just shit/players and management, but because of our history it doesn't take much for Town fans to imagine the worst.

I thought the non contact was only at Primary School level?

And why our lot and the likes of Leeds and BHA kids, get beat by Conference clubs in the Cup.

Spot on Reg

Oh, well it must be true then, if it was in a Sunday paper. Horseshit. As the lad who attended my lad's birthday party this weekend on crutches due to the broken leg he sustained playing in an Academy match a few weeks ago would tell you.

Hahahah so aggressive Paul

Let's get more of the tough tackling darlings in, then.

It's just not true.  At primary school or any other level. Just because people keep repeating this shit, doesn't make it true. And yes, there probably are examples where an individual teacher has decided that they shouldn't tackle (although even then the vast majority of those will be a Dad deciding that because the teachers/coaches have suggested Cantona style flying dropkicks on the opposition probably aren't the best idea at U8s games "The game's gone fucking soft"). But that doesn't mean there's any kind of ban or ruling on non-contact football. It's just one of these canards that infects the press and forums everywhere

Well, this kind of bollocks just pisses me off. It's like these tits who repost shite from Facebook memes as if it's fact.  In the context though I'm sure the OP would approve of me going in two-footed in my response :)

I assume the Sunday paper the original story came from is the Sport?

TBF you see/hear this kind of guff spouted by "respected" pundits all the time.

Bit like those ex-pros who tell us that the academies are too soft because modern kids no linger get hazed/beaten up/hung drawn and quartered. Like what they did. In a culture where sexual abuse seems to have been, at best, ignored.

They are a hell of a lot softer though these days. They are not even allowed to clean the 1st team players boots anymore

You have forgotten japes with bananas?  ::)

I think they'd be allowed to if they wanted to. Just not required to do so. Wonder if that's what happened with NT's famous boot injury?

In all fairness, as a country we produced mediocre talent when kids were being beaten and taught football in Dickensian Academies, so I doubt it makes much difference either way.

it's clearly far from non contract, but the art of tackling is slowly but surely being eroded.

and yes at least it stops the Vinny Jones type leg breakers.

Can't remember Vinny Jones breaking any legs? Roy Keane however....

What is everyone expecting for attendance? Scum sold out, given our woeful form and problems in general would 11k be realistic?

Well said.

The last time we played them in Div 3 was also a Sunday lunchtime KO ..... crowd 7,975. I'd have thought something like that again. Hopefully it'll piss down.

He did end Gary Stevens career with this completely unnecessary challenge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Oq4lLNvNFE

7 of our last 11 matches at the CG vs the Pox have resulted in crowds of 9,000 or less so I feel we will be doing well to break 10k for a midday Sunday KO against them.

I too hope the heavens open up about 11am through till at least 2pm.

 Maybe optimistic but I think over 10k. Scum have had bragging rights in recent matches but forget historically we generally own them.  Hope it pisses down Sunday, every scum fan on the stratton bank is soaked through and goes home having witnessed a rare Swindon win!

Yeah, but he was good in Lock Stock.....

Darren Deadman is the ref then.

And he got the ball.

IS that good or bad. Name rings a bell, so presumably the latter.

Oh, they only got Middlesborough  in the cup. Maybe that'll deflate them

Deadman is one of the absolute worst refs I've ever seen

In our list of losses, have we been stitched up by a ref yet?

We've lost playing well.
We've lost playing badly.
We've lost at home.
We've lost away.
We've lost vs. 11 men.
We've lost vs. 10 men.
We've lost in the League.
We've lost in the cup.
We've lost due to shit officiating..........?

Bury at home.  Obika scored, we all celebrated, the referee had a drink, called a few people, had a fag and then decided to wrongly disallow the goal.

Think its the games Sendles White got done on as well.

Shrewsbury goal never over the line!

I went on the bus today to Oxford.

It was the first time in years I have been on a bus, and only the second time I have been to Oxford.

Buswanker

It's a nice city.

Michael Bay signed up to direct this one yet?

The number 66 is up there with the nunber 49, for aceness. 49 wins though as it goes through OT.

