Thetownend.com

Big game for Bradford  :)
I don't want us to lose, but I'd like to see them win the league ahead of Walsall and Vile.

Swindon 2-2 Bradford

Att: 8,432 (1,178 away)

12.30 ko, so in the pub early again  :pint: :pint:

This thread make me think of Jake Young.
Had to check whether he was still at Bradford - he went to Stevenage which I complete recall now I’ve read it.

28 games & 3 goals in all competitions so far this season.

He scored more than that for us - in one game - where he only played 74 minutes.

Charity kit looks good. Are Bradford wearing home kit then?

I like Bradford, the city and the stadium. Tough game obviously but a good measure of how far we've come. A win would be amazing to continue our positive run in to the end of the season but I will go for...

2-2 which would also be a very creditable result..

I would assume so. I take it we are wearing white shorts and socks to go with the white shirts as per 1969?

Bradford wear black shorts so will have to be white unless they wear a special kit themselves or their third kit all blue.

Coming over from Stroud. Two of us; old chums of Reg. We'll get the 9.30 train. Will we be able to get tickets in the morning or should I pop over to the ground on Friday morning. Advice welcomed. Didn't we beat Bradford City in the early rounds of the League Cup in 68-69?

Agree re Bradford. Like the club and they’ve done their time in the basement for sure. Be happy to see them go up.

This.

Its a shame Franchise arent in the mix for the abyss......now i would get pissed for a week if we sent them out the league!

Can't stand em personally. Massive superiority complex. Especially that BC fan who picks 10 best this and ten best that on YouTube. Small minded I may be but I hope we smash em

No issue with Bradford. They are a big club for this league, which I guess isn't surprising for a big city with only one team. Quite enjoyed the Doyle banter with them to be honest during the 19/20 season. Also despite all the shit thrown both ways over the years, there's been some good moments between the fan base...

Swindon fans raising the scarves during the Bradford fire minute silence at the end of the Di Canio season got a good reaction from them.

The Darby stuff too.

Id much rather they went up than Vale or Walsall. Obviously I'd rather we get 3 points and keep some momentum going for next season... but fuck Vale.

Bradford {the city and surrounding} will forever hold many memories for me personally, so despite it's largely unkempt look in several places, I can never feel any ill towards the place

I hope their Capital of Culture year does do some good for them and it's residents. It's famously cultural in people and also within the arts, yet often overshadowed by the ever sprawling metropolis of Leeds. Someday soon, the two places will merge and all the likes of Huddersfield, Halifax, Dewsbury, Wakefield, Pontefract and Castleford will get swallowed up into some Supercity status. Places like Bratfoot are important, so being culturally recognised should always be a thing and not forgotten

Back to footy, hope Town beat them of course but can only really see a loss. A score draw would be a fitting result though, and I'm sure matters bigger than football will come out as the only important winners. Both sides and fans showing absolute mutual respect for the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation

#YouReds

I haven't bought a footy shirt for three seasons - don't want to feed the crooks or pay part of Happy Hall's inflated salary - but I have purchased this new one, hope a good chunk goes to the DarbyRimmer Foundation

£5 from every sale goes to DRF.

I've heard next seasons third kit, a fiver from each one is going to the ''Mr Orange Dry Stone Wall Rebuilding Trust''  ;)

Which while I appreciate the sentinment, considering the shirt is £45 to buy and probably cost a tenner to make is not much in the grand scheme of things

That put me off buying it tbh.

Something to cover the admin fees

Have to admit the cost put me off too.

Love the design & when I saw the £5 goes to Darby Rimmer Foundation I thought ok yes I'll be putting money into the clubt but that's decent. But I refuse to let them make £25+ off me.

Can anyone remember how much of the shirt cost went to the charity the last time they did this?

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/18137966.sold-stfc-supporters-queue-outside-county-ground-get-hands-limited-purple-t-shirt-aid-darby-rimmer-mnd-foundation/

"all profits" in 2020. I'd be... surprised if £5 represented our profit margin on replica shirts.

The difference this time around is that we don't buy from the manufacturer so less profit margin than before

One would make a larger profit if one did not pay said supplier:-)

Indeed.

Possibly so, albeit supplier would be unlikely to be committing to making a special one off shirt if they were finding it difficult to obtain payments.....

Unless the supplier skipped the middle man who the issues of payment may be with. Allegedly. Or that any possible bill has finally been paid?

The shirt template is £14.40 on the pro direct website, printing is going to bring the cost up to about £20 so someone is creaming a profit somewhere either at STFC or pro-direct if only £5 is going to the charity.

