Thetownend.com

Love an evening game under the floodlights against a big team.

They're top of the league and flying, what could possibly go wrong?!

We beat Bolton away, no reason we can't spring an upset tonight (I'm forever the optimist!)

2-1 victory (Ajika) and getting everyones hopes up again that we can stay up.
Crowd 6,802.

Don't give up yet you fucking cunts.

COYR

I want to say 2-1 Swindon, but I reckon more likely 1-3 defeat

I cannot see past another defeat.

What will be, will be.

Looking forward to May whatever happens before then.

Billy sharp hat trick.

Sadly I think another devastating defeat is on the cards, accompanied by "Williams Out" chants from the time our pretty approach play is shown to be inadequate as the Blades grab their first goal in the 20th minute. 1-3.

 Free shot tonight.

The season has gone, the lads might as well go out and try and enjoy themselves, especially those who've got a contract for next year somewhere. I suppose a bit more difficult for those that haven't but a chance to impress watching scouts from Boreham Wood or Braintree.

You always find that these sort of games touted as banana skins for the better team. But I can't see it this time. I would think it will be 1-3 at best.

Putting aside the Oxford connection, you have to say that Wilder is just the sort of pragmatic lower league manager that we could do with.  It's quite amusing that he was hounded out of Oxford, but has gone on to much better things.

I gave up a couple of months ago.

Can't see anything but a comfortable win for the Blades

 Fans might travel in hope to Sheffield, but if any chant for Williams' head they are ungrateful tossers and I shall condemn them from the comfort of my own keyboard.

If they travel to Sheffield they'll be travelling in vain. It's a home game.

0-3 loss

We'll lose.

Interesting article on the washbag suggesting 48 points might be enough. 4 wins. Where they're going to come from I don't know.

The Oldham, Chesterfield and, to some extent, Vale results have killed us. 5 or 6 from those 3 and we'd probably be just about alright.

4-0 Sheffield United I'm afraid. Oddly though I think we may find it easier to play our 'Swindon Way' against them as they won't come here to defend with two banks of 4 which is usually effective against our impotent tactics as we just pass it side to side and backwards very slowly, so our young players can learn the game and get to know the ball. Nevertheless, we can't hit a barn door with a banjo so its probably irrelevant. If we are lucky though and get a point we could start on a Luke Williams run of 3 draws is a win, which looking at the fixture to come may not be a bad return ::). A big positive is Barry isn't playing, but sadly Branco and BOO will be.

0-0.

Would be happy with a point.

5-5 with 1341 hairy arsed Blades in a crowd of 7386

Been downhill ever since Feb of that PO season. Be pleased to see them promoted at long last - they've more than paid their dues in this godforsaken league.

 Any  guess on the gate tonight ?  if power had looked at Bradford way ( cheap season tickets ) & they have about 10 thousand  plus  people who bought them & they regularly get double  town gates  &  when they weren't in playoff position  still had good crowd because they weren't pricing themselves  out of the pockets of  their fans ,  they listened to them when  they couldn't afford  prices can you see power doing the same @ town ?.
The gates are only around 6 thousand @ C.G. because people  bought  s/tickets  heaven knows how many  will re-new next season  depending on league we are in  ?.
Followed town for 53 years & NEVER felt this low .

Fitton reduced the prices of season tickets and we didn't even get 6K. If you half the price you don't get double the crowds. Plus, Bradfords population is over double Swindon's.

I've followed Town for 20 years and I've definitely felt lower than this.

When?????????

IMO, Maurice Malpas and Paul Hart was worse than this, product wise..

Mind you, I still went regularly when they were in charge, not so much now..

Exactly.

If you gamble on cheap season tickets you need someone willing to make up the difference if (when ) it doesn't achieve the desired financial rewards. Power is not going to do that. And in this case I don't blame him.


Don't think I have.

Just in case anyone hasn't seen this and is interested..

(https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/17264648_1450411871665320_3658156173812161638_n.jpg?oh=2464345dd962724a05ce456db4e34c95&oe=5968BB5F)

Oh, well if you mean team quality then that's a slightly different question to "whole package/club direction".

On the pitch we've been this bad before, and will be again.

Whole package I guess I felt similar to this when we went down under Iffy, and had a debenture hanging over the club. I couldn't see that regime spending their way out of division 4 either.

Its the lack of hope things will get better, that's the killer.

Thanks Bernie, I may add it to my collection of relegation and failure mementoes (see Jimmy Quinn team photo and  Wembley tat x 3)

Every time the club's existence was on the line for starters...

1-3 defeat.

I expect us to lose but I've accepted relegation already as we are due it.

