Thetownend.com

The opponent:  Oldham Athletic AFC

4.59.59pm? That is supposed to be the time the Spurs trio’s deals were completed. Well why wait until 20 past bloody well 5 to tell us? Bastards. Had this thread been started around the 17.00hrs mark it may well have made an entirely different read. For the last few weeks I have generally just stuck to matchday threads, mainly due to work taking off, but there was a bit of me that just about had a gut full of all things STFC. I will be the first to admit, I was a Di Canio fan, and was a bit pissed with how that all ended. It then seemed our dream of a developed County Ground and squad investment went down the pan as quick as it came in when Mr Black left, and then our takeover is completed, just, etc etc etc. So for the last few weeks I have avoided waiting for Adver Sam’s every Tweet and watched from a distance. Buuuuuuuut,  I can’t sit back any longer, after the news was broken a couple of days back that the never quite made it to the top striker Jason Roberts was in talks to sign a pre-contract agreement to become our player/coach.  Sky Sports? BBC Wiltshire? Adver Sam? STFC Gazza?  No, The Town End’s own Chris STFC.  Does that mean 5Live will love us from now on? As always, there are more questions than answers.

So the Easter weekend has arrived, rather uninterestingly, I was born on a Good Friday (I know, what was so good about it)? But it does mean a double dose of football, and god have I craved some football over the last few days. 2 very tough matches for very different reasons, starting with Oldham Athletic this afternoon.  The AFC bit of tonight’s opponent gives the club its full title, Oldham Athletic (2004) Association Football Club Ltd, although the Oldham Athletic AFC that they have on their shirts is probably a bit easier for the average Latic to grasp. Incredibly, when The Latics were relegated from the 2nd tier of English Football back in 97-98, they have not gone up or down a league in all of that time. 15 years of League 1 football! At least we got to experience Accrington, Morecambe and Barnet in recent seasons. Looking through the Oldham squad, they have made good use of the loan system with Chris Iwelumo, Lee Barnard and Jordan Obita amongst the ranks this season. How our 3 young Hotspurs stand in comparison will obviously reveal itself over a period of time, although one thing is for sure, I wouldn’t swap our current league position with theirs!

Looking back through the history of Oldham Athletic, they haven’t rally won a great deal to be honest, unless you count Lancashire Combinations Cup success back in 1908 as a major honour. A few years after they did manage to finish 2nd in what was then the 1st Division, but since then, the odd cup run like the one back in 93 really is about as exciting as it has got for them. To be fair to them, they do well to get the average attendances that they actually achieve with Boundary Park being less than 9 miles away from the nearby stadiums of Manchester City and Manchester United, and more notably, Rochdale and Bury. One thing I found out about Oldham which I never knew before was back in the 1960’s, the club was owned by none other than Ken Bates, who, in his wisdom, decided to change the clubs colours so the players home kit featured a garish tangerine orange shirt and blue shorts!  Oldham’s loss is surely Leeds gain?
Notable fans of The Latics are few and far between, although double glazing salesmen and former comedians Cannon and Ball are amongst them. Another proud fan of OA(2004)AFC is all round brain box, Professor Brian Cox, surely the next Patrick Moore? He was also lucky enough to be born in Oldham, and being the son of bankers, was privately educated in Oldham, though he did once admit that he only got a D in his maths exams. There is hope for all of us yet.


What are they saying about us? –

“Will be a very hard game as they should have beaten Notts County but for their goalie making saves.

I'm going to Swindon and I would take a point but got a gut feeling that we will win 1 nil. Hope I’m right, Monday is our must win game”

http://www.oafc.co.uk/

Bessone is disappointed to miss out on featuring tomorrow at Swindon.

"They were my last club and things didn't go how I wanted and decided to leave in December," he continued.

Oldham’s ‘Ex-Barca” left back speaks his mind.

Oldham Athletic Last 6 –  WWLLLW (Oldham are currently 20th on 39 points)

The Threat – Jose Baxter currently leads the way for The Latics with 13 goals in all competitions.

A Warm Welcome to – Crisitian Montano (the poor soul ended up on loan at Oxford in the end) is currently plying his trade for Oldham, having scored 2 goals for them.

The irrelevant stats – Oldham have managed to concede 50 goals so far this season, 28 of those being away from Boundary Park. They have managed 5 wins away from home this season. Interestingly, out of the 28 goals they have conceded, 16 of those were in the last 15 minutes, perhaps fitness is an issue?

Head to Head – In the 46 encounters between ourselves and The Latics we have won 18, drawn and lost 17 times.

The Odds – Swindon 8/13   Draw 16/5  Oldham 5/1 (Bet 365) With recent home form in mind, the draw is not looking like a bad bet to be honest, although 2-2 may have some more appeal at 22/1 with Bet Victor, and is as short as 14/1 elsewhere.

The Son Says – Its half term at the moment, so thankfully this game fills out another half day of child entertaining. The lad says 3-0.

The Prediction – I am going for a 2-0 victory, goals from Shit Williams and Adam Rooney, both in front of a half filled Stratton Bank and a total crowd of 9022 (224 from Lancashire)

And Finally – The Oldham Gold Rush (1848–1855) began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by Eric Kippersthwaite, in Royton. News of the discovery brought some 300,000 people to Oldham, mainly from Yorkshire leaving it quite empty. Of the 300,000, approximately half arrived by bus and half walked overland. Thankfully First Great Western and Virgin were unheard of back then.

COYR COYR COYR

A good read as usual and thanks for the mention. A proud moment. ;)

I predict a narrow win, 2-1. Jose Baxter is one to watch at this level and would walk into our side so will need keeping an eye on.

Is Bessone not available then? Thought I read that he was.