Sorry you've misplaced me, which admittedly  isn't difficult, is it now suggested/alleged that someone who isn't the club is paying for things like merch?

This was the rumour doing the rounds not that long ago.

Bearing in mind Pro Direct already make money selling that at £14.40 in the first place.

I think I'll make do with the purple on one Saturday.

Holloway confirms Ripley is back, wonder if he will continue with Bycroft?

In the nicest way possible, why on earth would he do that?

Suppose it depends on if he is in his plans for next season. With noises that he wants to get back up north i suppose it would make sense

Ripley has looked capable, but I wouldn't say I rate him so far. Not as much as a Sol Bynn and miles off of a BFG.

He filled the gap of atrocious keeping we had. I think we could do better but I hesitate to say that as 90% of the time you think that under this mob, we end up very much worse off.

Call it Rob Hunt syndrome.

If Holloway thinks Bycroft has the potential and will be here as #2 next year then I'd play him if Ripley wants up north. Might be a case of neither are here next year.

It’s my birthday tomorrow. Can’t decide whether to go or not.

It can’t beat my favourite birthday game - Birmingham 4 Swindon 6. What a day that was!

Zulus!

Early kick offs are shit and being at home on Bank Holiday Monday, the matchday booze up will have to wait until the Bletchley Stealers roll into Town.

Be a good result if we can turn Bradford over.

Will miss the Corn Dolly visit if they leave us behind.

Many happy returns for tomorrow Aud.
Give the game a go.
Have a feeling that we can put a dent in Bradford's promotion push tomorrow.

Yeah, that Birmingham game is my favourite away win.
Went up on the coach that day so not quite the complete beer & football experience that I would judge away days by these days.

The Brum away game was my 3rd favourite away game after the 7-0 win at Kettering in 83 and the 4-0 away rout of the shitheads in 91.

Theres no way you can drop Ripley we look so much more confident at the back with him playing, Ollie Clarke also fit for tomorrow.

One of my faves  :D

If Ripley isn't staying, which it sounds like he isn't, and we haven't got much to play for, and he intends on keeping Bycroft, then playing Bycroft makes sense to me. He should be deciding who of this lot he wants to keep next season.

Personally I don't want Bycroft as number 1 next season, a poor shot stopper, responsible for a lot of goals. Acceptable as number 2 given budget constaints but thats it.

Not looking forward to a 10am beer.  Sky wankers, may the force blow the cunts up.

The thing with beery matchdays is that they can be worst and best at the same time. I’m only a gnat’s nob away from being almost TT these days.

Now more than even - lower league recruitment is basically like rolling a dice.

We have a keeper - let’s say he’s a 4. He goes, you roll the dice - what will you get? You might get lucky & get a 6. You’ve upgraded your keeper, happy day but you’ve got just as much chance of rolling a 1 & downgrading.

Now a days with a lot more variety of managers, formations, tactics, player roles, player types, nationalities you can’t even guarantee a 6 from one club will even be a 6 for his next club.

Back in the day when everyone played 442 with the aim of scoring goals & winning games - a decent target man #10 would be a decent target man #10 for each & every club till he got a bit above his level. Managers saw players playing a role & then signed said player to play that exact role for their football club - been over complicated now.

Call me a sadist but I still have the 7-1 slaughtering of Town, at the hands of Nottingham Forest as one of my fave away games. As is the three nil bashing of Leeds {we should have gone up that year} Probably both top 5. I think the ridiculousness of the humiliation from Forest just meant that many saw the hilarity in adversity; and it's always a good antidote during a tough time. That Forest away day must be close to 20yrs ago now? And the Leeds match was 2010 {Danny Wilson PO season}, so even that is 15yr ago  :eek:


Happy Birthday Aud, you aud bastard. Enjoy  ;)

Late February 2006

Swindon 2 Bradford 1

Yeah, I know what you mean.
There will come a time for slowing down, but not quite ready for that yet.

Interesting Presser:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpZVH_5_OeY

- Talking about giving youth a chance as budget will take a hammering over £200k pitch work. Talk about youth in the club or outside of the club. But then talks about having a balance of youth and experience.
- Mentioned having to talk to people who are in contract next year and telling them his doesn't want/need them.
- Better deal for Mildy and his coaching staff
- Will need to do something at GK as both are OOC at the end of the season
- Seemed to suggest that Bycroft's place is a number 2
- Suggested that if people are moaning about not being selected he won't resign them
- Talked about the difference in money between academies and L2. Comes dont to whether they want to maximise playing time or income
- Didn't realise that 'youths' have to get changed in a different room than the rest of the team. (Hadn't really thought about it before, but I was niaively surprised)
- Minturn needs an operation and is worse than McGregor (Gilmour's Groin)

Hearing Ripley is back in goal.