Since I've been a season ticket holder we've generally got relegated every 5 or 6 years so we are due another now:

94/95 Div 1 to Div 2
5 Years
99/00 Div 1 to Div 2
6 years
05/06 League 1 to League 2
5 years
10/11 League 1 to League 2
6 years
16/17 League 1 to League 2

In fact there's a bit of a pattern developing.....

On the pitch, I was angrier when we were relegated with seasoned pros like Lucas, Douglas, Frampton, McGovern and Sheehan, other players like Caddis, Cuthbert, Ferry and Ritchie and the goals of Austin.

Relegated below Plymouth, who had a 10 point deduction.

I wonder if we will see the return of 3-1-4-2 tonight - I have that feeling with the comments about Barry and not wanting to put in Dabo as he is to young etc that he may try that again to try and surprise Sheff with our setup

Just like to point out that we're not actually relegated yet - probably yes, but you never know!

Hoping we'll go with a back four. Something along the lines of Thompson, Branco, Conroy & Jones.

much along lines of when better Swindon side were totally outclassed by Wolves and Wigan at home around this time of year and got right thumpings 1-4 Sheff Utd. Ajose with late meaningless consolation in front of 7120 mainly due to the 1600 down from Sheffield to avenge their play off defeat

Feeling low and feeling angry aren't the same. With that side you could at least see that the enforced sales of Austin and Morrison in the window, was a problem which ultimately cost us. You could see based on previous that giving Wilson time made some sense, you could see that Hart had a record of rescue jobs when he came in late.  Definitely anger that the players just seemed to clock off.

However, there was some rhyme and reason to it.... this season has just been bizarre, as more or less everything has been self inflicted, which I think is the reason people have this sense of hopelessness for the future.

They're gonna stick four or five past us. Have fun.

If we went non league Powers model would be totally fucked as it's hard enough to get Premier League loans in L1 let alone non league and it's very rare that non league clubs sell players for £500k let alone in the millions so his opportunity to make money would disappear. Only way he'd allow the threat of non-league is if he has given up or doesn't give a fuck any more which is a different issue.

I'm not going tonight.  This is the first time since having a season ticket that I've chosen to miss a game which I could attend.  I even saw it through to the bitter end in 2011.  Not sure why I feel differently this time, but I do.

It will be interesting to see what the crowd reaction to Williams is tonight.

We are 11/2 with Bet365 to win at home. Jeeeez.

I'm going. No hope or expectation of a win, but I'd rather be at football than stuck in watching shite on tv...

I'm going because that's what i do but i don't give a fuck about it. I couldn't give a shit if we win, lose or draw 5 5.

If we pulled off a last minute 2-1 win are you saying you wouldn't care? Or if we won 4-0?

Of course he wouldn't..... It almost seems a competition over who can say they care the least at the moment...

As per my post earlier we get relegated every 5 or 6 years and I accept that. It's what we do!

Probably not. This season is done.

no Vigs tonight :(

What actually happens to our players in training?! No vigs, no Boo, no Jones, no brophy

vigs was carrying broken thumb.

surprised Jones not in instead of dabo or Gladwin . is he injured again or just victim of the 5?

not liking the look of that

Good point about Jones i forgot about the 5 loans. Vigs has been playing with it for a while and was quoted yesterday saying how it feels better than it was. Seems odd for him to miss out based on that injury after playing for weeks with it

Power has probably sold Vigs already and booked a holiday to the Maldives for him and tactics Tim with the proceeds.
(well, that's what they would say on the mong facebook page)

the issue i have is no sub GK or defensive cover on bench. suppose Thomas can provide the latter.

Training on a 3G pitch doesn't help!

this could be embarrassing tonight  :suicide:

If I had a mortgage it would be on the Blades. So maybe we'll win.

We train? I had no idea.

Player playing up for anyone else? Only getting a faint murmur out of mine. And hiss.


Or is that the sound of the crowd?

Panic not! Don't worry, we've all missed the game. According to the Adver Match Day live, kick off was at 3.00PM!

But don't you think it's sad that so many of us are feeling this way or that there is an acceptance of relegation?

Looks very empty tonight, pic of the town end is as empty as I can remember it being for a while

Self.foot.shot.

And there we go. Another goal gifted away

Do they not realise that Sheff Utd are top of the league & don't need any help.

the real pisser is that despite being on top. Sheffield united haven't looked that threatening yet

branco just pushed their goalscorer over.. soapy tit wank.

Simply simple

And that's 2-0 and I'm out.

Cricket score on the cards, or will they do what Wolves did that season & declare at half time

going to be a massacre

Fuck off williams and the rest of this piss poor weak ass side.

Roll on next season when we might actually have a side that give a shit. This lot are an embarrassment.

Clear em out. Staff included.

the whole lot need getting rid of.