On paper they have a decent side, love to say easy win, but any win will do. 1-1 it is then.

Something has to give at home and we're going to stuff these boys 4-0! Goals from Roberts, Collins (2) and "Shit" Williams in front of 9140, C.O.Y.R!

I'm trying to buy my ticket now, but my online log-in details stuff don't seem to be working :(

Hoping their keeper does'nt get mom like the Notts Co keeper and Collins and co have their shooting boots on.3-1 with Rooney,Collins and one the Spurs lads netting

2-0 Williams, Collins.

JUST GET THE BALL IN THE NET AND WIN YOU CUNTS!

Couldn't have put it better myself.

You missed out most notable of Oldham fans; Paul Scholes.

We'll batter them 1-0.

We will absolutely dick them no problem, 2-1, Roberts 90+5

Gary or Jason?

Shhh, Jason is still under a big sheet ready to be a surprise reveal at 2:59. Mwhahahahahahahaha.
   exclusive source : CHRIS_STFC

A win, any score will do. Off to renew ST's now. Club website is absolute dogs shyte.

3-0, let's get a statement of intent in please lads. Would also help to shut up those wankers who boo every home game.

9757 attending.

True dat. Very very rarely use it these day, sometimes for fixtures or player highlights but rarely much else.

Still that's the fault of the shitey company the FL employ to do it....

My two boys are mascots today..............looking forward to the day.

We need to win today anything else I believe it will be play-offs at best.

I'm going to regret this probably, but this morning I have cracked.  Wife is working all day, so faced with a day at home with the boys I have decided today's as good a day as any for their first game.  They're 4¾ and 3¼.  Bit young, I know.  I expect to see no more than 10 mins football in each half and to spend the rest of the time buying drinks, picking crayons up off the floor and helping with trips to the toilet.  My brother has gallantly offered to swap his season ticket in the Town End to help.  I'm not sure we're going to be on speaking terms by 5pm.   ;D

Any recommendations for somewhere to take a couple of little ones for a bite to eat before the game?  We're coming in off the M4 at J15, so was thinking of the Sun Inn at Coate.

Haven't got a clue how today is going to pan out, Anything could happen at home & we might even get a win.
I'll go for 2-1 With Ward & Collins getting a late winner. Should be a more relaxed feel about the place today and it's £2 a pint in the Legends so worth popping in.

The sun is out, beer is £2 in the legends, 2nd in the league and we've signed 3 new players. All adds up to a 2-0 win in front of 8,941, a goal in each half from Roberts and Williams.

The sun may be out but it's fucking freezing out there. I've bitten the bullet and bought some gloves today.

Just fucking win.

4-0 Town, Gareth Bale's twin to grab the hat trick on debut.

Its only a matter of time until a visiting team ends up on the wrong end of drubbing.

Can't help with where to eat but if you still have some time to kill before the game take them in the junior robins room, plenty of colouring and the like for the little ones

Oh and 2-0 Roberts and one of the new lads

Thanks for that.  Where is it?  Arkells Stand, I presume?  (I'm not a regular in the Legends, so today will be my first time in the Arkells for a very long time.)

Big gayer

It's in the DR, on the Stratton bank corner where the study centre used to be, even has a mini football goal in it!

The spotted cow (just before the sun inn as you come in off the motorway) is a good family friendly pub to go for lunch.

Hope the little 'uns enjoy their first visit to our Mecca, and preferably see their first win!

Looking forward to today.

A win is a must with the toughies coming up.

Its in The DRS right at the bank end , you can get to it from the outside so don't need to go through the turnstiles first

The Hungry Horse just before The Sun Inn? I think it was called The Spotted Cow. Went there a couple of years back and the food was great, really cheap, and climbing frames and swings for the kids, albeit a little chilly in Swindon this morning :)

I thought it was just the old and wealthy that went in The Arkells?

Spotted Cow, is that still there?  Used to walk up there in my youth from Park South!

3-1 today, 9,250.  Just about to leave & really looking forward to the match, happy with the way KMacs got us playing, just need the strikers to find the net again!  

I used to drink in there lunchtimes when at Park School in the 60's... a pint and a cheese and onion roll. Landlord didn't seem to mind, the place was more or less a bunch of prefab huts...no idea what the original may have looked like if there was such a thing...it stayed like that for years...until seemingly being replaced by some newer prefab style modern shit.

Leaving now to hopefully see a 2-0 win in front of 9,174 (149 from the North).

Don't forget if you're coming in from London it's 2 and a quarter hours each way on the train today.

Woo. Got my Ticket.

Hopefully we can continue with the defensive solidarity of the last game, and the new lads can add some more oomph from the middle of the park going forward

Where has all this positism come from?
Usual home form fo me. Play will be between, decent and real class, ending in a 1 -1 draw.

Depends what you want...

Pub food then Spotted Cows a good shout. Harvester on drove roads decent too and not far from the CG.

Go up the hill at coate into old town if you want pizza express or subway.

5 minute detour off queens drive if you want McDonalds/KFC/Chiquitos/Frankie and Bennys/ Pizza Hut at Greenbridge

Or chippy / Burger King next to the magic roundabout



.... And yes I am a fat bastard

I am neither of these and reside in the Arkells  :).

Hope your boys enjoy being mascot Duke of Banbury and your boys enjoy their first game Ardiles.  Snacks, sweets and drinks in abundence will also be helpful.  Which end of the Arkells are you going to be in?

All we need is for our bloody strikers to be a bit more clinical today.  Nothing less than 3 points is good enough!

We don't win home games, do we?! I'm confident we'll see a goal today, so 1-1. Ah fuck it, with the embongo gone the new boys will have a stormer and we'll win 4-0!