Not sure whether to believe it or not.

😂

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GoU-XRFXcAAPLq0?format=jpg&name=large)

I would prefer Ofoborh to start ahead of Cotterill but a strong team nonetheless.

Don’t then…

Noticed that Ofoborh has been quite passive of late in games. Yeah, he's done the dirty work ok, but the distribution has been too easy when there have been forward options.

I wonder if Sobowale is one of the contracted players that Holloway might not be keen on retaining?

Its pretty obvious Ollie doesnt really rate Sobo, which is a shame for me as hes the only player at the club with any pace at all, Ollie knows what he wants though.

Not totally sure he rates Ofoborh as much as many of us do too. For me I would never start Cotterill ahead of Ofoborh, ever.

Completely agree, Cotterill has his place, but it's not as part of a duo in central midfield.

Doesn't get involved enough in that role & more often than not gets shunted around to wing back or wide mid game.

Cotterills best role is sat behind the strikers in an attacking/number 10 role, we dont play that way though so hes asked to defend and track back all the time and thats just not his game.

I thought that too

I thought that too - And he's possibly expensive.

What a bench!

The Town End looks sparse, stupid 12:30 KO's.

Glatzel wrestled to the ground in their half.

Freckleton panicks with a clearance there, he needs to keep his head a bit better.

0-1

Poo

Marking?

Shit marking by Wright there.

Crap goal to concede. Awful marking

I mean Wright was marking. Probably could have done with being a bit more goal side than behind him.

Hell of a finish though…

According to five live Ollie Clark scored it. 

Gave him space to finish though

0-2

Christ! Is this going to be a cricket score?

He was stood next to him.

Do we get lucky like that?

Ball came back off Cotterills back, he could do nothing about it, player couldnt miss.

Kilkenny misses a great chance unmarked 15 yards out too close to the keeper.

Oh Town! Kilkenny wastes a golden opportunity!

(Glatzel showing he can play with Smith)

Great move,crap finish

Bradford are the better side, thats obvious but not sure they are 2 goals the better side, but thats football.

Red card for the Bradford player for a foul on Glatzel, nasty foul.

It’s been an eventful first 13 minutes…

Smallwood red for horrendous challenge on Glatzel!

Here we go!!

Thought Holloway was going to see red then too!

Alexander gets a yellow!

Glad Glatzel got out of that without a broken leg.

Could easily have been

Kirkman wins Town a corner.

Oh Tshimanga! Put clear through but no control!

Great pass by Freckleton to Tshimanga in the box but he gets his feet mixed up, good chance.

1-2

1-2 Billy Kirkman

OG from Kirkman cross.

Come on!!!! Great goal ,bloody good player

Did you see how close Glatzel was to Smith in the box! THAT looks promising!

Smith unmarked 20 yards out but scuffs his shot well wide.

Kirkman early cross just too far ahead of Smith, good try.

Ameen coming on.

Ameen on for Kirkman???? WTF

Yellow for the Bradford player, nasty again on Glatzel.

I was thinking Kirkman as potentiasl MotM, maybe this change is about signing Ameen as a pro.

Glatzel is going to be sore at the end of this game!

Ameen wins a corner, a bit lucky.

Agree 100% best player for us at the time he went off.

If we are going to be playing 4 at the back bring on Sobowale for some pace at RB.

Yeah strange decision taking Kirkman off.

Ameen tries a 30 yard shot saved.

Ameen definately trying to impress to get a move!

1-3

Thats truly shit defending.

Jesus H Christ!

6-4 anyone?

Ffs. Inexcusable to defend the long throw like that twice.

Will be an interesting half time team talk, warm up the hair dryer.

Comical defending. We let Kennedy come back or something?

Deservedly too.

The game is wide open though still.

Shit shot by Glatzel in the box.

Glatzel is having a mare.

We look shit scared every time a cross comes in.

Ameen wins a corner.

I thought he was having his best game for some time. One bad shot, but has harried, mived and linked well

Decent corner but we dont attack it and it goes out for a throw in to us.

He looks scared to me, hes been fouled a lot but I thought hes been really poor so far. Not had much go his way at all.

Why isn't Smith getting on the end of those lately?

5 mins added.

I also think Smith has not been very effective today too. And not sure Tshimanga was even playing at times.

5 minutes? So they're not taking the chronic time wasting into consideration?

Great long shot by Wright thats punched away.

Thunderbastard from Wright scared the keeper!

