Thetownend.com

 It's just about 6 years to the day, what's a few hours between friends, when I decided we were fucked and posted this.


 A lot thought it was a wind or junk rather than a considered opinion.....

 So FWIW.....

I think most folk now accept we're as good as down, so who do you want departing L2, and who joining us from L1 and arriving from the Conference.

I'd like to see Donny, Carlisle, Plymuff, ColU, going up, Orient and Crewe going down.

Joining us Cov, Chesterfield and Port Vale, with Lincoln and Forest Green promoted.

This would leave Newport, Wycombe, Exeter, Luton, Pompey, Mansfield, Grimsby, Cambridge, Blackpool, Yeovil, Crawley, HPool, Cheltnum, Stevenage, Accrington Stanley,  Morecambe, Barnet and Notts County

A fairly southern based league, with FGR as a new ground along with Grimsby boasting added fish theme.

Only Accy and HPool as pointless norvern journeys. Crewe, the ex railway Towns proving that developing young players and selling them on gets you to the Conference.....Lincoln make a weekend of it and take the missus.

Plenty of localish games with Crawley for revenge, as we all now hate them, and Cambridge for a love in from the TEF Power haters.

What's not to like?

BTW we were 2 points better off after 30 games in 10/11

Happy fucker you are, did you also foretell the ides of March, and could I get next week's lottery numbers

I've not given up yet, despite the hopeless outlook.

Lincoln and FGR for sure coming up. Local and my sister lives near Lincoln. Orient staying up gives a good London p'up/washing up.

Donny and Carlisle + ? going up gets risd of pointless northern journeys.

Cov and Shrews go down.

Other than that don't care.

I'm not sure even a young Reg would have been so optimistic as to predict our League Cup triumph...

If Orient stay up....we'll get them away Boxing Day.  Whereas if Newport stay up Boxing day there like in 80/81 is OK.

Also not quite given up yet.

Let's see where we are after the next 7 games.

Have had a sneaky look at FGR on the football ground guide site though.

Barnet would be a new one and not been to Mansfield before.

We played Mansfield as recently as 07....it feels like longer.  Certainly been a while since we went to the Abbey Stadium, 02 to be precise

Accrington, Morecambe, Crewe, Blackpool, Carlisle (my Carlisle supporting mate is convinced they will fuck it up) - get Barrow up from the National League it could be a north west heavy league next season - I could find myself getting to a few games...

If we ended up with that, you could get a TEF touring party.

Not sure I could stomach us fannying around at Hartlepool et al as yet another bunch of hairy-arsed L2 stalwarts out-muscle, out-run and out-fight us.

Close this fucking bollocks thread down. It's miserable enough on here as it is.

Reg is in his element right now

If we somehow manage to stay up this thread will quickly be deleted

As long as my 2 local teams, Yeovil and Excetera are still in L2 then I will be happy, be like 2 home games for me both within 25 miles or so of me.

If it's novelty you want then the Conference sure has that in spades. Whereabouts do you think the current lot would finish in Div 4. We've played 2 Div 4 sides this season, drawing at Exeter and losing to Luton at the CG....throw in failure to beat mid table Conference Eastleigh and there's little to suggest we'd be anywhere near doing OK at that level with the sort of squad we've presently got.

Jesus wept.

So we are still out of the relegation zone (somehow) and yet were definitely going down with 16 games still to go?

Man City have got their own personal Jesus's.....we've got Islam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1xrNaTO1bI

We are down to 1\1 at the bookies for relegation now, not even worth a drop proofing flutter.

I knew without originally referring to page 1 who would have started the thread... Pretty sure reg will have been typing this whilst doing a jig to a flute playing leprechaun.

I am not accepting L2 until it happens. Even though times are bad there is always hope.

COYR !

Sent from my SM-G935F

Indeed.

I was reading a paper about people addicted to misery earlier..

Based on 2nd half yesterday that is bet of the season

Fucking revelling in this shite ain't you Reg.

Sent from my SM-G930F

Many like yourself had given up before the close of the window after Rovers....


I think it's fair enough to see what happened in the window, and then make a decision.  To my mind we needed more experience and a change of management tack....we got neither.

Looking at the possible composition of Div 4 for next season....is at least some entertainment, we get precious little at matches.

(http://i.imgur.com/QlAQzFs.gif)

You want Trevor Benjamin  :hmmm:

I often play guess the poster, when I read the forum on my iPhone I can't see the name and signatures only the post. I can also spot a Reg a mile off and have got used to a lot of others!

To be honest, I don't much care for thinking about who we might be playing next season. Whether it's Div 3 or Div 4 there'll be some derbies, some northern outposts and some in between.

My thoughts at the mo' are about possible new managers. Every time I've looked at the news today I've half (maybe not that much) expected to read that Williams had been given the boot.

If/when it happens, there might be a sense of optimism. The sooner it happens, the greater chance of survival in my opinion.

None of the same old, same old northern shitholes

Bring on the Conference!

Absolutely - Don't give a fuck who we play next season,  let's get this one done first, preferably without the current management.

 Oldham at Franchise tonight.....a point dumps us below the drop line  :(

 Leyton Orient have Morecambe at home.

6 wins form 16 games will see us safe. Just.

last 15, w3 d4
last 20 w4 d6 (6 wins :) )

So won 4, drawn 1 then? I think that's how it works anyway.

soapy tit wank, just updated with same on 20 games!

I know it rarely plays out the way it should but looking at the fixtures I think we have until mid March to get ourselves safe or as good as...

Bury (a)
Northampton (a)
Oldham (h)
Coventry (a)
Gillingham (h)
Chesterfield (h)
Port Vale (a)

------------------------

14th March onwards:

Sheffield United (h)
Bradford (a)
Millwall (h)
Fleetwood (a)
Franchise (h)
Wimbledon (h)
Walsall (a)
Scunthorpe (h)
Charlton (a)

Seems to go from an OK set of games then all of a sudden turns into a real arsehole of a run in.

Needs instant improvement starting Saturday if we are to stay up which is somewhat concerning.

it's definitely premature (yeah yeah), but... 6 points from 10 games, and 1 minute from bottom 4.. I feel like warning up old faithful..

(http://duanekrip.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Panic-Button-300x290.jpg)

Dongs score

yipppeee,  96th minute too, out the zone. panic button shelved for another day

ha ha .Ex Shitty Nicky Maynard keeps us out bottom 4

 Good things come in 3's after all.  :)

 Although I do feel a bit dirty about wanting Franchise to win

Keep reading the paper and you will see whingers with no faith.

Sent from my SM-G935F

 Useful point for Leyton Orient...although they look terminal according to one of their fans writing in the Guardian.

 Interestingly we're not yet regarded as a crisis club by the wider football world....

 
Disappointingly Carlisle are starting to slide, we could do with them picking up again.  Lincoln are looking strong, and having seen them on the box, will take a Power/Sherwood/Williams side to the cleaners.

Barrow and Gateshead are lurking on the PO fringes....

Looking forward to the inevitable shit day out at Cheltenham. Lincoln is a rough old place to go as a fan. FGR would be fun.

I wont be doing any home games again next season, as putting money in Powers pocket sickens me but Orient away is always a great day out.

Orient look like going down by the time we reach division 4

the season after then ;)

Maybe the season after next  :hmmm:

I can't be the only one to think that Reg is actually enjoying this?