Had to smile on Friday returning from Highworth on the 7, overhearing a couple of female fellow senior citizens, having recently taken the 66 to Oxford, lamenting the state of the place.... to paraphrase nice buildings, dirty streets, full of pollution and beggars.

This is a great idea. We should have gone with that instead. Would have saved us a lot of time.

But yeah, we are making one. There's a group of about 6/7 of us sorting something out on the day.

Right, here goes:

352
                   Norris  Ajose

Brophy  Starkey  Ince  Gladwin  Dabo

          Jones  Thompson  Branco

                        Vigs

442

                 Norris  Ajose

      Starkey  Ince  Gladwin  Goddard 

      Dabo  Jones  Branco  Thompson

                    Vigs

We're 'the little team across the road' according to Chris Maguire. Who wants to explain to him that he plays for the smaller club and there is in fact around 33.3 miles of road between the two?

Who the fuck is Chris Maguire?

Hate that bloke, especially after he gave it the 'biggun' at the away fixture, kind of hoping Branco gives him the Flint treatment.

Oh Dear ...   Rain Forecast for Sunday.
Can't wait to see those piss stains run in the rain !!.   :bye: :bye: :bye:

Ha yeah it'll be awesome if we have another player sent off for piss-poor discipline early on. We'll give him a standing ovation too for sure!

Branco didn't get sent off

I'm aware, nor did I say he did.

He should have been though.

The days of kicking Joey Beauchamp around the pitch are done.

We need a composed performance. You read the quotes from Oxford United's official social media, their players and fans they're so confidant that the notion of losing seems ridiculous. I'm not the most tribal football fan but it's beginning to irk.

Maguire is playing it perfectly. Becomes the pantomime villain for us, becomes a legend for them. We shouldn't rise to it. I said it before but remember how pumped the shitheads were when they were 2 years ago and how much it backfired for them?

Like the Rovers game, it's important for us to get through unscathed in terms of injuries/suspensions etc.  The proper important games are looming....it's a horrible thought and gives an indication of our plight that the following 7 games are all must win six pointers, v teams presently below or who can brought back into the mix.....Bury, Cobblers, Oldham, Cov, Gills, Spireites, Burslem PV  These games will decide our season....it's wholly unlikely to win the lot as such runs are very rare and only achieved by exceptional sides, but I'd say 4 wins a bare minimum with a couple of draws, 5 desireable....anything less and I think we drop.

What we really don't need is any 3 or 4 game bans for petulance or injuries to key players even short term.....like at Rovers nobody in their right mind would expect anything from Sunday, so best to view it as a chance to bed in some of the newbies and look at a system for those future defining matches on the horizon.

I've got no issue with Maguire's comments. It's more that we shouldn't be so resigned, myself included.

For the first time in 20 years or so, Oxford are above us in the league, attracting larger crowds - and buoyant after an impressive Cup run.  The recent head to head record is also substantially in their favour.  So the timing of Maguire's comment is very good.  Difficult to argue against the point he's making at the moment.

We need a composed performance on Sunday, and a win.  A first step, hopefully, towards reversing the above trends and returning to the more established pecking order.  ;)

Can still play with hard aggression and determination without over stepping the mark into petulance and sheer stupidity. I bet Oxford come here with a certain level of nastiness that we will need to match before we attempt to play pretty triangles. Keeping calm is no good if you're being out battled.

I'm not sure this squad has it in them to grind out a derby win but we'll see. Will give some indication on how we're likely to fare for the remainder of the season if it gets to squeaky bum time.

Need to put this 6 in a row bollocks to bed ASAP though. 1-0 would do just fine.

No we don't particularly need a win....there have been other seasons where we've beaten Oxford and gone down.  This is just another game against a form team in the Div, so anything a bonus. The big games are coming up.

like it or not, for a lot of supporters this is a massive game.

I think the support is teetering on the edge of giving up on the season.

hopefully the new signings lead to improved results and pull that back. but we'll lose a few if we capitulate to Oxford

We always need a win against Oxford, Reg.  It's the rules.