Absolute fucking joke of a club we've got

Its already a cricket score 2/0

Only if Williams, Embleton et al get shown the door

....in fact every score is a cricket score unless both teams score more than 10

Part of me thinks that this is bollocks, worst back four in a long time, no chance of getting anything, we're doomed etc but this game is a free hit. The ones that mattered have gone.

The second we're mathematically down, every loanee should be fucked off. Every player out of contract and not being retained should be fucked off and we put out the youth team.

Off the pitch I have no real issue with Power. On the pitch we're a fucking mess and we need to start from scratch.

And Branco.... is there a worse player to have played so many games? He'd struggle to get a conference side. Please, god, he goes this summer.

Everyone (except possibly Goddard) has been beyond dog shit. Every other pass misplaced, every touch heavy or over run.

Horrific. Has Gladwin actually touched the ball without giving it away half a second later?

Cant believe I have only seen 2 games since xmas at home even though I have a ST such is my apathy towards the club I can't remember being so disillusioned with club.

As long as Power is here it will make zero difference who is manager.

He is here for his wallet no other reason. And he has ripped the heart out of the club

Missed the middle part of the first half. Thought it was still 0-0!

Not sure whether to bother listening to the 2nd half now.

1-2 Colkett

Seconds into 2nd half!

goal, what a half time team talk

did Williams give Sheffield u's teamtalk?

Williams has obviously given Sheff Utd their half time team talk instead of us :)

Inspiring 1/2 time teamtalk by Williams?

SNAP

Double snap (sort of)

Boring

Sticking with the cricket theme, it's 1 for 2. Pretty good figures, those.

Snappety SNAP

Fuck me sideways

2-2 Gladwin !!!!!!!

fcuking Gladwin never does anything

GLADDERS ALL OVER!!!!

Oh my giddy aunt!  :eek:

Hockaday chuckling and commenting that this is a different team we are watching.

Boddies in the boxzz?

Well this is new and exciting.  Still plenty of time for the hope to be quashed.

To be fair. Gladwins shot was just his heavy touch.

Well I'll be honest, I didn't see this coming.

I can't even....

This is gonna be 5-5 again.

2-3 Henry gives ball away

oh well

Saw that one coming tho!

Play top of the league, completely gift them 2 goals.  Nice one

7 points from safety now

Can we quit this pointless shitehawking about at the back already!

Unfortunately so, Henry doesn't appear too good with his feet.

We won't be selling him to Man City anytime soon then ;)

same as Branco then

3-3 !!!!!

Doh! Ajose off side

I know Sheff Utd are playing poor but i'd rather us go down with some fight (like Vale have shown) than just accept teams are better than us. Remember, form continues from the end of the season. So even if we do go down, at least having some form will take us into league 2 with a little more optimism. Rather than being a bunch of wet lettuces!

OHHH SWINDON, I LOVE YOU (even though you out me through the mill)  :pint: :pint: :pint: :pint:

FFS! Penalty

2-4

Petula Clark   Downtown. original version https://youtu.be/Zx06XNfDvk0 via @YouTube

Gift two goals pissing about & a penalty chasing the game against the team top of the league.

But we won't learn any lessons, we will keep making the same mistakes.

The only thing you can say is at least the players had a go in the second half.

2-4 FT

Hardly surprising and a good fight back but the over playing at the back grinds my gears.

Can't wait for the next Power hour phone in.

7 points and -6 goals behind Oldham. We are done.

Very good.

Pexit.

Hockaday:
- Questioned Obika dropped back
- In second half playing Obika and Ajose upfront made us more threatening
- 3rd goal killed it for STFC
- Huffed and puffed but couldn't get back in game after that
- Realist in him says STFC going down
- As a player you have to think about getting wins
- Scratching his head. Seen Town cause best teams problems. Just cant sustain it for 90 minutes
- Its not unlucky that we lost.
- All for playing out from the back, but when things not going well and no confidence, then dont mess about with it in your own box

We are the most bizarre team to try and support. Look like shit one half, then look like we could win it, and then lose it all over again, all in the space of 10 minutes.

So Mrs Donkey's team are off to play Barcelona or some such, and we're off to fucking FGR or Dover.

Bunch of twats.

Can't see us getting more than 1 point from the next 4, we are down imo.

I'm sure there will be another twist in the tail yet....

nope, we are down IMO

Vigouroux is off then..

So bad first half Sheff got complacent and let us get back in it and we gave it a go to be fair.  Usual issues of mistakes at the back, too many lightweight played, no options on the bench and a ref that didn't want to upset the table toppers.

Third goal for them is just a shocker at any level though and poor old Henry became a nervous wreck thereafter. On the basis Vigs is gone next season I thought Henry might be able to step in but I think I've changed my mind as he just is nowhere near ready to be a number one. You don't realise just how good Fods and even to an extent Vigs are with their feet until someone else steps in.

Hm. Not sure about that...unless Brophy and BOO are off too. Sounds more like disciplinary...

Fucking hats off to Williams here. Credit to him for what he has/is saying right now. Circumstances aside, but good on him.

Not a dull Williams interview tonight.

Williams is MAD, but he can sleep at night :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

It sounds like maybe Vigs, Boo & Brophy may have been caught doing something they shouldn't have

Suppose so, not that matters much now I guess. Any ideas what happened?

BOO has shot his bolt then.shame it was his attitude that led to his downfall and not his lack of talent or he would have gone ages ago

Williams
- Terrible mistakes
- Shame as we did some good things
- Boys want to play but there are no hiding places. Know Henry is talented but he needs to learn
- Sheff are a fantastic team.
- Tried to go toe to toe in first half and struggled. Longer the half the more it looked like Sheff would get more
- Pressure immense. My job to find ways to motivate them and push them on.
- One thing fans want is for us to win. If we don't we have to show we are trying hard.
- The players have done that in recent weeks
- Embleton suggested diamond and Obika further forward at 1/2 time
- Thinks Ajose goal was not off side
- Vigs. Need to know people are committed to this fight. If we are not good enough thats fine. If we are not fully committed its not fair on the fans. Thats why he was removed from squad
- Vigs, BOO, Brophy were not prepared for this game. Not acceptable.
- Will take criticism, but Williams is giving 100%
- Can sleep at night as he's tryinging hard to show respect to fans.
- There are times when players can get away with stuff. Now is not the time. Now we need players to knuckle down and do everything to improve
- Problem with people not preparing properly. They should have been resting, recovering and preparing for a Tuesday game. (Suggested BOO in big trouble)
- We can beat anyone in the division when we dont make stupid mistakes
- Vigs and Brophy: Williams was made aware of something yesterday which affected team selection for tonight. He wouldn't comment whether they come back into contention for Saturday.

At least tonight he sounded like he gave a shit, which most of the time he doesn't

BOO's been on a downward spiral ever since he was told he was the new Kieran Gibbs. Next stop non-league.

Never heard him so angry. Too late now, but might shake people up a bit.

Obviously out of order if they've done something but shouldn't this really be the final nail in Williams coffin as pretty much says the players have no respect for him either.

  Just shows you what people are thinking behind the scenes.  Sad as Vigs has been our stand-out player this season.

BOO should have been fucked off out after the laughing gas incident.

Fucking idiot.

It reminds me of Aldershot (and then Gillingham) away under Di Canio, when the players went out celebrating whilst PDC was away after one of his parents had passed away.

Not sure that they didn't respect Paolo

I'd say the opposite. Only might have worked better to have had this crisis a few weeks back.

Yeah but difference being the 'celebrating' aspect, very different to the current situation. This combined with Hylton stropping off doesn't suggest a great deal of respect.

Doesn't feel so long ago that we held them at the CG with a Barry Corr wonder strike. Nine years apparently. Biggest surprise is that Corr is still playing despite his body being flakier than our defence.

Back to the game then - first half we were really poor, no shape very little fight.  Gladwin was the proverbial passenger on the left wing.  Second half a change of formation, Gladwin put just behind the front two (beaks pushed further forward), Dabo pushed forward leaving a back 3 and suddenly we were back in the game and playing well.  I would like to see the disallowed goal because from where i was sitting Ajose came from behind a player to score but that decision to disallow it was how it went for us all night, the ref allowed them so much and blew us up for any little infringement.  The 6 committed a really bad tackle and was only yellow carded - but hey ho, that's life at Swindon.

Not really sure how I feel about the game today. Accepting the inevitable loss I suppose.

We defended well up to giving them the first goal. Then we were awful. Then they scored again. Then supercoach realised that Gladwin isn't a fucking winger and put him at the top of a midfield diamond. Colkett scored a wonder goal. Gladwin scored a good goal. Then we shot ourselves in the foot.

It was nowhere near our worst performance of the season. But who the fuck cares. We lost again.

Just got back...that was awesome,fight,desire,energy and brilliant atmosphere.Pity i was watching Leicester getting through to the next round of the champions league.

Just read the Willliams post match from NMH.

For fucks sake. What the fuck. Boo can fuck off now.

Out on the piss? That's my guess.

Sounds as if it was BOO, Vigs and Brophy (poss Stewart too?)

Very worrying development regarding the lack of respect obviously shown towards the club, themselves and the manager. We are definitely down now. I've renewed for next season I just wish it would come sooner rather than later. Obviously a massive rebuild required and hopefully some valuable lesson learnt by powers regarding player recruitment. I don't hold Williams really accountable. He is the front man and had to face everyone. He has been given a turd to polish and polish it he has tried,  it's fooled no one it's still a turd. I don't know how people will take this but the best way of us getting back and having a decent  season is bums on seats. Sheffield united are there not because of a great manager it's the budget he has been given and it's the bums on seats that have done that.