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day

You aren't

He just making the most of a rare season where his annual relegation prediction is correct

Yep. Some people are perpetually addicted to misery.. It's a disturbing outlook on life, but there's one at every football club (I can name about 3 who support the Spurs with a similar attitude). Given the state of those people though we're lucky to have Reg.

All I ever do is call it as I see it....I know a bit about Spurs fans having lived in North London and so used to watch them...their misery is based on wanting to win the league, something not managed since 1961, a lovely side whose names trip off the tongue. However, I think Spurs have won at Anfield about 3 times in 70 years...so if I was a Spurs fan, yesterday's trip would have filled me with foreboding, the foreboding duly delivered.

Life's too short to be miserable...

 Good to see Oldham looking like they'll do their annual escape....they did flirt with playing a bit of football early season, but made the necessary adjustments in plenty of time.

 It also means that us and Cov, assuming they're still going, will meet in Div 4 next season.... the only club we'll have met in all 4 Divs.

 Newport showing some signs of life....good. Orient showing some signs of life....bad. Cheltnum starting to slide again.

Exactly. A stopped clock and all that.

 Sad to see Carlisle have slumped of late and are now out of the auto picture.....few weeks ago was looking good for missing them on a Tuesday night. Pompey are now in their slot, would be disapponting to pass them in the opposite direction.

 Lincoln looking good for auto, but Dover have now moved into the Conference PO picture....if we can't have FGR, then a trip to Dover might be interesting...nip over to France and get some duty free.  :)

Sadly Newport are looking fucked, and Orient will do well to recover. Outlook much rosier for Cheltnum, another crack at a first win at Whaddon Road on the cards....can Luke succeed in firing up the lads  :hmmm:

Don't want to see our kids lose against any L2 teams next season but it's gonna happen.No hope with the current regime We'll be struggling to hold on to league status....but at least we're not in debt.Blah blah fucking blah

Carlisle on a midweek is one of the badge of honour trips. (Last one in 2007).
Can't see Power mingling with the peasants and dishing out free beanies.
Although the free match ticket for a home game was appreciated, but the high five from Rockin Robin wasn't.

One such trip in a season is ok, but add in one or more of Accrington, Morecambe, Hartlepool or Grimsby and it becomes difficult.

Would like to see Dagenham come up with Lincoln as a sort of replacement for Orient and an opportunity for a District Line pub crawl.
Don't particularly want to see Coopers smug face back at the CG.

Happy to lose Doncaster and that prison like shopping centre next to the station.
Not fussed about the rest.

Would prefer Bury to join us and then pass Oldham on the way up for the following season. :o

If you want D and R WB, then that's good enough for me, but personally I look at our 100% losing record at whatever they call their shitheap these days and get a cold sweat.

 Dover got a stuffing, Ricky Shakes scored a hat-trick. They must be shite, so on that evdence unlikely to make through the PO's.  Newport have won the last 2, still a lot to do, but an outside chance of staying up.

 Looking increasingly like it will come down to whether Vale can do anything with their games in hand, as to who joins us Spireites and Cov.

Would quite like it if the Gills got dragged down with us. Other than that I don't really care!

They do look proper shit, but somehow manage to scrape the odd win, they'll probably only need a couple more. PV were our first ever game in Div 4, also Burslem is easier to get to than Medway.

I'd rather gills stayed up as it's a fucking shit away day, horrible ground, horrible town and a bunch of horrible cunts that live there.

That's an interesting one, there cant be many fixtures at all that have taken place in all 4 divisions. Anyone know of any others ?

I think pre Prem, there would be a good few.  Post Prem, only us, Pompey and Bradford C, have visited Div 4, we never played either in the Prem and Pompey never played Bradford City.

Coventry played Bradford in the Pem but never in Div 4, so it could well be a post Prem first.

Probably sacrilege to say we've played Wimbledon in their various different guises in all 4 divisions as well.

Blackpool, but they didn't play Pompey or cov in the prem..

I'm a twat. We've never played them in the second tier.  :-[

were definitely down players don't give a shit they will move on to other clubs so why will they care players are like mercenaries now and the rot has set in in the changing room as obviously Kasim and Hylton don't want to play and the three players last night not selected they will just be going through the motions until the end of the season and be surprised if we even get a point from our remaining games.

The club is rotten from the chairman and a manager that is out of his depth.

L2 will be more physical and if Power thinks he can go even cheaper next season with younger kids we will get absolutely crucified and probably relegated again.

I fear for our future and I only hope someone comes along like a Fitton to take us over an appoint a proper manager who has the nous to get us out of L2.

Power is a cunt and deserves all the shit coming his way but does he care - not a toss.

Indeed not. We will be the only ex Prem club that's been relegated to Div 4 twice. We're ace...after all it is the 15th March  :)

Why the hell does everyone keep banging on about Fitton. We got relegated from this league under him with a team far more expensive, experienced and ill-disciplined. Plus, correct me if I'm wrong, but he achieved nothing of note off the pitch either? And sold to the money-men who allowed PDC to spunk a fortune before walking off into the sunset without a second's thought for our future?

But wasn't it a lot more fun.

Fitton was only ever a minor shareholder I think, he was removed from his position and replaced by Wray (Black was always the financial clout).  Think he remained a shareholder for some time after stepping away from the club.  Both Fitton and Wray can join our illustrious line-up of not so good Chairmen and CEO's.  They both had a positive media persona, but both brought the club either to it's knees or failed to do anything to structurally improve the business for the long term.  Fitton can at least claim the season ticket concept, which was taken from Bradford but not quite as cheap, and that did manage to muster extra summer income for a few years.  However, the revenues have remained largely stagnant over each accounting year.

Going down a year after the play off final was not fun.  Having the financial plug pulled so dramatically and showing up the craziness of our business model was not fun.  It has led us to where we are now.

Fitton was very good at PR, it does help. 

It's something that Power is particularly clueless at. I'll hark back to the close/pre-season.... there was nothing in the way of an open day, selfie autograph session, meet the players at an open training session, see how Luke puts out the cones, and Embers collects them. That sort of thing. A lot of fans love this shit.

PDC got results.  He was on course to bring Championship football to the CG.  Crawley spent way more than STFC in League 2 and Bournemouth spent way more in League 1.  Where are they now?  Premier League for Bournemouth and League 2 for Crawley - we'll be passing them on our way down to the Vanarama next season. 

Last time in League 2, gates were up at least 1,000 on what might have been expected, there were numerous extra cup games, the team was disciplined and organised and there was a buzz (perhaps I rashly failed to notice the anxiety-ridden fans whose financial literacy prevented them from joining in) 

Unless Power pulls a rabbit out of the hat, there will be no rebound promotion next year, not even an attempt.  He has truly fiddled while Rome burned this season. Give me bad management over no management anyday.  Power has fiddled while Rome burned and next season will see gates plummet, unlike the last relegation to League Two. 

Let's go down many tiers, have the players pay a weekly match fee for playing to cover costs and finally achieve the holy grail of sustainability.  Hell, we could form that team ourselves and go out for a beer or three the night before with no shame.

Yes, I would hope that the club would push the boat out in a couple of years in terms of marking the 50th anniversary.

Not just on the day, but theme the match days around it for the whole season.

A Peter Noble day would be great with everyone rolling up sporting a comb over.

