Thetownend.com

Woke up with a good feeling this morning. 2-1 town.

1-2 MK. We hardly ever do well against these cunts

Close 2-1 win

Expectation, bigger than normal crowd, increased pressure, optimism... Looks like a recipe for disaster...

Lucky you, i just woke up and had a shower!!!  2-0 win!!

Our last 10 meetings with the club stealers have resulted in: W1 D1 L8 !  An improvement in that dismal record is overdue.  Today would be a good day to start. COYR!

We need to win end of.

We've got a team full of bottlers. They've done alright when the pressures been off, now they've got a whiff of a chance they'll bottle it. Dabos midweek press conference confirmed that when he said these last games are difficult because we've got something to play for.

 Nervy 2-1 defeat

I've not seen us lose this season... 1-1

Think we'll lose today largely because we have a bad recent record vs Franchise and they're actually a good side (they've underachieved considerably this season).  Think it's the hardest remaining game.  

I think that they need a win today, I know that statistically they can get their points from the other games, but I feel that they can either take off on a run and gain confidence from 3 on the spin or finally sink!!!

Definitely red to win the National and Swindon to win today pays about 35/1.

I'm backing it but reckon we'll draw today. 1-1

I am going to this now, first game of the season.  Don't blame me.

The last time I watched Franchise at the CG we won.

0-0

Town 0 MK 3

Never seen us beat this lot at home and we always bottle it when the pressure is on. Hope I'm wrong.

Decided to go,now's the time this lot prove to me it's not the worst squad ever.Like everyone said we  ain't too good against this lot so a win will be massive.

Last time i seen us win was Coventry at home,long time ago now.

Haven't got a fucking clue what to expect. Don't like those franchise cunts so would be good to shove it up them. Leaving in a minute for a nice 30 minute stroll down cricklade road.

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4-0 town big win today

its the hope that gets you.

1-0 Town

STFC World Player up to its usual tricks.

Sounds lively and end to end so far.

All them at the moment, lots of good chances, hitting the post and making Vigs make a save.

Definite pen

Pfft. It really wasn't.

We sound under the cosh a bit so far.

Pen to Dongs.

playing very pedestrian . was a pen. cunts

0-1 FFS.

Colkett is a lazy cunt

We've been shit. Nobody picking up second balls.  Not working hard enough.  A big second half performance needed or we're down.

The stewards are wankers as well.  A couple of blokes along by us in the Arkells just got thrown out for producing a banner. Pathetic.

Given the performance, I assume Sherwood is here. Very poor, after a decent opposing 10.

Was going to say we were lucky to be level at half time, then then club stealers scored.

We haven't looked at all threatening to be honest.

Need to play a lot better in the second half if we are going to get anything from this.

As for the pack the county ground. I'd guess there are a few more here than in recent weeks, but not enough for the club to consider cheaper tickets regularly

2 blokes ejected from The Town End after only 15 mins or so. Bit of a scuffle at the time but no idea what it was all over.

Some fun and games for our near(ish) neighbours Reading away at Norwich...losing 6-1 at HT :D

We,re doing the classic Swindon, not dealing with a team getting right into us, routine at the moment.

Not good.

Should be 1-1. Not sure we'll get a better chance.

Colkett needs to use his eyes

We sound very poor today, back to normal :(

Results around us are not going our way.

League 1 is ebbing away from us. Performance not good enough today.  No urgency whatsoever.

Get in Beaker!

Just switched on and Obika scores!

Switch off on switch on again

Switching off

Oh God it's the hope...always the hope

Switching on - Have we scored again?

FT 1-1

1-1 I am mostly happy with the result if not the performance.

If we beat Wimbeldon we should still be right in it.

If.

Fucking if.

I hate that word sometimes.

And coupled with the word "only" makes it even more deadly.

We could lose next week and STILL have a chance, depending on other results.

This is cruel.

