Thetownend.com

3-3.

I think logically Young and RHM start this one, then Austin and RHM Saturday given Young will be unavailable

Realistically wouldn't be surprised if the unbeaten run ends here but the amount of goal threat we have at the moment gives us a chance in any game.

For matches that have not been declared ‘advanced ticket only’, tickets
can be purchased on the day of the game from the away supporter's
ticket booth located at the back of the Jimmy Sirrel Stand (cash only),
or from the main ticket office (if paying by card).

The main ticket office is open from 9am every matchday, so please
ensure that you purchase your ticket well in advance off kick off to
avoid queues and potentially missing the first part of the game.
Please be aware that advanced ticket prices increase by £2 on a
matchday.

Just went to book a ticket and it's showing as sold out. Tickets were meant to be on sale until 4pm so not sure what's happened there. Anyone know if we can pay on the night?

yep, £2 increase on the day

https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/news/2023/september/ticket-information-for-notts-county/

Thanks. That page also says they're on sale until 4pm today, so that's frustrating.

The club just Tweeted we sold out the allocation but tickets are on sale from their ticket office (at an increased price)

Any idea what our allocation was? I would expect probably about 500?

Any idea what our allocation was? I would expect probably about 500?

Initial allocation was 350, which we sold out a couple of weeks ago and then got more tickets.
Not sure what that number was though.

STFC tickets last week stated we had sold the initial allocation of 350 and requested a further allocation - the numbers of the second allocation were not stated but I'm assuming another 350 possibly? (my educated guess is they send batches of 350)

Cheers just curious really :)

I'd adjust your attendance guess north by 200 if I was you ;)

Last week 540 had been sold out of 700. Presume the 700 have gone. Their capacity for away fans us way above 700 do no idea why it was so restricted.

730 sold, ticket office tweeted. Impressive for a Tuesday

One of my rare excursions to the Town End was against Notts County back in 1992. Horlock scored an absolute beezer into the top corner and I was sitting directly behind it. Had the goal frame not been there it would have whistled past my head.

Pretty certain the away club has to buy the tickets in batches, essentially committing certain funds, and then sells the tickets to their own fans.  We could order the entire stand if we thought we'd sell them all.  At least, that is how I remember it being explained before.

We are doing ok so far & that's it.

Unbeaten in the first 9 League games (one of only 3 in the whole of the Football League), highest goalscrorers in the League, 3rd in the table....that's a bit better than "doing ok so far & that's it".

PREVIEW | SWINDON TOWN (H) | LEAGUE TWO
Published: 03/10/2023 13:22

Author: Richard Ogando

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water the challenges keep coming for Luke Williams and his band of merry men in a month that has the potential to raise as many questions as it does answers on just how good a team Notts really are.

It's first versus third in tonight's League Two headliner at Meadow Lane and quite possibly the toughest test yet for the hosts.

Swindon Town, under the guidance of Michael Flynn are one of just two sides in League Two who remain unbeaten, the others being Notts' opponents on the 14th October, Mansfield.

Swindon are currently the leagues top scorers with 26 goals, just three more than Notts who are joint third highest with Wrexham on 23 goals. And goals is something you can pretty much guarantee tonight with both teams not unaccustomed to high scoring games with Notts seeing 16 goals in their last two outings and Swindon scoring 5 or more on three occasions including a 6-0 win over second place Crawley Town and a 5-5 draw away at Wrexham.

Expect Flynn to set his team up very similar to Notts but in a 3-4-1-2 formation. This might transition slightly into a slightly more negative 3-5-2 in an attempt to match Notts up in key areas.

The key man in either formation for Swindon is 24 year old Dan Kemp who is a real handful playing as a number 10 and has 7 goals and 4 assists to his name already this season. Ahead of him is the leagues current top scorer 22 year old Jake Young. The striker has 9 goals and 3 assists to his name in the league this season and along with Kemp will provide the Notts rear guard with their toughest test of the season so far.

