Thetownend.com

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H71VEV1c_XE

Home of Filthy Animal.

2-0 Town, the march to survival continues.

For this track alone - Town 2-0.

Good lad, Chunky. :toocool:

 I suspect Spireites will be joining us in Div 4, in August. Is Ched Evans still turning out for them?

2-1 Swindon

Hard fought 2-1 win, Ajose double.

1-0 defeat. Back to reality.

Bench last game on way back from injury. Close 2-1 win to keep momentum going, then for the game in Burslem which will go a long way to shaping our destiny and deciding whether mystic Rev is going to be proved right of not.

Hopeful for a win and if we do then I think I'll make the trip to port vale next week. I still think we'll go down but there is a big difference between going down fighting and going down with a whimper. We were doing the latter, we are starting to do the former.

3-0 win please!

I'm going today so will undoubtedly be an awful defeat

After the season we've had so far I'm going to every game expecting a defeat and hoping for a win. The last 2 games haven't changed this. Every time I start to feel optimistic, like during the first half of the pox game, they trample my dreams and crush my hopes. Much better to experience unexpected joy than unexpected disappointment..

sounds good to me herthab.
--
part of me thinks we still have a fighting chance.

part of me worries it's a false dawn, the last two teams have been dogshit.

part of me knows the are only two 'shit' teams left to try and beat before a much harder run.

it's overthinking it. take it one game at a time, and fuck anything else.

4-0

Any win will do

I remember the 05/06 season, after a long autumn/winter struggle, we'd climbed to the lofty heights of 16th after beating the Gills 1-0 in mid week in late Feb. We had fellow strugglers Roverum on the Saturday...started well 1 up then 2-1 up but 2-2 at half time, so reasons for optimism, sadly lost 3-2 and never realy recovered again....backing it up with the 1-7 defeat at Forest. A classic false dawn.

3-1 win. Ajika to score.

Just so long as they don't see this as an easy points and take the win for granted.
If we can't win this then it surely is curtain's but in my opinion, 3 points at Vale is far more important as they have the games in hand.

C'mon Town!

On the plane about to leave for cancun for a mates stag (ridiculous I know)...by the time I arrive hopefully we will have secured a vital 3 points. If we have I think we have a chance!

No Ajose and colkett today. Suddenly not looking forward to the game with rodgers in the side

1-2

Gulp.

Less concerned about the prospect of Rodgers if he's replacing Colkett, one and the same to me.

No Ajose on the other hand.

My Ajose anytime scorer and 3-1 win looks unlikely to land today!

I was feeling confident but just saw the side... think we may lose, too many weak links. 1-2

Just about to leave saw the side not bothering now i will go down and watch lambourn and keep tabs on Twitter not hopefull too many weak links. I have not gone to the last 3 games so hopefully staying away means we can keep our unbeaten run going😀

Not one Chelsea loanee in the squad. Can't all be injured and enough space for some. Recalled maybe?


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Slightly disappointing looking side, not sure if its injuries but it does look weaker than in recent weeks.

Ajose is a big miss! 4 loanees out injured

Ajose(hamstring) out for 7 to 10 days, Colkett(quadricep) out for unknown length, both gone back to parent clubs for treatment.

Ajose is a massive loss. No-one else in out squad makes the short runs across people in the box. Big Jon will need to step up today in irder for us to keep this run going. Would like some reassurance about how long Ajose will be out for

Suddenly 7 loanees doesn't seem enough 🤣


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Is Stewart really that shit that he can't get a start ahead of Rodgers?

'Sliced wide by Norris'

'Thompson guides it high and over the bar'

Not sure if we are sounding better than them?

All I can make out is that they are defending in numbers.

Just wait for the quick counter attack and the sucker punch only shot on target goal from those northern cunts

not good, not good at all. no attacking menace

Norris having a mare so far. We've been the better side without working the keeper somehow.

Feels like another where there're there for the taking.

'Rodgers is good at these'
'Could be!'
'Rodgers with the free kick.......Its all an anti-climax!'
'Hmmmmm!'

The whole game sounds like an anti climax so far, from team selection/injury problems to the performance so far.

HT 0-0
'Town have struggled to create any clear cut chances against a side that was determined to defend'
'Set up with 6 across the back.....Content to soak up the pressure.'

How to ruin an atmosphere at a ground. Have Rogers in the team.


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Games been shit so far, they look absolutely atrocious. We are playing too slow, there is a shit load of space out wide but it takes us an age to get it out there and the space is gone.

Need to step it up, they are 100% there for the taking

Substitutes out training at half time except Goddard

Both Norris and Gladwin apparently look to have taken knocks.

It's been a shite game.

We are back to a slow build up with little movement.
L

The lack of attacking movement is shocking, no options whatsoever. Feel sorry for Norris as he's been awful and had some nasty knocks, needs to come off.

Nath and Branco look solid enough and Chesterfield have little interest in trying to score

Both ince and Rogers playing deep. Just not working. Norris is just getting kicked or falling over. Gladwin is in a world all of his own and brophy can't get the ball as he is always behind a chesterfield player and not moving.


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Hope kicking towards the second half causes a bit more positivity from the team. Come on town end suck that ball in the net. 