Good cross by Ameen but Smith heads it back.

2-3

2-3 Tshimanga is playing!!

His first touch?

Smith not winning a single header today

2 quality goals from the only quality in this half. No quality in Bradford so far in my opinion

HT 2-3

Entertaining.

Well the cross for ours was a shot if we're honest. Very fortunate where it went and that Tshamanga read it.

Bradford claiming offside was funny, he ran from about three yards onside when it was played.

Not been able to watch today, but sounds positive regarding Ameen. Bradford fans very complimentary. Have seen videos of the three Bradford goals, and all three are so unbelievably avoidable

Ameen, although Kirkman was playing well, could be an inspired substition.
The only real quality so far in this game has come from us. Unfortunately the only shite defending has also come from us. To concede 1 against 10 men is careless,to concede another one would be fucking disgraceful. Glatzel looks dead beat not surprisingly considering the treatment he's had. Might see Westley sooner or later. Not impressed with Bradford, dirty,time wasting shithouses

And....how is that an OG? Barely any change of ball direction from that shot from Kirkman. Not from the TV angle,at least

He’s done a couple of flashy things, including a long range shot.

But, Kirkman was also doing well before being sacrificed - including scoring!

Glatzel showed great presence of mind to let the ball go through to Tshimanga. I'm not sure if he purposely sold the Bradford defence a dummy.  

Westley and Butterworth on. Who for?

Kilkenny and Clarke

Kilkenny and Clarke!

Clarke must be injury, but Kilkenny?

2 at the back?🙂

Us with two at the back. Bradford supposedly with 7 defenders on. This will be interesting

When is he gonna book that fucking keeper?

Yep, long throw coming.

Good low hard cross by Tshimanga how we didnt get a foot to it I dont know.

Long Short throw coming.

Lovely pass from Ameen to Cotterill, corner to Town.

We didn't get a lucky bounce like they did first half

Ball come sout to Ameen and his shot is tipped over for a corner.

Butterworth tries a long shot thats easily saved.

I feel it's coming!

Glatzel poor control in the box after a shot and the ball is cleared.

I agree.

Westley shot deflected just wide, corner to Town.

Bradford defence is really panicking now every time we attack.

Westley down injured.

Westley back up but stretching and not comfortable.

Keeper takes the corner easily.

Bloody timewasting keeper again.

3-3

Smith lovely finish.

A lot of silly fun this

Bloody Sky died when Smith scored!!!

Smudger!

More quality!!!! AVE that you time wasting wankers!!!!

Everyone else still have Sky?

I’m back!!

Another yellow for time wasting.

Long throw coming.

At last Smith got his head to it!

Another goal and red card in this game

Great save by Ripley point blank, looked like another goal.

Definately this, Bradford will have another sending off.

Can we please try to mark Kavanah !

Westley breaks but his shot is saved for yet another corner.

Another corner to Town.

Ameen shoots from 18 yards headed over the bar for another corner.

Ameen beats his man but his cross is saved.

Nichols shot from 20 yards easily saved.

Ameen is the ground redevelopment money

Ameen must have been told there are scouts there today watching him, hes been brilliant.

Never a truer word.

Glatzel shot from 20 yards well wide.

I wish Ameen had a chance to get a shot in from that dribble.

Rumour is that Chelsea are interested.

Wright well beaten for pace, fouls the winger near the box.

Wright's worst game in a Town shirt? (watch him score the winner)

On this showing hes definately good enough for a huge clubs U23s.

Ofoborh and Cox stripped down looking ready to come on.

Ofoborh on for Nichols
Cox on for Glatzel.

Cox & Offaborh for Nichols and Glatzel

Ffs

FFS 3-4

That's fucking disgraceful

Ridiculous!

We were pushing up too much. You cant rely on Cotterill as a defender.

The defending has been absolutely atrocious

Doesn't reach the standard of disgraceful.

Cox header well over the bar from 6 yards from a Butterworth cross.

Just shambolic defending again. Jesus.

We have two defenders on the pitch and about eight strikers, it's not a huge shock that our defensive shape is a bit dodgy.

Awful shot by Cotterill from 30 yards, so soft.

This.

5 strikers even may be fine but not like this with 200 strikers, Bradford have threatened us every time they attack so keep 3 defenders on.

Butterworth yellow. Also a Bradford player yellow too.

Butterworth is taking all the space Ameen was exploiting

Defending has been fucking abysmal today.

Yet Sobowale cant get a game, or even come off the bench.

Cox wins another corner.

Ofaborh has looked like a pub player since being introduced

Another corner.