Swindon also have there own David McGoldrick story with experienced forward Charlie Austin back playing for the club where his professional career started after impressing in non-league for his home town club Hungerford and later Poole Town. The 34 year old who has turned out for Burnley, QPR, Southampton and West Brom has 3 goals and 2 assists in the league this season and will offer a physical and aerial threat to the Notts defence.

Notts will be looking to bounce back after a quite remarkable defeat away at Colchester on Saturday and other than long term injuries to Cedwyn Scott and Geraldo Bajrami has a fully fit squad to select from. It is likely John Bostock will start again alongside Matty Palmer meaning another game on the bench for Sam Austin with all three of Jodi Jones, Dan Crowley and Aaron Nemane likely to start.

Whilst Swindon offer a worrying attacking threat they can be got at in defence and we know Notts have one of the best attacking forces in the league.

Remarkably the bookies seem to have Notts as odds on favourites with 87/100 the best you will get for a home win at the time of writing. Otherwise you can get 11/4 on a Swindon win and 13/4 for the draw.

Based on these odds the results probabilities work out as 53.48% for a Notts win, 26.67% for a Swindon win and 23.53% for the draw.

Whatever the final result it would be a miracle if this game ended up goalless, but then this is football and stranger things have happened!

What’s wrong with Cain?

He's not able.

If Flynn steers us through October he's a genius.

At the risk of talking too soon, if the Notts County backline plays anywhere near how they did last season then a pacey RHM getting in behind could prove quite effective

Could someone tell ifollow to turn on their link please

Could someone tell ifollow to turn on their link please

I am watching it fine.

Tits, every other game is on except ours

Not feeling good about this.

Got it, thank fuck!!!

Got it, thank fuck!!!

Their comms reckon we haven’t got a keeper on the bench

That looked stonewall.

First time we’ve behind in a game.

Not true. FGR

At FGR I had a feeling we would win though even when losing, I dont have that feeling tonight.

Gets called offside, yards onside. Still didn't force a save out of the keeper though.

FBT looks like a dear in the headlights, not like him at all.

I don't think he's been that bad, but he was off it on Saturday too.

This isn’t very good is it?

To be fair they are far better than any other opponent we’ve faced yet this season. Still plenty of time.

Khan saves a certain goal almost on the line.

We just arent pressing like we normally do

Not much going right for Austin so far.

weirdly I though we were pressing too much. Spending too much energy trying anyway.

Cant get kemp into this and look like conceeding every attack down out left.

Worst free kick Town have ever taken?

Good cross by Uwakwe but Austin wastes it.

Poor old Uwakwe, not having a good night

What’s plan B?

So, was plan B not to bother defending?

So, was plan B not to bother defending?

Worked at Wrexham and we got a draw!

Can’t decide whether they need a bollocking at half time or whether this was always coming. Probably both

So admittedly I'm watching this on my phone whilst my daughter watches dancing fruit on the big TV to prevent her kicking the fuck off, but this doesn't look like it's going especially well.

We've all said we'd thrash a few teams and get thrashed a few times in return. This is the other side of that I suppose, away to top of the league isn't the worst time to look outclassed.

I feel this in my bones, the dancing fruit haunt my dreams.

We should have expected this kind of result against us, call it karma for the way Williams was treated by power!

Uwkawe on Saturday looked as bad as he did against Crewe.  He looks like a player who doesn’t want the ball.  Hutton drops to receive it Uwkawe doesn’t.  It’s like playing with 10 men.  That was the one bit of failed transfer business.  Would prefer ward or Minturn at left back personally

Williams knew what Power was about, and didn’t mind him much when he signed a 5 year contract.

John Bustop goes in hard on Khan, yellow for him.

Put all the subs on let’s see if it works for us.

I thought he was quite lucky it was just a yellow, wasn't going for the ball and scissored Khan's leg

HT 0-3

Its been coming, we arent up for the game and have created little, several players well of the pace not just the scapegoat Uwakwe.