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What has Rodgers done wrong so far? Apart from Sky a free kick that was a bit too close to the area to get it up and over the wall?

Saturday crowd feels properly stupid compared to the crowd on Tuesday...and we were a goal worse off at this point in time!

Rodgers has had a decent game, Ince has been making some poor passes that the crowd would crucify Rodgers for.

The lack of width is because Gladwin and Brophy cut in every time, especially Brophy whose signature move is running the width of the pitch with the ball before losing it

Chesterfield one of the poorest sides we've seen here in a while.  If we can't take 3 points today, we don't deserve to stay up.  Passing game/build up play at times impressive.  But getting fed up now of watching us take ball to the edge of the box - and then pass it back neatly to the half way line.

I started watching my football at Swindon when we were led by Ardiles and then Hoddle and, to this day, love watching a well executed passing game.  But pls...let's have something tangible at the end of it.

Need to step it up, they are 100% there for the taking

This. However, we take an age to get going. Even with what we have on the pitch, there is enough on there to beat Chesterfield. Come on Town!!! I'll take a very shakey 1-0 Norris 77.

Goddard is coming on by the looks of it.

Chesterfield - 7 points away all season (Groan)

if by decent game you mean never making a forward pass of any note then yes.

Brophy is fed up hugging the touch line as Barry refuses to pass to him no matter what.

The frustrating thing is how w can produce12 efforts yet only2 are on target. Fucking horrendous against probably the worst side in the league!

OOTD...

Evans to score the winner?

We just don't sound like we will score today, get on Norn Iron Messi at least give him 10 mins to try and do what the others can't do.

White berates Norris for not 'breaking a neck' to get up with Obika who was doing all the work running at the defence.

Vale go 1 up v Sarfend :(

wallsall penalty v oldham....... score walsall 1-0 oldham (clutching at straws)

Looks like that's what's going to happen

Got just what you wanted!

Thomas for Rodgers

Fucking score you useless cunts :doh:

Southend level Oldham losing we so desperately need this goal

southend equalise v vale. 1-1 A late goal for us would be useful. very useful.

Shot blocked from Jordan Stewart

17 shots and not a goal :badmood:

TODAY'S OFFICIAL ATTENDANCE - 6,691 (182)

I'm unsure what's worse 17 shots and no goals or 18 but only 3 on target!

Come on town blood and guts....

Not enough shots on target, get your shooting boots on.

Please score Town! Please score! I really want to believe we can stay up. Pleeeeeease score!

Fucking hell

FFS!

0-1

Hello League 2

Disgrace

a win today would put us back in the mix this is so vital  .your fucking joke swindon a fucking joke

No fucking way! Those cunts should be fucking ashamed of themselves.

Arguably one of the club's worst results in recent history

6Well thats it for us now realy cant be bothered with these cunts in charge :smugfu:

I repeat. 'Chesterfield 7 points away from home all year'

Now 10 points!

No Ajose, no hope.

Conceded defeat as soon as I saw the team tbh

Will you just fuck off! You only fucking post when we're losing, do you get some 'I told you so' satisfaction out of this.  The only thing worst than a shit team are 'fans' like you!

This.

Oh dear, nail in coffin..

The only upside is that both Bury and Oldham have lost. While this late goal hurts, nothing has changed so chill the fuck out you that are acting on impulse. It was shit. We are shit, but there are currently teams that are also just as shit. Hold onto your hands because this will go down to the last day no doubt. Buggar. Gutted :( ???

That hurt. No upside. Pointless what others are doing when we can't do anything ourselves.

that was shit

Those Oldham and Chesterfield home games have been killers.

But, we are not yet out of this. Vale away is very winnable.

Exactly right, we cannot rely on others any more, our destiny is entirely in our own hands.

this

White:
- Ajose big miss
- Colkett also a miss in his own way
- Didnt create the chance we had in last games
- Williams will have his work cut out to raise the team
- Would have been a good 3 points with Walsall beating Oldham
- Very difficult. Dont think we got ball into the front 2
- Not enough movement from centre forwards
- Other centre forward needs to spin out
- Ajose dovetails better with Obika
- Lets hope we can get Ajose back as soon as possible
- Running out of games

If you want to retain any sanity, don't listen to LW interview

He is verbal Temazepam.

What shit has he come out with this week?