Isn't every game 'big' from here on in?

Oxford included.

This is THE big game of the season for 90% of Town fans regardless of what poisition either of us is in the league.

I don't blame the jock twat Maguire for his comments because it shows they know what the game means to their fans, our players (and management) don't really seem to really care and treat it as "just another game" which it is (of course) but it does mean a lot to our fans.

Personally I can't see us winning because our powder puff team aren't up for the challenge, the Pox will kick us and chase us all over the pitch, harry us and get in niggly challenges as the always do....thats what derbies are about, we don't seem to have it in us to do that.

But on our day we can beat any team in this division and with the new signings then who knows what to expect.

I would love us to thrash the scum and give our fans something to cheer about, which has been sadly lacking lately.

I'm not sure about that...the Town fanbase is pretty much down to a more ageing demographic, what in old skool parlance might have been termed Arkell's fans....meaning go to the game for some gentle entertainment, maybe clap a bit here and there, perhaps some foot stomping to keep the circulation flowing.  OK you get the odd bod like D o B who are a bit obssessed, a sort of mirror image of an Oxford fan, someone defined by the opposition club.  But few Town fans are so defined, hence there may well be less Town fans there on Sunday, than turn up for the massive Oldham game at 3:00 on the Saturday.

These days the Town Ender is a more or less extinct breed.

Yep.  Another 4-1 would be nice.  Just like old times.

They're hibernating, that's all.  Everything is cyclical.

Apparently 9,500 tickets sold so far...

Some are bigger than others. Football never works out completely as expected, hence so many bookies creaming mugs for massive profits....however to take a recent example, we had a very good chance of beating Shrews at the CG...1-0 up v 10 men, would have put a little cushion between us, now they're above us because we couldn't do it. I think that the negative reaction of the fans to Power etc, showed that most got that it was a key opportunity wasted.

I'm sorry, I have to disagree with that. In the scenario we find ourselves in currently, the games against our relegation battling 'rivals' aren't any more important than this game. Not just because it's against our biggest rivals, but a win here COULD inject a bit of confidence into the squad, and the fanbase. Just because it's not against one of the teams in and around where we are, it doesn't take away from the fact that this is just as important as those games, especially if the teams in our predicament drop points.

Whereas if we get dicked this weekend there will be no negative reaction as long as we come out of it without any injuries or suspensions?

Sadly history shows it doesn't work like that. Take 81/82 for example 4 games to go and we beat Oxford 3-2 at the CG in the famous smoke bomb game. Oxford then had a sniff of automatic, we then had 2 games v Newport and 1 v Pompey neither of whom had anything to play for we got 1 point and were relegated.

I don't try to dispute what's in the history books. But it COULD inject some confidence.

This is a massive game, for the rivalry and for the season. There's no doubting that.

I'd agree with your opinion if it were a 'glamour' tie in a cup run, but not for a regular season game.

Plus if we can win at Bolton then we could, just possibly, beat a mid table side at home.

There is that, also.

The 1st fixture that most Town fans look for when they are released is the Pox home and away, then any other locals like Rovers or Shitty and then any that are local to them if they don't live in and around Swindon so for me its Yeovil and Exeter.

It really is the biggest game for most Town fans, when I was growing up in the 70s and 80s it seemed Shitty, Rovers and Reading were bigger but that was partly because the Pox were in a higher league so we didn't play them as often but deny it all you want this IS the biggest fixture for almost all Town fans.

I was working out the other day that I have attended in person 19 games between us home and away between the years of 1979 - 2000 and never once did I see the Pox beat us.

9 home wins, 4 home draws, 5 away wins and 1 away draw.

Winning at Bolton coud have injected some confidence but it didn't. The rivalry is completely irrelevant to the season, in 05/06 we beat the Shitheads at the CG, still went down, in 10/11 we beat Rovers at the CG still went down. 

Really? So if we win, we still don't get 3 points then? Rivalry or not, this game is as important as the rest of the games left in the fixtures list.

I don't see how or why it's irrelevant regardless of what's in the history books.