I think you have to give some credit to Notts. They’re far better in possession than anyone else we’ve played this season and lethal in front of goal. They’re stopping UGM and FBT from running forward with the ball and not giving Hutton or Kemp a sniff.

I’d definitely be massively changing that up at HT if I was Flynn.
Looking to either go 442 or 433

Can see us getting a right bumming

At least this’ll show Flynn where we’ve got weaknesses that need to be sorted out.

I’d be hooking uwakwe off for young. Go 433 to occupy their defenders.

Pray they don’t attack down our right.

Pray they don’t attack down our right.

All tonight proves is what we already knew, we need a target man striker to rotate Austin, a competent left wing back and another centre back that would also give the option to allow FBT to play wing back. Oh and probably more bite in midfield against the barter teams. Matches against better teams were always going to highlight the lack of squad depth.

Genesini seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. I’ve liked him when I seen him?

All tonight proves is what we already knew, we need a target man striker to rotate Austin, a competent left wing back and another centre back that would also give the option to allow FBT to play wing back. Oh and probably more bite in midfield against the barter teams. Matches against better teams were always going to highlight the lack of squad depth.

Genesini seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. I’ve liked him when I seen him?

Genesini seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. I’ve liked him when I seen him?

Yeah, those aren’t the changes. Ffs

Said the same when you bought him up after the game Saturday.

Away at FGR was probably the best LWB performance so far this season.

Did we score why follow were showing a replay?

No point bringing Shade on eh?

Did we score why follow were showing a replay?

…let’s get Messi up top as well why we’re at it

Another foul by Crowley (notts 7)

It's a fucking joke that he's not been booked

Bostock and Crowley are 2 proper niggly dirty bastards in midfield.

Just what we need!

Nice dribble by RHM but I think he should have got a shot off rather than passing it.

FBT misses a complete sitter

Thought McEchran was solid again today.

Thought McEchran was solid again today.

Thought we should have kept Cain in and it’s was McE who didn’t track his man for the 3rd

Thought we should have kept Cain in and it’s was McE who didn’t track his man for the 3rd

Thought we should have kept Cain in

RHM has been a bit poor today by his standards, just booked for kicking the ball away.

And with that RHM has a shot just wide.

Should have been a corner.

We deserve something here. Much better half so far

Drysdale redeemed himself a bit with his attitude to RHM’s protest.

Ref is fucking brain dead and blind but apparently not deaf as he's had enough of Hepburn-Murphy pointing out his twatty cunty fuckwitted mongy clueless decisions.

Their no 27 looks like a unit!

2nd half has been 1000% better but not sure we deserve any points as it stands, we just havent done quite enough for me in front of goal.

Maybe, but for me,the game has been decided by 2 ridiculous penalty decisions and we've had decent chances

Maybe, but for me,the game has been decided by 2 ridiculous penalty decisions and we've had decent chances

Worst ref performance I've seen for a long time

Worst ref performance I've seen for a long time

County crowd has been excellent and I suspect a big part of the refereeing performance.

Hutton's had a good half, probably helped by them sitting back.

Hutton's had a good half, probably helped by them sitting back.

Shows the limitations of a small squad, be a shame if we drift away due to lack of adequate investment.

Notts 9 leaves one on Hutton at the final whistle. Ref's a cunt, not sure he's why we lost though.
We go again...

Restored a bit of pride in the second half (how much of that was down to us or them sitting back I’m not sure) but shame the damage was done in that disastrous first half.

Can’t really tell what it was, an inevitability with how we play or us not turning up. A mixture of both I suspect. Either way I hope some lessons have been learnt for when we go up against the other good sides in this league soon, we seemed to go into our shell first half and some looked taken over by the occasion (which wasn’t massive tbf). Stockport seem to be hitting form just in time to play us, similarly will be interesting how we get on against Mansfield. Our squad depth will probably be exposed a few more times I think. Hopefully Clem can give Flynn the tools of a properly equipped and balanced squad in January because Flynn has done well what he’s been given so far.

