Thetownend.com

Penultimate game of the season tomorrow, and we're off to Cleethorpes.

Anyone going? I went to Butlins in Skeggy as a kid, I think that was probably close enough for me. Absolute kudos (but please consider your priorities) to anyone doing the 450 miles round trip from Swindon for a dead rubber in April. Will probably watch on iFollow though.

Seems likely that Hunt and McGregor will be involved from what Gunning has said, but with Dokes back available I suspect that's Hunt on the bench from the start. Some talk of Uwakwe being available too, otherwise it's all business as usual.

What do you think? Will we put on a worse Grimsby performance than Sacha Baron Cohen?

Dour dull boring 0-0 draw suiting both teams as it means the Grims will be mathematically safe no matter what happens elsewhere.

Absolutely not :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: Im not even going to home games until i see progression.

Boring 1-1 with an attendance of 4,217 (372)

 2-2 draw

6 of us going and staying in cleethorpes for the night

A draw means its officially our worst season?

Probably tune into IFollow.

Currently we sit in 19th spot (17th previous lowest).

We are on 53 points (58 previous lowest).

If we win both our remaining games we could possibly go up to 14th if the 5 teams directly above us lose their last 2 games each (Notts C, Morecambe, Newport, Tranmere and Accrington).

So we can finish between 14th and 19th still but if we lose either of our last 2 games it will be the lowest points total we have ever had in Div 4/L2.

It is possible that we can finish higher than 17th but still finish on less points than under Beamish.

So it depends on how you define worst season ever, if its points and position the chances are pretty high that this will be the worst ever all round.

For me this has been a worse season than under Beamish as at least we had a good FA cup run that season rather than the worst ever FA result in our history against the Shots.

Tomorrows games

Grimsby v Swindon
Morecambe v FGR
Newport v Salford
Notts C v Colchester
Stockport v Accrington
Tranmere v Wimbledon

Last games of the season

Accrington v Tranmere
Bradford v Newport
FGR v Notts C
Salford v Harrogate
Swindon v Morecambe

Shouldn't this be in the Beamish Line thread?

EDIT: DAMN YOU VENKS

Anything less than 2 wins from 2 gives us our worst season in the 4 league era.

2 wins means we smash the lowest ever points by a whole 1 point.

If you are going by position, and why would you, bettering 17th is the target

http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/LeagueTable.asp?CompCode=LGE&Tier=4&Season=1983-1984

Surely position is the key to level it against? Say one season you get 70 points and lose the play offs and the following season you get 69 points but win the play offs,which would be the better season?
Just a thought. Does that make sense?

It does, although finishing 4th and losing the playoff semi is also worse than finishing 7th and winning them, so playoffs definitely complicate things.

We'll finish below on both counts I suspect though.

It makes sense. You can argue it either way. But I'm sticking to points p = w d l, as per the beamish line thread.

Hopefully it's either 59/16th or  <59/18th

Be warned those going.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U07-A7PNTc

Fair enough!

A nice early swim in the North Sea sounds appetising😁

I see Gunning made some comments about Devoy being a possibility as a signing for next season, which I assume came from the press conference for the Grimsby game.  I'd rather be forced to live in Cleethorpes and holiday in Skeggy than have him back.  It's bad enough I have to accept that just releasing everyone we have contracts for is probably a bad idea, let alone think about signing someone we don't have to keep from this shit fuck of a season.

I wouldn’t be against taking him on a free, if he was out on contract but I wouldn’t pay a fee for him. I do think he’s a decent player and would look better if he had a decent number 8 next to him. Franchise might just want to get him off the wage bill? He’s certainly no Kemp though, who can’t seem to get a start at MK at the moment! He’ll be off for free but definitely to L1, I’m sure.

The players on our books are simply not good enough - which is why we have them.  Even Kemp - I think we need to temper our own views on him given the experience of Franchise.  The team was set-up to feed him and the forwards with reckless attacking formations - the net result was a team that scored a few and conceded as many, which creates average results.