With a team of embryos for the last few years, when was the last time time we had a proper baldy play for us.
I'm thinking Paul Smith from the Iffy relegation year?
Smith's Jack & Phil more recently as well.

Danny n'guessan

i remember el-abd was bald too because that was the number one criteria used to judge him as a 'no nonsense centre back' when he signed

Tommy Mooney was bald and good and Sam Parkin nearer to the end of his Town career was very strategic with his remaining hair...!

 Bit of a blip for Lincoln today.... Luke Garrard  :hmmm:

 Piss poor for Vale though, the Burslem boys might yet join us next season.

 I see Cov have got an agreement to move out of the Ricoh, to a stadium that hosts Rugby League as well as a non league Cov side.  Don't think it will be for next season though.

 Gateshead, have quietly slipped into the PO's. I recall when they went out of the league in 1960...but don't remember ever playing them.

Didnt we play Gateshead in the FA Cup in the early 2000s?

Certainly did.

Went to virtually every Gateshead home game for about 2 years when I lived in Newcastle, still got a scarf somewhere.

Haway the mighty Heeeeeed

I was thinking about when they were a league club.... but had forgotten about that cup game and we won 5-0. They must have been shite.

The current Gateshead aren't the same Gateshead as the old League side.

Ah, like Bristol City and Bristol City 82 then?

http://www.11v11.com/matches/swindon-town-v-gateshead-09-december-2000-3474/

Does anyone remember Martin Williams?  I don't at all! Played 22 times and scored 3 goals apparently.

Nope, no recollection at all. Even looking him up was no help (signed from Reading, sold to Posh)

No. Gateshead had a few years of being dormant before their reformation. Bristol City were permitted to continue their reign of terror.

2 of them at Luton.

It was one of those seasons to bin, after the car crash of 99/00.

Hopes for a new start in Div 3 soon evaporated, T*dd realised the club was a mess and fucked off early doors. Kingy just about kept us up, but more because Rovers blew it.

In many ways things are worse when hopes and expectations are raised.... I recall having been on holiday somewhere foreign, picking up an English newspaper and finding we'd spent 350K on Gary Alexander and being quite impressed... after all T*dd could be considered a proper boss, he'd got Bolton up to the Prem, as a player he'd won the League a couple of times.

Little did I know. 

At least with Power and Luke, there's been no chance of having much in the way of hopes or expectations

He helped make it worse before he buggered off too.

For some reason I recall him scoring an absolute belter of a goal away at Luton.

 Newport have given themselves a chance of staying up, which gives the jitters to HPool, Cheltnum and Yeovil. Hpool going then would be best for us.

I hope Newport stay up tbh

They've plenty of problems on the horizon.  The egg ghasers who own Rodney Parade are fucked, so the WRU want to take them over and install a plastic pitch. County have a 10 year lease, but although a plastic pitch would be OK in the Conference not in the FL.

I want no L2 teams next season.
 :whogives:

 So Donny, Pompey and Plymuff pass us in the other direction. Spireites confirmed along with Cov to join us next season.

 The PO spot from Div 4 is interesting, I reckon Luton in 4th are in but then there's 9 clubs covered by 4 points as to who are going to be the other 3.

 Lincoln pretty much home and hosed... with Tranny looking favourite to join them... but it's PO's so you never know.

 Newport got stuffed by Plymuff, but Hpool defeat at Orient, truly terrible... could be they're fucked.

We're not down yet reg

Hartlepool are the sort of team who won't be back if they plummet out of the Football League. I can see Lincoln and Tranmere doing well if they both go up, especially the latter.

Whatever happens, L2 doesn't have many stand outs and I include Swindon in that (if/when we are relegated). It won't be pretty.

Pah.

:cry:

Sadly I fear a lot of people on here will be having a Gareth Cheeseman moment when it is confirmed.

 So Leyton Orient have gone.... so no away game there Boxing Day.  Amazingly Newport have dragged themselves out of the bottom 2... looks like the Monkey Hangers might go, a trip to Rodney Parade, has to be better than a trip to HPool.

Lincoln confirmed for next season. I'm hopeful Vale may join us.

I hope Newport stay up as it's easy from my Brislington base, as is Cheltenham. Iit kills off a trip to Hartlepool (although I am up that way in September...)

Exeter staying in L2 would be good, I enjoy trips to Exeter.

Not been to Huish Park for Swindon either...

Huish Park hasn't a great deal to commend it aside from a fascinating choice of A road routes from Swindon. Personally I rather not see Tranny, and if not FGR then Aldershot is a traditional Town fixture.

I've been to Huish Park, with Chippenham Town (0-0 draw).

FGR over Tranmere all day long. I can see Tranmere winning L2 next season (if they go up).

God no, talking about this with my lad as we left the ground today. As a marker of humiliation I don't think I could stand losing a local derby to Forest fucking Green

Well we lose all the other derbies so we might as well add it to the collection.

Losing to Yeovil and Cheltenham felt terrible the first couple of times. Now? Meh.

I'd be keen not to add Forest Green to the list of humiliations I've become inured to, thanks.

Probably following the wrong club then...

 ;)

Losing to Mark Cooper would take the biscuit!

I suppose the real issue of FGR going up would be competing for signings.

???

It's the first defeat by Chippenham Town I'm dreading.

And we aren't going to compete in wages...

They'll blow the playoffs with luck

They will, its the Cooper way....Tranmere are on a bit of a roll at the moment anyway I can't see past them going up.

FGR did win at Prenton Park a couple of weeks ago.  Thing is with PO's anything can happen, as we well know.

I'm kind of in the PaulD camp that the thought of the inevitable humilation, is too painful to contemplate. However, it's offset by the image of Town's travelling fans, discovering there's no meat in the burgers, or Bovril available.

I hear you, brother.

Nothing Londonish at all. Oh well.

Unless Dag & Red help you out.

What about Barnet?

Barnet  :hmmm:

New ground as well.  I still get sleepless nights about this game.  Kind of Div 4 reality... mid week and there are more Town fans than home fans.... we still lose  :(

http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/MatchCentre.asp?MatchID=20070133

One or both of Luton or Stevenage, are handy.

Barnet isn't bad, Crawley, Wycombe are almost London ;)

Barnet? Basically the other side of the world for me. I did miss that one though.

Crawley and Wycombe definitely do not count!

Barnet's new ground, seems to be Edgeware way. I guess we'll take decent numbers because it's a new ground.

 Vale at Walsall tonight.... lose and they join us, a draw gives them an unlikely mathematical chance of survival.  Personally I'm glad we got it over with quickly, prolonging the agony til whenever the final game is played would have been cruel.

Canons Park up on the Jubilee line for me (although a fair distance from Waterloo!)

I'll be going to Barnet for sure!

Port Vale live to fight another day.

It's going to be Gillingham, isn't it?

Justin Edinburgh's Cobblers to relegate them.

Shoot Scally up the arse!

 Ooh. This has opened up an unforeseen can of worms. My instinct is we've never played the Pikeys before in Div 4.

Doesn't reflect well on Luke and Embers though, that Vale who are on their uppers, could go and win a must win at Bescot, whereas we couldn't.

Yeah we have, we won promotion there when we won the league?!

Reggie doesn't acknowledge positive aspects of our recent history. Even if we lost the game itself.

Indeed, It'll have been the worst Div 4 in living memory and down to the sheer ineptitude of the whole division that we won it at all.