Thanks.  Packing a couple of bags as we speak...complete with colouring books and crayons.  What am I doing?

Thanks also for all the pub lunch recommendations.  But the Sun Inn suggestion took hold quickly and there are now 7 of us meeting there.

Nerves kicking in now.

I hope you've got some thick protective earmuffs to shield them from the constant barrage of negativity and abuse that will come raining down over their shoulders.

This is why I love this forum.

I'm back after a hissy fit by the way, not that any cunt missed me.

You reeeeeedddddds  :)

No luck in getting batch the littlest to goad the town end after playing on the pitch at half time :(

Actually your absence was stated earlier this week :)

I noticed you were gone.

Today will be the day we turn our home form around and win the remainder of our home fixtures. A late winner from Williams in a narrow 2-1 victory.

Someone made a comment earlier this week...Could've been Fred.

So welcome back.

We're going to win.

Sussex does look right without the Hollyoaks (?) serial killer (?) as an avatar.

Must have had the same one for the best part of 10 years now...

Your absence was noted, and put down to a nasty outbreak of mongitis on here, hopefully the powerful antibiotics administered by SY, should have cured the problem.

In town for this one so nothing less than 5-0 will do!

3-0 win to town. 9.5k there to see it

1-1 flint header 89th minute

But he's shit

 :D

You clearly need to improve your persuasion or bribery skills  :).  Hope he has fun.  It seems like the Town End Forum kids are out in force today.


It was moi  :)

Daddy, what's a cunt. What's a cunt daddy? DADDY???

Later: Mummy, daddy won't tell me what a cunt is. MUMMY???

4 or 5 nil. 9666 crowd then off to see Eels in Brizzle straight after. Cider I up!

We're gonna win 10 nil

You beautiful freak!!!

4-0 with a crowd of 10243. Gutted i'm at work today and it's not even that we're busy. Know where i'd rather be even if if is freezing cold!

 COYR

just about to leave the house, Going for a tight 2- 1 win for town (Collins, De Vita) att: 9679 (away: 258)

As I've been dying with a cold for the last week, my imminent death means my final wishes do not include sitting outside in the cold watching football. However, there's a slim chance I'll end up pulling through and I'll live to regret not witnessing the complete and total annihilation of Oldham. 9-0 Swindon.

1-0 defeat watched by a crowd of 9,345 with 231 Latics in attendance.

And possibly a dog faced boy in the morning after cider!

This has a draw written all over it, sadly.

Another great write up from SR, aside frm the fact that Oldham isn't in Lancashire...

If we want top 2, we have to win today. Simple as. In fact, I think we have to win today, and at Sheffield, and at either Donny or MK to stand a chance. Makes last week's draw all the more frustrating!

Good to hear there'll be a decent crowd. A bit disappointed not to be there but seem to have got used to that feeling. Booked my ticket for Sheff U so that's something to look forward to. For now, STFC Player. Come on you reds!

A £1 bag of sweets from the sweet hut in the DRS, and a Nintendo DS always do the trick for my 5 year old.

Luongo and Parrett start, Byrne on the bench. Rooney and Miller out of the 11

Surprised those two have started. Us Parrett on the wing? I thought he was a central player?

Isn't he the box to box player? Obviously has a good engine.

Full Team:

Wes Foderingham, Nathan Thompson, Darren Ward, Aden Flint, Alan McCormack (c), Alan Navarro, Simon Ferry, Massimo Luongo, Dean Parrett, Gary Roberts, Andy Williams.
Subs: Leigh Bedwell (GK), Joe Devera, Louis Thompson, Raffa De Vita, Nathan Byrne, James Collins, Adam Rooney

Your login attempts have been exceeded, please contact us for more information.

 :(

Amen. Here we go, three more points please boys.

Wish I was there....COYR

Williams goes close

It's ferry wide right and parrett and Luongo in the middle so far

and elsewhere, goal no 24 for Charlie

he likes Ferry out wide doesn't he?

Luongo over the bar after good work from Parrett.

Good work from Parrett

Good work from Parrett

Bet you've been dying to do that since 5.30 last night?

Guilty as charged.

Cov 1-0 up against Doncaster - is this going to be another chance for us to take advantage of other's results.

Oooh

Donny 1 down

ffs

Roberts hits the post and misses a tap-in. We sound well on top with Parrett very bright.

Are you sure it's not Tore André Flo ?

When you make posts like this, and I'm not listening to the game, I presume the worst. 

Not sure how Roberts hit the post and misses the tap in when it was easier to score.  Hope to god it's not going to be one of those days again.

Bournemouth 1-0 up.

Okay, you'll have to explain that one to me.

I'm currently working on a way to shoehorn in a pretty Polly gag

Brentford 1-0 up

Austin got his second - a pen

He won't score a tap-in.

He wants a cracker.

Stuck in deepest Derbyshire all week. Heading off to the pub in a few minutes for a bite to eat and when I return I expect 3 points. Alternatively the pub will have wifi and I'll be on here the whole game.

It's better be a cracker

Norwegian Blue


(sorry)

Wifi ?
Derbyshire ?

Goodluck

Don't think there's been a set piece yet, but I wonder if Parrett will fancy taking the Macawners?

Its not too bad for wifi..and snow

it sounds very quiet there

If we can score, our goal difference is 20 better than Bournemouth and Brentford.

Apologies, I shall elaborate: ffs Roberts, finish it off please.

 ;D

is world fucking up for anyone else?

yeah it's fucking awful as usual

Yes.

Yeah, shit as normal

It's just not working at all now

Is it overly harsh to say that Roberts is a candidate for the Cureton/Thorpe school of disappointing high profile signings?