Some props to Notts County as well, a good side but feel they’d have shit themselves in Luke Williams Swindon Town fashion a bit if that FBT header goes in and then it gets interesting.

Nailed on loss anyway after the Hutton “don’t feel like we’ll lose soon” quotes  :D

Nobody "sits back " deliberately after 45 minutes,surely?

Nobody "sits back " deliberately after 45 minutes,surely?

Sitting back, managing the game, taking their foot off the gas. Insert whatever cliche fits. Either way, bar the first 10-15 mins of the second half, they regained a bit of ground and managed the rest of the game well.

- Young was ill for last week or so

Just didn't have the luck today from the penalty call at 0-0 to the missed chances at 3-1 things just didn't go our way. Having said that, Notts County were absolutely dominant in that first half and we're probably able to take that second half a bit easier.

That tackle from Langstaff right at the end of the game on Hutton was a nasty and unnecessary one

Notts head and shoulders above anyone else weve played this season. Second half performance rescued a bit of pride, but we just need to be far more clinical. FBT header goes in and I think the momentum would of been with us to actually rescue something from the game.

Just watched it again.
Maybe running past McEachran is a bit harsh. He is the Notts CM and he is ahead of McEachn but no one tracks him.
FBT goes inside but no one drops

Not sure we can blame Uwakwe for not marking the central midfielder who runs straight past McEachran to score the thirds…

FBT is in the middle defensive position covering for Brewitt who has gone out to the right, who is covering for UGM who has bombed forward and is coming back but is still out of position as the cross comes in, I think. A defensive coach would probably know better though. It's one of those caught in transition issues I think.

Which I’ve said before is part of our issues - we don’t have a CM who can / will drop into CB.

Which I’ve said before is part of our issues - we don’t have a CM who can / will drop into CB.

Khan does, and did for that goal. The cross went over his head though.

Made a fairly late decision to go to this one. Lots of traffic en route so 2.5 hours drive from Cheshire. Grabbed a swift pint at Beerheadz at the railway station. Scuttled on down to buy a ticket to find one bloke selling and sorting collections, and a steward telling people you couldn't pay by card when you could. Got in the ground to find the only hot food left was veggie pies (it was tasty enough). Got sent down the end because the middle section was full (it definitely wasn't).

And then the game began.

Penalty? Looked nailed on but I was a long way away. Haven't seen a video of it yet.
Goal number 1, Hutton takes a needless risk, Khan loses McGoldrick and we're 1-0 down
Goal number 2, hopeless effort from Uwakwe but their player's absolutely bought it. Never even thought the ref might give it until he blew.
Goal number 3, oh dear. Lost the plot after the pen and got punished.

Bostock and co were dominating the midfield and we were making mistakes at the back. We panicked when they pressed, and Kemp couldn't get any space to work his magic. In that first half, Notts were one of the best sides I've seen us play for a while.

A couple of much needed changes at the break, plus Notts easing off the gas, made for a very different second half. Why did Notts ease off? You could argue it's because they were 3-0 up, but I doubt they could have continued pressing in the same way for 90 minutes anyway.

Shade pops up at the back post with a lovely header and we're back in it. FBT should make it 2-3 but gets it all wrong. A couple of good saves by their keeper from RHM, but it wasn't to be.

A special mention for the officials. Not up there with the memorably bad performances, but multiple questionable decisions. We got caught offside a lot due to Notts County stepping out effectively, but the penalty decisions were poor imo and at one point Kemp was played through having been a yard or two onside and the flag went up. Was kind of glad he hit straight at the keeper.

That said, Notts deserved the win on the night. Plenty of encouragements second half, and I've seen a number of their fans giving us a lot of credit this morning which is refreshing. 1 point off second with a game in hand, so it's important not to lose perspective after one defeat.

I hoped RHM would have a bit of a better night than he did. Another chance on Saturday though. Hopefully the minutes from last night helped, if not he’s in danger of falling into the “better as an impact sub” category.

All of my thoughts from last night.

