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The first of two tough games against fancied sides in League 1 sees Town host last seasons League 2 Champions Swindon Town.

Moneybags Swindon spent a King's ransom in winning the League 2 title last season and are clearly pushing the boat out financially this season too with several eye catching summer additions which the majority of clubs in the division couldn't hope to have signed. Whilst many seem only too happy to heap plaudits on Paolo Di Canio for me he remains very much unproven as a manager, his achievements last season in the context of what they threw at it financially prove little such was the advantage he had over his competitors and it's a similar story this season. The pressure is clearly on Di Canio to deliver again this season so it will be interesting to see how his highly suspect temperament and questionable man management abilities stand up to the test ahead.

I think it's fair to say there is plenty of tension around between the two clubs going into this game and not a great deal of love lost. This being down to the very controversial nature of our defeat at the County Ground last season, the saga of the James Collins transfer, Collins' comments soon after joining Swindon and most recently the tribunal ruling over his transfer. Having beaten Swindon at the Meadow last season and been robbed at the County Ground we proved to be more than a match for them last season with their huge financial advantage eventually only worth an extra five points. Whether we can still hold our own against them given their summer transfer activity remains to be seen but it is clearly a tough ask.

Swindon were in League Cup action in midweek, defeating Championship Burnley at the County Ground, so hopefully that game will have taken something out of them. They have also had a habit of throwing in 'after the Lord Mayors show' style performances following recent cup exploits so hopefully that is a trend which will continue on Saturday.

Graham Turner has yet to strengthen his squad further in the loan market but he has distributed details of some of his players who are available to go out on loan. This could indicate some imminent activity to freshen up a Town squad who have yet to really come to terms with life in League 1, particularly defensively where we have only kept one clean sheet to date. That must be a concern for the gaffer who likes to build his sides on defensive solidity as much as on attacking prowess. Barring injuries or late transfer activity changes from the last two games look unlikely.

Given we are making two very tough trips to Brentford and Doncaster next week we could really do with taking all three points from this game, otherwise we may find ourselves in and around the relegation positions come the day of the big televised derby game against Walsall.

Moneybags Swindon spent a King's ransom in winning the League 2 title last season and are clearly pushing the boat out financially this season too with several eye catching summer additions which the majority of clubs in the division couldn't hope to have signed

So, can you see us becoming something of a Reading?

I'd love to match Reading's achievements, but it will be very difficult. The infrastructure isn't there..yet. And I don't think we'll ever have something as "impressive" as the Madstad.

But sustainable championship football is the aim...Too early to tell just yet whether we can achieve it without more investment (outside ground redevelopment)..

Tell them to go to any other game this season then. Plenty of tickets for those.

It's the last bit Kerry. People can't afford it anymore. 8,000 is pretty good to be quite honest. Yes maybe if we were back in 1993 we'd get bigger crowds as the economy was on the up and tickets were cheaper. Look at other club's attendances in relation to ours and you'll see that ours are actually quite good.

The reason we are towards the top of the attendances in League 1 is because, apart from Sheff Utd and Pompey, there are no 'big' clubs as there has been in the last few seasons.

Do we really think that if the ticket prices as reduced by a fiver there would be that many more takers?

Things could hardly be any better as regards the feelgood factor at STFC these days

Pompey's biggish crowds are a relatively recent thing in many ways...take a look at season in Div 2 like 96/97, the year we were back in the second tier and there ws still a bit of feelgood about the CG, our average of 9,917 was better than Reading's average...considerably better than the Scum who came up with us but no surprise in that...and 1100 more than Pompey.

If you look at the average attendances for that season...those clubs with < 10,000 have mostly fallen away...namelyGrimsby, Oldham, Oxford, Port Vale, Southend, Tranmere and ourselves.  The exception being Reading and Pompey, although the latter are now paying for it.

Those with > 10,000 have mostly hung about or gone onto better things namely Barnsley, Brum, Bolton, Charlton, Palace, Udders, Ipswich, Man City, Norwich, QPR, Sheff U, Stoke, WBA and Wolves.

 

So the board need to be analysing what Reading have done right and Pompey have done wrong

I'll add Bournemouth into the mix here. There is shit loads of money down here, but the football club has always struggled financially, and tbh thay have spent shed loads this season but it can't be sustainable. Is it because the south is not generally considered a football hotbed, or do the residents have better things to do?

So the board need to be analysing what Reading have done right and Pompey have done wrong

I'll add Bournemouth into the mix here. There is shit loads of money down here, but the football club has always struggled financially, and tbh thay have spent shed loads this season but it can't be sustainable. Is it because the south is not generally considered a football hotbed, or do the residents have better things to do?

Was reading considered a football hotbed a decade ago?

Was reading considered a football hotbed a decade ago?

Even easier for Reading locals to head into London for a game

So they have done brilliantly to establish themselves in the PL/Championship.

So where did the extra 15000 or so Reading fans come from - and why

So where did the extra 15000 or so Reading fans come from - and why

You tell me, you seem to be an expert on most matters

It does seem that a 'small' club benefits from a new/redeveloped stadium - Swansea, Reading even Watford to some extent -

It does seem that a 'small' club benefits from a new/redeveloped stadium - Swansea, Reading even Watford to some extent - whereas when an established club gets a new stadium it fucks them up - Coventry, Derby etc.

It seems we are getting a redeveloped stadium a la Vicarage Road - which I think looks an impressive stadium.

Is it a case of 'build it and they will come'?

It does seem that a 'small' club benefits from a new/redeveloped stadium - Swansea, Reading even Watford to some extent - whereas when an established club gets a new stadium it fucks them up - Coventry, Derby etc.

It seems we are getting a redeveloped stadium a la Vicarage Road - which I think looks an impressive stadium.

Is it a case of 'build it and they will come'?

Reg is right.  We need a redevelopment now to take us to the next level.  Probably 20 years or so overdue, to tell the truth.  But we're ripe for it now...especially given that the club's finances appear to be more stable and that we're starting to see some success on the pitch.  I suppose I'm starting to get a little twitchy that there has been so little detail so far coming from the club.  Have to hope that that comes soon.  An impressively redeveloped town centre stadium will give this club the biggest boost it's had in a generation.  Keep your fingers crossed.

From the "story" I got Told, if true, is that its mainly being funded by money being left to the club from a wealthy supporter named Nigel Eady who sadly passed away. I also got told that the stand was going to be called the Eady stand. So if true then its only planning standing in the way. Like I said i dont know how truthfull this is but its strange that no official communication has come from the club about it. I am just seeing if it all comes true but I know others on here have heard Similar, believed someone on here found him listed on the swindon town supporters list.

Wray talked about it on the radio on the other day.  Said its progressing well the council are just asking some very specific questions.  Its all happening really just seems they dont want to announce things without there being any concrete news.  Fair enough really.

From the "story" I got Told, if true, is that its mainly being funded by money being left to the club from a wealthy supporter named Nigel Eady who sadly passed away. I also got told that the stand was going to be called the Eady stand. So if true then its only planning standing in the way. Like I said i dont know how truthfull this is but its strange that no official communication has come from the club about it. I am just seeing if it all comes true but I know others on here have heard Similar, believed someone on here found him listed on the swindon town supporters list.