The first fixture I look for is Boxing Day, to see what god foresaken place we have to go to next, in the vague hope it might be decent. Oxford game, not really bothered it'll be moved to a Sunday lunchtime....which isn't the time for a football game in my opinion. Then any early coastal trips...and then sometimes you get a decent name in Div 3 blown off course, like an exotic bird. Recently we've had Leeds, Forest, Soton, Norwich that sort of thing.

I'm in the 'oxford doesn't matter" category, I don't look for their games and definitely don't get excited, it's just another game except a few idiots decide it's time to fight with each other because of the team they support, so the old bill are out in force and end up ruining the game for the majority.

I went to the Bristol & Bath / Gloucester games in the rugby (get free tickets) and never had any issues, police presence was 4 coppers after the game directing traffic out of the area. Both sets of fans sat together and not one piece of disorder that I can remember.

Because of the idiots, I try not to go to rival games, went to the city game last time they were down here but that's probably my last for a long time.

Very interesting that, personally this matters so much more than most other games.
I can understand feeling unsafe before or after game though.

Believe me, I don't buy in to the fuckwittery that comes with rivalry games.

I don't 'hate' Oxford, I have friends that are Oxford fans.. but when the two teams play, I want my team to play their hearts out.

I hate that people act like such cunts that they have to be separated.

Does anyone happen to know whether Sports Mania would have a stream for this game at all?

I hate the fuckers - the club, the fans, the place.

Those years of them struggling to get out the Conference sustain me during our present period of utter shitness.

Interesting to read this, I remember the days when we used to laugh at them thinking we were rivals and mock them for their obsession regarding games against us, just goes to show how things change in football.

A local rivalry has nothing whatsoever to do with football violence.

Its to do with local bragging rights at work or with mates etc but it is an added edge, always has done always will, thats how it is.

People that use football as an excuse to cause trouble because it is a derby are just ill educated thug cunts, plain and simple.

Wierdly the Pox fans seem to relish more in the violence side of things (if you read their forums it is full of hatred and possible acts of violence) than the Swindon fans, although I know we now have a small amount of twats go just to cause shit it seems a lot less than they have.

There is just no place in society let alone football for that behaviour.

Highly unlikely as the game isn't being shown live anywhere, they usually only stream matches when they are being shown live on TV somewhere in the world which ours isn't.

Maybe it's my age but I have to say the animosity that these kind of games generate make them so much more enjoyable. (Especially when you win, which we always used to do against this lot)

It's the same with any team that bring a big away following, the atmosphere generally is so much better than when there's 56 from Fleetwood

Couldn't agree more JJ.

'Just take my advice
There's nothing so nice
As kicking the fuck out of Oxford'

Not just you, I love the hate filled atmosphere and the (rapidly fading) victory of doing them on the pitch. Not the violence though, never that.

Mrs Batch has only been to two, she hated it and said it was poisonous.

I love the ill feeling between fans, it gives it something extra.

I have no problem with the vocal threats of Pox fans, I am old enough, ugly enough and big enough to sort myself out thank you but the mindless violence especially to kids and women is needless.

Definitely this.

I love the atmosphere, don't get me wrong, it's loud and the CG can really make some noise at these games but the violence ruins it. The best games are the ones where the ground is in full voice (wigan fa cup, chelsea league cup, city league) but when Poxford come to town I stay away from Swindon.

Damn straight, I revel in having a face like a bag of spanners.

I have only ever felt uncomfortable at the County Ground with the trouble during the League Cup 1/4 final vs Millwall in 94/95 and the FA Cup tie with Cardiff City in 95/96.

The 'who are you' chant in a big game is so good. Best time I've heard it was when we did Leeds 3-0 at home.

Anyone got a clue if Obika is available? Would be considerably more confident if he's able to partner Ajose.

my favourite was Chelsea, all 3 sides singing you are only here to watch the town, there is something special about a full house in midweek against a prem team  :D

doubtful, he wasn't even in training last weekend

I may be a better human being if I looked forward to nothing more than a pint and a chat with a Pisstain mate after the game, appreciating Deadman's control and fairness and noting the result with a little light banter either way...concluding perhaps that the really important game was Oldham or something...