Meadow Lane- best stadium in the league and everything I would want swindon to have post redevelopment.

.....When a Swindon player went down then it was simulation and he should be booked or red carded!

Apart from the pillars.
Nice end stand nevertheless.

It's basically a first XI and not much else.

I very rarely comment on referees as they are generally as bad as each other at this level but one thing I did find interesting from last night was how he managed RHM in the second half. It was evident that he was like a coiled spring of frustration and being on a yellow card was close to getting his marching orders. I guess Drysdale had been watching the Rugby World Cup, as at one stage he called over FBT and I assume advised that RHM was on his last warning and told him to calm down. I'm not sure this is in the football referees handbook, but it was an interesting piece of officiating.

Bit harsh. Not saying we don't need a couple but,Ward L,Cain,Kinsella, RHM,Shade,Clayton,Genesini and Minturn is a pretty decent back up group I think

I'm counting Genesini in the first XI because Uwakwe looks pretty poor to me.  RHM still looks raw to me, not someone you bank on, but always on the edge of promise I guess.  Clayton yes.  Seen nothing from Kinsella yet and Cain hasn't shwon he can do it over a period of games.  Ward has looked no better than Minturn who has looked youthful - OK but still exposed in this set-up.  Nothing there for me that challenges the first team that much, after Clayton, and certaionly nothing that a Top 3 team would come hunting for. 

Shade is shit.

and the lack of boxes.

Had around 10 boxes, enough isn't it?

I'm counting Genesini in the first XI because Uwakwe looks pretty poor to me.  RHM still looks raw to me, not someone you bank on, but always on the edge of promise I guess.  Clayton yes.  Seen nothing from Kinsella yet and Cain hasn't shwon he can do it over a period of games.  Ward has looked no better than Minturn who has looked youthful - OK but still exposed in this set-up.  Nothing there for me that challenges the first team that much, after Clayton, and certainly nothing that a Top 3 team would come hunting for. 

Shade is shit.

Oh has it? Been a while since I've been and can't see them in photos or on tv.

I'd be far more comfortable with the side with Clayton LCB and FBT LWB

Fair enough but it is League 2. I doubt many League 2 teams' non starters would interest the top 3 to be honest.I meant Lewis Ward , Minturn's  better than the other Ward.All those mentioned are decent back up players at this level for me.Cain in my opinion has done that anyway. RHM is what he is, a good back up striker to bring on as an impact sub and I think most teams in this league would have him.Kinsella has looked decent too and will probably replace Khan when he's away,not too worried about that. Shade is frustrating,yes but "shit" may be a bit harsh.Of course,we need recruits though.

Just watched the RHM penalty shout back for the first time. Their number 4 goes right through the back of him. Penalty all day long. Can't understand how the ref and lino haven't given it between them. Would it have changed the overall outcome of the game? Quite possibly.

Maybe we should ask for the match to be replayed ;)

No wonder we lost. Flynn gets Manager of the Month and Kemp gets Player of the Month. Double curse.

Saturday will show if we have that bouncebackability.

Am I missing something? Has this actually happened? I'm not seeing it anywhere....

It’s some Twitter account that’s given him it, not the ‘official’ one.

I would go along with that... I think it's highly significant that we stemmed the flow in the second half, got back into the game, pulled a goal back and if FBT's header had gone in, they'd have been wobbling. In other seasons under different managers, we'd have caved in. Off field shenanigans notwithstanding, I have utmost belief in Flynn and this group of players...

I almost forgot. What was that fucking kick off about?

Is there a replay anywhere? I missed the first 30 seconds.

  :girlgiggle:

https://x.com/dan_fretwell/status/1709520413909266524?s=61&t=pTUdr8xXlQ7vJcn1NU7cbg

Thats up there in the Prem prom season when (i think) Hoddle and Bodin ran into each other taking a free kick...no where near the ball.

Is there a replay of our pen shout? Looked cert to me.

What the fuck.

Set the tone for the first half  :headhurts: