Swindon v Stevenage pre match chat and matchday thread

[Pookemon]

Which is exactly what you want in midfield - a player that can win the ball and then pass it to somebody else more creative.

That's why we've missed Doughty.  The insistence on playing 2 or even 3 holding mids has been getting on my tits for years and even more so now that we have Grant, who is more than capable of dominating that area on his own.

Being Rose's or May's workhorse is just wasting his talent.  

[RobertT]

I was going to respond as well, because it may be the joy of following from afar, but there has been obvious signs of better community engagement in the past few months.  They've been out to schools, they've set up the Fanzone and sent players to that who ware not part of the squad that day, they've made a big song and a dance about biging up the away following, the upcoming Walsall kids takeover etc.  So delivering exactly what they said they would, oh and the open day thing they did as well didn't they?

[theakston2k]

I was going to respond as well, because it may be the joy of following from afar, but there has been obvious signs of better community engagement in the past few months.  They've been out to schools, they've set up the Fanzone and sent players to that who ware not part of the squad that day, they've made a big song and a dance about biging up the away following, the upcoming Walsall kids takeover etc.  So delivering exactly what they said they would, oh and the open day thing they did as well didn't they?

And you always see players at the football in the community hub.

[willwalder]

A last minute win and a critique of the fans from Richie Wellens:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07rrs4p

[Batch]

That's why we've missed Doughty.   

On that note, I'm not sure I like Doughty playing quarter back. I felt we needed that someone to unlock the front two from midfield a bit more.

But on the other hand if you push him forwards, you risk a deeper playing Grant not being as affective.

Who'd want to be a football manager.

[Batch]

Oh, nearly forgot. Did "cramp man" (#14?) have the worlds smallest shin pads?

[Reg Smeeton]

Pot ... kettle. I asked you to back up your wholly unevidenced repetition of the fake facebook rumour that Wellens doesn't live in the area, you, as per usual, ducked the question and responded with a completely different question.

But I'll answer it anyway. The club have done a fair bit on community engagement since the summer, it's been remarked on by plenty of people on here as well as on other forms of social media. Aside from the FanZone, there's been plenty of schools initatives, including 100s of free tickets given out, players and Wellens going into schools to talk to the kids, take training sessions etc. We've got the "Junior Reds takeover" coming up for the Walsall game, lots of engagement on social media etc etc. I know you ignore most of that because all you really want is the Fans forum you keep going on about (and FWIW, might be a good idea to have a bit of an old school QandA in the Legends although I can see why the club might feel it could backfire), but it doesn't mean those other things aren't happening, the club do seem to be making a real effort with it.

Push comes to shove though, the club can do all they want with community engagement, this that and the other but if the results aren't going well, people will be pissed off. And even if they are. some people will still find reason to be pissed off (not a dig at you btw thinking more of some of the FB/Twitter trolls with that one)

I just go by what Wellens said in his Loathed Strangers... still horse's mouth evidence doesn't seem to count with some.

If as you say these things are happening then the club needs to be doing a bit more to big it up.... the Adver for example will print any old shit if you get in touch with them. Further with Swindon schools having such a bad rep, you'd think they'd welcome a bit of up beat publicity.

Maybe they can't because of the safeguarding minefield.... the players would need DBS clearance, and I'm not sure all ours would get a clean bill of health.

PS, the Wellens podcast might not have been LS, but perhaps something similar.

[pauld]

I just go by what Wellens said in his Loathed Strangers... still horse's mouth evidence doesn't seem to count with some.

If as you say these things are happening then the club needs to be doing a bit more to big it up.... the Adver for example will print any old shit if you get in touch with them. Further with Swindon schools having such a bad rep, you'd think they'd welcome a bit of up beat publicity.

Maybe they can't because of the safeguarding minefield.... the players would need DBS clearance, and I'm not sure all ours would get a clean bill of health.

All the initiatives I listed have been covered in the Adver, on the club website, on social media and on here. Short of Wellens dropping round your house and shouting through your letterbox, not sure what else the club can do? Just because you weren't paying attention, doesn't mean it didn't happen

Maybe they can't because of the safeguarding minefield.... the players would need DBS clearance, and I'm not sure all ours would get a clean bill of health.

Clearly not, because the visits did happen and were well publicised, despite your failure to notice them. This is pathetic.

[theakston2k]

Oh, nearly forgot. Did "cramp man" (#14?) have the worlds smallest shin pads?

#15.... yeah he looked a right state. I've got in trouble with Stevenage fans for criticising him as apparently it was his first game in 2 months. Going down with 'cramp' every 5 minutes from 55 minutes onwards is entirely normal apparently and in no way time wasting!

[pauld]

#15.... yeah he looked a right state. I've got in trouble with Stevenage fans for criticising him as apparently it was his first game in 2 months. Going down with 'cramp' every 5 minutes from 55 minutes onwards is entirely normal apparently and in no way time wasting!

tbf, that's probably more his manager's fault than his. He signalled to be taken off several times, but the bench ignored him until eventually the phsyio had to come one. Once you've got cramp in a game, it can always reoccur

[Reg Smeeton]

All the initiatives I listed have been covered in the Adver, on the club website, on social media and on here. Short of Wellens dropping round your house and shouting through your letterbox, not sure what else the club can do? Just because you weren't paying attention, doesn't mean it didn't happenClearly not, because the visits did happen and were well publicised, despite your failure to notice them. This is pathetic.

Can you post up some examples?  I know back in the summer we had  a head's up and I've seen the bouncy castle, but the other stuff seems to have passed me by. 

[pauld]

Can you post up some examples?  I know back in the summer we had  a head's up and I've seen the bouncy castle, but the other stuff seems to have passed me by. 

I've given loads of examples, as did Rob T. They were well covered. Google is your friend, you lazy sod.

[Batch]

and refs have clearly dropped the 'nearest touchline' criteria for exiting the pitch.

[RobertT]

I've given loads of examples, as did Rob T. They were well covered. Google is your friend, you lazy sod.

FFS, I'm in Atlanta and know about it - I can tell you now, my eye sight is not that good that I can see from here.

[theakston2k]

tbf, that's probably more his manager's fault than his. He signalled to be taken off several times, but the bench ignored him until eventually the phsyio had to come one. Once you've got cramp in a game, it can always reoccur

On one occasion he walked as far from the bench as he could and then sat down. Based on their 'tactics' last night I'd be very surprised if it wasn't at least part of a time wasting plan to disrupt us.