His whole demeanour hasnt looked right today even when on the bench he looked deflated. He didnt even know which position to play in when he came on he was shrugging his shoulders.

How the hell is this GK getting away with this, such a dirty fucking side bunch this lot..

Bradford player down timewasting now.

I noticed that, too.

Dirty Northern bastards. Standard.

Gunning or Mildy should have at least gave him some idea before he came on.

4-4

Smudger!

Great cross from Cox and header from Smith.

Cmon! 6-4!!

Deserved.

Well you can't ask for a more perfect cross than that! GET IN, so want to beat these cunts

Fully.

Fair play for not stopping. We are super dangerous at both ends today. Could be 7-7.

Yellow for Smith.

Thought Smith was off then!

4 mins of 7 added to go.

I hated Bradford before today. Even more now

Ameen so close to scoring.

Great play by Ofoborh.

5-4 What the fuck.

Get in!

Get in!!!!!!

So did I, looked like violent conduct.

Fully fucking deserved.

Classless from Smith, there.

And Tshimanga

What did they do?

Yes fucking great wasnt it!

He's almost novvern in his behaviour.

That is the most shithouse thing I've ever seen standing over someone scoring an OG in the 96th minute.

Must have done something to deserve that?

They celebrated the OG with the scorer.

3 of them at it. Certainly seems like a reaction to something.

FT 5-4

What a fucking game.

Yeah has to be a reason. You don't do that for nothing

Utter utter madness.

I’m in North Devon, what a match to have missed :doh:

Fucking great...
COYMRs

You can say that again.

If only we had some corporate boxes where one could enjoy such games

Wouldn’t be normal. Olly will talk about it in his post game presser perhaps?

Close to me then, I am on the Somerset Devon border.

Just a quiet, nothing end of season game then.

Well, if that's how good you have to be to be top of this league, I don't dread the summer. Of all the "title contenders" these are by far the worst. Utter shite football team

Jeez. Wow.
Watched on the phone in a bar in Glasgow.

The issues with this team gloriously highlighted for all to see.

More than useful going forward.

Pretty hopeless defensively.

Keep the majority of the attacking unit together.
Major surgery required on the defensive front.

https://x.com/jiff1967/status/1911048776157901104?s=19

I count 4 of them. Definitely a story there.

3pts,come from 2-0, 3-1, but the best news today is that Glatz can still walk. Absolutely scandalous tackle. Oh, and Graham Alexander is a fuckin bellend.

I loved it. I must be a proper cunt!

I am genuinely sat here in shock at that.

I just don't think you're going to have a competent defensive unit whilst you have two defenders on the pitch, even if they're Maldini and Baresi. We're a team constantly playing on "Overload" on FM. It's absolute madness.

football is a funny old game .

I don't watch much D2 football bar our games, it seems that there have been several teams this season come to the CG with a simple gameplay of kicking us off the pitch. Do we have some sort of reputation of being easily provoked/riled or is it just a thing this season at this shitty level?

Smith definately does.

Under Garner, Lindsey and Flynn we were a team of brittle lightweight players, every team knew that so bullied us.

I think that's most L2 teams, I'm not sure it's special for us.

If you cant beat them with football kick them off the pitch.

It doesn’t work for teams often. Seem a fair few have given away penalties and gone down to ten men at our place this season

https://x.com/acklamjoe/status/1911052998295384115?s=19

Shame its not an iPhone 'Live' one so you could see Smith pumping his fists!

Great entertainment!  Rarely experienced these days.

Shithousery

What an astonishing game, this team just doesn't know when it's beaten.

I would say it was due to him trying to rip Harry's shirt off all game and kick lumps out of him... :hmmm:

Melt down on the Bradford forum: https://bantamtalk.com/index.php?threads/42-swindon-town-vs-bradford-city-saturday-12th-april-2025-12-30pm.8970/page-24