Having a £5m+ budget might also have helped

Walsall played a scratch team last night, yoofs and players out of position apparently.

We (local footy) used to do that at end of season too if was a nothing game. Keeper up front (obvs) defenders as strikers. That kind of stuff. Crazy days.

Is that "establishment" still going there? Surely not..

Wycombe's not too far from me actually. Same with Aldershot, would be good to have them both!

a bit like us

Is the White Hart still the place it was the last time we were there ?, nudge, nudge,  that's assuming it's still there !.

 :)

Tbf if the Saddlers did put out a weakened team then it's a bit naughty.  Fair enough like us and Charlton on Saturday, but games with meaning should be given respect.

can't remember, when we rested some for the playoff humiliation did we play mid table teams?

No. It was mainly Preston away and last game at home v Orient so we might have upset other teams at both ends of the table.

I'll never forget watching Francesco Becchetti's anger and confusion over a couple of Town fans chanting 'Going Down' at Orient supporters while we were 0-2 down. He was angrily shouting something along the lines of  "but we are winning!" in response to this.

FT: 2-2 and Harry Agombar featured for an hour.

Seems like a long time ago now.

Oddly I was thinking about that game earlier.... I would suggest that the presence of one H Agombar on the pitch, in a game which still had consequences for Orient and other sides, was the first real sign that the club was not being run properly. It has been downhill since... doing an Orient is very much on the cards.

Yep, that Agombar signing stunk

tbf, don't think that was Power, so much as a hangover from the JedCo era - Tommy Agombar was brought in as an investor (or frontman for other investor(s)) when JedCo were desperate for dosh and then proved a little difficult to shift. He apparently could be quite persuasive when he had a mind to be :)

But his playing was in Power time.

Suspect Lincoln will be strong next year, what with their FA cup 'giant killings' this season

Possibly the darkest chapter in the Club's history. It was bad enough that he was given a contract in the first place, let alone given a start in that game.  I seem to remember Cooper letting on afterwards that he had been 'leant on'.

To have actually seen Agombar play carries some weird pride with me though, it was so fucked up. It's a bit like how I bet Darlington fans tell that anecdote about the worms to everybody.

The nearest game for me will be Newport if they make it. I'm super enthusiastic about going back there.  :suicide:

It's Bar 95 at the White Horse in Wycombe btw and afaik it's still open.

I got an "I was there monent" when I saw our potent strike force of Delf and Norris, both score their only CG league goal this season v Dale and Fleetwood respectively.

The White Horse still has lunchtime performances, Bar 95 is open in the evenings according to their website which I had to check a few times today.

With most on here now being happily married family men then a visit to Hughenden Manor or Wycombe Museum will be high on the agenda.

League 2 also offers the opportunity for a visit to Hooters in Nottingham.

 

I'd like to see Aldershot come up.

I remember going there in the 84/85 season after the Macari sacking /reinstatement

Standing behind the goal with a crappy fence separating us from the home fans,there was a real buzz amongst Town fans as the team were playing well with a sense of momentum
We were even chanting "we're going up next year" such was the level of confidence and belief.
And we did too.
And the year after that..

So I've always had fond memories of Aldershot



 

They're effectively in the PO's. Dover had a bad result on Sat losing at home to Torquay, who happily have  a decent chance of staying in the Conference, with a home fixture v relegated North Ferriby.

Yes,it would be a shame to see the Gulls drop down further.
I've always loved a trip to Plainmoor

They're in the same division as Chippenham if Saturday doesn't go to plan...

Jesus. Sobering.

I bow to your superior knowledge on the subject, Wobbly (an unfortunate name in the circumstances maybe.)

Bloody hell!

No disrespect to Chippenham at all but we are one season away from a potential derby clash with them!!

The contract was under JedCo, it was coming to an end when Harry got his cameo, so running out of time to be able to say he actually played in the 1st team here. As I say, my understanding is that Agombar pere can be very persuasive when he sets his mind to it, a hard man to refuse you might say, It may well be that Harry's cameo was the quid pro quo for his relatively quiet exit. Thence to destroying Hereford. If Harry's cameo was part of an exit deal to get Agombars out of the club, then it may well have been a price worth paying, tinpot though it might have looked. Indeed it may well have been one of Power's better advised inteferences in first team selection. Assuming it was. All light-hearted speculation of course

 :google: is a friend. Hopefully Jeremy will persuade them to pay some tax when PM in a few weeks.

I don't really see what the problem is with playing Chippenham, or indeed Forest Gump Rovs. If they're good enough (or more likely we're poor enough), bring 'em on. Rather them than 'little' Fleetwood or some of the other unsustainable might-be league clubs like AFC Fylde.

Yep I loved going to Aldershot back in the old days, the covered home and away end split down the middle, the trawler net behind the other goal, the locals aren't too unfriendly either in the great scheme of football fan rivalry.

My favourite memory of there was the Championship winning season under Macari in Div 4 a couple of days  after we got the draw at Mansfield to clinch the title, when their players formed a guard of honour on the pitch when we came out while the tannoy played Queens "We are the champions" it still sends chills down my spine as it was the clubs first ever title winning side in the league, we went on to win 4-2 that day with about 2,500 Town fans in a crowd of under 4k.

FGR are the ultimate example of an unsustainable might-be league club.

Eastleigh are in a similar situation, massive overspending for the crowds and income they have.

Technically when Aldershot reformed and changed their name like Bristol City, who became Bristol City 82 Ltd, they became Aldershot Town.

As such they accepted the basic idea of new club, new history, and as has been the case when we play many of the clubs newly arrived from non-league... we struggle, managing to lose to Aldershot Town in our only league visit there.

Although 85/86 was a first FL title, it shouldn't be airbrushed from history, in a kind of football didn't exist before the Prem sort of way, that the 2 Southern League titles, were in a comp which was of a parallel standard to the then Football league. So for example of the 10/11 Champions, including ourselves, 14 of the teams subsequently have played English top flight football after the post Great War amalgamation. 4 namely Watford, WHU, Crystal Palace and Soton are in the top flight, about to be joined by B and HA.

Also minded of the last L2 visit there.
They looked like the promotion chasing team that night and a great gesture to have mark of respect for PDC's parents before the game.

After the game, overheard a Town fan point out a future parking space to his old man, to which the response was "nah, don't worry about it, we won't be playing them again"........

I thought that was Mansfield ?

My mistake, I thought you were referring to the Macari season

Newport winning, Hartlepool losing.

Talk about a great escape for Newport if it stays that way, talk about showing bottle in a relegation fight unlike our bunch of pricks

Happens quite often in L2. I'd much rather a trip to Newport than Hartlepool.

30 minutes on the train for me* :toocool:

* Talk about a bleak 'every cloud'.

So, Vale join us next season.

It's not next season I'm worried about, it's the season after - Salisbury,  Chippenham,  Frome ???, Could be embarrassing !!.

Such has been the steady decline over the last 2 years, that it is realistic to face up to this reality.

It's not looking good for you 80's romantics but it is looking quite good for the 90's romantics.

Latest Score: Aldershot 0-3 Tranmere.

Time to tamper with the floodnights..........

Shame... the games against Rovers and Oxford last season showed that we're not too good against teams on their way back from spells in the Conference. I'd imagine Lincoln will be similar...

I saw Cooper at Shots tonight.

Jimmy Floyd also in the stands.

And here's one for the New Romantics...
(https://thewhitelabelproject.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/img_2222.jpg)

... I'll get me coat

With what we have left at the moment I think it is still strong enough to be at least a mid table side in Div. 4

Can't understand all this talk about falling to the conference.

you think we have enough goals in us? not having a go, just wondering.

I guess the talk is subjective, and assumes Vigs, Thompson, obika and kassim are off. Not sure that leaves us much, and our recent  recruitment has been poor, plus the manger is duff. But you disagree which is fair enough

When I first saw Norris playing QPR I thought we had a good signing.
He then proceeded to miss chance after chance, he's a bit like a Michael Smith - needs the confidence.
I think he will do well in Div 2.

You are probably right, we will need to find a little gem, and we do seem to find them.

yeah I'm not writing Norris off, just highlighting how short we are if all loans and out of contacts go.

mind you, if we kept exactly the same squad I wouldn't be confident of a playoff spot.

FGR 1-0 up at D and R.

Definately not going to be Aldershot then after they got beaten 5-2 on agg by Tranmere today.

could still be FGR :(

Newport survive  :)

No long journey to the Monkey Hangers.

Carlisle in PO's... come on you Cumbrians.

Wholeheartedly agree, Reg.

Hartlepool get a short trip to Gateshead. Their travelling fans won't be used to getting home so early.

Barnet
Newport
Crawley.  These are grounds i might tick off next season.
Then again i might not.

Crawley is a shit day out


Sent from my iPhone

They're all shit days out down there.Can't be any worse than the shit days out this season though.

Corrected ;)

Back in the 84-85 season they brought 2 to an away game at the CG.

Did they take the Town End though?

They could have done, the crowd that day was under 2,300 but in their defence it was a Sunday 12.30 KO.

Thought it was an earlier kick off than that, 11.30 or even 11.00 for some reason.
A middle of the night start for the Monkey Hanger army or might have been a couple of exiles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLNO6f5y_zY

I remember that game, as I didn't find out the score until I got home.

Arrived a few minutes late, installed myself on the Bank, must have been sunny, stood in splendid isolation, not realising Pool had scored as there was no noise, on approaching the CG.

At 1-1, I thought we were 1-0 up, at 2-1 I  thought we were 2-0 and in clover etc.

Pools at that time had a striker Bob Newton, who was a traditional Div 4 lardarse, he'd get stick from the SouthSide. You fat bastard....Newton Newton show us yer gut. TBF Bob would then lift his shirt and rub his beer belly.  Quality, don't suppose we'll have anything so entertaining next season.

Not if the match is a Saturday and you stay in Brighton for the weekend

Sent from my SM-G935F

looking like FGR or Trannies then..FGR 2-0 up :(

Yep no D and R, with respect to WB I'm happy about that, I'd rather lose to Tranmere than D and R.

If it's to be FGR, then so be it....

L2 next season.

I really do believe we will struggle next year.
i'd be very surprised if we make top half.

Although most of us aren't exactly confidant it really does depend on what happens between now and August, really, before we start to officially brace ourselves.

Re: L2 next season......who What do you want?

My sanity back?  :hmmm: :hmmm:

That's amazing. They should be knighted.

Cardiff had to go to Huddersfield today for a 12 KO, my mate left at 4am. Ridiculous. 

On the subject of long journeys, i think Exeter have got Carlisle in the play offs, which doesn't seem fun for either set of fans

If they did only bring two, they were certainly their noisiest, as it sounds like a few more (say ten maybe) on the highlights...

As far as I recall, there were once four in the away section (Scunthorpe?), and other times (Tranmere?) I'm not sure it was opened at all.  There was also a Sunday game towards the end of the season that I don't think we even produced a programme for - it was just a printed teamsheet.
 Other readers may be able to help with this?

Not only that but Carlisle only made the trip to Exeter on Saturday for their league game

Come on Tranmere.

Be horrendous if those eco dwelling salad munchers go up

You forgot the words massively overspending.

They will find it hard adhering to the FFP if they do get promoted as it doesn't apply to the National League yet.

:hmmm: surely a trip to FGR would be better than a journey up there

Nah the twat that owns them does the own company sponsoring thing so will just play that game to get round the FFP.

1.0 FGR

Shame

I want them to go up, had a good laugh when we played them in that friendly under Wise

1-1!

I don't, can't stand them as a club. They are a vehicle for the owner to build a retail park on the M5 (12 miles away from Forest Green) that I live near by and pedal his own beliefs with link ups with the likes of Greenpeace. Lost about £10 million over the last 4 or 5 years and add in Mark Cooper and they are a pretty horrible club.

fair enough

Great game this.

Drissa Traore is pretty good at this level

Great finish

Fuck sake, that could be that

When you see the state of McNulty and Buxton you have to wonder how Tranmere got there. Experience is one thing but they look like Sunday league players. Irony is they'll probably have the biggest budget in L2 next season with 1k crowds.

 Gulp

 On the one hand we've got to be pleased to have a local game, but it's bad enough losing at Whaddon Road, losing  to FGR is going to take us into a whole new world of humiliation.

I daresay they'll be signing Jermaine Defoe...he's a vegan.

Man up Reg. The games all about money now, they have loads we dont.

I pointed this out a couple of years ago, before a pre-season friendly. Several on here didn't want to accept that reality.
 

At the moment they do. I'd be surprised if they actually exist in 10 years time though as once the owner has or or hasn't got the business park they will have served their purpose. They've got no real fanbase as shown by about 4K at Wembley today so would fall apart instantly.

I was just getting over relegation but FGR's promotion has, surprisingly to me, sucked back in to 'sigh' mode.

For the record all of my negativity comes with the disclaimer that our future is dependent on what Lee Power and the new manager do in the next two months.

going on powers previous, I would say fuck all

Look on the bright side, we'll be able to have a Wilts/Glos/Somerset mini-league with Yeovil FGR and Cheltnum. Something beyond our wildest dreams say 20 years ago.

In 1997 you'd have most definitely been predicting a lot of Wilts/Glos/Somerset games as we were close to going out of business and matches versus Bristol Manor Farm, Westbury United and Minehead would have been likely.

I think I'd be happier now if I was a football fan in, say, AFC Wimbledon's current situation (having started at the bottom and climbed up to L1)  :)

I sometimes used to watch the A team, at the A ground in the early 60's.

http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/LeagueTable.asp?CompCode=WILTS&AuxiliaryTeam=A&Season=1962-1963

The standard wasn't great, bit like last season for the 1st team.

 Luton and Exeter both 2-1 up at half time at Blackpool and Carlisle.  Not looking good for losing some more norvern types.

 I'd like to keep Exeter though.

3-2 Blackpool.  3-3 Exeter.

Still a chance then to get rid of one of Blackpool or Carlisle.

I have been to a few FGR games over the last few years since living in Stroud. I wouldn't describe them as a horrible club, it's a decent enough ground, friendly family atmosphere. You might want to bring your own cows milk!

They have always done a half price ticket offer if you have a FL/PL season ticket so they get a fair few 2ND team supporters.

Will be interesting to see how they get on. Dale Vince is more the Stephen Lansdown type owner than our current incumbent

Sent from my HTC One M9

Given our current trajectory we might get there first.

He's probably right and history probably backs him up but still, what a cunt.