In my own terms however I'd be one bollock short of a pair in terms of "getting" what it is to be a Swindon fan.  I really hope we humiliate the Pox this Sunday and I wouldn't be too gracious if we did.

(http://www.toonzone.net/fansites/blogicon/57082/master/1467427700.jpg)

your soul mate

My sole mate.

(http://hungrygerald.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Dover-Sole.jpg)

Swindon and Oxford have never really had any proper connections, hence why in all my years I've ever only known 1 Oxford fan who lived in Swindon....fair enough he was a grade A tosser, but it wouldn't be fair to judge them all on that.

 I doubt many Town fans live on Oxford, and probably no more than perhaps 20 or 30 have attended the University since the first game in 65. OK there are the Berkshire lot, in places like Faringdon and Didcot but now a dwindling breed.

I know of a few season ticket holders who live / work in Oxfordshire, mostly around the Witney / Faringdone area

No surprise that there are plenty of Town fans in Oxfordshire.  The county boundary passes far closer to Swindon than it does to Oxford.

Well said and seconded. This is a massive game Sunday. If we could get one over the cunts, it would go a long way to getting a few more fans onside. I know its still 3 points but the lift it could give the club and fanbase is so much more. As I get older, I actually hate the cunts even more. I donlt want to smack one but I wont speak to one either.
As for the need for segregation, as well as for safety, I don't want to catch any fucking disease those riddled piss stains carry. Filthy fucking vermin the lot of them. Scabies ridden bellends.

Good post - although you could have left out the 'bellend' reference!

It'll make fuck all difference....McMahon managed to beat the Shitheads 3-2, then Oxford 4-1 at the CG within 4 days in  Sept 98....by the next match at the CG with a stuffing at Pompey in between the fans were on the pitch after a pasting by Watford and he was gone.

I was going to make a comment about history not necessarily repeating itself and then I remembered Trump.

Indeed, history doesn't necessarily repeat itself, nevertheless it's a long way back for the current set up to restore some sort of credibilty with the fans....

Back to Chris Maguire's comments. I remember clearly in January 1991, Mark Aizlewood of Bristol City telling Roger Malone on HTV on the Friday night that City had Swindon's diamond system sorted. Chalkie White was sat next to him on the same preview programme. Cue 5pm on the Saturday and Chalkie scored the 4th goal in a Swindon 4-0 win.

When League 1 players get that cocky the game has a habit of giving you a kick up the backside.

Just a little bit of difference in quality between that STFC side and the current lot....that was the swansong of Ossie's side of 90.  Nevertheless due to events etc, it very nearly went down.

The classic 90 side of something like 26 games unchanged would have to be in out top 5 all time outfits. THat City game Colin was missing but we could field a WC final Argentinian Nestor Lorenzo to cover  :)

Good post, what's the matter with all these people 'Oxford doesn't matter to me' Of course it matters,  why bother following the Town if results don't matter ???.
Can't wait to see the horrible Oxford cunts get soaked on the Stratton Bank on Sunday. As far as sitting with them or being sociable to them - I'd sooner stick wasps up my ass. If you prefer that kind of friendship then fuck off to rugby.
Oh, and by the way Rory, next time don't sit on the fence - Say what you mean !!!!!!!.     :clap: :clap:

I always hope the Pox lose every week, but I'd never want them to go bust. I did once, after being on the receiving end of a bit of a shoeing at Didcot Parkway. Unsurprisingly, the majority of Pox fans are just like us, if a bit stained.

The frisson of violence has lessened considerably as I've gotten older, and now it is actually funny to see the middle aged 'lads' and the younger pretenders strutting their stuff as they get escorted by the Old Bill.

We're massive underdogs Sunday, so a point will do me. More than anything, I just hope the crowd and the players are fully committed.

Always makes me laugh when you get the deadly serious sweeping generalisations along the lines of "all Oxford fans are cunts" etc. A football fan is football fan.