A poor performance, accompanied by baffling tactical changes and substitutions but we live to fight another day. MK had chances galore and were even clean through after we equalised but their composure was already on holiday. We had our chances with a poor 1 on 1 Miss from Goddard and we wasted some good chances from corners. The equaliser has given us a bit of hope still though...

Its going to go down to the wire, probably dependant upon getting a result at Charlton last day of the season unfortunately.

Williams:
- Can look at it 2 ways. At times we rode our luck. But we also carved out some chances
- Obika: Not his strongest foot. Ajose wanted to push it in on the line
- Obika never stops running
- Started very defensively. This opposition was very good. They have players who can run past you or pass through you
- Starting this way is good if you score first, but harder if you dont
- One mistake, a penalty and we had to chase the game
- A preach everytime dont tackle in the box. Block or hope something else happens
- Set team up in similar way to last 2 weeks. More defensive and give nothing away
- Means playing with no width. Makes it more difficult to create chances
- Second half we opened up, played with 3 central defenders and more width.
- Tried to be brave, but had to ride our luck giving away several one on ones
- Vigaroux was excellent again. Making svaes he has no right to make. Taking crosses and dealing with things for us.
- Not worried about the performance today. The opposition were good. For periods of the game they were better than us. That's becasue they had no pressure on them and could enjoy the game.
- Conroy: Possibly a nerve issue. Needs to be checked out.
- Probably need 3 wins out of 4. We'll try. The opposition today was good. We beat Fleetwood and Millwall which were two good teams.

Shite.

It's Goddard through on goal, squares it to Ajose, WHO SCORESSS.

Except he didn't.

Three wins out four needed. That's it.

It sounded pretty shit but every point counts as they say.

Fingers crossed Scunthorpe get into a position where they can't go up or down in the table and do what we did under Cooper and play their kids to save themselves for the play offs.... not that we couldn't still manage to lose though!

Lucked a point today. Post x 2, crossbar, Vigs and shit Franchise finishing saved us from a thrashing.
So slow and ploddy in the first half. Marginally improved in second. They gifted us the goal too, well not quite as Obika still had a lot to do.

Good summary, poor performance over 90 mins, ref a total wanker - allowed Lewington to get in his ear throughout the first half which resulted in Ince's booking when to me it looked like he won the ball, thereby we lost our only bit of physicality.  We hardly won a second ball and how many times did we give the ball away from our throw-in, sadly we started slowly and allowed them to boss us - they will feel aggrieved at not taking three points.  One final point, we seem to have a lot of skillful footballers who sadly lack a brain at times!

Any word on Conroy? He's been good since he came in, big loss.

Haven't read back.

Summed our season up.

Didn't match or create against a mediocre side.

Pen WAS a pen, he got goalside....A pen.

If it's being billed as a cup final, it should be played and managed like one. Shit or bust... It never happened.

This is why we will drop....

Three up front FFS.....Go for it.

Williams needs to look at the league table and the stats...

It's shit....

Good to see Power and Sherwood absent again. Expect us fans to turn up and cant be arsed themselves.

Salvaged what could be a crucial point. We were gash. On to the real Dons.

Sent from my SM-G930F

Ey? That absolutely went for it! Branco was still up top after we made it 1-1, we had 2 in defence!

think he meant from the off, not just the last 10

Let's not get ahead of ourselves, we should take each defeat as it comes.

It looked like he tweaked his hamstring straight after HT, Brophy was stripped and ready to come on but he carried on. Real shame and a big loss if we lose him for the remainder of the season as he's looked head and shoulders above the others.

Disappointing as a point isn't enough really but we were OK. Colkett needs to fuck right off though.

Don't care what people say about tiki taka, tippy tappy, tikka takka, Goddard, Rodgers, 'FORWARD!', Ronald effing McDonald, the reason we're in the shit is because we defend like we did for most of that second half. I've seen alcoholics turn down free drinks with more grace than we let men into our box.

partly trueElls, ironically the goals against don't reflect the truth of the matter. 1 goal against in 3 games hides it.

