What does it mean to be a Swindon fan?

[AndyWells]

Hello, I'm a Swindon lad now living away from the town in Swansea. I use to go to the County Ground regularly a few years back, sit in the Town end and enjoy the atmosphere and the games. The highlight being stood right behind the goal in the 03/04 season when Rory Fallon scored that amazing overhead kick against Bristol City! Now I'm stuck with the appalling Liberty Stadium in Swansea which is as quiet as a library most Saturday afternoons.

I'm writing a paper at the moment for Swansea University on football fans, in particular Swindon and the atmosphere at the County Ground. Just wondered if anyone wanted to share what it means to them to be a fan of Swindon? what the atmosphere is like at the ground these days and is there a good sense of comradery amongst fans and supporters of Swindon? Any comments would be much appreciated. 

[herthab]

It's like a fucking graveyard and all the other supporters are wankers.

[Batch]

Swansea Uni is ace, where ya living? Hendra/Campas/Private?

Erm, I'll think about the Swindon question a bit more... The atmosphere at the County Ground ain't good these days. Not sure why it has declined, a trend in many football grounds these days. Its gone downhill, but I don't think an all seater stadia is the reason.

[Dave]

You may like to read this little gem from the Oxford forum. Contains some first hand experiences at the C*unty ground from fans of both clubs -

http://yellowsforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=3032#ixzz1RFj36Dlo

[leefer]

You may like to read this little gem from the Oxford forum. Contains some first hand experiences at the C*unty ground from fans of both clubs -

http://yellowsforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=3032#ixzz1RFj36Dlo

  ....i have been to every Oxford away game in the last thirty years and more and never experienced Oxford in our end,dont seem to be any pics,film or reports in the papers of this incident.....that yellow haze must be thicker than i thought.

[Batch]

You may like to read this little gem from the Oxford forum. Contains some first hand experiences at the C*unty ground from fans of both clubs -

http://yellowsforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=3032#ixzz1RFj36Dlo

You forgot to mention the recent time where Witney Oxford invaded the Swindon end of pizza hut. It was proper nawty...

[Reg Smeeton]

You may like to read this little gem from the Oxford forum.

That's a really strange place....seems to consist of a bunch of middle aged blokes, who've never quite managed to grow up. No women whatsoever....

I had thought that Eric might be some sort of refugee from there.....but now just seems a typical dull scummer.

[suttonred]

It was lateish 70's and it did happen, around 20/30 oxford lads as described singing swindon songs  came in, and then started throwing punches at anyone in range, It's well embellished though as it happened around an hour before kickoff and there were very few of us in the ground, mainly young lads like myself and my 15 year old mate who got a broken nose for his troubles, yeah they were big hard lads alright, they didn't wait until the naughty boys were in, yellow in colour...... etc etc and Walter Mitty's to boot.

[Dave]

....i have been to every Oxford away game in the last thirty years and more and never experienced Oxford in our end,dont seem to be any pics,film or reports in the papers of this incident.....that yellow haze must be thicker than i thought.

Knowing the ages of some of the posters on that thread, it was probably over 30 years ago. Anyway, why is your version of events any more believable? Everyone bullsh*ts about such things.

[Dave]

You forgot to mention the recent time where Witney Oxford invaded the Swindon end of pizza hut. It was proper nawty...

It was KFC. If you're going to relate war stories, get it right.

[Dave]

That's a really strange place....seems to consist of a bunch of middle aged blokes, who've never quite managed to grow up. No women whatsoever....

I had thought that Eric might be some sort of refugee from there.....but now just seems a typical dull scummer.

You may well come to that conclusion, based on that thread alone.

[Costanza]

It's clear to me that the internet is ruining this rivalry for me.

[AndyWells]

Swansea Uni is ace, where ya living? Hendra/Campas/Private?

Erm, I'll think about the Swindon question a bit more... The atmosphere at the County Ground ain't good these days. Not sure why it has declined, a trend in many football grounds these days. Its gone downhill, but I don't think an all seater stadia is the reason.

Was at Hendra in my first year mate but now in Private accommodation doing my Ma. Good uni and very decent night life.

I think seat do play a part in atmosphere. back when I use to go I pretty much stood for 90min in the Town End. is that still happening?

[iffy]

Bloody hell, the stuff that passes for Higher Education these days.

This is only one step up from doing a degree in "What I did on my Holidays".

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

Was at Hendra in my first year mate but now in Private accommodation doing my Ma. Good uni and very decent night life.

I think seat do play a part in atmosphere. back when I use to go I pretty much stood for 90min in the Town End. is that still happening?

Yes everyone in the central blocks still stands. The atmosphere is garbage now though. A few half hearted songs here and there. Last season's horror show didn't help matters but in truth it's been poor for a few seasons now. Even in 09/10 the support was poor considering how well we were doing.