Dunno, I fell asleep :D

Williams:
- There is nothing too much to say
- They had one clear chance and scored!
- Last 3 games we played well. Chesterfield kept everyone back
- We didn't submit. We didnt for one moment stop trying.
- If the ball doesnt go in back of net we cant win
- The team keep creating, creating, creating but cant finish
- Stewart had great chance to score.
- Too many chances to score but just didnt happen
- Im happy. Not as many clear cut chances because Chesterfield had everyone in front of the goal.
- Didnt expect too many clear clear cut chances
- Obika, Brophy, two free headers, Stewart break.
- The best you can do is create 'something' which we did.
- Got out muscled in box for goal. Unfair to say that we switched off. Everyone was marking. Just out muscled. Would have been more difficult if it was lack of focus
- If you are in the dressing room now you are frustrated. Dont think we were dreadful. They are just feeling frustrated they didnt take one of the chances
- Easy to say Ajose and Colkett were missed. Know he combines well with Obika. Norris is frustrated that he tried everything
- Ajose record speaks for itself. He combines well will numerous players
- Colkett has something special. Developed a good relationship with Ince
- Rodgers: Fans gave him no chance at all. Made their mind up before the first whistle. Think he 'done fine'. Ran around hard. Course its not the outstanding part of his game but he tried.
- Dont know how long Ajose & Colkett will be out. Both grade 1 which is the less serious side of a tear
- Don't know until speak to Charlton about availablity
- Think we need to take something from this performance. We played to win and created chances against an organised defending team. We limited their chances to a minimum. We need to take some confidence.
- 10 seconds of football and it would have been different

Hats off to Williams as soon as it looks like we've turned a corner he produced that line up. We've done well recently because we have been playing the ball quickly so he puts Rodgers in the 1 player that slows the game down to a snails pace. Nortis upfront woth Oboka is never going to work and I don't think they linked up once all game. Hylton had to get a place on the bench today as he's the only other forward in our squad that is vaguely similar to Ajose. Not in terms of goals but work rate and managing to get some space. Him and Obika should have been the 2 up top. We need to pray that Ajose is fit next week in a must win game now.

Vigs - nothing to do all game
Barry - sumply not good enough
Thompson - played well and will be disappointed not to have scored today
Branco - played well and won every header
Boo - needed to get forward on the overlap to create width and space
Ince - not his best game but yet still the pick of the midfielders
Rodgers - most pathetic footballer we've got. Every time an opponent faints to go one way he has gone and the opponent has 10yrds. Delivery from set pieces not good enough if that is the only reason he gets in the team
Gladwin - exactly the same as last few performances. Needs to improve or will be back in non league. No attempt to work back
Brophy - effort was there but needs to deliver the ball quicker. Too many times did he beat his man or cut back onto his left foot before wanting to beat them again.
Norris - worst performance i've seen from him. Has to anticipate and score his chance in first half
Obika - tried to hold the ball up but had no one to pass to

Goodard - provided the most amount of effort when he came on today and can hold his head up.

Chesterfield were possibly the worst side to come here this season and had no interest in attacking at all. If we can't beat that performance today then we are in deep trouble.

Massive 6 pointer next week now lets hope Nicky is back and Rodgers is out for the rest of the season!

White:
- Difficult to point fingers at individuals
- Just didnt reach standard of last 3 games
- Didnt create guilt edged chances
- Really up against it
- PV have 3 games on us
- If we'd got something today and against PV next week things would have looked good.
- We need 6 wins including one next week
- Ince was absolutely outstanding. Only gave 1 pass away all game
- Did a brilliant job mopping up. We need 4 or 5 more players wiuth the same intensity
- Norris and Obika never dovetailed today
- Goddard runs with ball well. Doesnt produce as much as he thretens
- Gladwin potential match winner. Disappointing he went off
- Must win against PV. Most important for the club in years
- Need something magical
- Better calibre sides around the corner
- Chesterfield had no potent strikeforce. Couldn't see them scoring
- Already too late for them

Tragic performance all round barring Ince.

So many players who brought nothing to the table. Brophy, Rodgers, Gladwin, Norris even Obika was poor.

Pathetic.

He is seriously happy with the performance? No wonder why we've got no hope with him in charge! I don't think we created many clear cut chances and certainly wouldn't have put Stewarts chance down as a 'should score' attempt.

Fans have made there mind up with Rodgers because everyone can see he is shite! Oldham released him for a reason for fuck sake. But hey if Williams thinks its ok because he 'ran around hard' then we might as well bloody sign Mo Farah

Luke williams said that chesterfield didn't even try and win today despite the fact that they, well, won.

Only positive from today was watching a sparrowhawk eating in the rafters of the arkells stand.

We aren't down yet, but the manner of that defeat makes it feel like we are. Especially if you look at the teams we've stilll got to play

Classic false dawn.

Translating:
He was saying that clear cut chances are hard to create when a team puts everyone behind the ball. But, in such situations, its important that when you get a 1/2 chance you score. You can't win if you dont score. Obika, Brophy, Thompson and Stewart all had 1/2 chances. The team are disappointed that they didn't score. Also, we missed two players with quality. Those who came in tried hard but are disappointed that they didnt do better.

Didn't think Rodgers was terrible today, but he's fucked here as people are waiting for him to make a mistake so they can jump on him. Norris, for me, was the worst player on the pitch. Absolutely dreadful.
Shit game, played by one team who parked the bus and another who couldn't score if you parked a unicycle instead. And the ref... he didn't cost us the game, we did that ourselves, but he was fucking terrible.

How can we go from dominating a game like that. Then throw it away. Classic Swindon Classic Williams

Right.

We should have won that. Chesterfield were fucking abysmal, genuinely one of the worst teams ive seen here in years but they dug in and ground out a 1-0.

Vigs, Thompson, Branco, Ince, Goddard all played well. Ince is a beast, big fan.

Brophy played ok in parts but needs better end product.