Holloway:
- Topsy turvy is not a phrase he's used often
- Started alright
- Then strange situation and they score
- Then the weirdest goal I've seen
- In training that just wouldn't happen. I dont believe it
- Luckily we have enough skill to get back in it
- The ref made a big call. Holloway didnt see it. They didnt like it as they thought there was a foul before hand
- Then we conceed 2 goals against 10 players which is a no-no for any manager
- Wanted to take Kirkman off before he scored to have Ameen press
- No good for your ticker! Good when you are on the right end of it
- They were fuming!
- One of our team banged on their door on the way off, which t hey shouldnt have done
- That was massive today.
- They brought a big following
- We (the crowd) didnt get on their backs, because we believe in the team
- Deep down, thats terrible defending. We've got to sort that
- We cant conceed against 10 men
- They created chances and Ripley made a couple of great saves
- That ticket was value for money! Hopefully people will come back
- We need to keep our dignity
- Holloway wants to be proud of everything, not just bits
- Bringing on forward players. Is this based upon anything other than rolling the dice?: No, Holloway knows what skillset he has available. He knew where we needed our footballers. He knew who can score. He knew they would go denfensively. We would out number them if we moved it quickly
- Get it wide,. If you cant get it in then move it quickly
- In the goals for tally, we are very good. We have to improve in the goals against
- Team talk is, if we score 1 more than them we win. At half time he said they could win 6-3
- Ameen: The chat with the parents?: Wonderful young man. Brilliant to congratulate them on bringing up a wonderful young man. Club has already shown him love when QPR rejected him. Told 1st team to play like t he youth. They are encouraging him and helping him. At the end of the day there is a lot that has to happen
- Holloway is thoroughly enjoying it. Is determined to get promoted. Maybe not this year, but before he goes. He is reading the Lou Macari years. Would love to have a legacy like that when he leaves.
- Believes that the team want it more than Holloway does now. They weren't like that when he arrived. Be the best you that you can be!

To be honest to suffer Will Wright's worst ever game in a Town shirt and still win is a monumental effort. All 4 unfortunately down to him. Still my favourite player though. That Cox delivery for Smith's goal was a thing of beauty. The confidence of Ameen, at 17 years old is something to behold. Ripley's save was absolutely vital to the win I thought.

As it stands we've reached the heady heights of the bottom of the top half.
9th or 10th spot still in range.

Downside is that Vale are in pole position for some silverware.

What a fucking game. Chatting to some Bradford fans after the game. They thought the ref was on our side.  I said I hope u go up, but the result was fair.

Where do you start with that?

The good: Ameen is going to be a star. I’d love to get a season out of him, but he’ll have some lucrative deals coming his way. Smith was quiet in the first half, but after the sending off, caused chaos. And despite certain players having their flaws (as you’d expect in L2), Holloway knows when to pull a tool out of the box. George Cox can cross a ball - the cross for the 4th was superb. I thought Holloway was bonkers with the formation for the second half, but yet again, he’s shown it was a stroke of genius. We were worth the win. It was a sending off (and not a single one of their players complained).

The bad: Where do you start with the defending. Forget their 4th (as poor as the defending was) - we were not set up to defend in the 2nd half. But the defending on the first half was poor. Wright needs an experienced centre back next to him. For all of his set piece prowess, he hasn’t been on it for a while. And despite recent plaudits from some, you’ll never convince me that Miguel Freckleton is a good enough. He gives the jitters to the whole back line.

It was great fun.

And the white kit should be next year’s away kit. We’ve done black and white but never done all white. It looked great.

Minor point I know but still can't see how the first was an OG. I've seen far more dubious goals given to the striker than that. Ball hardly changes direction. If anyone saw it from a different angle I'd love to hear about it

Thought that Freckleton had a good game and laid on the winner, wil be playing in League one next season if not signed on by Ollie.  Has a decent career ahead of him.

Unavoidably missing today's game.

Another routine turnaround in added time, it seems.

I didn’t even watch the game & this might be hyperbolic but fuck it.

Let’s keep the large majority of this squad together. Add 2 or 3 upgrades & go up as fucking champions.

Well that was absolutely bonkers.
Terrible defending, which isn’t a great surprise as we didn’t have many defensive minded players on the pitch, but incredible spirit & will to win got us back in the game and eventually got us three points.

Considering we don’t really have a lot to play for, it’s a credit to all the players & Holloway that they can keep doing that

Bradford manager post-game, why wouldn't that have been a red card?

https://x.com/BBCWYS/status/1911075777254232140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1911075777254232140%7Ctwgr%5E3ce7a15e4c77a578e01598ab0d75de04f7fa0a50%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffootballleagueworld.co.uk%2Fbradford-city-boss-graham-alexander-fumes-after-swindon-town-defeat%2F

It definitley deflected of the defender, Kirkman was crossing it to Smith and it wasn't on target - no goal without the touch on the defenders foot

I have watched it several times I Dont think any defender toushed the ball it loked liked the defenders simply put the goalkeeper off

It didn't look an og to me either having watched it several times...

Kirkman's goal took a deflection off of their number 5

Yeah I'm sympathetic with him being annoyed that Smith didn't get a red, but Smallwood's is surely inarguable. This sort of shit makes managers look silly.

Att: 8,051 (1,102 Bradford)

Had a free ticket today but really that was definitely worth a full ticket price worth of admission!