 :toocool:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39917358

He is a total blurt as they say in Norn Iron.
I don't like Cooper.
I don't like Vince.
I don't like the way he has as much as he can forced his veganism on supporters of the club and visitors from other clubs to it as it is down to the individual if they want to be vegan/veggie it should not be forced upon you.
I don't like their massive overspending on tiny sub 3k crowds but at least that will stop a bit next season when they are promoted as they have to follow FFP even if he does sponsor the club and can add funding he is playing with the big boys now and not 1 step up from park football as it has been until now.
I don't like a lot of their fans who think they have a God given right to be in the Football League.
I don't like the way that they are a forward thinking club who seem to be able to get permission for new stadiums very easily even if the next one is going to be built of wood, which seems to go against everything that the football stadium guidelines is apposed to.
I don't like the fact that we have to play them in the League next season.
I don't like that they will be playing next season in shrts made from recycled hemp and broccoli fibre(this could be a lie I don't care).
To sum it up I am not keen on them.

Will have to agree to disagree, as I say you have to question the motives of anyone moving a club away from where they belong, especially when it part of some money making scheme for an individual.
At the moment Stroud council don't seem keen which is something.

Why do we seem to be surrounded by 'plucky little clubs' which the media wank themselves silly over believing the hype and not actually bothering to do any research?

Be interesting to see how the chairman reacts to being somewhat more in the limelight, sure he will love the importance and self serving coverage but not possibly the close scrutiny it will bring?

True that. I have a feeling he will milk the publicity over the next few months for all its worth raising their home average attendances by about 300 which equates to about 20% rise in average attendance ;)

Surely not if he's a vegan?



..... I'll get me coat

 So ya  :bye:

Not fur I hope?

:D

Nor do I, but that's our fault not theirs.

I don't really get the hatred of FGR: they're a 128-year-old club that survived a disastrous name change where crowds dipped to double figures, then got their house in order and rose organically - with investment, yes - to what seemed the impossible heights of the Conference thanks to some excellent people who worked their socks off on and off the pitch and who also delivered a new ground a few meters from the old one. They then stayed in the Conference (with one lucky escape!) despite tiny crowds and budgets for, what, 12 years before Vince invested? And yet people talk about them like they're Franchise or something.

That said, it's a shame he changed the club colours and wants to move them out of Forest Green. The club will lose something of its soul (perhaps it already has, I haven't been for years), but that is generally the price of success in modern football. If he changes the name back to Stroud FC…

Exactly, they have been in the conference for 19 years so not exactly been a meteoric rise and they were playing with Cheltenham and Cirencester in the 95-96 season (if I remember correctly). Cheltenham did the same as FGR are doing now, a new owner came in and spent a lot of money to rise them to the league in 3 seasons under Cotterill and then transforrmed their ground (replaced 3 of the 4 stands). The only reason people have a problem with FGR is that it's happening today when Swindon are stagnating but they didn't care 20 years ago when Cheltenham climbed 4 leagues in less than 7 years.

Moving the ground may actually hurt the club but I believe it has to be done if they want to be a successful league club as if you have been to Nailsworth, it's an absolute pain in the ass because of the lack of facilities and the small size especially if you have coaches going up the hill to the stadium. The problem is Nailsworth is in the middle of the Stroud valleys so to get any decent land to build a league standard stadium means moving out of the hills and towards Gloucester, there isn't a lot of flat, expansive land in the Stroud valleys. They could probably get a 15k seater stadium on the land, but there is very little places to park or eat so moving away from Nailsworth would be in the best interests for the town and the club imho.

That was a tongue in cheek, hugely frustrated in our own lack of ability remark.

The problem is that noone in the area wanted the club to change from being FGR to 'Stroud United'.

'Ecotricty Park' sounds like a good idea, insomuch as easily serviced by motorways, and an industrial park providing jobs etc. But, Milton Keynes sounded like a good idea too.

They either want the club to always be a "village team" or for them to move on, and to do that they need to find a bigger piece of land to grow into. Reading did it, moving from a poor stadium to a newer one, moved to the motorway and it's been instrumental in their rise as they have been able to get a bigger stadium which means more fans, which means more money.

On probably a similar scale to FGR, Cirencester moved from in the town to the far outskirts (but not 10 miles) many moons ago now and the club has flourished as they had land to build multiple pitches (for the kids), build an indoor arena and build a bigger stadium, it also has room to expand in the future if they gain promotion to the conference. FGR will be on a bigger scale with the business park but moving out of the town hasn't hindered Cirencester as they were stuck in a tiny parcel of land on a roundabout fenced in by a graveyard (dead centre jokes a plenty).

Reading is a massive town with a huge surrounding area. It was more than just moving to a new stadium which helped them to grow. And even then, they were in the Championship in their last season at Elm Park.. which they still are (providing of course they don't win the playoffs!)

Cirencester's average crowd is what, 150? 

Madejski was also a Reading fan. Vince just wanted a project. It does make a difference.

Just announced they're effectively closing their Academy due to massive financial cutbacks:

http://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk/sport/15188991.FOOTBALL__Cirencester_Academy_diminished_by_financial_cuts/

HTH

Despite being delighted for them yesterday, I admit a big part of me leans toward the former. That doesn't meant they should step down their ambitions to please me!

Besides, they were mostly in the Beazer Homes League when I used to go regularly, so arriving down the single track lane from Nympsfield and parking on the housing estate over the road was less of an issue than it must be these days.

No they didn't, they moved from Tetbury Road, as much as the outskirts as you can get really, unless you live in Chesterton it was as much a distance to get to as the new ground.

Bow they are next to the Beeches. No different.

it was about the land availability, not the location.

ps. are you related to Ruth, Verity et al?

We've already established his lineage in the other thread:

In terms of distance and journey time this the equivalent our mooted move to Chippenham in the Diamandis days, would you have been happy with that for so called 'progress'?

Tetbury road is right in the town centre, they were <2 minutes from the town centre, the new ground is around 25 minutes from the town centre so yes they have moved to the far outskirts. (walking distance that is).

I used to live around the corner from the old stadium and my new place is <1 minute from the new stadium so know the 2 places well  ;)

I know it was about the availability of the land, they just happened to be on the far edge of the town (officially they aren't in Cirencester anymore, they are in Preston). The club needed to move as the old land was tiny and boxed in by the graveyard and roundabout, they now have massives of land to grow into if needed. I spent many years playing in the youth leagues up at the old ground and the new one ;) I remember playing on the astroturf 5 a side they had at the old ground in the car park, now it's all indoors and much better on a cold Tuesday in January  ;)

Yep, but that's down to places like Hartbury taking all the players now, majority of the Ciren' acadamey players go to Hartbury college and play for their college team rathern than Ciren' college. They just don't have the money and resources to compete anymore.

It's not as much hassle as it used to be as they do a park and ride to the ground to relieve traffic but it's still not easy to get in and out of Nailsworth at the best of times.

if we are having a Cirenoff, I used to play there too. I went to school in Deer Park. I also played for the Beeches, so I know where the new ground is too (and the houses they built on our old pitch) ;)

There is literally nothing past the old ground (RAC/Hogwarts aside), it is the very definition of edge of town. The new ground is just as close to most of the population as the old one.
Its also fucking Ciren, not Sao Paolo.