As for hating the city of Oxford just because their team happen to be your rivals, have a word with yourself

You either get it, or you don't

I've never really found Oxford fans to be that scary or intimidating tbh,despite this reputation they seem to have created for themselves.

I remember playing them in about 1980,me and my mate were on the Bank up against the fence that separated us and the Pox fans,my mate was wearing a Harrington jacket emblazoned with his name 'David' on the back as was the fashion amongst young wannabe 'Skins' in those days  :)

The Pox fans started chanting 'David' and giving him some stick and it was all fairly friendly.

Bristol City fans on the other hand,managed to bounce lumps of terracing off our heads the same year, and were  fucking horrible bastards.

I suppose it all depends on personal experiences but I always particularly enjoy beating City.

I feel like this fixture is everything to Oxford fans (more so after their stint as a non league shambles) and a lot of our fans have become completely blase about the whole thing as we've just been doing the usual League 1, League 2 flirt with The Championship.

There's a sense amongst their fans that they're going the right way and a definite cockyness towards STFC after recent history.

They need taking down a peg.

Agree. I know a lot of Oxford fans and despite the massive chip they all have on their shoulder, they're mostly a decent bunch.

Doesnt mean I dont want them to be thoroughly miserable on Sunday though.

This.

I was ridiculed a number of years ago on Twitter for posting a picture with my son where I was wearing a yellow t-shirt.

I thought it was a pisstake until the prick got personal.

I'll try and find it and post it on here.

Football tribalism is mostly daft.

True dat.

Sums up my feelings as well. But having only been born in Swindon and mainly lived away from the West Country for all of my life is my contributing factor to never really 'hating' othe football teams/fans.

Each to their own.

I think I left actually 'hating' Oxford fans behind when I was about 14. It just seems a little silly and infantile. That said, the few Oxford fans that I do know are complete cunts.

Moving to Oxford in September to start a PhD... So perhaps after 4 years of living there the hatred will manifest itself again.

I like the rivalry, but to be honest for me it's all a bit of a pantomime. I can't imagine wanting to give someone a kicking because of the football club they support, but that doesn't mean I don't hate them in the run up to a derby game, or at the game itself. Or for a few days after, if we lose.
Tribalism is, for me, an integral part of following a football team. That doesn't mean that violence is as well.

Peace and Love Man. Peace and Love...

I never met a Pox fan while I lived in Swindon...ever....but when I moved to Somerset I have since met 3 and they are all good blokes and they love the rivalry.

I only met 1 total wanker Pox fan who was a door to door electric salesman who as soon as he saw my framed Swindon shirt said " I am sorry I cant do this I am an Oxford fan" and walked out with me stood with my mouth wide open, so I reported him.

I met an oxford fan on my first day of university 10 years ago. Didn't speak a word to him from the point I found out.

I don't really buy into the tribalism of football anymore, but I've never met an Oxford fan I like. They all seem to be jumped up knobs with an inflated idea of self-worth.

I also hope we stuff them on Sunday for lots of reasons. The fact it's them, we need a big performance and I'm sick of most of our whinging fans, so it might shut them up for a bit.

They're behiiiiiiiiind you!

To be fair at the moment I think they're a bit ahead of us unfortunately.  But then again most people are.

I guess thats not as snappy as a panto line though.

I couldn't help but think of the old Spitting Image song....substitute South African with Oxford Fan and rewrite accordingly...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxEweP2TiMk

When I was a kid we were at home watching the boat race & my Dad asked me who I wanted to win, and I replied Cambridge.

He asked me why, to which I replied "Because I hate Oxford".

Now I'm older I don't really hate Oxford, but I still want them to lose every game

I know it's pathetic, but I even want anyone from Oxford on a TV quiz show to lose.

My hatred is complete and all inclusive of things Oxford.

Some of my best friends are from Oxford.

(This is not true, I don't even have any friends.)

Being a Swindon fan means disliking Oxford, there's no escaping it as it's ingrained into the fan base and history.
They seem to have a much deeper hatred for us, probably because they've been in our shadow for most of their existence and don't really have any other clubs that local to them.