Our inability to defend hilariously exposed yet again, but also can't fault the fight, work rate and passion to get the result in the end. Their challenge for the sending off was right in front of me and I said "red" as soon as it happened. Smith v. lucky, but in fairness their centre back could have had about 5 yellows himself. His time wasting, winding up our players, fans only to end up being twatted and then scoring an own goal felt karmic. Celebration was classless, but the fact 4 of them felt the need to do that to him probably tells it's own story.

I liked Nichols in his deeper role and actually felt we got a bit worse when he went off. Felt sorry for Kirkman going off but Ameen was lively and caused them all kinds of trouble. Tshimanga frustrates the shit out of me and Freckleton also makes me nervous, but overall you can't complain really can you? 9 goals scored in two games, three wins in a row, thirteen unbeaten at home. If only Kennedy never happened.

Fair play to Bradford btw they did knock the ball about nicely and although we gifted them goals, their lad that got a hat trick was always in the right place. Great support too. Found them quite humble after the game, even after some pathetic jibes from some of our younger fans (to be expected in this day and age I suppose). Good luck to them and I hope they manage to pip Vale to the title.

Freeloader!!!

Nothing wrong in being the nemisis of Anthony Hall.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GoXHA1FXYAArdrj?format=jpg&name=240x240)

What's the significance of that picture?

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GoXG6ReXcAAh9B4?format=jpg&name=large)

I’ve seen people stick their noses at the reaction. I watched the game on telly, so can’t say I saw the guy do anything, but the fact you had two teenagers giving him that response tells you he probably did something to deserve it

A fun win. It doesn’t mean anything for this season, it doesn’t mean anything for next season, but it was fun today. And that counts for something

Holloway (a bit more measured than on the radio)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZK5QYlTZH4

Shepherd was the one who said something/did something to Harry Smith when he got his yellow card. Looked like verbals and niggly stuff throughout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7YHjqdEXak

Does one read anything into this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meecmeOWC2Q

I've watched it back and this is what I read into it... Botan and his family are humble, sensible, level headed people. I think that they and Botan think that right now at this moment in time, Swindon is the best place for him to be and he will sign that deal that's been offered to him...

Do you think many will travel Friday for the game against us ?


Seems like Holloway is doing really well tbf I am suprised but maybe a big season next time ?

This league looks likely to be full of what you would call ex non league clubs next season might be a chance to get back up for you or us if we stay down . Not many big games in there though I remember Swindon with Tommy Mooney & James Milner schooling us but that must have been a while ago !

I'd have been in school at the time and I now have no hair. So yeah might have been a while.

Better times for us which may return one day.

Love the kid in the town ends reaction to the Bradford third goal celebration  :D

Whatever Smith and co did when they scored the OG winner was justified for the shithousing all game and over celebrating in front of the Town End every time they scored. What comes around goes around.

Some lovely comments on the Bradford forum like

So what does that make them? :)

Also

Those comments confirm the "dirty Northern bastards"assumptions.

They're right about one thing. Ameen is going to be a star.

Has absolutely everything. Unlucky not to get his goal. He's so well built and rounded for his age.

For comparison, Scott Twine looked a baby at 17/18.

Feel like he could absolutely explode next year. Get it signed.

For Friday, I would guess at 400-500...we travelled in good numbers to Fleetwood and Morecambe which are both long ass journeys with nothing tangible to play for so I would expect similar for Friday.

What Holloway has achieved is utterly phenomenal ...we should be feeling very positive for next season but you always fear that the ownership will do their best to fcuk things up.

I was there for the Milner / Mooney game...20+ years ago now...was midweek and we came back to win 2-1 having been 1-0 down IIRC. Another season that promised so much only to end in disappointment...

You know a player is good when the oppo notice him...

I won't be there this time, but been a few times, and still have my coin from the anniversary game a few years ago.

Good luck (after Saturday).

Well what a game that was.  Gotta be up there with the 6-4 at Birmingham and the Sheffield United 5-5 game.
Fortunately have been at all three games and can see games like this are what keeps us coming.
Just four months ago this would have been just a dream, languishing at the bottom of league two and looking certain to lose our league status.
Don’t know what the secret is with Holloway but hope he continues to do what he’s doing into next season. 
Really has been a ‘get out of jail’ card for Clem, even if just for the moment, but investment is still needed, a few upgrades on players and we could well be finishing at the top end next season.  COYR Long may it continue.

