What a difference from a few weeks back (well a couple of months ago)

[Panda Paws]

Doesn't really matter what the reason is, he's still dreadful for us.

He's as dreadful as everyone else at the moment, and is dreadful as an attacking force becuase we're so so so bad at going forward it's painful to watch.

I'd argue the Branco's performance at Rochdale was one of the worst individual perfomances I've ever seen from a CB, but becuase he and El-Abd passed the ball to each other 30 times, people seem to think he did ok. There's so much more wrong than disappointing individual performances.

[Jamiesfuturewife]

If you listen to the Twitter army what we need is Ty Belford to play.... Because he says nice stuff after games on there it'll make all the difference.

You've said this about a million times, yet I've never met anyone that actually thinks this?!!

[Paul Mason]

Dont really understand why people have a go at Belford for engaging with the fans? 🤔🤔

[Ells]

Dont really understand why people have a go at Belford for engaging with the fans? 🤔🤔

Don't think anyone's really criticising him for that, just the assumption that being a nice bloke makes him a good footballer.

[molepar]

I also think that when someone's beard length exceeds the length of their hair they lose all credibility (excluding bald people who can't help it).

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

I think selling Byrne was the tipping point. We didnt replace him with anyone remotely as good and have been shite since. The trouble is without him and with Nathan T injured it becomes tough to play the formation we want to.

Of course its not just that though. Power has signed some dross as well. 14 new players and about 5 of them are decent. Sadly we got unlucky and the dedentish ones are the ones who have got injured.

I also think something wasnt right behind the scenes with Cooper and coaches. We knew he wasnt getting on well with Williams if the media is to be believed.

[Talk Talk]

I think selling Byrne was the tipping point. We didnt replace him with anyone remotely as good and have been shite since.

Completely agree with you Rich. I thought that he was a cut above anything we had and pulled the opposition defence all over the place, double marking and so on. He really made the space to score, even when it wasn't him running at them with the ball.

Needs must I guess and he had to be sold to fund..erm, what? A big hole indeed.

[theakston2k]

You've said this about a million times, yet I've never met anyone that actually thinks this?!!

I appreciate he's your friends boyfriend but it's just to highlight the fickleness of our fans more than anything. I'd say Twitter is the main reason for the Miles Storey love in because he says nice things on there every so often and retweets people now and then. Christ by being on Twitter it even allowed Jed to win over a fair few of our supporters

But back onto the point it's tweets like this I'm on about @sharront1979: Seriously can @tybelford be in goal Saturday 🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓  
There's quite a few on there saying he deserves a run of games and there was even a question in the phone in last week asking when will Belford get a chance...

There just seems an irrational love in for some players and I don't really get it. In the case of Vigs vs Belford why does Belford deserve a run of games?  Yes Vigs is very raw and a rookie but in the 3 years he's been with us Belford has never looked anything more than an aveage backup at best. So surely if people want someone else in goal we should be looking elsewhere altogether?

[theakston2k]

Completely agree with you Rich. I thought that he was a cut above anything we had and pulled the opposition defence all over the place, double marking and so on. He really made the space to score, even when it wasn't him running at them with the ball.

Needs must I guess and he had to be sold to fund..erm, what? A big hole indeed.

Agreed, but if 2 years ago we had said to someone we'd sell him for close to a million they would laughed at you as he was very poor during the first part of his stay. He just highlights that it can take a year or so (or a change of position) for a player to come good so can't just write players off based on a few games.

[molepar]

Belford has never kept a clean sheet has he? And he did terribly in the home game against ?Colchester. Vig would have probably saved both of the goals he let in.

[Ells]

I appreciate he's your friends boyfriend but it's just to highlight the fickleness of our fans more than anything. I'd say Twitter is the main reason for the Miles Storey love in because he says nice things on there every so often and retweets people now and then. Christ by being on Twitter it even allowed Jed to win over a fair few of our supporters

But back onto the point it's tweets like this I'm on about @sharront1979: Seriously can @tybelford be in goal Saturday 🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓  
There's quite a few on there saying he deserves a run of games and there was even a question in the phone in last week asking when will Belford get a chance...

There just seems an irrational love in for some players and I don't really get it. In the case of Vigs vs Belford why does Belford deserve a run of games?  Yes Vigs is very raw and a rookie but in the 3 years he's been with us Belford has never looked anything more than an aveage backup at best. So surely if people want someone else in goal we should be looking elsewhere altogether?

There is certainly a section of our support on social media who specialise in talking out of their arses. Twas ever thus, of course, but there's very much a hive-mind thing and a community aspect where people's bullshit gets reinforced. I'm pretty convinced that very few of them go to games, and their support consists of following people on Twitter and texting into BBC Wilts that our defence looks very frail even though they're listening to the radio. A strange breed indeed.

[Tails]

Agreed, but if 2 years ago we had said to someone we'd sell him for close to a million they would laughed at you as he was very poor during the first part of his stay. He just highlights that it can take a year or so (or a change of position) for a player to come good so can't just write players off based on a few games.

The guys behind me in The Town End slated Gladwin and demanded he be subbed every game up until he went on that run. If anything it highlights our ability to improve a player... I didn't rate Byrne at all until last season, wasn't particularly sold on Gladwin either.

As for Belford... He is a lovely chap, I've met him a few times and he's been nothing but pleasant. If he was a better goalkeeper than Vigs than absolutely, put him in the team. Unfortunately, I don't think he is.

[Power to people]

Belford has never kept a clean sheet has he? And he did terribly in the home game against ?Colchester. Vig would have probably saved both of the goals he let in.

But who knows given a consistent run of games he may be decent - he only gets the odd games here and there how can he show his form ?

The defence in front of his does not exactly inspire confidence.

lets be fair to him though he was never going to replace Wes, but pre-season when everyone was of the opinion that another keeper was being brought in and they was going to fight it out for the No 1 spot nobody complained about Belford being shit then.