I dislike them as a club, but not that bothered by them in all honesty, they're like a gnat or a mosquito that buzzes round your head annoying you.

Went to see Adam Hills a few years ago at the Wyvern, he started talking to a woman and asked her where she was from, she replied "Oxford". The whole theatre booed her which was hilarious and Hills' was rightly perplexed by that reaction until someone explained to him :)

I know a fair few Pox fans and even shared a flat at University with one for 3 years which was amusing as it was during the early 90's when we were at our best. I am resigned to loosing a £10 bet with another one this season as there is no way we will finish above them.
To be honest they are all decent guys and I am probably worst than them for giving banter out, but very much like Rory I detest anything to do with oxford the city which is completely irrational .

That is quite something. I do give a colleague at work shit because her son is in Oxfords youth set up (Bananas...whoaaah) but it's normally tongue in cheek. I quite like visiting Oxford as a City, its a nice place!

I'm a big fan of Bristol as well and I live just outside Reading. I'm the worst Swindon fan ever!

I once went to an interview for a job in Oxford, felt a little dirty.  Managed to restructure their team during my interview, thus negating the need for my appointment.

I went for a job interview a few years ago.  It had gone quite well, and then progressed to small talk at the end as interviews often do.  The interviewer asked what I did in my spare time, so amongst other things I mentioned in self-deprecating fashion that I followed a not-very-good football team.  'Oh, which one?', he asked.  I think I got to the 'd' of 'Swindon' before his jaw hit the floor.  A second's silence.  'You're an Oxford fan, aren't you?', I asked.  He nodded.

Left the interview convinced that I'd played a great game and scored a 94th min own goal.  Against the odds, he offered me the job the following week.

I lived and worked in Oxford for many years after my degree (Oxford Poly  :cry:)
Thanks to Oxford for the very large capital appreciation of my house, it gave me the equity to move somewhere stunning.
There is an Oxford fan I know, who lives a few houses from our ground. If we lose I could…………………………….. :hmmm:

you're just a grown up.

Seems a bit too much like hard work to go out of my way to hate everything about a city just because of the football club that plays there once or twice a week.

Mental.

No, he really isn't.

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/football/headlines/15068121.Chris_Maguire_has_a_message_for_Swindon_Town_fans__Remember_me_/#comments-anchor

I hope that fucking Maguire gets snapped in half the obnoxious Scottish prick - He seriously needs sorting out and I hope he does on Sunday.

Ox Poly, yep I was there. Fools on the hill.
I like Oxford as a city, still visit regularly as there are good pub crawls to be had in the centre.

A former work colleague was from Oxford, a case of you can take the man out of Blackbird Leys but you'll never take Blackbird Leys out of the man. He supported Chelsea.

Remember playing pool in the City Arms and nobody was going to tell the Cowley plant apprentice with the OUFC tattoo on his neck that he'd played a foul shot. Town 'n gown and all that.

The football club wasn't even in Oxford....it was in Headington.  The club of Oxford is City.

Yes. Only three divisions below us and a much more accessible ground to visit if ever we should meet.

Genuinely never heard of him, couldn't give a shit what he says.

Next.

This guy...you're in League 1 for a reason fella.

Ironically born in 'bellshill'.

At least he is showing a bit of passion and fire.

Can't see our players doing that.

Unfortunately true.

Exactly the kind of player you want in your team to spur and drive you on, provided he can walk the walk with a gob that size. If that had been say Johnny Goddard who had said that in the adver I am sure he'd be getting adulation from our fans.

For those that say 'we haven't heard of him' etc. He scored 2 goals against us and I am pretty sure is their penalty taker so has a good chance of scoring again on Sunday.

Its a deliberate wind up to try and rile us, we did the same against City and they fell for it, hopefully Branco et al keep their cool and don't get sent off in an equally dumb way.

I think Sunday could get very feisty.

Not really. More wind up merchant than passion and fire.

The quote "they will try and be up for it" resonates with me the most. He's probably right.

As much as I'd like to be super up for this, I'm not and that's not because of the form either. Under the Power era (not blaming the chairman for this) they seldom seem truly 'up' for fixtures in the way that we want them to be (which is essentially outplaying and outscoring the rival opponent).