Sent from my iPhone

Should have been fucked off even long before that. Just for being a shit footballer.

Amen

Fucking shambles of a club. And I just renewed my ST. Fucking retard batch, I'm going to up cunt myself.

Williams IS accountable as is the whole regime.

Bit late in the day to be the big tough discipline manager now. Right or wrong.

We aren't going down because they go on the piss or puff laughing gas.

Not fucking good enough is the answer...players (Power/Sherwood), Manager and the Coach.

Total shambles, dogshit season and the future doesn't look any better either.

Batch did you pay on credit card? if so use section 75 of the consumer credit act.

Surely that's the first time Mr "Firty Free Feavers On A Frushes Froat" As ever mentioned "Work Rate" and "Tackles" in an interview.
A bit late in the season to question work rate and expect the little kiddies to put a tackle in.

I'm just venting. I'm going next season, the kids enjoy it. Well they used to.
---
My and the eldest (12) were talking on the way up, he was telling me about some older kids smoking weed.

I told him that if he did any of that shit at his age I'd murder him. His response was it would be worse to lock him in the bedroom with a Luke Williams post match interview mix tape.

He's learning :)

Maybe BOO is on of the mongs on the Facebook page making critical comments about Power & Williams and got caught.
Stupid prick, next stop Supermarine

Yep, sounded like the 3 of them were on the piss to me.

Had a bit of sympathy for the bloke and understood where he was coming from, in that he's giving everything he can to get us results (whether he's any good at that is another matter), but a few of the players have probably decided we were down already and thought they'd get away with taking the piss.

If only Williams had shown balls like that earlier in the season when things were going tits up, he'd probably have a bit more respect from everyone, and possibly we would have seen a bit more from the players. all too late now though.


What fucks me off so much is that we can clearly play and trouble sides, but we can't marry that without fucking up catastrophically once a half or being completely toothless off the ball.

And the most catasrophic thing of all is that this has happened against such a poor group of teams in the bottom third of the table. We've played some absolute dross that wouldn't look out of place in a pub league, but we still find ourselves below most of them because of basic errors, lack of energy/fitness and calamitous over playing at the wrong time and place.

 :suicide: Hello League 2.

Well where to start with that one.

Henry - unbelievable mistake but didn't look comfortable with the ball at any stage of the game. If we thought he would be ready to fill in for Vigs next season then sadly we were wrong. A lot of learning to be done still.

Thompson - looked assured back at right back

Branco - weak link in the back 4. Time he was dropped for Jones but impossible to do with the loan situation and the untouchable players

Conroy - impressed me and the first time i've seen him play in his natural position

Dabo - I rate him highly and would love us to sign him but can't see him dropping to league 2. A big mistake led to the first goal but continued to work hard and did not shy away from the ball

Ince - battled well but unfortunately needed more support against a good midfield

Goddard - has something about him but we just need to see it more. Could be a big player next season

Colkett - great finish but always wants too much time on the ball

Gladwin - offers no work rate, constantly loses the ball and can't tackle

Ajose - made good runs but was never found. Was a yard offside for his goal.

Obika - had a poor game and only won 1 header all match

Unfortunately the team is simply not strong enough. You can't afford to have Gladwin and Colkett (and to some extent Goddard) as 3 of your midfielders. They are luxury players who don't have the work rate of an Ince which is what you need in a relegation battle. Gladwin can fuck off simply for having the cheek to tell the Arkells  to sshh after scoring. He'd be better off realising how shit his performances have been if the Arkells are even getting on his back!

Whilst I understand the reasoning for dropping the players it does appear that he is starting to lose the dressing room. Surely Power has to look and take that into account. He lost the fans a while ago and now its going onto the players. I think a defeat on sat and then against Millwall could be the end for him and us. As for the stewards taking the banners at the end that just means more should be brought to the next home game

Why would Supermarine sign that tallentless shite?

And given you a good idea for his next punishment!

If Goddard is a luxury player god help us.

This, very much this.

Colkett I think could do quite well in a good team that can compensate his weaknesses.
Gladwin thinks he is better than he is. He has a goal in him true enough. He has a reasonable passing range.

I've used the analogy several times, but signing those two players in a relegation battle is like bringing a knife to a gun fight. Ince compensated for them a couple of times, but can't do it all.

And while Ajose and Obika are good enough, they are being wasted because we can't get the ball to them in the positions they need it.

