The unofficial official Super Swindon Town v Preston North End Wembley Thread

[Batch]

Quote of the day. Preston fan on tube after game...
"Is Swindon in the Cotswolds? "  

Wasn't it someone on here who said that Swindon was 'The Bronx of the Cotswolds?!

No, Swindon isn't in the Cotswolds, but neither is Cirencester or Cheltenham. Each can legitimately call itself 'a gateway to the Cotswolds'. Unlike Gloucester which is 'Asda of the Malverns'.

Cirencester is 'capital of the Cotswolds'

[Bewster]

I noticed Luongo looked pretty disinterested after the game, wandering around looking at the floor when the other players were clapping the fans.

Let's face it he checked out months ago.

Be interesting to see what happens over the summer and if we still have the same manager, owner and some players next year.

[Combe Down]

That's how Ciren is marketed but it's not in the Cotswolds!

Bouton-on-the-Water's recent marketing describes it 'Venice of the Cotswolds' pmsl.


I personally consider Stow-on-the-Wold as capital of the Cotswolds.

[Boy About Town]

So where to begin? I woke up feeling absolutely awful following a long day yesterday and thoroughly depressing game of football. When we were pretty much assured of a play-off place, I told my 6-year old I'd take him to his first ever game if we made it to Wembley. Obviously I had to follow through with this promise/threat when we did make it. He's never seen a live football match, so this should have been a real treat for him. After witnessing Millwall and Chesterfield, I was quietly optimistic. What a fool.

I was determined to enjoy the day regardless though, so we got the tube into Wembley Park, I got him a scarf and a horn (£15!) and he was amazed by all the people and the size of Wembley.

Then onto the game. The Wembley display was great and the atmosphere before the match was pretty decent. Then they scored. Why was Thompson playing? Why do we persist with 3 at the back. I hate the wing-back system, it leaves us exposed against any team. I'm not sure if the players got stage fright, or had their minds on where they were going to be playing next season, and it really pains me to say but it was the worst, and probably the most gutless display I've ever seen from a Swindon side. I really don't think anyone came out of it with any credit. Preston were everything that we weren't. Clinical up front, solid at the back, neat in possession and quick and strong in the tackle. Garner dominated our defence and Beckford's class shone through. He's really a bit too good for this division. When we did get the ball in good positions, it was almost as if we tried to make it harder for ourselves by slowing down the play and passing backwards to give them plenty of time to get the numbers back and make it near impossible to get through them.

I'm not sure where we go from here. There will be one hell of a rebuilding job to go. It feels like we need a couple of experienced pros to fill the spine, but they aren't easy to come by, and with the system we seem to insist upon they have to be good on the ground. I love the ideaology that we're going to be a club that passes the ball. Its how the game should be played in my opinion. But if we're going to be successful at it, we need to address other issues which have been absolutely glaring since around February. It seems the Asia Cup has a lot to answer for - since Mass and Kasim came back, we've not been right. Whether Mr Luongo came back thinking he was way too big for this club or not I', not sure, but he's been distinctly average ever since. I wouldn't be putting my hand in my pocket if I was Tim Sherwood.

The only shining light from yesterday was my boy. He took the defeat pretty well (not as emotionally invested as me!) and said that we may stand a better chance next season when Preston aren't there. I didn't have the heart to tell him its not quite as simple as that. He also announced that he's going to be a Swindon fan for the next year, at which point he will assess his options, which considering the result yesterday I'll take!

Bit of a pattern for the new Wembley now. 0-1, 0-2, 0-4. If it continues, we lose the next one 0-8. 

Good post

[horlock07]

Let's face it he checked out months ago.

Be interesting to see what happens over the summer and if we still have the same manager, owner and some players next year.

If the stories circulating regarding Cooper's departure are also true you can see where something of a motivational problem occurred.

[Bewster]

If the stories circulating regarding Cooper's departure are also true you can see where something of a motivational problem occurred.

I've heard various things too which don't make good reading. Sounds to me like he has been Powers puppet

[FreddySTFC!]

I've heard various things too which don't make good reading. Sounds to me like he has been Powers puppet

Out of interest what have you heard? I'm not local to Swindon so the only rumours I hear are the ones that get posted on here. The only thing that doesn't make sense to me regarding all this is that Power had the opportunity to flog Cooper to Barnsley in Jan, make a couple of quid in the process & either bring sonebody else in or promote Luke Williams, assuming he would have been happy to take the job on. Surely he would have done that then if Cooper was leaving at the end of the season regardless.

[Wessex Warrior]

You're right, it won't happen every season....and the season it does happen (like this one) it's a bit shit or bust because deep down we all know we will change our side every year.
This was this sides only chance to get promoted.

Too many short term contract (all usually 1 or 2 years, so always nearly expiring and giving the player/agent all the power) and the loan system. I completely understand why it is the way it is but I do miss 4 year contracts where you knew you had the core of your side for a few seasons and you had a foundation to build on.

I know it was forever and a day ago now but we had players that went first division to the Premier League back to the first division, down to the second and back to the first with us.

I can't imagine Wigan will have any of their old Premier League squad next season in L1.

Harry Agombar might be only halfway through his if we had them

[Bob's Orange]

I got to a pub in Ireland (on the border of county cork and Waterford) asked for the game to be put on, just in time for Paul Huntingdon to be given the freedom of our penalty box to give Preston a 2-0 lead. Typical!

We had so much possession yesterday but created 1 clear cut chance which Smith missed, hardly surprising given how he played, very poor from the big man.

6 pints of cracking Guinness and my £35 bet on Preston to win promotion softened the blow somewhat but very disappointing that we didn't show up on the biggest stage.

[sonicyouth]

I got to a pub in Ireland (on the border of county cork and Waterford)

Youghal?

[Flashheart]

I found a place on Soi Cowboy that serves draught Guinness..... great result.

[Bob's Orange]

Youghal?

It was a small town called Tallow. Think the pub was called Teniry

[Saxondale]

I found a place on Soi Cowboy that serves draught Guinness..... great result.

I thought Soi Cowboy was the club where you get high quality prossers in Bangkok.  Due to a bad stomach I didnt visit but our lighting guy and monitor engineer certainly took advantage, whilst our tour manager bought one back to the hotel bar gave her a few drinks and then sent her home.

[Flashheart]

I thought Soi Cowboy was the club where you get high quality prossers in Bangkok.  Due to a bad stomach I didnt visit but our lighting guy and monitor engineer certainly took advantage, whilst our tour manager bought one back to the hotel bar gave her a few drinks and then sent her home.

Soi Cowboy is a street (Soi means street). There's many bars, go-go bars etc there. It's actually just a 2 minute walk from where I had a beer with you.

High quality prossers? If they think Cowboy has 'high quality prossers' then they must be used to some right fucking shit-holes. It doesn't exactly set the bar high.

[Saxondale]

As I say, I didn't involve myself in this nonsense.  It was only the ghastly 'mericans that did.  Didnt like it.