Seems obvious to me that he's after one of our players - Branco? - coming after him to get him sent off.

Unfortunately for our lot they seem to replace passion with pointless fouls.

Those yellow fuckers have a habit of playing against 10 men.

As already pointed out, Di Canio's teams were 'up for it'. Didn't help in derby matches, it hurt when they didn't do jack.

At least this squad don't set expectations too highly.

Evidence of desire is all that's required sometimes.

Oh, OK. ..blotted him out of memory then

fair comment!

This is the difference.

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/15066910._I_d_be_a_boo_boy_too___says_frustrated_Thompson/?ref=twtrec

He's a swindon lad, and a fan apparently, so why not come out and say you are looking at stuffing them and we are all up for it. Fuck last performances. It all seems a bit mundane to me.

As I said earlier, Maguire is just trying to stoke the fire. Wins him love from his fans and means he'll probs get some stick from our fans which he'll love. Pantomime villain shit.

I'll play along but he'll become just as irrelevant as 99% of Oxfords former players.

Will Beauchump be there, I wonder. Eric will be his wingman

What did Maguire say that shows he's passionate?  He's just trotting out the standard lines when a reporter provide a key word to him, like local derby.  I bet he'd play here if we offered him more cash, just as Thompson would go there the other way around.

Footballers are not fans, even those that claim they are.  They never spent the key years building that bond between 12 and 21, the period where Batch lost his affection for Man Utd and plumped for the plucky (not so plucky) loser in Swindon.  Footballers were too busy becoming footballers so even if they had some slight affection, they never get the chance to rubber stamp it.  In the days where local lads played for their team it was probably more likely, but hasn't been that way for 30 odd years at least.

What about all of those months/years that Nathan Thompson has spent injured or suspended, so watching from the stands?  :D

Looking at Chris Maguires Wiki page,he's played for some pretty big clubs such as Sheffield Wednesday,Derby etc,and he's even played twice for Scotland.

It must be frustrating for him now that things haven't worked out for him and he has to ply his trade at a lowly team fresh out of non-league at the age of only 28 when he should be at his peak.
Hence,he has to act this way in order to convince himself he's still relevant.

It's just projection of his abject failure to succeed in the game.
I'll bet he was really pleased with himself after that piece in the local rag,but inside he's dying.

I feel sorry for him.

Isn't Maguire joining that long list of short, annoying Scottish strikers. Speedie, Fleck nd McGinley come to mind.

It's simple. If Maguire gets off on abuse from opposition fans, we should all chant 'We love Chris!' in effeminate voices every time he gets the ball and at corners.

Meh, he's bound to score anyway and we're gonna get spanked. :badmood:

Exactly - if youve play Premiership or Luton Sunday League Prem division then your views carry a bit more weight

We have Bury, Oldham, Coventry and Chesterfield (plus Gillingham) within the next month.

HUGE month ahead.

Need at least a point tomorrow, rivalry aside.

Oldham's last minute winner at Chesterfield a horrible blow.....at 0-0 with Bury losing, things as good as could be expected.

Now though Oldham have shown they know how to do a relegation battle, in the way we don't. 

Couldn't believe it...

STILL not in the zone....I can't believe that either...

Need a result tomorrow... Sigh...

It's next Saturday we need a result....anything tomorrow would be an unexpected bonus, lose at Gigg Lane and I'm not sure this lot could recover.

11/4 odds for us to win. To good a price for a home team in a local derby. We are due a win against them and will get it tomorrow. 3-1 with an ajose brace and Gladwin. 10275 in attendance.

If we win 4-1 tomorrow, we jump up to 18th!

Nurse...!

So who is volunteering to start the matchday thread then....brave

I've got a 100% record. Only started 1 V Rochdale earlier this season. Will give it a go unless someone else wants to. Will probably be well pissed by then

To be fair, Oldham's form has been pretty good in recent weeks - including today they've won three and drawn one of their last six.

I'd be delighted if we could do the same!