It's not fucking rocket science, but when they have a centre half that's winning every fucking header just hoofing the ball forward isn't going to work.

You can see it coming that Oldham will get one chance & score it

Tranmere 0-1 Sheff Utd Boooo!

Roberts tries at least.

Very harsh. I don't see him play week in week out, but when I have seen him he's done pretty well.

Half time. We're on top, but haven't scored, and their centre backs are dominating in the air.

De ja vu all over again.

The Spurs lads sound good though.

So we've dominated possession and missed a sitter.

Déja vu.

Yup. Hopefully that brief flurry towards half time was their chance.

That said, it might be that they batter us all second half. Or we might score two or three.

Let's hope for the latter.

at orient he put in an ashikodi style cameo. if we could shift him in the summer i'd do it but I would be very happy for Roberts to score a couple

This.  The crowd can all see it's not working, so why can't the players and the manager.

I wouldn't even say we've dominated possession, it's been another shite 45 minutes in front of the home ground and yet again we don't look like scoring

Player fucked  :crash:

Cureton and Thorpe showed no interest in ever playing for us, Roberts might be crap but I've never seen anyone fault his effort.

I watched a reserve game in 2005 and Thorpe was on the pitch. Literally, he was just on the pitch. I don't think he broke out of a stroll or touched the ball.

Radio Commentary is telling me Parrett is brilliant. Fans in the stand telling me he is awful.

Who to believe... ?

I was about to ask which one, then I realised what you meant... :)

Unfucked .... until the next time.

I wasn't really trying to condemn Roberts' efforts, but in terms of the hope we had when he arrived against what he's actually delivered, it really has been a big disappointment.

Brentford and Bournemouth both winning, Doncaster losing - we really need to pick up all 3 points today. Fortunately Sheff Utd are beating Tranmere otherwise we'd be down to 5th.

The spurs kids, in particular Parrett, have an aversion to passing.

To say its not working with Ferry on the right is an understatement. With the right subs the game is there for the taking.

I'd like to see us go 4-3-3. Like a proper 4-3-3 with 3 strikers all playing near each other. Just go for it.

Back underway, no changes

Wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful wasteful

Williams missed a one on one after being put through by Luongo.

Don't think it's an understatement to say that with a bit more lucky and clinical finishing we'd be dicking them.

wide!!! argh

Sounds like the kids are showing the adults how to do it.

Williams is the least clinical first-team striker we've had for ages.

Fucking shite Williams.  Complete waste.  I'm losing patience with  our inability to convert chances.  It's costing us big time

Get Collins on. At least he hits the target 2/10 times  :D

Williams dallies and another chance goes begging :(

Thompson's got a knock from a bad tackle, might be about to see Byrne

Edit: Yep, Byrne on

Thompson injured.  By the way he went off, could be out for a few games.

Is it going to be another one of those days :(

Rooney and Collins warming up.

Please, please, please score.

A Rooney and Collins both about to come on. And a free kick on the edge of the box...

Collins & Rooney for Williams and Roberts

time for a collins hattrick  "onwards and upwards"

Oh dear

Cunting cunty cunt aaarguawhikldcklmasef

Well that was obvious.

(1-0 Oldham, Barnard from an Alan Mac mistake- and not the first)

I've seen that coming since the second half started

25 minutes, come on boys, we need three here

Well overdue. Shame

And that ladies & gents is a striker doing his job, something ours seem incapable of doing

One is not amused

YEEES ROONEY OVERHEAD KICK 1-1

GOALLLL

Ah, now we start playing

Yesssssssssssssssssssssss Rooney

Now let's get a winner!

A striker who can score!

COOOOOMMMEEEEE OOOOOOOOOOOONNNN!!!!!

shit yeah, lets get on with this now then. a rooney overhead!

But not that.

Need to win, otherwise still a shit result

Just started listening - forgot game was on.
Rooney scored just as I logged in - Come on Swindon.....

Sounds like same old story again... missed chances!!

Come on we need to win this!!!

Odd moment.

Rooney apparently tripped off the ball, linesman flagging wildly...ref ignored him totally. Crowd sound unhappy.

Hello chaps! On me jols. Just tuned in to hear both goals.

Collins misses from four yards. Oh my.

Now Collins misses one. I make that at least 3 simple chances wasted by us today (according to BBC RS).

Poor training regime no doubt

Oh FFS this getting ridiculous

Now Rooney misses one from 3 yards...

Rooney misses from three yards.

If it wasn't so fucking important this would be really quite funny now.

Another sitter missed

and another wasted

Surprised to see:
1. Out of umbongo
2. 2 midfielders and a defender
3. No striker
4. Links to Johnson

Heard on commentary that Williams was poor. Then also that Collins misses a sitter and the whole team seem to continue to be wasteful.

Jesus - these misses are so frustrating. FFS

Its like our strikers are doing a 'who can miss the easiest chance' competition.

11 shots off target so far

just put it between the two upright poles and under the horizontal one, please

Now someone's pulled the plug out on the Radio.

Argh link down

Are McEverley and Miller injured or dropped?

Collins... saved, corner

Shame we didn't manage to get a forward in.  The ones we've got aren't good enough.  

In lighter news, Parrett does indeed take Macawners.

saved again, from collins

I don't think much has changed really, we just no longer have Ritchie. Our reliance on our forwards is much more now

Power over placement again!

To paraphrase Patches O'Houlihan:

"Will somebody score a goddamn goal!"

fucking hell Alan Mac depresses me

Luongo MotM

You're not alone on that.

Headed wide of the post by Collins...this cannot be happening. So many chances, most of them set up by the two Spurs kids.

Collins heads just wide. So many chances.

I gotta go! Good luck lads!!