I'd wonder why he can't keep down a spot at the top end and was allowed to move initially.  I presume because he is an all or nothing player - he's giving you one thing.  I'm not saying I would be averse to having him and he fully deserved the PotY award, but did he look better than he is because of how we played, and how shit the rest are?  Devoy on the other hand is a nothing player, like Aguiar.  I'm sorry, every kid who turns professional has good technique, showing it in flashes at L2 level in a team that loses a lot and has a porous midfield, probably suggests he isn't much good.  Just like Cain, who seems to be able to dine out on "potential".  A lot of our squad are going to leave us an be viewed far more positively than they should be, just because they were around other players of a similar ilk.  We are down where we are for reasons, and squad ability and make-up is a core part of those reasons.

Oh, and Grimsby away feels like a fixture we never win in, I bet the stats don't back that up.

I dunno man, to say Kemp isn’t quality is madness! He’s the reason we’re not getting relegated. And let’s not forget he was quality at Hartlepool too.

Oh, I agree that I am mad - it's a nagging doubt rather than any great opinion, that Kemp may not be as good as we remember him.  A bit like how I always had a feeling Payne wasn't really up to being a good L1 level player, and he has largely supported that by being relegated or plying his trade in L2.

I think if you think about the number of players who have gone L1/2 to Prem with Luton, Sheffield United, Swansea etc. over the last few decades, you realise that a good system player in a good system can operate to a much higher level than their raw talent would suggest.

We just haven't got the good system.

Won our last two away and last five in total v Grimsby

Matěj Kovář

No doubt we'll win, yet again when it means not bar a gamble

3-1 victory.

Surely, even Wobbly isn’t going to this.

Lovely weather on the way up hope it is like it in Grimsby

He is. Never in doubt.

Pre match 2023/24 season about to sleep with the fishes in The Yarborough Hotel.

If STFC were a fish it would be a lonely mud dweller residing in the bottom of a small, murky, algae covered pond and wanting to flop out onto the muddy bank & just expire.

Having said that there have been some on the road highlights.
The last minute winner at FGR & leaving Accrington when 3 up secure in the knowledge that the points were in the bag, no fuss or bother.
Best though was the euphoria of the 90mins at Wrexham.
If only games could finish on the 90 eh.
And that's it.

So, what price loyalty?
Well, tickets, train travel & occasional accommodation the physical cost was about £4k.
And that doesn't include beer & some food along the way.
Probably not sustainable on a very average income.

DIV made the very good point about addiction.
I agree. Why else get up very early on Saturday to drink ale in far flung outposts & watch sub standard football.
Still, recognising that there is a problem is the first step towards recovery...

Not that it matters, but I think that we'll get filleted today.
Won't hang around to thank the team for their efforts afterwards.

🙂
Elijah Adebayo🙂

We may well get battered,but we could poach a victory which,in the scale of things would be a breadcrumb of comfort

Oh my cod. Trawling for compliments I sea.

We would be worse off if the EFL had docked points!

🙂

Apparently ticket sales for Grimsby have been very good and they expect a decent crowd today of around 7k.

The spoons in Cleethorpes is packed.
A few red shirts on display but they could well be Man Ure ones.

Only 6 of us in the Wellow hungry horse. Booked it ages ago and didn't realise it's 2 miles to the ground

Nothing to play for - so would like to see some of the youths & some of the ‘haven’t played recently’ players. McGurk, McKirdy.

If we are going with a 352 I’d like to see McGurk given the free role within the 3.

I guess Dokes is available again but is there any rush to get him back in the side? Probably not - we know he’s contract next season, we know what he can do…

Would love to see a Tom Clayton or Reece Devine appearance (long forgotten that Clayton actually looked a decent player last year)

The McGurk thing is unusual, Gunning said hes not been involved in the last few games for tactical reasons, that is open to all sorts of theories.