Williams hasn't produces a defensively capable side since, well, ever.

we were goal shy too when relying on Noris and co, that is the other half of the issue. if we had this squad in September we may well have been fine
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thanks sonic, bad bad news then as they'll be a few weeks if it's gone.

And Connor Thomas.

As I said to herthab and DRS today, I'd have taken a midfield duo of Michael Pook and Matt Hewlett over Thomas and Colkett.

Colkett was crap. Dreadful performance.

Goddards one on one was an awful miss too, probably had too much time

Colkett reminds me of a poor John Smith, seems to think if he can play with flair and do the odd turn he's put a shift in. Baffling he was brought in really.

doesn't help Williams calling him vital to what we are trying to do, and needing the Kleenex after taking about a single pass in a game we lost. And the club tweeting him doing a flick, literally a flick..

He deserves credit for the pass that lead to last weeks goal, and the cross that we scored from v Coventry. But in terms of influencing a game/physical presence.. no. and that's what we needed. Ince can't do it all

Bloody hell

Today, I saw a man with Pook and the number 19 on the back of his town shirt. It wasn't a shirt from Pook's time at the club

Correct!

Probably fatbury

My first game of the season. We are awful. Should have lost by 6 or 7

I've been to far fewer games than most on here but that wasn't anywhere near as some of the performances I've seen!

Astonishingly not (I was with sonic when he saw said shirt, which had the "Men Utd" numbering on the back which I think is from this season isn't it?). So there's two of them out there!

er, yes and yes.

at least Wembley disappointments aren't likely any time soon...

Their no 6 was every bit as bad at finishing as we were, that was pretty much what saved us from the spanking we deserved

Very lucky to get away with a point. Their no 6 was the only worse player on the pitch than Colkett who seems to think we pay the money to go and watch him flick the ball without looking where the fuck its going. Today he was a total liability. The challenge for the penalty was unbelievably dumb. I'd happily ship the cunt back to Chelsea. MW were bigger, fitter and faster than us and should have won by a margin. They should have had a penalty before Colkett's lobotomy.
Our midfield apart from Ince were total shite. Colkett and Thomas have as much physical presence as Charles Hawtry. Thomas didn;t even have the power to lift any of his crosses off the floor.
Conroy impresses me though. 

Generally shit but we stuck at it and got a leveller. It could have easily been worse though. MK should have had a couple at least in the 2nd half. We are still in it though and still not down yet. Got a good habit of scoring late in games recently. Just need to stop conceding.

A point we didn't deserve,a poor game,same old backwards and sideways football until the final 10 mins played by the most frustrating poorly advised bunch ever.

Three games unbeaten. What more do you whinging bastards want? We deserved fuck all today, not by a massive margin but nothing none the less. Sooooo a point was not pointless yet. Still all to play for. May go to another game at £15 per adult. If we go down we go down and power will have to dig deep to get us back up to see the value of his asset restored.

As for the game today I can see the issues we have that you regulars have been subjected to all season. We are trying to play like we did the seasons upto the play off against PNE without the quality players to do it.

We got a point when we probably didn't deserve one, 7 out of 9. Other teams around us lost, we still have a chance.

Still in our hands.

Could have been a cricket score in MK's favour. Luckily they were fucking inept when clear through on goal.

Colkett had a bigger melt of a game than usual. Best thing he did all match was rugby tackle the MK bloke to the ground to halt a certain break. Why Dabo got taken off instead of him, for Brophy, god knows. I've said it a few times, but we might as well have Rodgers in there. At least Anton won't take up a loan space that we might need if Conroy is crocked.

We barely won a second ball all match and resorted to the backwards passing because MK were so tight to us.

At least we stuck at it and got a bit of luck with a crap pass in defence from them. Quality anticipation and finish from Beaks.
Although the performance was shite, can't argue about everyone (save for Colkett) putting everything into it until the 95th minute. Some of Nathan's balls from the back across field and runs out of our own half, were very enjoyable today.

First half was poor. Second half was a big improvement. We created plenty. Goddard clean through, had way too much time, got caught in two minds & did pretty much nothing with the chance in the end. Was way more gilt edged than anything MK missed. Obika put a free header wide. Should have had it on target at a minimum. Also went close with an overhead kick that went just over the bar. Thomas had a shot blocked by a defender that looked as if it was beating the keeper for me. Admittedly MK missed some great chances but I'm not going with the consensus that we should have been thrashed. Good to see some fight & the ability to nick another late goal. Wimbledon has become a must win now.

From all the pics I've seen of inside the ground and also of queues outside the ground, is the reported 7900 a lot lower than it actually was or are the pics misleading?

I think it was Coventry away when I last troubled the matchday thread, grandly concluding that whilst the world would become a better place, we'd still be going down.  A month or so later, and I'm here to be argued with on both counts, from an STFC perspective at least, more optimistically.

I've enjoyed the last week: all the hashtags, the calls for unity, the weather forecast, the bloody hope.  I've been the one checking the ticket sales every evening, booking the train for Charlton, reading every last comment on the Adver site and generally suspending everything I've thought for two and a bit years, every concern that returned with interest in that pre-season friendly against Swansea.

I'm proud too, proud of the way that the Trust in particular, have been proactive in reminding us that it's our club, and we're the ones with the power to make things happen, especially given that Power is manifestly not making things happen.  Yes, it's absurd that our club is managed this way, head bangingly frustrating that such obviously mutually beneficial ideas are shunned, and that the exciting opportunity of running an engaging community club is made to look so darn begrudging and miserable.  In that spirit, I for one, am humbly grateful for all those standing up - in a positive way - to say together we can do this better.

And irrespective perhaps of the result today (we might stay up, it's more than likely we won't), that's my reflection: the sheer passion, will and again and again, hope, that we share is reason enough for positivity.  On a smaller scale, I didn't know Whits, but can't help but be moved by the evocative stories: of reconnection, of belonging, of believing, of random away days in distant northern towns and uncertain minibuses and generous hostelries and random faces in photographs.  And time and time again, it's not the result or even the opposition that's remembered, it's that hope, togetherness, belonging.

Which does remind me that I popped by to offer my thoughts on today's game.

There is quite obviously a sense of expectation in the air, that the miserable winter we've endured can somehow be forgotten with an afternoon of sunshine and three precious points.  And then, we can dream of living again.  The atmosphere is incredibly supportive - we are here desperate to be able to forgive our players, our coaches, our owner everything - the recruitment, the naivety, the half-arsedness, if only they can give us that win.

My first frown comes a couple of minutes in with Connor Thomas taking an extra touch before crossing, and my very last one when Branco does likewise before setting Brophy away.  The extra touch of course is the tell-tale sign of nervousness, and this is what characterises our first half.  Add up those extra comfort blanket touches and there we have it, 45 minutes without a sniff of a chance, never mind a goal.  Today though, that concerns me less than usual.  My coach head is saying 'stay in the game' - giving it a lash if 0-0 in the last 15 might be our best hope.  I've made it this far without mentioning the opposition, and whilst 'hate' isn't a favourite word of mine, it very much gets a mental airing today.  We have a lamentable recent record against them, with Lewington reffing every game, and the continually small perceived injustices fuelling a rational dislike even further.  I shan't give them too much airtime, suffice to say that I thought they were comfortably one of the best teams we've faced this season.  Such is our luck - we spend a week building the WHOLE REGION into a crazed frenzy - and just when we need just one of this season's hapless Division 3 sunbathing no-hopers to pop by, we get this club stealing, fast improving and actually quite good lot instead.

I'm prepared to scream for anything today - I know it wasn't handball, but if you don't ask you don't get, and I'm only helping the one with the whistle try to make the right decision.  Unfortunately, Dean Lewington is doing the same, and thus Ince is booked, and they get a jammy penalty from a dive by a player who was miles offside.  You get my drift.  But where there was a will, there wasn't quite a way, the referee was scandalously unwilling to even things up or to give us any favour throughout.  So we had to do it ourselves.

And for those who haven't seen many games, we have been much, much worse.  And most teams we have played have been similarly indifferent.  Today though, Ince was bang out of sorts, and try, try and try as he might, it felt nothing would come off for the deeper Obika.  Credit though to Williams for making decisive changes early. The switch to a three enabled Nathan to influence the game and for us to play with more width and creativity.  Gladwin and Brophy were given plenty of time, although neither had much impact.  Most surprisingly, following the excellent Conroy's injury, Barry had more joy, a cameo in which he was constantly involved and especially in and around the final third.

Yes, they had about 500 one on ones, and hit the bar or post about 27 times, and Vigs called on 32 more miracles, but I don't think anyone could really begrudge our point, ground out in honest endeavour and especially so in a pulsating last 10 minutes.  So here's to more positivity, looking forward to four more games, more demanding that our team do it for Whits, for all the other great fans in the sky, for themselves, and for us, humbly passing through as supporters of our wonderful institution.

And you're right - there was more history, stories and soul in my retro shirt alone than in their entire club.

The Town End was half empty and MK only brought 500 or so.

Brilliantly summed up, couldn't have come close to putting it better myself.

Amazed when they gave the crowd out, looked a lot more!

yes, but a lot more than there has been in recent weeks - they even started fighting among themselves!

I was surprised as well.  DRS and Town End were much fuller than they have been.

Great write up Christy.

On the subject of Colkett, I reckon there must be a clause that he has to play. I don't think he's ever been substituted either (certainly not at home).

He was replaced in the 84th minute by Anton Rodgers v Gills, and 83rd minute by Hylton v Pox :)

Thing is with Colkett, he's the one player that could create something out of nothing - put in a great cross where Obika somehow managed to head wide. Best I've seen the County Ground in a while, would have been pure scenes if we scored again.

Haven't read the whole thread. Good point against a very good side. Rode our luck. Friday is massive now.

Colkett is like a Rolls Royce at a banger rally. A fantastic player, but not right for now. I did overhear some one say he's the new Pook but worse, which was the pick of the bunch of completely mental things overheard in the DRS today.

I flit between this view of colkett and the view that he's barely any different to Anton Rogers

Beautifully summed up as usual Christy. I still think we're going to creep above Gills and Vale.

Sent from my SM-G930F

He's a funny one, can pick out a player on the opposite wing with a pin point lofted ball, but then can pass straight to an opposition player 15 feet away from him in clear sight.

Colkett clearly has a shitload of ability but he doesn't seem to care whatsoever, too many attempted first time passes without looking, hides for periods of the game, doesn't close down or put in a tackle when he should. It seemed especially noticeable yesterday after Ince was booked and was less effective.

I thought there were some odd decisions yesterday as well. Not sure why we went 3-5-2 but put Thomas at right wing-back then took Dabo off for Brophy when he was having a good game and not struggling fitness wise at all.

On the defensive side they are very similar, tacking, covering back, positional Sense, flicks etc however Colkett is by far the better offensive player.

Colkett clearly hasn't got a fucking clue we're in a relegation scrap. Furthermore I don't think he gives a shit either. Exactly the player we sign, exactly the player we don't need.

Colkett set up Ajose last week at Fleetwood with a lovely ball to get the winner. Played well overall as well.

Seemed pretty full round the ground.

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That's a flattering picture of the townend and the drs

The DRS capacity is 4,800, the Arkells 5,800 and the TE 2000.

I'd say the DRS was nigh on full - say 4,500, the Arkells half full, 2,500 and the TE maybe 1,200

Not far off the official figures.

If you look at the highlights you'll see how empty the TE was

http://www.skysports.com/football/swindon-vs-mk-dons/report/359164

Also interesting to see how we seem to have taken the lead and let them back into it.  Sky gone arse about tit it would appear.

How is it that there are hacks at the Adver who actually can't spell stealing a living as journalists and I have to come on here to read writing of this quality?

Must be genetic...