All the others were poor, not good enough. Don't think Rodgers was as horrific as people keep making out, most of his set pieces were decent and he was getting stuck in.

We aren't down yet although that defeat has sucked away all momentum from us.

Decent attendance, shite atmosphere.

Rumour has it Sherwood offered a fan out after he was criticized, and asked him to take it outside. Said fan went outside, and was then told by Sherwoods heavies to fuck off :D

Love this club

what was it

In a relegation battle there's usually a game like this from which you think there's no recovery. A point while not what you want could be important at the end of season....to pass up that opportunity is very much the sign of a doomed outfit.

Would Tim sherwood *really* have his own personal bodyguards?

Only because you can't stop what you haven't started

You see this is the problem for me. There is a complacency, an acceptance of rubbish, a willingness to accept that a point at home against that rubbish would be "OK". It's not, it's fucking rubbish. Williams and Embleton are stealing a living. Fuck off, fuck right off.

6600odd I think

Agree. That's the difference between 'developing' people and a 'results driven' business. That's the crux of what eveyone is frustrated at.

 

The only positive is that most of the teams around us lost/got a draw. We still have a chance.

TBF you don't even develop players by accepting rubbish like that. You have to demand high standards and hold people to them. Williams and Embleton seem to accept very low standards of what is acceptable and are driving them down by the week. It's just lazy, complacent rubbish and making excuses for drivel. And that is reflected by what we see on the pitch - lazy, complacent rubbish

Not convinced the blame can be laid at the forwards door.
We had 20 attempts yet only 5 on target. I know not all the shots came from the forwards so it isn' only them who mis-fired. You can understand the keeper making saves but 15 attempts off target isn't acceptable from any player, i don't know what infuriates me more. Our lack of ability to hit the target or the fact that the only shot against us again on target and we lose from it. Chesterfield offered no threat at all but you just knew they would score if we didn't.
The performance infront of goal was fucking woeful shooting practice needed all round. I can't see us getting 3 points at Vale and that will make staying up a mammoth task.

I'm usually pretty optimistic when it comes to Swindon, but this team and management suck any positivity out of me. I didn't expect us to go the rest of the season unbeaten, but I did expect a bit more quality that today's offering. If that's all we can muster we are fucked.

and that sums up why we're going down. For 2 teams that needed to win, the first half was like a pre season friendly. The second half was better but due to the total lack of movement up front ( both Obika and Norris were shite) the ball was continually played side to side or back. Any player who got out wide managed to fuck it up. Boo, Barry, Gladwin and Brophy were dross. Other than Vigs who had fuck all to do the only players who come out with any credit were Ince, Thompson and Branco.
Chesterfield were shit and they won and thats why we're going down.
At least the sponsors had either a good sense of humour or were pissed or both. It was nice to see the MOM not bother marking or even getting within 10 yards of the player who scored. .  

When your man of the match you get to do what you want and no-one can moan because you must have been the best player on the pitch.... i honestly think Barry would take a MOTM over 3 pounts

TODAY'S OFFICIAL ATTENDANCE - 6,691 (182)

100% agree just wish everyone else could see it too!

Problem is they will be saying the same thing about us.

Worst Swindon team plus management/owner ever.Fans who say at least we're not in debt/going bust open your eyes.We on a rollercoaster horror ride and will be playing on cow fields like Hereford before we Know it.

No. Not being in debt, about to go bust is good.

We just need to accept that the price for stabilty is playing at a lower level.

The question is how much lower? 

Torquay who we've played plenty of times down the years are currently doing a Stockport, another old adversary, heading for Conference South, whereas Rovers and Oxford both bottomed out in the Conference.

This 100%. We were absolutely pathetic today and Williams thinks we did well?  It's an insult to the supporters watching.  There were a few moments that caught my eye during the game where Williams showed what an utterly clueless twat he is. The applauding and thumbs up for pathetically over hit balls and applauding players running up and down, but actually achieving nothing. The other was when he called Barry to the touch line during play, kept him talking and Barry was then subsequently so far behind play an attack broke down.

A point wouldn't really have been acceptable, to get nothing is shameful.  Too many of that team looked completely disinterested and too many are not good enough for League football.  As soon as I heard Ajose and to an extent Colbert were injured, I had a feeling we'd struggle to score.

I didn't join in with the cheering when Norris and Rodgers were substituted, but can't help but wonder why Williams thinks either are good enough to start a game we needed to win. And who the fuck does Embleton think he is pouncing around the pitch after the final whistle expecting applause?  They can all fuck off as far as I'm concerned and I won't be renewing my season ticket whilst the current management team are still in charge.

Why,there are plenty of clubs doing much better than us who are tiny clubs with tiny support but massive ambition.

It's the price you pay when developing players for sale and profit takes precedence over winning games and club progression

It's the price you pay when the owner knows best even when wrong.Pity he used to be a footballer, too much influence on the playing side. For the players  :beers: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: for fucking it up,grow a set will you.

Ignoring the football side of things totally, the mascot day was great.

Luke Williams took time with the kids, seems a nice guy.

The squad were acommodating before and after the game with autographs and posing for pictures, etc.

George and Brenda are great hosts for this.