When he has played he has looked very good on the ball and possibly our most skillfully talented player, but its all too rare that hes even got game time.

Such a waste of talent, I fear Gunning may regress his development.

Our midfield selection is massively inconsistent but so are our formation & players individual performances which is part of why the selection changes.

I think all of our midfielders have come on as sub at some point, looked decent, started the next game and looked anonymous & subbed off for the person they replaced the previous game.

Apart from maybe the new guy but he has a much smaller sample size…

McGurk would probably benefit from having a proper DM in a midfield with him though…

And an actual manager…

Would have been interesting to see what McGurk could have done under Flynn in the Dan Kemp role post January I suppose…

Let’s hope after today Gunning only has one more team selection to make.

You'd think mcGurk would have made the squad though.

Overall his signing seems a bit of a disappointment to me. Not his fault but because of his game time.

He's got the skills to be a very good player indeed, but that's no guarantee I suppose.

I'm putting it down to adjusting to men's football. Or we've fucked up somehow contractually. One of them

Unfortunately don’t think so think he will get the job

Does he deserve it absolutely not but unless their is a change of ownership think it will be him

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GLnCQyNXoAETwGR?format=jpg&name=900x900)

Hopefully McGurk will benefit from a full first team squad pre season.

Undoubted talent but hasn't looked the fittest.
30mins of high promise then 15 minutes of flagging & then beung subbed isn't going to cut it.

McCarthy dropped is a wierd one, scattergun yet again. No McKirdy in the squad.

Nothing game
Not ours
Won’t be here next season

…no need is there

Gone back to Scotland apparently

Cain has looked pretty good int he last couple of games and yet again not even in the squad today.

I had hoped he would play a small part in the last game of the season next week, if he has then it is what it is I guess.

Gunning being gunning.

Season is done so I suppose looking anlt some of the youngsters is right.

Shame about McKirdy. Was hoping for one last hurrah

Not only that,he's been our shakiest defender by far in the last month or so in my book anyway

McCarthy>>>>>>>>>>Brewitt.

Maybe, but Brewitt's hardly started in the last month or so. I stand by comment, McCarthy has looked very dodgy in that period,much more so than FBT and UGM

The Adams rumours have suddenly stopped.

The rumours were still rife on Tuesday with him allegedly being at the game at Walsall.

Possibly at the game today then.

I think I’d prefer if we had Douglas Adams

Past his best.

Lively start but not much quality from either side yet, 2 teams lacking in confidence.

Lovely pass from Devoy to McGregor and his perfect cross is headed well wide by Austin from 12 yards.

Drin would've buried it!🙂

Bad miss from Austin there. Would have expected him to bury that a few years ago

He got too much on the header in the end, bad miss that from a perfect cross.

Very poor touch by Devoy in the middle giving it away putting us in trouble.

McGregor robbed bringing the ball forwards but we intercept the cross in the box and clear it.

Hunt slips up passing it out of defence but Grimsby cant do anything with the ball luckily.

Nice cross by them and Hunt gets his knee to the ball but we win a goal kick.

Devoy puts in a  nice cross but Kokolo doesnt get a shot in, good chance.

Both sides are trying to play football but neither side have managed to make either keeper make a save as yet despite some good balls played into the box.

Normal start. Look shaky at back but glimpses of hope going forward.

We normally improve as we go along in games like this

Austin nearly hits Devoy with a diagonal pass unmarked but its a bit too hard.

Lovely tackle by Ofoborh on the edge of our box.

Kokolo puts in a decent deep cross but the defender just gets his head to it to clear with Devoy coming in behind him.

Linesman’s hamstring strain.

Are you Devine in disguise....

Lovely low cross from Kokolo but Glatzel cant get to the ball as the keeper was well beaten.

Growing into this now

He thinks he’s a man! ( Yeah, I know, not that one!)

FBT nice little run and finds Devoy who passes the ball straight into touch, hes either brilliant or shocking, no in between with Devoy.

We HAVE to sign Ofoborh for next season.

Bycroft with a low save with his feet.

Shame Glatzels 1st touch was poor as that was a great chance, made by Ofoborh.

Hunt with a rash heavy challenge on their striker, 27 yards out.

FK deflected just wide of the post, corner to them.

Great move between Devoy and McGregor

Lovely 1 2 between Devoy and McGregor but his cross didnt quite find Austin.

Definitely 😁

McGregor looking very assured again at RWB, made a couple of mistakes but overall looking totally like an experienced pro at times.

Austin over stretched for a pass there and looks like he has hurt himself.

Glatzel down injured.

3 mins added.

Great low save by Bycroft with his feet.

Crikey! Good (lucky) save from Bycroft

HT 0-0

Quite entertaining but not a lot of quality.

Nothing game on paper.
Nothing game on the pitch.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Bored to the point of nearly dozing off

Burton piling the pressure on Port Vale by beating Reading 3-1 at HT.

Its not a great game but you’d probably say we were slightly the better team although they’ve probably had the best chance.

The two young lads have looked pretty decent, although that could be because Grimsby aren’t very good

Meh, we’ve looked ok going forward (I guess wide rather than forward) and have put some decent crosses in but have literally not created a single change & forced the keeper into a single save.

Our defending had been ok but Grimsby have had the two closest chances. One as massive deflection and the second they got a bit of luck that it got stuck under the man on the floor stopping FBT getting to it.

McGregor looks assured. Hunt looks ok but a bit off the pace - a few late or extremely close to being late challenges but that’s to be expected stepping up from U18s to first team.

Would like to see us run at Grimsby a directly this half

Fantastic.  Just need Lincoln to get another

Pretty much this.

Would like to see RHM on for Glatzel and Drinan on for Austin 2nd half.

Would like McGurk to be given the chance to run at a shaky looking defence, maybe replace Devoy or McCeachran. Also Drinan for Austin

Think Drinan for Austin will happen. Midfield pretty good first half. RHM and El B could cause Grimsby problems

I’d like to see us try a 4231 at some point with Drinan as the lone striker with Elbouzedi, McGurk, Kokolo as the forward 3 (RHM interchangeable with them as well or McKirdy if he was there)

No changes at HT.

Not great defending from that corner but the quality of the final shot was worse than our defending.

Think I’ve seen enough of Devoy. Can we try McGurk now please?

Austin chect down to Glatzel but he misskicks it high and wide.

Town not controlling the game this half so well as we did most of the 1st half.

Devoy down injured. Back up again now.

It's not a thriller

Not one of Glatzels better games this, probably time for McGurk or RHM to come on for him.

I was expecting a goal feast🤣

Elboozy on for Mcgregor
RHM on for Glatzel.

I wasn't.

Att: 6,752 (231 Town)

A bit different from Walsall away two years ago🤣

Good defending by Hunt for that cross.

Bycroft with another save.

Turgid - that’s a good description for this game by the Grimsby comms

Ofoborh tries a shot from 25 yards, well wide.

That’s a good description of STFC’s season😁

Grimsby are a pretty shit team but this game was never going to be a classic.

Bolton 1 up against Vale  :)

Piss stains currently out the play offs :pint:

Drinan on for McEachran.

Bollocks

typical Town

Defence MIA

Now officially the worst away side in the division.  24th.

That’s what happens when you don’t bother marking or covering

Austin has been fucking shocking today.

Beamish Line incoming  

McCarthy on for Hunt.

Is it just me that thinks this is a bizarre sub?

Why bring McCarthy on?

Nope

No idea why Gunning has gone for 3 out & out strikers at this stage, especially when Austin offers nothing! MF looked comfortable up to sub? Gaping hole left for their goal

Strange - I would have definitely said we needed to make subs to change something up but the subs have completely disrupted us.

Blatant dive for the nudge by Devoy.

No, but still not as bizarre as Drinan for McEachran

Gunning, 33, no experience and clueless.

He's been shocking all season. I said right from the beginning - take his 'name' out of it and he'd be getting absolute pelters. Brett Pitman was not shown the same level of patience. Absolutely finished at this level.

Think that should have been a penalty against Devoy

We have gone to pieces since the goal. Not that we were very good anyway.

100% stonewall penalty that

Not watched for a while, by god we are bad, does Devoy know we are in our home kit?

Grimy keeper down injured, they could play rush keeper and we still wouldnt score today.

Clueless 'leadership'

Finally fell asleep. Awoke to see the ball hit the net.

Oh my word

Well that was shit

Worst episode ever.

"Listen"

Morfuni line incoming

Listen.Gunning going gung ho for victory backfires in his face!

Utter rubbish.

This game is a great example of the need for a manager that has a fucking clue how to manage, not someone who won't sub someone in case they get upset (Austin) Subs have completely turned this game on it's head....well the last one has anyway!!

I might go to the last game just to give em shit. Worst ever Swindon from top to bottom.

Hell of finish that - unstoppable (the shot, we shouldn’t have given away possession to start with)

And yet again McGurk cant even get on the pitch, did he piss in Gunnings coffee?

What a fucking pile of fucking dog shit. Fuck off each and every one of you

 :clap: :clap: :clap:

Getting battered by a side that's only won 10 prior to this. Congratulations you useless twats.

Gunning is the master of making shit substitutions and some utterly baffling team selections.

We should invite Ken Beamish as a guest for the next home match, give him a lap of honour at half time

13% win rate on the road.

Drinan for Austin is obvious for everyone. Midfield perfectly adequate til McEachran gets hauled. I get trying to win but don't forsake the hub

Love that!

FT 0-2

Fucking shite. Fuck off Gunning.

Gunning just needs to do the decent thing and walk away.

Shots on target nil

Rinse, repeat, rinse repeat

No shots on target, says it all even with the ridiculous subs & sacrificing the midfield! I didn't expect to get so emotional today after the shitshow of a season we've endured, but FFS!

Vale down is the icing on the cake at least

Thought we were ok till the subs.
We definitely needed to make changes and do something different but the changes we did make weren’t the right ones.

We seem to really struggle with changing shape / formation

Two decent finishes from Grimsby. Well taken goals but we could have done so much more to stop them getting into those positions in the first place.

Doesn’t really matter does it?
Gonna be even worse next season…

63% possession……means nothing, may as well get Garner back!

We are badly managed on and off the field. Nobody held culpable.

Gunning's subs are a complex one for me. He's not afraid to change things which is admirable, and there are times where he's clearly changed the flow of play for the better. Obviously there have also been times where he's taken things the other way, and probably more of them.

It strikes me as a coach throwing shit at the wall and some of it sticking, but I suppose it depends whether he learns and improves. He does seem to have no interest in midfielders though.

Drinan should be starting every game above Austin and even if not should at least be replacing him. Senseless

Shaun Hodgetts has suggested Clem may be back for the last game - lets make the ground nice and noisy and let him know what the fans think

Or just don’t bother turning up :D

Artel, "Keep it tight in the first half, wait until Swindon's defence leaks goals in the second half, it will be a piece of cake".

Didn’t bother watching that shite today, how did Hunt and McGregor do?

Braindead more like mate.

I wouldnt blame any of our players wanting to leave with Gunning in charge, if hes still in charge next season we are as good as relegated already.

They both did o.k., not to blame for the defeat.  McCarthy made several errors after he replaced Hunt, Elbouzedi wasn't an improvement on McGregor who set up Austin early on with a great cross.  Both tired, so were subbed.

There is no way Austin starts instead of Drinan for any decent manager, save for injuries… right?! He’s dreadful these days.

They're trying to get Austin his 200th league goal so he can retire I think.

Should have scored early on from a McGregor cross, bad miss.

Sadly, Charlie can't hit a barn door these days... time to hang his boots up...

Gunning:
- Tough one
- Not just this stage of the season.
- Bit blunt infront of goal. Took the wrong decisions at times
- Second half we just rolled over
- Running stats on Tuesday. Maybe we are just lethargic coming up on Tuesday
- Dunno how Smith got so much space. Will dissect and keep it to the dressing room
- McGregor and Hunt are making mistakes and learning from them
- Hunt has a unbelievable talent and future in the game
- Beamish line: Its a realism. Its been a bad season. We have a good first 8 games. After that its not been good enough. Its that simple.
- We won 3 out of 4 when Gunning came in and stemmed it. Then we have been looking at things moving forward.
- When you are safe then you can look at others
- Has he done enough?: Its a squad he inherited. You need a pre-season as a coach to get your ideas across and your own team. Performances are good. 60% of possession. Just blunt infront of goal today
- Case for taking over permanently?: Performances are key. We are delivering a different style of football. We have our midfield back and we show we can dominate the game.
- A good bit of surgery needed on the squad
- The goals we conceed are not great. We know what we want recruitment wise
- Spoke to Jamie Russell. Its clear what we need
- Energy in front of home fans?: Know they are going to be disgruntled as this season is not good enough
- Important to learn from where we went wrong.

The way Gunning talks always seems to suggests he expects to be manager next season, there is never anything from him about mistakes he has made, and how he is learning on the job, everything is always down to the players.

If he is here next season I'm sure there will be a record low ST sales and really low crowds - and I fear for us next season

Fuck me Gunning is thick as shit

He talks like a politician😁

He did say that maybe he gave t hem too much running on Tuesday.

He has said several times in the past 'That's on me'.

When he keeps getting pressed on does he think he's done enough to get the job full time then he hasn't accepted responsibility. He has said that he put right the problems he inherited and turned it around. Since then he has been experimenting and looking at those that might be here next year.

OK first half, rancid second. Austin and Devoy were crap yet both stayed on for 90 minutes. Zero shots on target against a pretty dire team.

And arrogant to go with it

I think BBC Wilts said they thought mourfuni was back for the last game

I've been told he will be back for the game for awhile. I know people are protesting with their feet, but honestly that's the game to turn up to and really make a noise about how shit it is.

Hopefully to sign off on a sale.

I just don’t understand what Clem stands to gain from giving the job to Gunning considering that’ll mean significantly lower attendances.

We really didn't win three out of four when Gunning came in, did we? He hadn't won back to back games until last week. That's just a flat out lie

His first game was Bradford so his first four games was one win, two draws and loss

If you include all three of his stints as manager - then yes, I think so

Grimsby (w) Gillingham (d) Crawley (w) Bradford (w)

So whilst he’s technically right - those stints are spread over a year and are after Lindsey, after Morris & after Flynn…

Not yet mate ……..

Surely we are at the stage where we realise it’s not Clem’s decision to make alone anymore is it. Feel sorry for some of these players who were promised the earth and have been let down hugely. There was the nucleus of a squad to build around in the summer and we ended up with this.

Players like FBT have detoriated. Austin is being ridiculed when he’s been ran into the ground and at times being asked to play so many roles he shouldn’t. Young players like Minturn being thrown in then played fucking LWB at times it’s just been a clusterfuck all year round

That is some remarkable statistical gymnastics required to achieve that, fair play. You'd have to argue he seems to be good at coming in and making an immediate difference, it's just being given any length of time to implement his ideas where things seem to come up short.

He certainly gets the ‘thank fuck that previous manager has gone’ bounce…

I have more time for Gunning than most - I don’t hate him & I don’t think he’s clueless like a lot on here. He is certainly naive, a bit stubborn but ultimately doesn’t know his best formation or his best XI - and even if he did - the sheer inconsistency of our players form means players like Devoy can come on and win you a game one week and look like a competition winner the next.

Would Gunning do alright in a better set up? With more experience around him, would he do better with a pre-season and his own squad? Maybe…although I don’t think most of us want the opportunity to find out & even for me with the results this season that ship has probably sailed.

I do like the shouts for a ‘proper manager’ though…what like Flynn? How’d that go for us?

…and as always it’s bring us round back to the same question

Who do we want a manager?
Who do we think can come in and do better with these players? Do better in this set up?

Realistically? Or are we playing fantasy manager?

Either, or both

Things have looked a lot better on the field since Shan had arrived, most important to retain his services.

I'm not sure Flynn was great DiV, but Gunning had a way bigger squad for his half of the season. The squad size and depth for the first-hand was pathetic. Flynn would have got more out of this lot than Gunning did.

Gunning is ahit its very simple. A coach that no manager at the club wanted to be part of their set up.

Fantasy - Cherie Lunghi

Realistic - Gary Johnson

But in all seriousness, any manager can only do so much with a rag tag squad.

We’ve definitely improved recently but I’m not sure that’s all down to Shan?

I’m not saying it isn’t but all the following have happened as well that coincide with our slight improvement

1. Austin dropped. Drinan in
2. Positionally ill disciplined Khan out injured
3. Ofoborh in - who looks a decent player
4. Players playing for futures contracts else where
5. Playing teams who have nothing to play for
6. Glatzel hitting some scoring form

Has to be change of ownership for me- whatever manager is here will have the same issues with how the club is being run

If this won’t wake the fans up nothing will

Flynn had a smaller squad but also had Kemp & Young.
Also comes down who was in charge of the recruitment & how much of a say Flynn had in his squad size.

Flynn’s major downfall was inflexibility. One of Gav’s major downfall is his over flexibility. As a tandem they’d probably be just right!

And with shit recruitment. Turd polishing

Lets give the managers job to Macari again.

I’m gonna go completely left field and say let’s go get Damien Duff…

I think he was usually on the right

. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8wdYxKY1zY

Gunning’s apparent entitlement to the permanent role epitomises everything that is wrong with this club.

So when Mourfuni said this, what he means is Gunning is getting it anyway?(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20240421/59ba4e9fe7f4667592496ba6dbad66e9.jpg)

Did the results working mean staying up?

Haven't checked the accuracy of this but in the league

Morris - 18 games, 4 wins, 4 draws, 10 defeats
Gunning (current interim spell) 16 games, 4wins, 4 draws, 8 defeats.

I know its not as simple as just comparing like for like stats, but I'm not convinced Gunning has quite shown enough to be given the job. To be fair since Shan has come in there have been small signs of improvement.

I've got a feeling though Clem will give it to Gunning, however unpopular that decision will be.

This is why I have a ticket for this game in the forlorn hope that the crowd finally turn on Clem properly, pre, during or after the game next week.

I prefer the Northern term "thick as mince" it Kinda suits him.

He isn't selling, we have to deal with that.

To be appointed permanent manager this week allegedly.

Didn’t watch, Gunning shouldn’t get the full time manager role, Clem please sell the club, congrats to McGregor and Hunt on further minutes.

MoTM: Anyone who travelled up for that

If he appoints Gunning at any point then fuck Clem, but if he does it before the last game of the season then he is completely fucking mad. Surely there would be a revolt at that last game?

I agree, and I have a feeling anything will not be announced until after next weeks game.

and according to Clem himself, we were still looking to make the play offs.

Its inexcusable, but at least it'll probably convince a lot on the fence to not bother putting any more of their hard earned in.

I have heard that Gunning has been offered the job. My ‘source’ such as it is apparently has a family member who knows someone who works at the club. Fuck me there is hardly anyone left at the club to know.

Oh good

Which puts the Adams rumours to bed :D

If Gunning is appointed, at least it conforms that the current ownership has the same ambition and game plan as the previous ownership - the trust should respond in a similar way to previously.

We are way worse football wise than under power imo.

Yeah there was Sheridan, but for e.g.  at least I can see why he tried Phil brown and flitcroft.

I’d assumed that they gave Gunning the job because (despite what they said) they knew promotion was unlikely & Gav was the cheap option.

If they give him the job full time, despite even worse results than Flynn, then they are clearly not interested in progressing the club.

For me, that would be the final straw

After decent results in his previous caretaker spells it was always worth giving Gav an extended chance imo

Results haven’t been good enough over all & we should be looking to move on

Sacking Flynn was probably the right decision due to what we were seeing, however if you would have given me the choice of Flynn or Gunning knowing the players that we had lined up in January, i would have preffered to give Flynn a chance with those players rather than our loans liason on an interim basis for nearly half the season.

Agreed
Flynn was just short of an Angus Mcdonald type and the new CDM player at the start of the season
Town would have been at least in the play off's now.

Staggering isn’t it. It’s one thing being terrible. It’s another to show such contempt for the fanbase that you appoint somebody who is proven to not yet be up to the job.

Genuine risk of relegation with Gunning at the helm. Appoint a proper manager, give him a proper budget and proper staff, or f*** off.

I am not particularly convinced that anyone in a decision making capacity at the club gives two fucks what the team perform like.  It seems like we are adrift, heading towards the waterfall after we've sold all our paddles to passing boats, while drilling holes in our own boat to see what happens.

Strange game for me.

If we could of made three decent passes in the game we could and should of scored a few.

Gave the ball away cheap...gave them the goals (the second a real pearler) and huffed and puffed.

The subs he made were baffling.

Gunning will be appointed.
Mass exodus pre season. Agent Paul Nicholls will be busy filling a few cheap options and the rallying call will be about the progression of the Youth team and how we are going to see a team full of home grown talent.
Meanwhile our FL status will be hanging by a thread.

When will this fucking misery end?
Worst I have ever felt supporting this Club. The day every single one of these wankers have left the Club then we can get back to enjoying it again.

Should we make anything of the quite direct link between Paul Nicholls and  Power? Both good friends of Keith Cousins. Albeit football circles can be quite small.

Is that based upon gut feeling or based upon snippets of info?

I'd imagine the latter. I've heard similar noises.

If they appoint Gunning its the biggest fuck you to the fans yet from Clem.

Giving him such a long interim period was bad enough. However even Clem said they would review results. There is no way you can spin results or selection/play as a success across that period.

There is a lot to get angry about at this club, but its making me livid to even consider that Gunning will be given the gig. While they may have pulled the wool over our eyes with other appointments and suggestion they have learned their lessons, appointing Gunning suggests they don't even care about pretending to want the club to progress.

I hope the rumours and whispers some of you are hearing are all false on this matter.

Especially when you were trying to push we still had a chance of the play offs based on expected results.

Correct, something Gunning himself was really pushing at the 'fans forum'.

Anyone who has spoken to any of the players knows how bad Gunning is as a manager.

I've been worrying that was their intention. We'll see.

Gunning (shudder) is at least making noises about an experienced core - but a) don't believe it b) last time the club definition of experience was very different from my own.

Alongside more budget cutting from Clem, it just proves he really is thick as shit as he doesn’t have to do much research to see the fans opinion of Gunning.

His surprise to the reaction to him at the fans forum gave me a chuckle. Also seemed to genuinely think he could get away with the "admin error" comment without ridicule. Ear is so far from the ground its comical.

It feels to me like it's almost a case of arrogance/not actually giving a shit what the fans think. Which is dangerous when he's clearly miles out of his depth. His CEO is as useful as a one-legged man in an arse kicking competition and you can't exactly say he's surrounded by football people at the club. This summer is going to be 'interesting'. There will probably be some great feedback from the people that go to the summer concerts and he'll suddenly think he's some kind of legend.

Yeah, I wouldn't bank on that. Could end up as Swindons very own Fyre Fest the way the club is run.

I'm thinking more of 'selective' feedback tbh!