Thanks Paul and others for your generous encouragement, and to Sonic for sharing some genes 👍

This,

Plus I see the reason for Dabo being subbed later as he is naturally right footed (apart from the one excellent cross in the first half that no-one was expecting) and Brophy is left footed. Although Brophy cuts inside as well he offers a bit of pace and their right back could not bomb forward as much as he did earlier in the game.

He's left footed but he's fucking dogshite

My last view of Colkett on the day explains a lot of the problem- Lane 3 of the M4, up the arse of the car in front, driving his shiny new looking blue Audi saloon with private plate, wearing a fucking baseball cap FFS!

A child, earning enough dosh to buy a car like that. Why put it on the line for STFC when he's already sitting pretty?

As others have said, a fucking enigma. Slow hesitant passages of play underscored with hand waving at his teammates as if to ask "Why aren't you moving for me?"when they could just as easily ask "Why the fuck aren't your running with the ball you twat?" and he then goes and spoils everything with a Hoddlesque 60 yard crossfield pass that lands on the sixpence he was aiming at. My ghast is flabbered and my ire roiled on a regular basis.

P.S. Lewington is a cunt. An absolute cunt of the first order. When he isn't being an absolute cunt he is a total fucking cunt.

It should be pointed out that the reason we're going down isn't because of Colkett. In a similar vein although Lewington is a cunt, had we had such a steady experienced Div 3 left back this season, we probably wouldn't be going down.

Our little rally at season's end, has helped Power get out of immediate stick coming his way... although I suppose he's finessed that not turning up for games.

I guess most fan's ire will now just be assuaged by not renewing season tickets.

Yes.  There's no point blaming the late recruits [kids] for not getting us out of trouble - although I did groan a few times on Saturday when Colkett attempted his 'tricksy flicksy' stuff when something more basic was called for.  The damage was done much earlier in the season and the repeated failure by those in charge to address the obvious failings was only ever going to end one way.

I'm not blaming Colkett for where we are. I am commenting on his attitude.

We are where we are because we have been shit for most of the season. Not Colketts fault.

Colkett attracts criticism for his play and sometimes percieved lack of effort and passion.

He is a kid learning his trade but, what is there to inspire him to improve? Looking at his lifestyle, he's more than comfortable.

As a comparison, I am sure I saw Brad Barry on the same journey- driving out of the County ground in a Smart Car.

A Merc, eh?

An honest and fairly effective cameo from Barry that fully merited his Smart Car!

On the flip side it may be because we have won the last couple of games with them absent so somebody has told them to stay away - but we will never know as they cant be arsed to communicate

Well, i am blaming Colkett for where we are,  that fucking useless challenge in the box cost us two points,  He may be a kid learning his trade but he won't be earning his millions at Chelsea playing the same way as he has been here.

So your blaming him for setting up the goal that got us 3 points in the previous game saw as well?

Odd

Second best all over the pitch Saturday and worryingly inept for the most part.

Town stole a point.

Still, Franchise stole a football club, so fuck 'em.

Colkett also should have set up our equaliser - but sadly Goddard bottled it. Neither he nor Ince were as good on Saturday as they have been previously  but Dongs were just better set up with better, more experienced Lge1/Championship level players. Sure we got lucky on plenty occasions and first half they were clearly superior but I thought second half we had plenty of chances too and Obika and Thomas's chances were pretty much as likely to result in goals for us as Ed Upson's were for them

Missed an obvious opportunity to deploy your copyright term "Wankpanzer" there.  :notworthy:

My lad has asked to go to the Wombles game but £23 each for me & the Mrs. and his junior ticket means over £50 so I doubt we'll go. Sorry Lee you'll have to sub the club a bit more this week.

It needs to be an SUV/ 4WD type to qualify for Wankpanzer. He was driving a saloon and I will amend my claim that it was an Audi. It was in fact an AMG Mercedes, C class I think.

I've decided to show my face on Friday. Haven't seen us win for 6 months! Cant wait!

I'm taking my lad with me to only his 2nd game this season

Caved in, well under pressure from my missus, I had no choice really.

I'm working...boo