The irony being that the Birmingham game was also 12th April, just the 32 years ago 😲

After the first couple of positive results under Holloway I just put it down to a bit of ‘nutty luck’. Obviously more to it than that now!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRoVPIobD48&t=1110s

This was a very satisfying watch 

https://x.com/iraqfootballpod/status/1911128018136744212?s=46&t=JFJ6WuyoqR937j03pvTFhQ

Great watch this, most promising talent we’ve had come through in a very long time - let’s hope he reaches his potential.

Thankyou mate I remember that game aswell .

My favourite game against you guys (albeit at Swindon) was in 1994 when we were 2-1 down in the 89th minute and we won 3-2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdaSkZvs8E4

A fantastic talent... Just hope we can get the benefit of it for a couple of seasons... I realise that's probably a bit over optimistic...

I'd be surprised if him or McGregor rock up for the Supermarine game in July.

Clem is surely counting his dollar already

Ameen looks like a great prospect but personally I rate McGregor as a better talent at the moment and hes been exposed to the 1st team a fair bit more already.

Very unusual to have 2 very good talents come through the ranks at the same time.

And Hunt, who we sold but was certainly in the same bracket.

Yes not sure how hes doing at Boro but he certainly looked a decent defender in his limited time with us. I know he got on the bench of their 1st team a few times earlier in the season.

McGregor you may make some money on as he has progressed through the youth team. Ameen though was picked up after being released by QPR a couple of years ago, so we would make next to nothing on him as he's not been through our system sadly.

As he came to us via https://xyzacademy.co.uk/players/ I wonder whether we have some manner of commitment to them be it on signing him or selling on?

He has been injured lately I believe, still only 17 tho so has ages to develop. Boro have had a CB injury crisis so their fans had been hoping he could step in.

Once (if) Ameen signs a pro deal then we can demand any fee am I right in saying?

Different owner, I know, but the last talented Iraqi we had we never cashed in on when we could have done (although we tried to, I imagine.... 8)) and he ended up going to ratshit.

That was a strange one. His career before and after STFC is extremely patchy to say the least. He made more appearances for us (122 according to Wiki) than the rest of his other clubs combined and yet he was brilliant for us until he went off to play in the Asian Cup and presumably was advised he could do so much better than little old STFC... apparently not (Orebro SK, Erbil, Zakho, Gloucester City to name but a few 'highlights of his post Swindon career)... and he's still only 33!

Some brilliant players on show there , not sure if it's depressing though seeing where both teams are now . Bodin was some player wasn't he ? Always remember getting him in my panini sticker collection .

2 of the players who played for us that day are dead now Craig Shakespeare and Peter Handyside both great players in their day .

Mendonca & Fjortoft were pretty good strikers aswell at the time both scored a lot of goals pretty iconic players them .

Yes we had a great side back then, this was the full line ups of both teams.

(https://i.postimg.cc/7hTVF01s/Untitled.jpg)

Bodin, Fjortoft, Digby, Horlock, Nijholt, Ling and Taylor all legends at Swindon.

You had ex Town loanee Crichton in goal, also you had Paul Futcher on the bench and hes now sadly passed away too.

Clive Mendonca fuck me that is name I've not heard in forever.

Damn good striker, not just a scorer but a really good provider too.

Crichton rocked up Boxing day in that infamous late kick off at the Reading cxxts!

Crichton indeed was admirable

Good in Red Dwarf

Yes Futcher was a great player , Beuchamp gone  from your side aswell very sad 4 there passed there in total i think .

Didn't realise Horlock played and many times for Swindon , always remembered him for Man City a good player him aswell .

Should be a good atmosphere Friday looks like it should be a home sell out and you are bringing a few.

Steve Livingstone was a bit of a nutter and hard as fuck wasnt he?

Yeah he was about as tall as that Smith you had and a brick shithouse . Stayed with us 10 years but got a fractured skull in a game and was in a bad way so retired a bit after that .

Those players stuck around a lot longer back then didn't they I remember Digby in goals playing for you for years aswell now you hardly remember the players names because they only seem to stick around 1 or 2 years at most .

It’s mad to think Digby & in particular Paul Bodin played for us in the Premier League & two seasons later we’re still turning out for us in the 3rd tier.

Whilst our Prem team wasn’t great (no shit!) I thought Bodin did ok & chipped in with a decent amount of goals & assists.

Now a days a goal scoring, goal creating left back relegated from the Prem probably gets a move back to the Premier League (either with a newly promoted club or one of the closest to survival) straight away & the relegated club probably get 25-30m for him!!

I thought he was a bit of a smee hee.

''Please sir, give me some credit. I am not the one-dimensional cleaning droid I was once was...''

 ;)

 :D