BOO is a fucking waste of space anyway, bin him off at the end of the season, in fact he lives not far from me, ill even post his p45 for him

I was struggling to work out if Nathan was RB or CB. He kept coming into the middle leaving them acres of space. Defence was a total shambles. First half was a shitting on. We're down. as panda paws says put the young ones in. Get rid of the loanees and those out of contract. What's the worst that can happen.

First half was a total mess, second half was quite entertaining and we showed some fight, but the mistakes keep repeating themselves. Williams has had two years sorting these mistakes out and he hasn't and every week he prattles on about learning. 'Do something about it??'. Too late now mind. The squad is mentally week and ill disciplined and he is responsible for that. Power might sign the players but I understand Williams works with them, trains them and picks the team. So in essence he is the manager and clearly an appalling one at that. Players going out on the piss, clearly shows a lack of respect for the club and manager, the guy has to go, at least at the end of the season. There is no point getting rid of him now.

My worry is next season, there is just nothing to hope for, no sign of change. At the moment I think its just going to be more of the same. Surely, Power has to be thinking about next season. He has a chance to signal his intent, he needs to give us something to motivate the fans and give us some hope. I can accept relegation, I have seen it before but after each relegation I had some hope for the following season. I have none at all now and with a massive rebuild ahead I am deeply concerned for the future of this club and its league status.

Anyone know why Lee Power left at half time?

I would like to go back to the CG again, but there are more enjoyable ways to spend £25 or whatever it costs these days. 23 to 27 years ago it was enjoyable, but the last 20 years? No. Maybe one or two good seasons, but we're never going to have a club any higher up the leagues than where we are now. Shame.

Exactly in a relegation battle you want people who will run through brick walls for the club. After admitting errors in the recruitment policy this had to be rectified in Jan. Unfortunately we all seem to see it very differently to those in charge. On paper each of our midfielders individually are probably better than anyone in the bottom half of table, yet collectively teams like chesterfield are better as they all have the desire that unfortunately some of ours are lacking. I honestly feel Gladwin will be back next season purely because no-one else would take him. If I was manager I don't think I could justify signing him. 1 goal for every 20 shots he has over 5 games is hardly prolific and thats without the fact we basically play with 10 men with his work rate

Of course whatever has happened with Vigs etc has now deflected attention from Williams slightly, which is probably why he was quite happy to talk about it during his interview.

It is an absolute shambles from top to bottom.  As suggested above, I'm really not sure more bums on seats would see an increase in our budget.  Even if it did, I've got little faith in the right players being recruited based on the last couple of seasons showing.  It's all hypothetical anyway, season ticket sales for next season are likely to drop considerably and we're hardly likely to encourage new fans with a shit manager and shit players. Power has been extremely quiet of late, which increases people's mistrust of him. Were him and Sherwood in attendance tonight?

I bloody hope Gladwin doesn't come back. Him in league 2...oh dear.

Because we're shite

On attendance, 7,012 tonight. Must have been 1200 blades there. Inevitable I suppose.

I was told by a steward that tonight was the fewest fans in the town end for a league match for 9 years(!). I have never seen it that empty!

What can be said about the match...the 10 minute spell after half time should not mask the pathetic 1st half and lack of threat there after. Henry was woefully out of his depth and hopefully won't be considered an adequate replacement for Vigoroux.

One final word on BOO. Caused the club to be a laughing stock with the laughing gas incident, photographed posing with champagne in a local night club after a derby defeat and now out on the piss before a critical match as we look to avoid relegation. Surely he won't play for the club again?

Not many positives from tonight and the result was no surprise. It was the first match I've been to this side of Christmas so I hadn't seen any of the new players before. I didn't realise Gladwin was playing until his goal. Colkett's finish was excellent. I was extremely impressed with Ince. His passing accuracy must have been close to 100% and he was actually playing good balls forward and trying to create chances. Henry didn't cover himself in glory but he is young and was playing against ruthless opposition. There seems to be very little hope we can turn it around now, especially if Vigs is out of contention.

Boo you are so non league.

Really don't think it's worth bothering with the club in it's current guise. The majority of the players don't give a shit and even if they did they'd probably not be here next season. As mentioned already it's an utter shambles from top to bottom. Only change in the near future would be via a change in owner, which is highly unlikely. For me and maybe longer, I'll leave going back, as much as it pains me. Now have to work out what to do with about 50% of my life!

He went into the town End to help unfurl the Williams Out banner!

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

So, rumour has it Vigs, Brophy, BOO and one other, out in cheltenham on the lash and got into a fight.

Hmm

Thought Conroy was decent last night. I'd like to see him and JSW as a pair next season.

Sent from my SM-G930F

Does anyone know what the 5 year or 10 year plan is for the club? Can't say I've seen one.  :sherlock:

Stewart?

First half was exactly what I was expecting. Sheffield Utd looked stronger, quicker, more organised and were playing with confidence. Their first goal was totally avoidable, stupid individual error. Their second was a perfect illustration of our defensive frailties.
When the 2nd half kicked off I was already resigned to us losing, but we scored 2 great goals in quick succession and the fuckers got my hopes up (again). Utd's 3rd... fucking hell. Branco and Henry re-enacting an episode of The Chuckle Brothers, to me, to you. Soft as shit. And this was when we were on top. Penalty, from my view, looked soft.
Felt a bit for Henry. Apart from the 3rd goal I don't think he did much wrong. Gladwin scored a great goal, but apart from that was pretty wank.
Too many individual errors. Too many examples of miscommunication. Too little organisation. Too many poor decisions. Lack of responsibility. Lack of effort from some (notably Gladwin). Just a few of the reasons we'll be watching Swindon at Yeovil next season. Could a new manager improve the above? 100% yes. Most of our problems stem from overplaying the ball and choosing the wrong option. I can imagine Williams telling them to 'Go out there and express yourselves'. What we need is a manager who will give them clear instructions that play to their strengths, not give them an inaccurate belief in their abilities. Keep hearing Williams is a nice guy. We need a horrible cunt that will care more about results than being liked and more about Swindon's development than individual loan players.

Having said all that I'll be back next season. If you're a casual fan and you stop going because the 'product' isn't to your liking, fair enough. But I'm getting a bit bored of the countless cunts who profess their undying love for the club and in the same breath say they're not going again until Williams is sacked, or Power leaves, or we change our style, or any of the other shit reasons they spout. Don't want to go? Don't go. Don't want to renew you're season ticket? Fine. But please stop pretending it's because you love the club so much.

Apparently so, thats the name ive just seen mentioned on the twitter rumour mill

To be fair have we ever had one?

Bang on. I know, whether we're in League 1 or League 2, I'll be looking forward to the new season, signings, a new manager and seeing how the season unfolds... If you want to be a moaning cunt and take no enjoyment from football, fine. My enjoyment is not dictated by what league we're in, or who we're playing.

<insert lost/lack of fight joke here>

Great post Herthab - sums up my thoughts entirely

Well, I for one admire your patience.

Such shit has been spouted since, well, since as long as I remember.

Has anyone seen an official away figure for last night? We seem to be purposely avoiding releasing them at the moment.

I will continue to go but its out of duty and the hope that things get better. You appreciate the good times more when you've been through the bad times. I don't get any enjoyment out of it at the moment and haven't for a long time and I don't expect to in the near future either. I will go in the hope of enjoying it again, not an expectation of doing so. This might make me a sad individual but its my club and I love it but I hate just about everything about it at the moment. It wouldn't take much for me to be enthused again, a little bit of pragmatism would help but this self destructive ideology at the expense of everything else will drive fans away. It won't drive me away but I understand entirely if it does some / most.

I think I'm beginning to fall into this bracket now... Although I'm not staying away because I particularly want Power or Williams to leave, I just cba to drive for an hour and pay 25 quid to watch a bunch of guys that cant be arsed whilst being thoroughly pissed off by people around me spewing nonsense, it's not enjoyable at all. Might sound mad but I felt genuinely hurt by the performance against Oxford and I haven't been since.

I'll probably catch a couple more games this season and I'll be there at the start of next season but at the moment, it just doesn't feel like it's worth the effort. And this is from a 'happy clapper'! It's a shit way to feel about something I've always been so passionate about. I guess apathy does begin to set in as you get older?

I'm kind of half way between this and herthab tbh. Renewing but with no sense of joy about it at all, more a grudging resentment and a feeling there are much, much better things I could be spending the money on. And tbh even some really fucking stupid things that would still be a better use of the money

^^^^this covers me

Yep, I'm in the same category.  I'll be renewing but with a heavy heart.

This will be my 9th relegation season and they have all hurt in one way or another. 

This one was totally avoidable though. 

On a positive note I think we need about 15 or 16 points to stay up

Its only 5 out of 8.

Keep the faith.
We go again.
The lads are working hard on their beer bellies

 Next season could be really exciting....we've never been engaged in the sort of existential battle that the likes of Oxford and Rovers have had... namely for FL survival.

Because let's face it the current set up isn't up to standard and massive changes will be required.

I'd like to think Power would accept that he's made as much as he's going to from STFC and put the club on the market.

Failing that he needs to face reality and do something about our chronic lack of competitiveness, that doesn't involve loaning kids from Chelsea.

Erm apart from the three seasons we had to go through the reelection process (1932/33  1955/56  1956/57)

Got to love Reg, getting his relegation prediction in for next season already.

Also under Macari's first term in charge we were languishing in 16th place in Div 4 in October, but before then under Beamish we were 17th place in Div 4 after 39 matches and only 9 points outside the re-election zone.

This will be my 8th relegation (counting demotion in 1990) and yes as PF says they do all hurt, some for lack of talented players, some for lack of commitment by the players, some by bad management, some by lack of investment on the pitch and some by poor financial business by the Chairman.

Unfortunately this season it seems to be a combination of all of that in parts.

The part that does genuinely concern me is that it seems Power will not employ a manager with some experience, so even if Williams leaves or is pushed I am 99.99% certain that he will be replaced by another inexperienced manager, which has worked in the past several times but with Macari, Ardiles, Hoddle, MacMahon, PdC and even Wise they all were allowed to bring in their own style of play and their own players....something Power will not offer any new manager.

The other thing is that Power refuses point blank to sign any player over the age of 23 on a permanent deal, what I feel our defence would need is a couple of older head that can marshall the defence on the pitch and lead the team (like Ward and to a lesser extent Ricketts a few years back) but that will not happen with Power in charge as he has stated as much in his last interview.

There has to be a balance of experience and youth, we cannot rely entirely on youth.

Sums up my feelings.

Sent from my SM-G930F

There was little realistic chance that a club with our history wouldn't have got re-elected.

So for example in 56 we got 42 votes, compared to Headington's 0. In 57 we got 42 votes compared to Headington's 0.

Incidentallly the other 2 Div 3S applicants were Palace and Norwich both of whom have spent many years in the top two tiers since.

Of the pre Macari Div 4 years again there was never any realistic chance we'd end up in the re-election zone and even if we had, the nod would have been given.  Maybe less certain post Macari, as we'd fucked off plenty of clubs.

Of course, Tonker it's a bit early to predict struggle for next season, however we're talking about something which starts seriously in about 4 months, Power has just wasted that length of time when a relegation scrap was staring us in the face.

Why would you think that the needed complete overhaul of management and playing staff will be completed in that time frame?... for me the available evidence suggests otherwise. We saw in the window the only permanents are some bits of kids, with little experience, whist you can carry a few of these in a squad, you need some experience. Sherwood conceded as much back in December and promptly did SFA about it.

Our only salvation maybe only 2 down...which if the case for this year, would be something we might just achieve.

We are doomed

Likewise I will renew and feel a fool for doing it but couldn't image my sat's without my football fix and blind hope we can do something good

My lad keep's wanting to come to games so I may bring him / torture him with a few more games next season, then he will understand why I go home after a game pissed off 

You would find that exciting?

I think that confirms what many already know

Yep. We're all different  :)   A proviso though, the relegation fight will need to be successful, unlike this campaign.

By moving to the USA, I have essentially take the FM "Go On Holiday" approach - somebody nudge me when it's time to come back.

When you think about it, most people must be like Reg - how on earth does sport survive once any sort of financial impact is imbedded?  As with most things competitive and involving money, very few teams are ever a success - so most people watching sport know full well they are in for a shit time.

I know I do. I certainly don't support Swindon for the glory and I don't think I ever have although we were much better when I started actively following them.

Ultimately, I support Swindon out of family tradition and nothing else (although I'm the last one standing in that respect)

Except Reg isn't having a shit time. He is, actually, enjoying this. He's in his fucking element.

That's Reg but Costanza, were Social Services ever alerted in your case?

or is Reg your granddad?

Ask Reg. Was he, erm, active around West Wiltshire during the early 80's?

After all, Trowbridge has had a thriving Polish community for many decades...

I've always loved the visceral buzz of the exciting things in life.... football was one of the first I discovered, at a tender age. All the other usuals followed... scraping, birds, booze, drugs, music, poetry, art, travel etc. 

Somehow amongst the angst and bodily fluids, an intellectual detachment got applied, enabling both being able to live in the moment and give a considered opinion on the same events.... a sort of ying and yang.  So I can suffer and analyse at the same time.

Unfortunately it's going to take us until October to get that many points :)

The thing is fans always need hope  that things will change and all will be ok.We all know our limits as fans and a club (same crowds and division for me since late 70s). However for me as life changes my club has become less important.For me that is the saddest thing as I have been as passionate as anyone on here for years.There are lots of reasons for this but the most important thing for me is being a fan .Once that importance gets taken away there is little left. Sad but true but under the present owner if fans are not important enough there lies the problem . Really can't believe that even I gave up hope last year but utmost respect for those who still fly the flag .

"I'd like to think Power would accept that he's made as much as he's going to from STFC and put the club on the market. "

So once he flogs off Vigoroux, and gets in a few quid for Brophy maybe, there will be no other worthwhile assets any one would pay cash for, so can we hope that Power will happily up sticks and bugger off if anyone is daft enough to pay him off?

Superb!

We'll have to pay a club to take him off our hands if anything.