Phil king was Phil King!

the food was even nice

Let's look at a club like Fleetwood, once their owner has had enough then they'll be proper fucked, and will doubtless do a Rushden when Griggs called it a day.

The reality is that we can't compete with the likes of Bury, who fly like Icarus, close to the sun.  You'd like to think we may be able to bottom out in Div 4 next season....even Blackpool have done OK this season, the example of young player generating Crewe a bit more worrying, but back to back wins have helped them enormously.

Burton would be more in my thoughts,non league ground in many ways and also Brentford who the fuck are they.

I thought I saw a sparrowhawk. Thanks for verifying Dave.

I expected the worst when I saw Ajose was out, it was confirmed when I saw the lineup. Rodgers alongside Ince with Gladwin out wide made no sense at all whatsoever. The game was crying out for changes and we bought on Conor fucking Thomas.

The only credit today can go to Thompson (despite missing two good chances), Branco and Ince. The comment about Williams and Embleton stealing a career applies to a select few as well, it's incomprehensible to think that Barry and BOO have managed 50 senior appearances each, never mind the absolute joke of a player that is Brophy.

There was no movement, no urgency, no effort, no first touch, no brains. Everything was predictable as was the eventual winner that always felt like it was around the corner, no matter how well Thompson and Branco defended today. I couldn't believe the players had the gall to look despondent at the final whistle - what the fuck do they expect?

I'm done, I'm not making the effort if the players aren't either.

Well what can you say about a performance like that, how the fuck Williams can sleep at night after that I don't know.  Pedestrian would be my description!  Of course they came for a draw but we allowed them to get ten players behind the ball at every opportunity due to the slow, lazy way of playing.  The two full back were shit really, neither can go around the outside and continually cut inside into a congested area.  We looked a little more balanced with Goddard on the left, he did head towards goal but super coach made another switch and put him on the right where he didn't appear so effective - but a much better bet than Gladwin in that position!  Rodgers tried hard but was awful, the free kick that almost went over the Bank and the shot in the second half that almost went over the TE summed up his day!  He didn't deserve the jeering he got when substituted though.  This performance was nto good enough and listening to Williams makes me throw my dummy out.  Before the game he was bigging Chesterfield up - getting his excuses in early.  I don't know about a few players growing a pair, Power needs to grow a pair and get a proper manager in that can motivate.

 it's incomprehensible to think that Barry and BOO have managed 50 senior appearances each

Amen..........Wouldn't trust them to clean Michael Pook's boots.

Rodgers is and always has been shit.
As is BOO  Barry  Thomas  Dorris   Brophy   Power   Williams   Embleton  
We are fucked.

The players we own you mean.

yup

Actually, heard a player talking on the way out, "we'd have been as gutted if we'd drawn" was the gist.
------------

Apparently so. One of the guys in hospitality was talking about it before the game. Said last match he was there TS arrived with a big brick shit house bodyguard, walked through, didn't say a word to anyone/pose for photos or in any other way want to be involved with any of the great unwashed in the expensive seats.

His point was why the fuck does TS need a bodyguard..
-----
The game was utter dross.
The loss of Ajose is massive, Doris is crap.
The introduction of Rodgers slowed the midfield too much, but appreciate options are limited.
Chesterfield set up to defend. Appreciate its not easy to break down a team like that, but we didn't do enough. Don't agree with Williams at all about chances and dominating. We had a lot of the ball,  didn't produce one quality chance.

Ince was the other (Robins suite) MoM. He and Barry were asked about it all, especially moving the ball quicker. His point was that doing so and forcing it leads to losing it more often - and they were looking to get the ball and lump it over the top .

We presumed the two blokes that came out were just his mates to make sure the unwashed didn't cause any aggro. It's even more hilarious if they genuinely were bodyguards.

Burton's owner has always made shrewd decisions on manager recruitment...they are a non league set up, and may very well go the way of Burton's other 3 Football League sides into oblivion in the next few years....the fate of Swifts, Wanderers and United might haunt the dreams of the few Albion fans, but I doubt it.

Brentford have been a league club as long as us, have finished as high as 5th and 6th in the top flight in their time.  They're also owned by a mega rich fan Benham....who's put approx £90 mill of his own money in. It would be good to have our equivalent, but we've got Power.... so we may have to accept the Conference.

Yeah, I was talking about a previous game. Didn't see any this time, but I was sat very near him today and he was talking to a big guy next to him. Not sure who that is..probably just a mate.

The guy I was taking to about the body guard said this bloke stood at the top of the stairs with his arms folded (presumed he meant the Arkells stand stairs...)

[Insightful]
He did a little shake of the head when Rodgers was subbed, presumably at the crowd reaction... [/Insightful]

Just home, so I'll focus on the positive side.

I like Ince a lot.

Any news on Gladwin's knock?

He should have made so much more of his chance immediately before half time.  Seemed to want about a minute on the ball before committing to a shot.

He must be embarrassed to have joined this omnishambles

Replacing Colkett with Rodgers and Ajose with Norris was a huge mistake in my opinion.

Rodgers and Ince are too similar, surely the sensible choices would have been Goddard and Stewart/Hylton/Feruz?

