1 in 7 chance of playing Oxford...

[Bob's Orange]

I don’t reckon it will be a sell out due to the JPT, maybe 8-10k. After experiencing the dreadful Wembley crowd I kind of hope it’s not – the extra’s will only complain that people stood up, and in some cases used swear words to describe their yellow friends. I still haven’t/won’t forgive the 20,000 day trippers who ruined the one day i’d been looking forward to for 17 years.

Back to the Pox.  If and when we do play the atmosphere will be fucking awesome – like watching football 20-30 years ago.  I don’t mean trouble, I just mean the edginess that’s created by playing your biggest rivals for the first time in eight years. Some will say leave your kids at home for this one, i’d say providing they don’t mind hearing a few obscenities, bring them along as they’ll remember the atmosphere for many years to come.

Of course there will be trouble, anyone who thinks otherwise is deluded.  I’m sure I’ll get stick for this, but I really don’t care if we have to spend money on extra policing.  The fact football is so sterile nowadays is one of the reasons  alot of people don't go.  Games like this might actually bring a few people back who thought football died when The Premier League, all-seater soulless stadiums, Tim Lovejoy, Sky, Franchise, The Premier League, Sky, Spoony, choreographed goal celebrations, Tim Lovejoy etc were invented.

I don’t think there will be many other fans looking forward to the draw more than us and them.  Roll on 14 Aug.

Having been to a number of Edinburgh derbies of which there are 4 every season and the atmosphere at everyone has been tinged with edginess, verging on nastiness, I would have to say that the fact the 2 teams haven't played in ages would only add to the atmosphere.

The feeling when Hearts beat Hibs at Easter Road was magical!

[THE FLASH]

Can we least wait until the draw is made before we whip out our dicks to decide who's biggest and bestest?

I was confident of a win until you posted this.....

[JanTheMan]

Having been to a number of Edinburgh derbies of which there are 4 every season and the atmosphere at everyone has been tinged with edginess, verging on nastiness, I would have to say that the fact the 2 teams haven't played in ages would only add to the atmosphere.

The feeling when Hearts beat Hibs at Easter Road was magical!

That’s the problem, edginess is never far from trouble, but given the option i’d take edginess any day of the week.

Swindon v Oxford is genuinely a big derby, not necessarily old firm status, but it is something recognised by other supporters.  I’ve read a lot over the past few seasons about our rivalry with others and what it means.  Anyone who says it’s City or Rovers (I won’t even give Reading the credit) has clearly never been to a pox game.  They are like no other.  I hate the idea of trying to be rivals with a team you know have much bigger rivals (i.e. City).  Oxford feel the same hatred and we will always be number one, when you add that to the fact we haven’t played for so long it will be a special game.

[Reg Smeeton]

That’s the problem, edginess is never far from trouble, but given the option i’d take edginess any day of the week.

Swindon v Oxford is genuinely a big derby, not necessarily old firm status, but it is something recognised by other supporters.  I’ve read a lot over the past few seasons about our rivalry with others and what it means.  Anyone who says it’s City or Rovers (I won’t even give Reading the credit) has clearly never been to a pox game.  They are like no other.  I hate the idea of trying to be rivals with a team you know have much bigger rivals (i.e. City).  Oxford feel the same hatred and we will always be number one, when you add that to the fact we haven’t played for so long it will be a special game.

You live in a dream world....

[Don Rogers Shop]

Why is that Reg? Because you don't agree with it? Most Town fans of my generation see them as our main rivals just because you don't doesn't mean we shouldn't.

[mexico red]

Its all about Oxford. Reg always gets in a tether about this.

[Reg Smeeton]

Its all about Oxford. Reg always gets in a tether about this.

Unfortunately the stats just don't add up, to this being anything extra meaningful to the majority of Town fans.

Take the last time we played them at the CG, that season we also had Rovers, City and Reading, the attendance v Oxfrod was the lowest.

Or a season like 91/92 when we got them in the ZDS, a sort of JPT equivalent, 5800 at the CG a week later 7100 for Millwall in the LC.

We then played them in the league, and the crowd was lower than the season's average.

I'm not saying that there wont be a few knuckle draggers about...but the game has moved on, and they're very much in the minority.

[Summerof69]

Pox fans always talk a good game about coming down to the CG, but very few of them actually normally turn up.

They are as bad as the pikeys in that respect.

[Ardiles]

Reg is right.  I know I've posted on this before, so apologies for the repetition.  But Oxford means next to nothing to anyone who has been following us for less than 10 years - which is now a significant chunk of our support.  For the rest, they are an increasingly distant memory.

If we do play them again soon, the rivalry will reignite...of course it will.  But if we don't, it will continue to fade.  Oxford has not always been the #1 rivalry for us.  They became so during the 1960s and 1970s.  Unless they get another promotion soon, the Oxford rivalry will one day be nothing more than an story that old men mutter about in pubs.  The kids won't understand.

[Highland Robin]

They will need more than one promotion Ardiles...we will be long gone before they get up to League 1!

[Rich Pullen]

We're rivalry nomads because in recent years we've become victims of not having a rival league team in the same town and as a result of this Swindon Town will always happily be pretend rivals when needed

If Bristol Rovers are not in the same division as City, we'll be their rivals.
If Bristol City are not in the same division as Rovers, we'll be their rivals.
If Gillingham, Bournemouth, Cheltenham Town and co are needing attention, we'll be their rivals.

We've not played Reading at the CG for over eight years now and unless we draw Oxford in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy a decade will have past since Oxford visited the County Ground. That's a long time.

My old man always disliked Bristol City and Reading more than Oxford. Being raised in West Wiltshire, there were always more City and Rovers fans about than Oxford so there was more banter.

As for me, well, I dislike them all 

 

[Bogus Dave]

Why can't we draw rovers?

[oxford_fan]

I hope we draw you away now.

What a day that'd be. We'd bring a couple of thousand at least, and give you a run for your money on the pitch.

Here's hoping.

[nevillew]

Why can't we draw rovers?

Dunno, perhaps they got the bye ?

[Bogus Dave]

Ahhh, that would make sense