Thetownend.com

Here are the links to the ongoing pre-match press conference. There are some differences in interpretation between the two versions:

https://www.totalswindon.com/sport/press-conference-live-bristol-rovers-v-swindon-town/

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/19086116.swindon-town-press-conference-ahead-bristol-rovers/

Interesting they got Caddis in to talk about how good training was this morning and players being able to communicate with Sheridan etc. Is this an attempt to downplay speculation about him falling out with Sheridan?

I predict a surprisingly comfortable win for a team in bad form, with low confidence and managerial issues.

Gas 2-0 Robins

Game postponed, I reckon.

This is likely with their pitch being a state and a hard frost overnight with the temps getting no higher than 2 degrees by 3pm.

Grant injured with stitches and concussion.

I don’t believe him for a second.

Same here, very convenient after all the talk of a falling out suddenly the Sheridactyl comes out with that....

From when Grant put the heed on him

Grant did get a boot to the head in training. 100%

So assuming the new loan goal keeper will start - he will be the 3rd loan keeper to play a league game this season (4th overall)

Have we ever played three loan keepers in a season before?

We used 4 keepers in our Premier League season but that’s 2+2 (and we also had another 1+1 who to my knowledge didn’t play)

Got to be getting close to some sort of keeper usage record.

Sheridan kicked him in the head? Blimey

to be fair, you'd be silly to lie about stitches.

someone would see they weren't there

Yeah in the Prem season we had Heald and Sheffield on loan who played 4 games in total but also used Digby and Hammond that season. We had a 3rd loanee Stewart Kerr on loan from Celtic who was on the bench a few times but never made a start, chunky ginger lad.

This will be the first time ever we have has 3 loanee keeper who have actually started games but still this season have only used 4 keepers in total including Jojo so that sthe same as in the Prem season.

So, would be a 5th be a Town Record?

In my 46+ years of following Swindon a 5th would be a 1st for sure.

I did a check and we have used 4 1st team keepers in a season in 7 seasons....

85-86 Allen, Endersby, Findlay, Key
87-88 Crichton, Digby, Flowers, Hammond
95-96 Digby, Given, Mildenhall, Talia
97-98 Warner, Talia, Mildenhall, Digby
15-16 Vigoroux, Kean, Velford, Henry
17-18 Vigoroux, Henry, RCC, Moore

But in 99-00 season we actually used 5 keepers.

Talia, Glass, Mildenhall, Greimink and Flanagan came on as a sub for 60 mins in 1 game vs Sheff Utd after injury to Mildenhall.

Heart says 1 nil win, prediction league prediction says 2-1 defeat.

Joey Barton 1/8 fav to be their next manager

I would take that over Sheridan any day. He was a bit of a bad boy as a player but also was talented and has had some moderate success in this division- I think he got Fleetwood to the playoffs last season and lost to Wycombe? Has to be a massive upgrade on the Jurassic one. I hope Sheridan gets sacked and never gets a job in management again (unless he gets a job with our yellow neighbours)...

Can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t be an upgrade on Sheridan.

I must confess that in my more paranoid moments I do wonder whether Sheridan was a Poxford fan as a kid.

0-0

No shots (let alone shots on target) for either side.

Paul Hart and Mike Bassett are the only 2 I can think of and then I'm not so sure

Malpas may have been dull as dishwater but he wasn't a tosser and a bully

Don't think Malpas was anywhere near the Hart/Sheriidan level.

I'd put him alongside Williams, shit manager, decent coach.  A genuine guy who couldn't help the fact he was out of his depth, Gorman;s probably in that bucket too.

I agree the guy never ruffled anyone's feathers but simply wasn't good enough as a manager

Without having ever met Malpas, I got the impression that he was a nice bloke who tried his best but was out of his depth.

I think that's a good summary a decent non offending type who wasn't up to the job similar to Williams

I think Christian Roberts would beg to differ!

Surely the game will be off tomorrow?!

I think it might be okay. Probably will hit -3 overnight but should be over 1 degree from tomorrow morning. If they put covers on the pitch it will probably be a playable surface.