Or alternatively thought it would be a piece of piss to look good, put himself in the shop window and fuck off to another club. Would be stunned if we kept him.

Are you pissed?

I should have explained that a bit better. Clearly Ince and Rodgers are leagues apart in quality but Rodgers isn't exactly like Colkett is he?

Sorry I'm not making any sense, my position was a more creative player should have replaced Colkett, not the inflatable dartboard.

I understand. Ajose was a massive miss but colkett reminds me of a 5 year old who's lost his mum in the supermarket.

The black guy with short dreads and sunglasses? We noticed him a few games ago.

Good, glad to hear at least some of the players feel that way. But that wasn't what the "manager" said, and it was his acceptance of mediocrity/dross that was my point. If you don't demand the very highest standards from your team, if you're constantly making excuses for what is clearly not good enough, if you're continually dressing up shite as "Quite good apart from the result" or "Nearly there but we were a bit unlucky" then you are telling them that "OK" is good enough, and that is all that they will aspire to. And fall short of. By doing that, you are not protecting your team, you are failing them and they will continue to fail because of your lack of leadership. He is letting the players down as much as the fans.

Williams should be apoplectic. He might be behind the scenes, but I doubt that is the case.

This.

First time in all this clusterf***k of a season that I really felt in all honesty that we are looking at relegation, I must have left my rose tinted glasses at home because they were certainly working until today.

I cannot for the life of me understand the team selection/tactics that allowed a poor, poor opposition make us look just as bad. I also cannot understand the total lack of commitment by so called professionals who cannot be assed to work hard, run, chase, pass accurately and do the basic things that any self respecting footballer at any level should be doing.
 
Whether they will take a long hard look at themselves and appreciate the mess we are in I doubt very much, as they can trundle off to another club and pick up the money on offer without having to do what I suspect is a large majority on this forum do, and that is really have to work for a living.  

Fixed it for you

Even better.

Can't disagree.

Think Williams is too nice for all this. Probably thinks he's protecting his players, but sometimes they need a good kick.

TBF I wasn't even advocating that. Just that he sets, and demands, high standards. No need to kick em up the arse, run them through freezing rivers, hairdryer treatments or throwing teacups etc etc. Just set, and demand, high standards. Don't accept mediocrity and certainly don't make excuses for it.

I refuse to believe what he says and what he really thinks are the same thing...
It doesn't matter either way really, we still lost.

Evidently we seem to have hit a perfect storm.

A perfect storm of shitness - worst owner in the club's history, worst manager in the club's history, up there with the worst squad of players in the club's history - all at the same time.

That's why we're going to get relegated and that's why Conference football in 2 years is a very realistic possibility.

Nothing's changed.
We are 3 points from safety, as we were.

Wrong in my eyes.

We've wasted a home game against a shit team when every opportunity for 3 points must be taken.

Also, we've lost our best striker for an  undefined amount of time and we've played poorly after 3 good performances.

The league may be as you were, the future of our league 1 status is not (IMO)

Yes it has.

this

Sadly that is the background for our immediate mid term future.  Last season was about struggling to maintain our Div 3 status....which was happily achieved.

However the warnings weren't heeded, and it was pointed out unless these warnings were acted on, this season would be a battle against relegation, and so it has proved.

We should know fairly early in the summer, if Power cares a jot about preserving our league status, as without significant change it will be under threat.

I'm no great fan of Power's but worst owner in the club's history? He's not even the worst in the last two

Fair point, that.

It is a fair point.

But it works both ways, Johnny is clearly not waiting until he's finished to judge.

Not a great performance but certainly didn't deserve to lose. The over reaction on here is ridiculous. I didn't see a lack of effort and were chesterfield better than us - no. So we have outplayed Oldham, cov, gills and chesterfield and should have got more than 7 points - 10 minimum.  Still all to play for and I for one think we will stay up. Get some perspective chaps - otherwise you might as well be those cretins abusing embleton at the end. Absolute bellends and I include those who cheer when Rogers gets subbed - what good does that do?

Do Blackpool fans have to wait until Oyston's gone to judge him then?

I agree with Johnny, we won't know for one way or the otehr until he's gone because there isn't enough information in the public domain.

The Oystens are different though, they are clearly fucking Blackpool, clear cut.

We certainly didn't outplay Chesterfield. They were terrible and we played to their level. And we've been "should have" getting points all season. It's why we are where we are

And that's why I think we are fooked. Fine margins, chances not taken.

Hope you are right, obviously.

More possession, more shots. I think we did.

I don't think the margin was that big though. The possession was mostly pointless, the  shots of poor quality.

We outplayed them in terms of possession and shots both on and off target as per the last 4 games. They got lucky at the end.

That should have been nothing more than a consolation goal for them though. We had 90 minutes to beat them.

I'd have been disappointed with a point today. We didn't even manage that. 

This about sums it up for me.

I crawled back....I thought we had improved and showed some fight...alas...

I cannot bear Rodgers but he did no worse than anybody else today.

Ince was outstanding should of signed somebody in that style in the summer or November.

Chesterfield offered very little and a hit and hope cross Un did us.... The very thing we should try, instead of sideways passing for ten minutes and trying to get the beat the same man ten times before crossing....get the fucker in there. We are not good enough to play this way!!

A point was no good at all, we didn't even get that! Hopeless.

Ref was a prick....how can you stop a game when somebody gets hit with a ball FFS!? But he didn't lose it for us.

For me, we are down.

I was surprised by the play being stopped for that, is that a new rule owing to concussion etc?

Twice we had play stopped on the edge of their area for their players being down, which play only restarted by them kicking the ball back to vigs.... fucking ridiculous.

Ref was a fucking drip.
Our fans are cunts.
Everything is shit

Anyone who thinks Lee Power is the worst owner in the clubs history because we might get relegated to league 2 is either forgetful or stupid. Yes, some of the football we have had this season has been plain awful, and the management has been shit, but our club isn't currently going into administration last time i checked and doesn't have a chairman who either doesn't care or who is actively bleeding the club dry. We have been in worse situations. League 2 for Swindon is hardly unfamiliar territory in recent years is it? I am not happy about the fact we're probably facing the drop but to call for a change of owner is fucking ridiculous when all he's done is put money in, save us from the taxman and a bunch of shysters and let the management be a bit shit.

I'd say that Williams was one of the worst 'managers' we have ever had

To Honkytonk....Blah Blah Blah Blah blah,same old well at least were safe.How long do you think this model can go on without going to the wall.So many of the few season ticket holders say they won't renew.£10 tickets at various local businesses are still too much for the entertainment value of games.Real die hard fans have had enough and don't go.
But at least were safe.

Few season ticket holders? What?

How many's a lot?

If he uses season ticket numbers to say what each seasons budget is what type of player will we see next season?

So those that do go are not real die hard fans?

Felt a bit (only a bit) sorry for the players yesterday. Only one team set out to win the game but came away with nothing.

However, the quality and nous was just not there yesterday - set pieces, shooting, final balls; the build-up was way too slow against a side who parked the bus.

This is (again) where Williams fails - he's unable to come up with something to counter opposition tactics.

Still, it was a defeat to a team with the worst away record in the division, who are in poor form and on yesterday's evidence, total shit. They'll be back next year.

And I didn't see the sparrowhawk.

Bollocks. I've renewed.

Yes, it's shit. But it is STFC.

This.

Lose against Vale and I'll really start to think we're finished (again) but if not I will continue to hope against hope that we can pull off a small miracle. Can't imagine we'll come up against any more 5 man defences. They stuck to their game plan and got that one break that they needed, absolutely sickening.

Sent from my SM-G930F

Whilst I agree with most of this I dont think anyone knows if he's bleeding the club dry or not. Given our crowds and transfer fees received we should be able to afford better players and coaching staff.

You seem to have viewed the game through the same rose tinted glasses as Williams. Maybe you are him?

I'll reserve worst owner in history, if we are in the same position next season (in div 2) he'll get my vote.

just trying to get my brain adjusted to being a division 4 side for the foreseeable future (if we go down)

soapy tit wank  Pedestrian pace was ultimately our down fall, allowed opposition to get their banks of defenders in front of us!

Which is why I don't think we outplayed them. Possession without purpose, without using it, is futile, it's sterile football, surely we should all know that by now? They were happy to let us have possession as they know we do nothing with it. If we'd dominated but been unlucky then yeah, maybe we outplayed them. But we didn't. We pissed about and did nothing with the possession while they sat back and watched us flounder. Two shit sides, in a futile sterile balance

If nothing changes with the club structure I fear we may well be facing the unthinkable trap door this time next year . we are sleep walking our way to non league oblivion and there is a certain amount of apathy towards the club and power that surely once relegation is assured needs to stop before it is too late

are you being argumentative for the sake of it? I don't disagree yesterday was shit, I don't give a crap about possession stats, but on the basis of chances created we outplayed them.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39086452

Hadn't realised we created that many chances tbf, probably because I never thought we had any chance of scoring them. What's the opposite of rose-tinted? :)

I could accept unlucky if this was the first time this season but when it's repeated it's not unlucky. The lack of movement is unbelievable for a professional team. Someone on here a while ago said our players don't run and he was right yesterday. We also do not attack the ball. We wait for it to bounce and the deal with it. Our wide play is fucking atrocious.

Ive noticed this before. Our movement off the ball is inept.

I don't think we had much more than a half chance to be fair.

not sure I agree with Williams naming the Stewart chance as stand out, I don't recall him making a pig's ear of it.
----
I've lost patience with Norris, feel a bit sorry for him but he's adding zilch to the attacking threat.
and Gladwin. lazy shit.
and boo, one footed no quality.
and Rodgers, can't tackle.
and and

wait, think I'm on to something

brown tinted

Just watched the Sky Highlight(s) for my weekly footy fix - sadly my team never touched the ball this week  :(

Disagree with that on the basis of yesterday at least, Thompson, Branco and Ince attacked the ball and won nearly everything. Obika and Norris to a lesser degree fought for everything but both had a shocker.

The most shocking thing for me yesterday was the lack of basics: no movement off the ball, poor passing choices, awful first touch and terrible decision making. I guess some of this can be put down to lack of confidence but if Williams can't get them to keep it simple and focus on doing the basic things right then we are fucked.

It spoke volumes as well that Ince, Thompson and Branco all tried to take matters into their own hands and inject some urgency and our best attacking moves came from these.

Eeeuuurrrggghhhh!

what movement ?.

I am a fan that's been going since 1972 so no I am not Williams - maybe twice his age apart from anything else. Just enjoy watching and supporting my team and totally fed up with the incessant moaning from fans. Yes it's not great at times but i remember Ken beamish's side and I don't think even he got the abuse that Williams and embleton gets. Seems that the  current supporter is less patient and some of these idiots that can't wait to moan are my age! I sort of understand the youngsters not having patience but the old farts like me for fucks sake get a life support your team or stay at home.

Good balanced view. I think ajose and colkett missing was crucial as Norris very poor and Rogers was ummm Rogers. Obika clearly not the same impact without ajose and although Brophy and Barry both had good moments we didn't create enough guilt edged chances.

It's not as if that performance should come as a shock against a team that packs it's defence. Last Tuesday's game was much the same until we got a break in the box and took a half chance.

Apart from the two missing key players, everyone else played as they normally do.

I'm an infrequent attendee/part time fan who is normally quite optimistic so the performance came as a shock to me.

Although Chesterfield sat very deep, there was still space to exploit which we failed to do and our lack of urgency also allowed them to regroup and get back in position.

I guess the key to a possession game is of course to keep the ball but also be able to play at pace, 1 and 2 touch passing, lots of movement and playing in triangles. In our play off season this was our style of play, directed mainly by Mass. now I don't think we have the same quality of players and so our movement is poor, passing slow and thus we are nowhere near as dangerous.

We still play a similar style but an 'easier' way of playing. That's my take on it anyway.

You are correct Bob, it's the lack of pace that kills me - allows team to regroup and get behind us thwarting attacks which we usually allow to peter out as we have played a stupid ball, whilst looking for the sort of ball that DeBruyne can play with ease but our players are incapable of doing so!

To top this thred off heard Thompson is all set to go at end of season. Really hope my source is wrong.


Sent from my iPhone

I've heard similar. I would not be surprised and if I was in his shoes I'd get the hell out of here.

heard that from a few places, didn't Mr 'excaliber' Phipps mention it (as rumour) in a Washbag article?

He needs to go for his own good, quite agree :(

I think we can take that as a given!  Good luck to him, gave us 100% in his time here, just a bit unlucky with injuries.

This.

This has been known for months....we will have very few players in the summer left over from this season.  

Which should be regarded as a good thing, other than the fact that in Power's time the recruitment has got steadily worse.

Every reason to expect, as this season, a completely unbalanced squad, managed by Luke and Embers, struggling to stay up.  The only good thing is that only 2 drop from Div 4 as opposed to the 4 in Div 3

Not very interesting things I learned on Saturday:

1. The boardroom is no longer a board room as such. The big table is gone, replaced by a couple of normal tables used for hospitality by directors and guests on match days. The room has been made bigger.
2. The Debonnet cup is indeed in the trophy cabinet after being lost in a cupboard for several decades.
3. The legends hall of fame "name board" that Fitton started is no longer being updated (the hall of fame continues).
4. There is more hospitality capacity in general now (compared to 2010/2011).
5. The mascots have a nice dedicated mascot changing room (the old boot room). The grotty old gym room they used to use is now a boot room..
6. The hospitality food has improved.
7. Rohan Ince is tall.
8. The old youth Milk Cup  that was held in Ireland is being resurrected in some form.
9. Luke Williams comes across as a decent sort and is good with the kids (obviously). Just ignore the football side :)
10. The squad seemed happy enough to pose for photos/sign things before the game - guess its a normal part of the job.
11. Mrs B says she enjoyed seeing the players. I asked which ones. "Don't know, wasn't looking at their faces". Reminded her she was at least old enough to be their mum..

Superscoop Batch.

The Milk Cup hasn't gone anywhere - just renamed: http://www.supercupni.com/

Indeed, although be interesting to see where he goes as I suspect he won't get as much leeway from fans/club elsewhere on his lamentable injury record.

But there have been so many injuries this season I dont believe it is just down to players being injury prone, you have to question coaching, physio's etc but there is no talk of this it has to be looked at you would hope to see if there is anything that is causing or attributing to all the injuries - maybe even the training ground that is being used

I'd imagine some of the injuries are where the player just doesn't fancy it. If the team was winning, they'd be fit, as we're losing they're not.

During the early part of the week they are training on a 3G pitch - that cannot be helping.  Used to go to Highworth on Fridays but at the CG last two weeks.  Wonder what is happening at the new training ground, thought it was meant to be up and running this season!

Oh yeah, well they meant we'll be back in it next season or something. #alternativeFacts

edit: OK we had a team in it last time out. er ??

Its not just this season, he has always been injury prone, although perhaps he would be less inclined to try and play whilst very obviously not fit (and then get injured quickly again) if he were elsewhere?

I don't disagree, although that's unlikely to be the case for Thompson. Not that you suggested it was, of course.