5 minutes stoppage time and we are piling the pressure on...

I give up...another wasted chance

Unbelievably infuriating.

And there go our hopes of automatic promotion...

Unless we beat Doncaster, Franchise AND Sheff U.

Gutting. Absolutely gutting. By all accounts that could have been an absolute hatful of goals let alone the one more we need.

Hope remains but the confidence of the strikers has to be shot to absolute pieces after that. 6 games to go, it'll be hard from here but we can still do it, just need to be a lot more clinical in front of goal.

FT 1-1. Play offs it is then

Very poor

We're still fourth you miserable fuckers.

Booing at the final whistle. Shame.

BBC stats give 18 shots of which 5 on target.

As Sonic says we're still up there but we could and should be in the autos and in command.

Arse.

We're fourth, yes. But Sheff U have 2 games in hand on us, Brentford have 1 and are above us. Doncaster are 4 points ahead. Plus we have to play Donny and Sheff U away, and can't beat relegation candidates at home.

I'm not a negative person. I'm usually the last person to give up hope. But overall a top two finish looks highly unlikely now.

This

I suppose at least the loan players sound useful.

Need to pull some great away performances out of the bag if we're gonna get auto.

Benson would have filled his boots today!

Probably.  At this rate we'll finish outside the top 6

In a normal season you'd be bang on the money.

However, this is not a normal season. Going by our away form we will win the next 3, or at least get 7 points. I have found myself this season wishing we could play away every game.

Other teams at the top are also very erratic in their performances.

Pretty much sums it up

I thought the "Tore André Flo" - "Norwegian Blue" gag deserved a better response to be honest

Exactly...drawing games we should be easily winning particularly at home is normally a sure sign we end up in the play-offs. We're simply not ruthless enough to go up via autos.

Shooting practice needs to be a priority tomorrow. Preferably against a goal the size of a dustbin

I didn't join in, but to be fair, we haven't won at home since January and have dropped 13 points of the last 18 at home.  The failure to convert chances and beat teams at the lower end of the table when we're at home is pathetic.  People are understanderbly losing patience.

Our home form has effectively killed any auto hopes.

Too many players without the passion and commitment there used to be. Not good enough.

Sheff U have a potential 6 points over us with their 2 games in hand. That's not good.

Their form is very sketchy though.

Spurs players looked good. Parret looks a bit Ritchie-ish in the way he plays, and Luongo in the second half made some brilliant breaks.

Alan Mccormack did that thing he does where he forgets he's playing a game of football, focuses on trying to better his opposite number and invariably loses. Frustrating.

People need to engage their brains and think back to the last time we were in this division.

Who would have taken play-offs at the start of the season?

Just got back in and I'm still shaking my head.

We're not missing chances, we're missing sitters.

Roberts 1st half was worse a miss, if possible, than the one he smacked against the post at Brentford. Truly shocking.

Rooney could have had 4 - again not half chances, but cherry-topped certs.

The play-offs it is, and with the 3 Spurs players looking more than useful, I'd feel confident of at least a Wembley visit.

Bornmuff and Blades for the 2 autos with Swindon, Doncaster, Brentford and Walsall for the play-offs.

Tranmere are shot - as are Yeovil.

Another disappointing frustrating performance.  Had enough chances to win 6-1.  Williams mised three, Rooney could have had a hat trick and I think it was five good chances for Collins.  Cannot say the goalie saved them, it was just us missed them.  Macca badly at fault for their goal but it had been coming.  Our distribution from the back was poor, just a big hoof or a head up in the air.  Wes is going through a dodgy spell so it could be there is little confidence in the back four.  The Spurs players all looked useful, although I am not sure how they would stand up to the rough and tumble of this league every week, but their skills showed through and Parrett has a good cross and corner in him.

Agreed. Still frustrating when we're so close though

Didn't hear the booing from the DRS.

Quick summary, I still think 4-5-1 gives us plenty of the ball but not enough threat. Early on we looked good, but mid first half it got a bit raggedy. The Spurs players, firstly not sure why De Vita isn't involved ahead of them. But they did OK. Parrett was the better of the two in my eyes despite the other one winning MoM, he had a good dead ball kick and looked willing. Byrne looked composed when he came on but was never put under pressure.

Williams was a bit frustrating. But asking him to play the lone gunman role is a bit, well, a bit baffling to be honest.

Second half, when we switched it to 4-4-2 they scored! McCormack got wrong side of his man at a throw in, and they scored the simplest of goals - cross, tap in.

But we did look threatening and Collins and Rooney were guilty of missing guilt edged chances. The latter redeemed himself with the best overhead kick in the Town End since Fallon.

All in all just another repeat of the Notts County game. And while you can never say never the odds of winning at both Donny and Sheff U are fairly low - something I think we now need to do. Add in 4 more points from the last two games and it would have been oh so different.

That was very frustrating.

We played well but we need 15 chances before we score one.

Rooney's goal was brilliant, spurs trio looked good.

Big game Monday.

Would we be saying that if we took only half of the sitters we had?

Frustration is the word for us fans at home right now. We should (and I stress should) be pressuring teams and putting the ball in the back of the net more often, let alone be winning games at home against teams who are far lower than us. I won't blame KMac at all, as it's the players on the pitch missing chances...how many did Collins/Rooney miss combined after they came on? Great finish by Rooney though for the equaliser! I don't think Ferry is a RM, and Gary Roberts is utter fucking shite IMO. Spurs trio impressed me, although the lad named MOM wanted a few too many touches at times. The good news is that we return to playing away, so don't be surprised to see us win the next 3! Play Offs would still be a good achievement, however I feel it's a big opportunity missed for the autos right now...6 games to go, C.O.Y.R!!!