I actually met him in his office and the first takeaway was how quiet and uninspiring he was.
Met Andy King numerous times and also outside of the football club, a complete contrast and you could only see the “chirpy” player the Everton faithful adored.
Di Canio though was without doubt the most interesting Manager and character I have ever met.

Covers went on after their game on Tuesday,

I have no recollection of Flanagan at all.
You look at that list and a lot of the usage is down to injuries, probably some suspensions and the odd keeper being sold + loans.

You could argue we’ve had 3 (maybe even 4) first choice keepers!

3 points, please.

Three pints might be an easier achievement.

Point 1 - We're going to lose

Point 2 - The players don't want to play for him

Point 3 - Sheridan needs to go

Point 4 - Power loves him and he isn't going anywhere😀

It's a matter of how many we lose by to nil I think for every game for the foreseeable. The club has a terminal illness.

3-0 to Gas as others have said we're in freefall and the players have given up due to the idiot in charge.

I know we're shit, but so are the opposition. It's all relative. 

Even the great saviour Tisdale couldn't improve their fortunes

Their saying they have better players than us and we were lucky to beat them at home!

I think thats why I forgot about Flanagan, no memory of him or his time with us at all, not even slightly.

Then again I have no recollection of Kean in the 15-16 season either!

Absolutely.

For want of a better crass similie the club has a cancer at the very top and that is spreading through the major organs (apt) at the club.

Get rid of Power and we clear the problem.

That game was probably the forerunner of the shitfest we’ve endured since. Dreadful game between 2 dreadful teams - although, tbf, I though it was just a blip for Rovers. Never thought they’d slide as low as us.

Can’t see any reason today will be much different. It’ll depend on who’s that little bit less dreadful.

Lose and we’re gone.

I have to say that Rovers were the shittest side we have played this season and I include Wigan in that, I said it at the time and my thoughts haven't changed.

They have a shocking team and no way near the quality we have when we actually have tactics employed.

And therein lies our problem.

Spot on the home game was a drab affair but with Tisdale in charge I thought they would climb the table. With all the goings on this week between Sheriden and the players it's hard to see any of them being motivated so can't see past a convincing home victory with little or nomquality on display and a bonus if we get a couple of shots on target

So, if the Sheridactyl makes good on his comment about dropping 3 players - and 1 of them being Pitman - does he go with either of the 2 midget loanees up front relishing the ball being booted long and high or release the Oxford Destroyer up front?

Or does he actually not give a fuck who plays where?

going to take issue with this, not Arriba personally, just that we are bound to lose.

We have already beaten a shit team in Wigan. We can get the odd result (Ipswich, Charlton).

it's going to be a tight game, separated by a goal.

we are comfortably League 2 bound imo. but we can have the odd dead cat bounce

We look set to lose the war, but that doesn't mean we can't lose the occasional battle.

FUCK YEAH!  

I should be taking team talks.

Going for a 2-0 win today in a thinly veiled attempt to justify paying to watch on iFollow.. Might have to close my eyes for the first 15minutes and pray to every God in the world for help...

Rovers x-0 Swindon.

x =0

Will we win some games this season? Highly likely.
Even someone who's dying can have good days.
We'll lose significantly more than we will get anything from I think so predicting losses is a fair call I'd say, especially for a weekend acca...

Finally when the crowds are let back in....

(https://i.postimg.cc/F15L25zk/148870042-10224760265971394-7832131995026681902-n.jpg)

For that result to happen, Rovers will have to field a team of Blind Pughs and Long John Silvers.

Fuck me Venks, that is so funny 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Thirteen visits to see us play Rovers over 40 years at 4 different grounds.
We scored 4 at three of them but won't be many betting on that happening at the former rugby stadium today.
Counting the number of separate stands was a useful distraction, when stood on that pokey terrace in the corner, and being dazzled more by the setting sun than the offering on the pitch.