The point in labouring this is that your original post regarding Ciren was irrelevant. The new Ciren stadium has not been moved to the arse end of nowhere.  
---
Yeah training on the old Astro wasn't much fun. useful as a tennis court in the summer though.

Nailsworth can't sustain a league club long term, obviously.

But I don't think mobbing it to the motorway will help much either. Its all about the business park.

Eurghhh, Kingshill lad here  :D - used to train their midweek and play on the old pitches to the side of KH, the narrow strip that grew once you got past the shed. That's now houses too.


That's true but it's a longer walk from town to the new ground by a considerable distance, and the town will be going out past the RAC with the new estate being looked at (thanks Bathurst).


My point was that they moved the club away from their existing base to grow, unfortunately because of where Nailsworth is, there is nothing around there that would be suitable for a football ground of 5K+ let alone a business park. It's sad when clubs have to move from their "home" but it's either that or they go back to being a village team in front of hundreds.

they didn't move Ciren Town away from the existing base. it's simply not true.

not many people live in the town centre, my sister and er..

I used to live in Cirencester. Linacre Crescent if memory serves.

They had been on Tetbury road for many years (my grandad played for them when they played in what is now St Michaels park). It was a big move (financially) for the owner to move them from Tetbury road to Kingshill Lane, although not far in terms of miles but it basically stopped towns people from walking to the ground (it's not an easy place to get too without a car).

It's worked for the club as they now have the arena which subsides the club but FGR have a much bigger problem moving so far away but as I said, if they want to be a league club they need to move as Nailsworth cannot sustain the club for much longer.

Know it well as grew up in the Chesterton estate for years, friend of my dads lived in Cranhams Lane

Neither was Tetbury road if you lived anywhere other than Chesterton/Town centre. Cycling from Watermoor was about the same to either, Stratton probably similar/closer. Beeches clearly closer to new.

If you really want to do road distance from the church - about 1.5 compared to 1.7.    Your entire point about Ciren Town was invalid.

Are we really having a dick waving contest about who knows Cirencester better?

seems so  :D

no, just using it to make the point gillman waffles on about utter shit presented as fact.

actually, thinking about it, that's 90% of the TEF (the other 10% is people calling out the shit).

as you were.

FWIW I went to college in Cirencester and I think you're both wrong ;-)

the standards have really gone downhill

I got offered a job there once, but the missus didn't want to move from Lancashire - she was entirely ambivalent regarding the location of the football ground though.

So what your advocating is the Franchise system yeah, so if we moved to Chippenham you'd be happy as it meant 'progress'. Utter nonsense!

Ciren is a funny sort of place. Used to have 2 railway stations but now has none, the bus service to and from Swindon and Cheltnum is poor.

However it is quite well stocked for pubs and has an interesting history.  It doesn't surprise me that This Country was originally to be set there.

Not even close, Swindon has enough places to build a new stadium, Nailsworth / Stroud doesn't, under those exceptional circumstances I would be happy the club moved to a new stadium a little further away.

Nailsworth is an awful place to get too, the ground is at the top of the hill in a housing estate and the village has very little amentities which includes parking and pubs / food. It's not like Swindon where you can go into town where you come in off the motorway and get right back on, Nailsworth is a good 5 minutes through other villages and tight windy roads to get onto the M5, it's not a place suited for a stadium for a lot of people, so if they want to be able to progress as a league club they will eventually have to move.

Reg, are you old enough to remember the Ciren railways running?

The old Watermoor station was a stone's throw from where I grew up, but sadly it was gone before we moved there. Used to play on 'the bank' as a kid before it got developed.

bloody Beeching.

edit: ooh name drop since you mentioned This Country, Daisy Cooper was in my sister's year at school. She said I'm not allowed to pass on that she was a 'right bitch' :)

the TEF needs more 'OK' stuff for the ladies (if this doesn't piss off Ells I'll be disappointed)

agree with Gillman's assessment of Nailsworth, FGR can't grow much bigger with that infrastructure.

don't agree moving out is right, or would work though.

I'm old enough to remember, but was more of a South Swindon boy, so we'd get the train from Old Town going south rather than north. Parents had links with Gloucester so we used to go there often, but by the existing line, which had the Ciren branch.

I could understand Beeching axing the northern section of the old M and SWJ, but the branch to Ciren, could probably have been kept.

Up until about 15 years ago the route from say South Cerney back to Swindon was still reasonably walkable, the estates bolted on out there have now more or less ruined it, the Blunsdon lot have lengthened their trackbed. They used to be happy to give you right of way if you asked. Oddly the bit south of Akers Way is still a decent route through to around Mannington

cheers reg!

Way beyond my time but I have and do walk the old lines that still exist, especially in the City Bank area (the red brick wall and the path that runs from City bank into Queen street. Distant family own the house in City Bank so spent quite a lot of time up on the viaduct / wall that still exists.

What and a stadium on the motorway only accessible by vehicle is a good location for a ground no where near actual Forest Green. Like it or not your advocating Franchising! If a town or village is too small to sustain a football club and it goes elsewhere it ceases to be that club any longer!  It's no different to Franchise, they claimed they couldn't build or sustain a club in Merton so went elsewhere and in reality it was so the owner could use them as a make weight in a property deal, exactly the same as this.

Aren't they all owned by the Council though?  ;)

Walking old lines where you can is great fun, always good to find an old bit of bridge, viaduct, plate layers hut etc.

Trips to Carlisle and Luton confirmed.

Luton will probably compete next season. Masters of their own demise tonight though.

Imagine being that twat that wouldn't give the ball back right now. Blackpool score in last minute of injury time that he probably caused. Instant karma!

Luton is worth going to just because it's so strange, you basically have to walk through someone's garden

Danny Hylton, that fan and continuously chanting 'Cullen, what's the score?' - not a good night for them.

I was about to post the same

And don't forget the rats!

Utter dross Ryan Harley being part of a playoff midfield gives me great hope for next season. It really is a shite league.

It's going to get you. But we all shine on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLy2SaSQAtA

Reg you fucking legend! :)

Gillman is just verbose Chang. At least Chang keeps his nonsense posts short.

thanks, I'm on the old Ciren group and I've seen a few. the old concrete anti tank (? or whatever!) blocks are still in the  Avonprint (sorry, acoustic energy) car park.

you can see them on the right in this photo
http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/c/cirencester_watermoor/ (http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/c/cirencester_watermoor/)

what I've yet to see though is the bridge over bridge road, I lived there when I was a kid.

Come on Blackpool, I want Exeter to stay down for selfish reasons as it will be like a home game for me just 30 miles from my house compaired to 120 miles for a Town home game. What with Yeovil too who are only 16 miles away from me too, nice.

I hope Exeter stay down too. Living closeby the media coverage has been somewhat yawn inducing - plus a work colleague insists they are a bigger club than us. Guess that what happens when a team who struggles to get 4000 at home get a day out at Wembley.

I fear it is written that Exeter will prevail... giving Exeter sport an impressive weekend double, following the egg chasers.

This weekend is pretty much the pinnacle of Exeter sport.

I see as many Exeter shirts around here as I do Yeovil shirts yet they do have a small home average gate.

No idea how many they are taking to Wembley but I doubt it will be over 15,000.

I hope Exeter stay down for obvious reasons. I work with a lot of their fans, they are very confident.

15,500 sold by Friday morning. So not far off.
Plus a few more on the day sales.