Playing ourselves out of it at the moment. Even before today's game it was still in our hands and we dropped it again.

Not sure how many more times it'll swing back in our favour now.

Yes. We looked much more threatening with two strikers in 4-4-2. We looked creative early doors 4-5-1 (4-3-3) but not much until we switched. To me anyway. I'm not saying its a Paul Heart negative 4-5-1. It much higher pressured, further up the pitch than that.

Whether it was a change of system, or fatigue from them and superior fitness from us would be a fair enough debate though.

Can anybody explain why, with five minutes to go and us pressing for a winner, that the pa bursts into life with birthday messages.  The cunt should be sacked!!!

The one thing we needed more than anything else in the loan market was a forward. Been a obvious problem for a while and if we don't go up the lack of taking chances will be why. If ever a team could have had the league sewn up by Easter it was us.
Such a strange divison this season.

Dead right and I said the same on the way home.  It's no longer in our hands when it still should have been.


It was totally and utterly bizarre.  I don't know what he was thinking, assume he forgot to read them at half time and suddenly realised?

It got the reception it deserved.

It will be again if we do the business Monday, we have been getting results away from home which has been compensating for the home form.

Technically it won't, unless Sheff U lose.

Well yea but 4 points over this weekend would have been the target, it will just have to be done the hard way.

Out strikers are costing us dear... When Collins went through 1-on-1, there was no roar of anticipation from the crowd - that is how bad our strikers are at finishing, and how little faith anyone has in them.

McCormack went back to making a costly mistake from full-back again, which is a shame after his performance last week.

Enjoyed the Spurs lads' performances, the bloke behind me thought they were all shit (and was happy to repeat it ad nauseum) so when Luongo got MotM, it was a sweet moment.

I can't believe some of the stick being given to KMac on BBC Wilts post-game. We are playing good football, creating chances, and trying to keep it down and pass, yet some dickheads seem to think we are boring, long-ball hoof merchants. I genuinely believe we play better football now than we did under PdC - it's just not going right in the final third. It's been a while since I listened to the radio on the way home, and it will be even longer until I do again.

It is a real problem and I mentioned in last week's thread that it's a monkey on  our backs at home now.  The chances seem to get easier and the misses worse.  When a decent chance comes along, the crowd are now fully expecting it to be missed hence there's no real excitement.  With the Collins 1-1, the chap behind me said 'let's see another one go to waste', which was sadly what happened.

The ref was awful  Williams is shit we should have won and I'm not going to wembly again, so we beta practice our goal scoring all weekend and win the rest of our games......

We got three great loanees....a sharp looking defender who filled in for Thompson and two superb midfielders who created chances for? Oh dear.....this is where our loan deal fails us.....NO fucking striker!!!!  

We got the pace now but we need that finisher but alas its too late and I feel we are royally fucked now.

The ref today was a fucking joke and should be fucked off to ref matches at Chippenham and Leek Town, he was embarrassing.

A great goal by Rooney but he too missed some sitters....it's all getting too much now.

At least we will know where we will end up at the end of these three away games......second or seventh for me please.....I couldn't bear another fuck up at Wembley.

I did dream that we came from behind to dump out Bmuff with two goals in injury time........I have a dream!

See you all at Donny....I'm more confident of getting something up there.

This

That was hard work...why does it take us to go a goal down to show passion.

Lets show it from the off....Alan Mac and Ferry....totally outclassed by the new boys today.

Thought they both had off days at the office.

regarding the birthday announcements, I saw the marketing Exec (name escapes me) walk up the stairs to the press box just beforehand. I'm guessing they forgot to do it at half time

The current system is frustrating we have no width and struggle to get behind teams......playing 1-5-4 at home with Williams as a lone striker with no service against a physical team battling relegation is not good tactics. This formation is a counter attacking line up for away games.
Yes we seem to be playing better passing football but the fast attacking game with wingers we played under PDC was more effective, yes we have lost ritchie but we could play de vita or l rooney to give us this width. Spurs boys all played well most impressed but as others said we needed a striker cant see us getting autos now so many points lost at home in draws.

I think that we have to accept that this run of results back at the beginning of the year:

5-0 v Tranmere - 21 Dec
5-0 v Pompey - 1 Jan
4-0 v Carlisle - 5 Jan
2-0 v Shrewsbury - 19 Jan

has kind of fucked our home form for the rest of the season. Everyone since then has come with the intention of defending tight to get a point, with the hope that they might nick a goal and get all three.

Well the announcer and the marketing exec should both be sacked then.  At lest when he tried another one the crowd shouted him down!!

This, sir, is pure and utter bollocks.

How many chances did we get? How many shots on target? How many toe pokes from 6 yards would we have needed to simply get a touch on to win today? Simply put, it's not the formation, it's the conversion rate that's the problem. Saying 4-5-1 is shit unless you're playing away from home is fucking idiotic, even more so when you quote it the wrong way round.

I don't often get riled up, particularly on here, but after being at a game where our lone striker, bereft of confidence, is booed for a full fucking hour by his own fans I am pretty fucking appalled at the knuckle-dragging arsebaggery on display from our own supporters. He can't score because he's low on confidence. How the fuck is he going to get any back by his own supporters booing him.

Heard little singing today, way too much bloody moaning and booing. Fucking disgusted to call myself a town fan.

A clear foul as we went forward, the linesman saw it and flagged vigorously, the ref ignored it and played on, the linesman put his flag down and ran back to catch up with play.  The cunt should grow a pair and stand his ground.  Flint almost had his shirt taken off in their penalty area, ref was about six steps directly behind him and gave a goal kick.  He was bad, very bad - but he was fair!!

They could have done them after the final whistle.