Anyway, whatever John Sheridan does when his time with us is over, I hope it's something that makes him happy, at least on the inside if it won't show on the outside.
I guess that skin thicker than a rhino (or insert example from Triassic period) is a must have requirement for football managers in the social media age.

Hope we win.
Whatever happens when watching, at least there will be minimal risk of suffering any side effects from exposure to a thing of great beauty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y6sQgVIJro

I have seen Swindon play Rovers at Twerton Park, Eastvile and Trashton Gate but have not managed to get along to see us play them at the Mem yet.

I have also seen Swindon put 4 past them at all 3 of those venues over the years.

you've not missed much

I can add the mem to that. The game at city was excellent. 7 goals, 3 points and if the game lulled a bit then you had the scrapping between city and rovers. We gave been absolute shit at the mem.

Game off.

booooo

No surprise mate.

Yeah that was in the Dolman Stand IIRC, a sunny afternoon and we had been given the old open end as normal, good game, very entertaining.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXy2VRfYa7o&feature=emb_logo

This was my favourite game I have attended between the 2 sides. What a shithole EastVile was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzN4AbpxZLo&feature=emb_logo

I stewarded this win at Twerton.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0TPhTgq_fw&feature=emb_logo

Shame, was weirdly looking forward today. Find us easier to follow a bit more when we are shit for some reason.

At this rate Wollacott will never play for us. What happens at the end of the 7 day loan, do we need to find another?

we can extend it for another 7 days, I can't see a limit on how many times we can do this - only until the goalkeeping situation resolves (e.g. in the case of injury)

in our case it'll last until the end of season

Another fucking week with the dinosaur guaranteed to be inflicting damage...

I’m not sure how we’ve been allowed to sign an emergency loan keeper. EFL Rule 57 says this is only allowed if all Professional Goalkeepers are unavailable through injury, suspension or international calls. Does Archie Matthews not qualify as a Professional GK?

Steve Hale explained that essentially Archie Matthews doesn't count.

I blame the maths teachers.

Widdrington reckons the game could be rearranged for tomorrow

really?!

The stewards & ball boys might have other plans😀

Scrap that.

We have refused as we say ‘we cant get there tomorrow’


https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bristol-rovers-complain-efl-over-5001939.amp?__twitter_impression=true

Their forum the fans are saying Swindon have refused ..

Maybe we can't afford the transport fees two days on the trot😀

Can’t see what difference it really makes. Not as if we’re going to sign Messi between now and whenever the game is played.

If we’ve got an injury that may clear up - Lyden - then every club would do the same given a choice.

Looks like Bristol football is in a downward spiral.

To be fair I wouldn’t have agreed to play tomorrow either. They can train on the pitch get properly ready for tomorrow so there’s absolutely no benefit to us to play tomorrow.

yeah, no chance it'll be in tomorrow imo

No reason for us to change plans and play tomorrow. Nothing in it for us.

There wouldn't have been today either

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bristol-rovers-complain-efl-over-5001939.amp?__twitter_impression=true

Can people stop posting links with Starnes in them? It's giving me flashbacks. Ta

not on your Christmas card list then?

where's Mr Whippy when you need him

TBF Starnes was one of the better ones, certainly not in the Mr Whippy bracket. Just reminds me of that whole period. Good job the Cheltenham fan wasn't around then, he'd have had a complete breakdown

Burton take the lead at Sixfields Community Centre on 77mins. 

They are putting a little run together. At least it gives the Brewers fans something interesting on the pitch and more than just hope. I reckon they might get their way out of this shit. Dragging the likes of Northampton, Wimbledon Rochdale, Wovers etc into the mix. Burton have 2 GiH and whilst points on the board matter, Town aren't that likely to add many more.

Town will either end up rock bottom or 18th. Tight as a Nun's chuff but Burton now only 2pts from safety. Another win would put them 19th.

Correct move from Jonny Smith.

Perhaps Jurassic won't play Rovers tomorrow as he is planning on taking his 3 favourite players Brett, Brett Pitman, Thompson and Payney out for a valentine's dinner to show how much he loves them

Out for a meal, I heard

Possibly more at home in the former players thread

If you reckon we’ve had a bad day Look at the slave traders. Apparently, there ‘first eleven’ were put out at Watford and were humiliated 6-0.

No. Was talking mostly about Burton and their plight at getting out of relegation. Since there was no match today it was relevant enough to mention a team around us that did play (and won). It usually happens in the MDT that scores of teams around us get mentioned.

Jonny Smith got a mention at the end purely as he happens to play permanently for Burton Albion. It was a minor addendum or codicil of sorts.

Thanks for offering some justification of your choice of thread.

Thanks for implying which thread I should post in.

No problem

Wigan are currently beating the piss stains 1-0

Now 1-1😀

Now 1-1.

Piss stains have equalised.

Never thought I’d see the day when I wanted those yellow fuckers to win

they may have just scored a second

yup 2-1 pox

They're on some winning run since we beat them

worrying isn't it.

Dont worry, by the time we get to play them in march we wont have a team

Either way we won't be playing them next season😂

We’ve moved up another place. What a shit league this must be!

There was a fire at halftime.
One of the floodlights on fire. I was thinking it was the back garden fence.

This season there do seem to be more shit teams than usual.  Normally you get a couple of sides that are shockingly bad; there seems to be at least 7 this year including us.  To be the fifth shittest is a very low bar to aspire to.  Have we got that step up in us?

Oxford are on a good run but I couldn't give a fuck about them, more worrying is the likes of Burton who have won 3 of their last 5. Mirroring the same form as Shrewsbury (and Oxford not inc today) which if continued would see them escape relegation. Have no idea what the correl new manager lation is?

A glimmer of hope for Town is that both Northampton and Rovers have marginally worse form (2pts in 5). Wigan, Wimbledon and Rochdale have marginally better form (4pts in 5). Town have 3pts in 5.

It really is tight as Nuns chuff with only 4pts separating the bottom seven. Meaning at present, a form of just 1pt per game would probably be enough to be marginally better than 5 of them (Burton avg 1.8pts per game in 5). That really brings to light just how many shit teams there are and probably shows that there are a lot of average teams in the division too but further; it means if a team can put together even some patchy kind of form they will reflect well on the table.

It's going to come down to who can take the most points off those around them really (on assumption most of the teams won't pick up much from teams higher up) isn't it?

Town have:

Northampton     - Home (Feb 27th)
Bristol Rovers    - Away  (March 23rd)
Rochdale AFC    - Away  (March 27th)
Burton Albion    - Away  (April 5th)
AFC Wimbledon - Away  (April 17th)
Wigan Athletic   - Away  (May 8th)

Ironically that ties in with a 1pt per game avg until the end of the season of 18pts. IF Town can win all of those key matches that might just be enough (42pts). At present I could see Town getting something from all of them but Burton and maybe one more so points will need to be picked up from the other 12 matches. An odd win or a few draws thrown in. If Town's form matches their last 5 then they will be lucky to muster another 12pts. Leaving a finishing total of 36pts, which I think we all know will not be enough.

It's going to be tight as owt and that last game of this season might end up being pivotal for not just Town or Wigan but for possibly another 5 teams too. GD could quite aptly and heartbreakingly be the difference.

I know I'm clutching but in regards to Town I personally need to focus on any tiny glimmers of positivity that might just still be lingering. I can't (well I can and I probably will) continue to bash the shite out of the manager. I had him figured out a long while back but now isn't the time for posturing or fall outs. This clawing Town of their way out is going to have to come from the players and if achieved most of us would attribute it to the players and not the management.  I want the players to know we have their backing and full support - even if the manager doesn't or is clueless to how to use them. It's so bloody frustrating not being able to be at the ground (home or away) to at least let the players know most of us share their feelings regarding the manager. I hope they do know though.

I don't know about the rest of you but I'd rather Town start from scratch in L1, rather than L2 or the other worse option of being no longer in existence.

The real nightmare scenario is getting relegated and Power still in charge and giving the Sheridactyl a new contract.

This club needs a proper colonic irrigation.

I would be surprised if 42 points is enough to stay up normally 48-50 will get you relegated in fourth spot but you may be right

Good analysis Bamboo.  With Wellens in charge we were a decent GK, CB and CF away from having more than enough for this level in my view. Doughty retiring was a big loss though. Power royally fucked up by replacing Wellens with a manager who not only didn't have a similar playing philosophy, has no playing philosophy at all apart from antagonising anyone who has the misfortune of having to play for him.  So we end up with a massive squad overhaul in Jan, loan players being recalled, our best player sold to pay the bills and the remaining contracted players downing tools. This likely only ends one way.

Good post :clap:

Rearranged for Tuesday 23 March

ta

So, if they get beat by Pompey tomorrow we could be out of the bottom 4 without even playing a game?

That’ll be a rise of 3 places without playing Saturday or midweek!

Northampton have to lose also i think

They do but Northampton can't buy a win at present and appear to not be able to beat teams around them either. Assumption and last 5 form suggests that they won't pick anything up versus the Field Ploughers (their form is the same as Wovers).

Can't rule anything out of course but I would say an Ipswich win should be on the cards. I know Town won v them but I have a feeling that the Sixfields Massif are a little bit shitter than Town.

We should not play for the rest of the season, we could be Champions by April!

I can't see us getting something from all of those. I can see us getting something from some of them though. It seems like a relegation season though for definite.

Aye, I did say all but Burton and maybe another. Reason being, I can't figure out who the other of those 6 would be. I imagine Town will win four of them. But that might be the "only 12pts mustered" might come from. Not going to get much from elsewhere so ideally winning all of those 6 would be the best route out of it.

Rearranged for Tuesday 23rd March at 7pm. 

It was noted on the previous page but the KO time comes in handy for those who want to avoid it  :D

I've been a Swindon fan for a long time but I don't think I've seen anything as pathetic as the Rovers reaction to the game being called off. I still think we should've played it on Sunday to be fair, don't need the fixture pile up and they're in a bit of disarray, but my god the reaction has been hilarious. Lockdown has made everyone insane.

Their twitter account throwing a bit of shade was highly amusing. The ability to wind them up by doing absolutely nothing has been a small high point during this season of shambles.

Laughing gas?

Football fans do tend to get unreasonably angry about games being postponed. And of course have to go onto twitter and moan relentlessly about it. On a Lg1 forum I post on, a Bristol Rovers fan was more than a bit miffed about the game being postponed, calling both the referee and Swindon Town Football Club a DISGRACE, finishing up that they should be awarded the 3 points. Sometimes I wonder what planet these people are on!

they particularly enjoy people telling them that they should sort their pitch out if they want games on.

(but it was playable)

it wasn't, the ref called it off.
---
yeah I'm that childish

What actually made them think they'd win it anyway? They have been on a shite run.

Probably the knowledge that we are a basket case of a club at the moment, both on and off the pitch

thing is, I didn't see many confident they would win.

I put it down to being from brizzle and moved on

City and Rovers fans are exactly the same as each other. Which I hope pisses them off even more.

Should merge both clubs as "Delusional City Rovers".

We'll see how good they really are once they've had 90 minutes against Pompey tonight.

Pompey 1 up

This thread will do.

Bristol Rovers and Rochdale both losing so far.

yup. hint of offside in Pompey's goal. but who cares

1-1 Rovers.

decent finish

oh. 2-1 Rovers

FFS.

fecking 3-1 now

twats

A lot better than us by the look of it!

Won't argue with that one.

At the end of the day it’s what we do.
That is where is keeps going wrong. Every time I watch us now I think how shit we look.

A half decent team would piss this division.

In fact, the team we had last season would piss this division.

I was thinking about that at was looking at where Crewe are for a guide - edge of playoffs.

Depressing thought and without doubt would have put in a decent challenge.

And yet Baudry, Fryers, Caddis, Hunt and Grant have all struggled to varying degrees this season. I'm sure a settled side would have done better than this abortion of a season, but I don't think you can underestimate the jump in quality.

A settled side may have done slightly better

Wellens built a good L2 side last season, unfortunately a majority were injury prone so could not be moved on this season.

This season he tried to do the same, however built an unbalanced side, saw the quality jump was to much and jumped ship.

I don't think it's a big jump in quality, most sides look average. Our side as a unit last season wouldn't be in the position we are in now, imo.

Probably fluctuating around halfway without this seasons hysterical shenanigans :no:   

But the Sheridactyl says we’re the best of the 7 worst sides in L1. That’s comforting.

And wrong.

He delusional we could have been but he decided to stay with us😀

We aren't even the best side in the bottom 3.

This.

I don't think last seasons squad would have pissed the league, but think they'd have done ok. Momentum is important in football and I think with a few additions we could've been challenging. No one has really impressed me this year with the exception of Accrington who I thought were excellent.

The pandemic has ruined many things (and many more important things) but I do feel like had we won the league the 'normal' way and then had a good summer, things could be so different now. Ah well!

Franchise looked good to me, although we were utter dog shit so it’s hard to tell - but they have done well since.

Last seasons team would have done ok in L1 this season.
We would have scored more goals but Doyle won’t score as many as he did for us for the rest of his career.

The weird thing - from last season to think, we lost Benda, Doughty, Anderson, Woolrey, Yates & Doyle - so it was bloody obvious our attacking had got weaker, likely our midfield and keeper.

Yet the area that regressed the most was defence the area where we actually retained the most players...

The spine of the team.

Can't disagree with that at all, Although I did express concerns last season about the strength of our CB pairing at times as every game they made a couple of mistakes but were not always punished, in L1 almost every defensive error has been punished.

Any side would struggle when you remove the keeper, best midfielder at the club, 2 decent strikers and 2/3 creative attacker/winger as well.

I still think that our side under Wellens early season was easily good enough to be mid table bar the goalkeeper and a striker.

We will struggle to stay up with the tactics (or no tactics if you prefer) Sheridan currently employs with this squad.

The defence was always going to struggle in L1

Baudry, Fryers and Hunt are L2 players and injury prone, Conroy hasn't had a full season since he's been here
Caddis is getting on against the forwards in L1 they were never going to cut it

Wellens just did not strengthen enough at the back,

We were definitely closer to having the puzzle completed under Wellens. Keeper, striker and an additional CB and we’d have been looking alright.

Now we’ve lost our temper with the puzzle, tipped the table over and gone off for a sulk...

Agree but this season we don’t have a style that we had last year.
A complete rebuild mid season and simply reverting to dinosaur tactics of going long with a physically light weight midfield just compounds further why we simply can’t maintain possession.
It’s plainly obvious from watching the games and Jurassic John simply thinks if he shouts louder or abuses the players everything will be alright.
It won’t and I just keep hoping every game I will say “wow” we looked a different team.
Saturday here we come.🙏

Change is coming, hopefully soon enough to secure survival

👀👀👀

the ball is in Powers court.

He seems to like court mind

I assume he means that at least 4 other clubs are going to fall into Admin and thus get docked points?

More ITK ??.

can't think why we don't get more rumours on here

Marcus Cassidy has been told to disregard the state of the pitch in an attempt to bring visiting sides down to our subterranean level. Hence why the ball is bypassing the grass.

:) :)

I see the EFL referees committee has admitted that a mistake was made by the ref and the game should have gone ahead Saturday. According to Rovers we were informed first and the ref legged it straight away.

Exactly

full statement:

https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/2021/february/ceo-postponement-swindon-update/ (https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/2021/february/ceo-postponement-swindon-update/)

That Rovers statement in full:
 :cry: :cry: :cry:

The ref called the game off - rightly or wrongly. Nowt to do with us.

Fuck ‘em.

It's done, shit happens, get over it, move on.

They are starting to sound like Karl Robinson

Fingers crossed that the pressure being applied is the final chapter of the Power tenure.
We live in hope.

Hull doing us a favour tonight

Wigan 0 Hull 5 - so far!