Good away day at Exeter.

Not bad for a team that has an average of about 4k, I see a few dasy ago that Blackpools boycott has meant they have sold about 5k for the game in protest, fair play to them.

Decent effort. Today compared to when they reached the PL in 2010...

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DA63D0EXoAAIH2k.jpg)

Happy with Blackpool going up.

 We know now the composition of the league for next season... well done Blackpool, for making PV happy.

 I'd imagine we're the only club with no manager or squad looking to go into it.

It did :)

I wonder if any possible approach for Bowyer will be rebuked by Bowyer as hes just won promotion?

Maybe he hasn't even applied for the job?

I guess with Blackpool being a basket case, anything is possible, but it would seem highly unlikely that Bowyer would jump out of the frying pan into the fire by coming here.

Shame about Blackpool, better weekend there than Exeter.

ah well, there's always Accrington

There's always Morecambe, if you want a bit of norvern seaside grit.

Exeter has to be better

He did ok at Blackburn and done very well at a basket case. If he stays put he'll get better offers than town,actually staying put is better. Lucky power has a shortlist of 3 but still talking to others so plenty to choose from.

The more I read about Dale Vince the more I dislike him, arrogant twat.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39917358

don't like the fucking hippie, but in comparison to the conference it probably is easy

Possibly but at least this season he has to comply with the FFP rules in the league, something he never had in the Conference and they still lost £3m per year over the last 4 seasons.

Yes theres probably a loophole way of him sponsoring the team that will negate that a fair bit but hopefully iy won't be so easy to pay L1 wages for players as he has done this season.

Dale Vince can just pump in equity rather than loans to avoid FFP. What will be different is the full transfer window will apply.

 Last season Mark Cooper was able to turn over players in PdC style (as long as Conference or below) so the squad at the end of the season bore little resemblance to the start. There was discontent with the fans at old favourites being pushed out but it clicked by the play offs.

He will need to get his business done early this summer but has already made two signings.

Sent from my HTC One M9

When do the fixtures come out, and in fact when are the first fixtures of the new season.

7 weeks for KO.

Answering my own question as I JFGI as I should have done, fixtures are out next Wednesday.

I daresay we'll get Newport early doors, as they can't use Rodney Parade in the early part of the season, so their games can either be switched or postponed, sort of farce that Town are bound to get caught up in.

Almost feel that this thread should be wound up on fixture release day, with something akin to:-

And on the seventh day, Reg declared himself happy with the composition of League 2 and so decreed a day of rest.

I'm really hoping that we don't see a "Conference next season......who do you want?" thread appearing in January. A "L1 next season......who do you want?" would be much better.

Fuck me, we are at home on Boxing Day

We know the league fixtures before the friendlies... fuck Power.

:o

Can one of the clever people do the normal magic with an outlook calendar file.... pretty please!

Home on Boxing day!

2 home games and an away trip to Barnet over the Christmas/New Year week is very good.

A home game last game of the season vs Accrington is good.

The only minus point is away to Carlisle first game of the season but better get it out of the way early and not on a wet Tuesday evening as has been known.

Shades of 06/07, when we opened up with HPool and Darlo as 1st 2 on the road.

Carlisle and Morecambe should get Horlock excited

No they won't as I go on holiday for a fortnight the day of the Carlisle game and come back on the day of the Morecambe game and thus will be unable to make either game..... Fucking arseholes!

Thats shit luck mate. The day of the Carlisle game I will be in Scotland, but unfortunately nearer John O'Groats than Carlisle.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zqrlh9l54mcz8xe/Swindon_Town_Fixtures_201617.ics?dl=0

That's till the end of December, will do the rest later on

I quite fancied a trip to Grimsby, this year.  A Tuesday night in November.. :(   Definitely one for WB.

Just have to do Lincoln instead.

Morecambe in August has a certain allure...

Should be a gentle breeze coming in off the North Sea for that one.  :)

Grimsby is one of the only three new grounds for me.  So, having to do it on a November Tuesday night is crap!  It was inevitable, I suppose. 

The late Sept/early Oct.... back to back trips into the dark heartlands of Gloucestershire could be defining for Flitcroft.  I would like to see a win at Whaddon Road.

Not expecting much from FGR, but you've got to say chapeau to the good people of Stroud and District, got a FL club and a Labour MP within a few short weeks.

Just to clarify Morecambe is never alluring!

Already looking to my away games next season, normally can only make one a month so:
Luton in September, Cheltenham October, Yeovil November are my certs for this year.
Good midweek game for a change in February - Wycombe.
Will pencil in Cambridge March and Newport April.

You wouldn't recommend making a weekend of it then?
Is there more to Morecambe than lots of very big caravan parks.

Fuck me, we're at home on Boxing Day! :pint: :pint:

I am probably being a bit unfair as it is a lot better than it was, and will only get better further as the gentrification following the opening of the link road to the M6 makes it 100x easier to get to and from and thus a more attractive place for people to live.

There is however not a great deal to do there, in fact I am struggling to think of anything as whilst they have imported a small beech now (Morecambe Bay is mud mainly and thus you often cannot even see the sea) its not that exciting see https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g191270-Activities-Morecambe_Lancashire_England.html , so if making a weekend of it I would probably stop there on the way to or from the Lakes or Dales?

Actually looking at it, its Morecambe Carnival on the day we play them surprised that they have allowed them to play at home on the same day?

My favourite Morecambe fact is that American Hip-hop legend Busta Rhymes lived there for a while as a young lad.

So Carlisle away, anyone stayed up there for the weekend or better to stop somewhere on the way back

Is that true as it is also suggested that he lived in Lancaster for a bit but I have never heard it mentioned by anyone up here? Making a few enquiries....

We stayed in a really nice B&B about 10 min walk from the ground when we played them the other year, but again as with Morecambe there is not a great deal to do in Carlisle although Newcastle isn't a million mile away on the train? 

Apparently so,he lived in Liverpool too.
His Aunty lived in Morecambe and he was sent to stay with her to keep out of trouble,Fresh Prince of Bel Air style.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://louderthanwar.com/busta-rhymes-grew-up-in-morecambe/&ved=0ahUKEwjTuMqfhc_UAhXiL8AKHXatCsMQFggcMAA&usg=AFQjCNG6pmT9e-ST958Wr7KeEV4305kSyg

Top man!

You can also do via the official site.

https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/news/2017/june/download-towns-1718-fixtures-to-your-calendar/

Yep noticed that 20 mins ago after I had finished the rest  ::)

There's a McVitie's biscuit factory in Carlisle.... I wonder if they do a tour with free samples  :hmmm:

It was badly hit by floods in 2015, taking dunking a bit far.

The official site have done that for about 3 years now.

If you like your 1930s Modernism and Art Deco, Morecambe's Midland Hotel is a bit of a gem.

Re Carlisle, the last time I went (thank you Eddy Murray) we had a night in Blackpool before driving up to step foot into Scotland and then dropped back down for the match. Funny Girls in the former Odeon is a hoot.

Have some friends in Lancaster, suddenly remembered that it's been a while since the last visit...

Where 'bouts?

Overlooking the canal near the cathedral, it's a really lovely place up there

Aye we didn't live far from there until we moved away from Lancaster, its a nice spot but city centre living is not for a 3 year old!

Carlisle to Lancaster on the train is nice and easy so a good place to stop for the weekend