I didn't hear any booing of Williams, or anyone, in the DRS and not much moaning considering the amount of chances being missed in the last 6 home games. I think the majority of fans have been fairly reserved in the slating of the players, there just hasn't been much in the way of encouragement lately.

The referee was a cunt and Oldham were an anti football team.

That is all.

Oh god, don't get me started on the fucking ref today...

I didn't realise attempting to gouge out Andy Williams' eyes wasn't a red card offence. And the tackle from behind on Ferry just prior to that was vicious and had nothing of getting the ball about it.

And that fat bastard Croft was a dirty dirty cunt too who should have seen an early bath.

God Oldham played the ref today...

I'm not sure which is more frustrating...to create as many chances as that, and only put one away; or to create next to nothing.  Not a bad game, all in all.  But you cannot expect to go up when you waste as many opportunities as we do.  Rooney's over-head kick was probably one of only a handful I've ever seen at the County Ground, so fair play there.  But such a shame he couldn't put the simpler chances away later on.

On the plus side, my two little lads were stars today.  Today was never meant to be their first game.  Spur of the moment decision at the breakfast table this morning.  But they were brilliant.  We were in our seats for 80+ minutes of the game (only lost 10 or so to toilet breaks) and they threw themselves right in to 'Come on you Reds!' for most of it.  Can't say they understood all that much, but their faces when the goal went in (or rather when the roar that followed it went up) were a picture.  Favourite player for both of them is Wes because he's allowed to pick the ball up and he wears a different colour to the rest of them.  You can't fault logic like that.

Brilliant that.

Mark Isacs i believe.

Oldham manager on BBC site, talking about us - "They had an early chance, but apart from that, they've not really threatened." Did he watch he same game?

and so have lots of others but if the ball goes in the net it matters jack shit.

A clear graduate of the Gary Johnson 'School of Say Whaaat' :)

Adam Wainwright.

 :thumb:

It's like someone's reading the comments off of thisis. It's soul destroying.

I stopped just after I realised PDC could sometimes really piss me off.

Agree with that. Heard a few groans at the final whistle but didn't hear any booing. Johnson was acting up for most of the game and was rowing with KMac after the lino failed to stand his ground. We can't even say their keeper had a blinder today just really bad misses. If we score half the chances we create in the remaining games it will keep us in the mix and would still fancy our chances in the 2 legged playoffs mainly because of our away form.

There were some in the DRS slagging off Williams before the game started, guy behind me had a go at a couple of them and what was the reaction "You should read the Town End forum mate - he's fucking shit!"  The guy does not stand a chance with cunts like that as supporters.  We need everybody supporting the team, not slagging off players.

So so pleased for you

You cruel, cruel man putting that upon them - knowing one day they'll hate you for it. It's a great experience though, gives you a warm fuzzy feeling inside when you realise they will follow your in footsteps.

Do unto thy kids as thou old man didst to thy. Mark chapter 42. In brackets it adds thou bastard.

Very, very disappointing. The season really has the same feel of that in 10/11 where after beating Leeds and going 2nd we contrived to throw it all away with poor results against lesser sides, ultimately ending with us losing at Wembley (tempting fate). Thought Parrett started really well & faded in the 2nd half whereas Luongo was the opposite, he grew as the game went on & played a terrific through ball for AW which he put badly wide (he really needs to be taken out of the firing line atm). Other than Barnard's goal I don't recall Wes having a shot to save!! Thought Rooney & Collins both did well when they came on & should probably start on Monday although how Rooney scores from an overhead kick & then hits it straight at the keeper from six yards is frustrating to say the least. The stick KM was getting after the game was harsh. The formation is working irrespective of what people think. We dominated the game, gave away hardly any clear cut chances, yet couldn't take our own. That is not the fault of KM although why he didn't bring in a striker in the window when we can all see how much we need one is strange!!   

Yes, I thought Parrett's set pieces (of eight) were excellent at times.

Well I thought the first half was awful. Second half Town pushed well. Typical at the moment that the opposition score against the run of play. I'm quite baffled on how Swindon have got so poor up front. Williams is very poor. Not good enough for what Swindon need. The new boys did very well. Fantastic goal for Swindon. Nice that my boys picture was in the program on the fans page. Onwards Town and put the fucking ball in the net.

This sums up what I was thinking.
Ref paces out ten yards for the free kicks then retreats 1 yard to meet the wall. Every fuckin time.

Another disappointing result. We lacked a lot of threat in the first half with the 4-5-1. I understand this is making us harder to beat but sometimes it looks as if we have sacrificed some of the extra attacking threat we once had.

In the 2nd half we were better but gave away a sloppy goal. It was nice to see us get back in it almost straight away and after that MacDonald changed things again and we began to create a lot more chances. Once again though it was the same old story of our strikers missing them and another 2 points dropped at home.

I was impressed with the Spurs lads particularly Luongo. He looked calm on the ball and picked some decent passes. Parrett looked alright but his final ball was poor particularly his set pieces. Didn't see much of Bryne but he looks just like another Nathan Thompson which is not a bad thing.

Let's hope we can get something at Donny on Monday. A win would put us back in the mix.

I feel this also.Spot on.Formation is good,all you can do is create chances and we do that week in week out.

This was frustrating,but the lino did nothing wrong.He kept his flag up but the ref acknowledged it and waved play on.However,how the lino failed to clock Williams being pulled back by their asinine centre back on the edge of the box remains a mystery.

Dont care what anyone says we played bloody well today apart from the obvious.Like the manager,like the system,like the football.I still have hope because of (a) our away form and (b) our form against the sides around us.Of the loan players,Luongo went from being our worst player in the first half to the best player on the pitch second.Parrett looked assured in the middle,less so on the left.Byrne looked a class act(tho'he didn't have a lot of defending to do) and his championship credentials showed.

New owners by end of season.

Charlie Austin or a natural finisher would have scored a few yesterday.

Excusez-moi?

Please elaborate?

Come on Duke, you can't leave us hanging there

New owners what now ?

I'd crease up if it was true.

He's gone offline.

[url width=320 height=240]http://i.imgur.com/xry6UIa.gif[/url]

They'd better get a shift on then, because there's only 4 weeks left...and judging by the length of time it takes to get these things sorted, they should have started last week.

I've heard that Jason Roberts is fronting the new consortium to buy out the club.

Are you sure you're not confusing Jason with Rufus Brevett?  DoB, wouldn't come out with this without good reason...very little misses his ear on the mean streets of Banbury..

With Steve Lomas..... funded by Sheik Yor Moneymaker

Rumours rumbling and no smoke without fire. I reckon we will have new owners at end of season if not before. Current Board I don't believe can sustain the current set up and are a little out of depth (last point is my opinion).

Um...interesting...

Anything rumour wise on this board's mystery investors, or lack of mystery investors?

A new board wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility when we look at what has gone on.

First Black wants out. The club has no debts, per se and has a good foundation, to a degree.

There were several interested parties, but the only buyers who could take control within Black's time frame are our current owners.

The club is still in a decent financial state, and would be no less attractive (barring league positioning and the absence of a crazy fascist nazi pagan dictator) than it was in January, so perhaps one of the other bidders still wants in and wants it off Jed and Co?

I would assume that Black would have been clever enough to put a cluase in that he gets a share of any profit if they punt it onto another for a fee within a certain period.

Also Jed and Co could sell the club for more than they bought it for in which case is a good way of making a quick buck so also makes sene from that perspective as well.

I posted something similar. Can't be arsed to dig it out.

If we did get promoted (we won't though) we'd probably worth more and Jed and Co could sell for a bit of a profit.

Assuming the interested but didnt want to make the deadline parties are still interested. Maybe even more so now the current lot have maybe tidied a few things up.

DoB may have something, indeed may know something we don't!!  If there is some truth in this - and I have not heard anything in the town - it could answer a few questions regarding the FL being very slow in getting rid of the embargo . . . have they heard the same rumours.  I am still fascinated that JW appeared at the Trust meeting. :hmmm:

It would surely make us the first club to be taken over more than once in a season.

Portsmouth?

At least we're sure that Jed McCrory exists, even if his mystery investors remain so.

Aren't Leeds being sold again?

Just watched the highlights on the OS - couldn't believe the number of chances we created but only managed to finish with a bicycle kick. Williams looks to go for placement and misses the target too often.

15 shots off target and 5 shots on target, compaired to Oldham who has 2 shots on target and 4 off target, we also had 8 corners to their 1.

According to their manager though we didnt create anything clear cut after the first few minutes.

He looked about 10 though bless him, probably his first football match.

He's the first manager in the country to be younger than me.

Depressing

Was that Rory Fallon overhead kick not around easter time as well?

Yes, it was - Saturday April 10th 2004. Easter was the following day.

Huge coincidence that...

In another bizarre twist of fate I've now convinced myself Kevin Horlock scored an 89th minute overhead kick against Notts County in April 96 - the Saturday before easter.....!!!!

I'm right arent I?

Oh, one more things about games this season. I haven't heard peacock man at all.

It was definitely over the Easter period, yes. We beat Notts 1-0 and then won 2-0 at Crewe on the Monday I think. Those two wins all but sealed promotion that season and of course we went on to win the league.

The fantastic swindon-town-fc (the best website in the WORLD fact) backs up my mad ramblings.

http://swindon-town-fc.co.uk/MatchCentre.asp?MatchID=19960138

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/HORLOCK'S+A+WIZARD%3B+Swindon+1+Notts+County+0.-a061168126

http://swindon-town-fc.co.uk/MatchCentre.asp?MatchID=20040141

Quick google search gives you the dates of easter in 96 and 04.

So, we score overkicks the game before easter FACT...

Passoverhead kicks?

The lack of goals from corners is another frustration.  We've had a ridiculous amount of corners this season and I think scored twice from then.

We never seem to have anyone deep or at the back post, which is where most of them end up.  Why is that?

You are right we just don't seem to be able to capitalise on our corners and set pieces much this season....but thats been the same under PdC as it is now. More so since Ritchie left though.

I don't know if thats because we don't have a good set piece taker or because our corner and free kick routines are not up to scratch, or that we can't make the most of the chances we do get from corners etc......sounds like a lack of good finishing again I guess.

Our set pieces have been crap recently, although I thought Parrett took a decent corner or two on Friday.

We're lacking a bit of height at set pieces, what we really need is a 6' 6" centre half...oh, wait....

No one scores from corners very often. I looked at it last season and even at international level it is around 1% of corners results in a goal.
http://thewashbag.com/2012/04/26/taking-the-long-view-on-short-corners/

Gaining control from throw ins is a problem for us, or at least thats how it appears to me.

It may have been covered - apologies if I'm going over old ground - but I think Alan Navarro has been very good in the last two matches in a very understated way - type of player you don't always notice doing well. Got himself an assist too. Think he could be very important in the run-in.

My dad made a similar comnent on Friday.  We just seem too slow to move and invariably give it back to the opposition.

I think it's been that way as long as I can remember watching Town (although I'm not a season ticket holder so I'm happy to be corrected).

It doesn't help as Flint is continually fouled on set pieces, and the ref doesn't do anything.

Me neither. Does anybody know if he still goes??

Not been the same since Kerrouche was dropped.