Thetownend.com

For those of us who are unable to get to the pre season friendly games this month please post anything related to the games in here.

Line ups, scores, performance and quality of opposition etc.

How do the new players look, how do the old players look, how do we line up/formation/tactics and anything else of note for us exiles are unable to watch any of these games.

Holloway said last night that he was planning on playing two different XI’s in each half today

There will be a lot of attention on Jake Tabor this afternoon as well as the midfield setup without Nnamdi Ofoborh but with new additions. Is Will Wright taking free kicks and corners, or will he be on the end of them except for shooting opportunities? What is Tunmise Sobowale's role, full back, wing back or center back? Of course, Ollie might try some deception. All postings about the game will be much appreciated, thanks.

What level are Supermarine compared to where Tabor has been playing?

Three steps higher

Swindon Supermarine play in the Southern Football League Division One South, which is Step 4 in the English football league system. This means they are in the ninth tier of English football overall.

Tabor will be an interesting one, I don’t think people realise just how low down the pyramid he has been playing. We are going to need to be patient as it likely will take time for him to adjust and make the step up.

Reading X some of our fans are basically expecting him to fire us to the title and he’s going to be one of the best players in the league. It just seems really weird how expectations can be this high for him, kind of indicative of how some get massively carried away every summer.

Austin went Poole to us pdq.

I agree.
Then again, some people post HMS Piss the League when we sign somebody who sat on the bench a team that play in the same league

That’s the exception rather than the norm though surely, also Austin was originally in Reading’s academy. The other thing with Austin was that he was well built so ready for any physicality.

Not saying that Tabor won’t hit the ground running, but I find the expectation from some a little strange.

As a comparable though Wycombe signed Richard Kone from the same level as Tabor.

Kone played last season in L1 and scored 21 goals past season. At Athletic Newham he scored 125 goals in 148 games over 5 seasons. His highest was 42 goals in a single season.

Tabor scored 127 goals in 91 games for Amersham at the same level Kone played at (170 goals in 3 seasons) with his highest being 70 goals in a season.

As with every non league player though there are many risks

Its excessive media hype, being touted by many as the "next Jamie Vardy" but in reality who knows, he could be great he could be woeful, we will see soon.

Todays line up.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GvGHr-_WIAEgp63?format=jpg&name=4096x4096)

Exactly as Ollie suggested, no A.Trialists at all.

That’s a shame, my favourite part of pre-season is the manic online hunt for look-a-likes

Gotta be a first vs Supermarine for no trialists hasn't it? For many years at least.

Shit weather for it today too, usually roasting playing them.

I was thinking exactly the same thing.

Also no ex Town players in their line up either. That must be a first for a while.

Here is a list of how many trialists played for Town in each game vs them for the last 10 years.
2015 - 5
2016 - 3
2017 - 4
2018 - 1
2019 - 7
2021 - 11
2022 - 1
2023 - 3
2024 - 2

1-0 Ameen 13 mins.

Danny Butterworth plays a neat ball through to Botan Ameen, whose effort is too strong for the keeper and finds a way into the back of the net

2-0 Ameen 27 mins.

Fantastic work from Aaron Drinan, who chases down a ball forward, he loops it into the box, and Botan Ameen smashes home.

James Ball hits the post.

HT 2-0 to Swindon

2nd half line up.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GvGhMDIXoAA9mtt?format=jpg&name=4096x4096)

TABOR SCORED YET??!!

3-0 Smith 62 mins.

Lovely work from Jake Tabor to get around his man, it bounces around the box, and Harry Smith pokes home into an empty net.

Yes. 4-0

71: Dylan Mitchell plays a lovely ball through and Jake Tabor doesn't give it up, he gets the ball and lofts his effort over the keeper to grab his goal ❤️

82: Jake Tabor forces the goalkeeper into a smart save.

What a show off. Goal and an assist 

FT 4-0

Going up as fucking champions

Can anyone who went offer any insight on the players and how we played? What was the attendance and how many Town?

Thats a very very strange question tbh.  It's the same every year.

Well supported but not sold out, No home and away segregation so who knows the split,  nor was a questionnaire filled in on entry but i suspect but about 99% were swindon fans

I have never been so don’t consider that a strange question as I have no idea how many we normally take but as per some of the podcasts I know that when Di Canio was manager there was a 20 min delay to kick off due to fan numbers so I also think it’s a useful barometer of fan interest in general.

Anyone know what formation Swindon played in each half?

Both halves I would say 3-4-3 but the formation was quite fluid

Asking ' how many town?' is a strange question when there is absolutely no way of knowing.  The attendance is always decent for this fixture but rarely sold out.  Long queues for bar and pies but plenty of standing room (only 2-3 deep)

If he's never been it is fair that he doesn't know it isn't segregated though isn't it.

It's supermarine FFS.  Even if it was segregated do you think everyone in the home end would be supermarine through and through. 

I'd advise anyone who hasn't been to go.   it's a decent afternoon out, jut a shame it's a bit of a pain to get to.

I've been a few years ago but I think it's still reasonable for somebody to ask the question if they haven't.

As stated I have never been. Not looking for surgical precision but just a general idea

.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyDLVtdy9UU&pp=ygUPc3dpbmRvbiB0b3duIGZj

To be clear this wasn’t meant to encourage argument; I wasn’t looking for absolute numbers, more a sense of the overall turnout from Town fans in terms of attendance to be an indicator of general enthusiasm within the fan base.

The goals. Copy and paste the link.

https://x.com/Official_STFC/status/1941618095074017643/video/1

Ta.

Not the best keeping from Marine there

Marines average attendance was and I say was as they got relegated last season circa 250-300 I understand.

Yesterday I believe they pre sold 1100 tickets. With walk ups and online tickets on the day (I did our 3 in the morning) I’d suggest somewhere between 1500 but no more than 2000.

Oh well, they all count! We all know that not too much should be read into pre season results but you want to be putting a few past Marine so job done. You don't want to be losing 2-0, which I think we did a couple of years ago...thanks for posting Audrey👍

Where did Snowden play?

Not that it means anything but Chippenham (step 2) got beat by Bristol Rovers 2-1 so potentially tougher opposition up next.

Thought Melksham was next

Did not get there till 3.05 and parking was horrendous

Apologies Chippenham is 29th July

Interesting to hear Holloway say that there was a game against 13 trialists.

Seemed to suggest that his team was virtually complete.

Wonder where they will play that. Beaversbrook.

Bit of finger trouble there Jimbo.
Chippenham - 19th
Eastleigh - 26th

I thought Weymouth was 26th?  :sherlock:

They keep messing with the dates :D

5 July – Swindon Supermarine (A)
12 July – Melksham Town (A)
15 July – Reading (Behind Closed Doors)
19 July – Chippenham Town (A)
26 July – Eastleigh (A)

Oh yeah totally. First preseason of the season, a good run out, a win, new boy scored and as far as I know no injuries

Perfect

Sorry to interfere in the bumbling nature of this thread relating to fixtures and attendances, but got a bit of feedback on the game yesterday that may be of interest to some.

thought that Oldaker was our standout today. Played very well and some excellent passing. Tabor played the second 45 and could have had 3 or 4 today. Very good save from the keeper and a couple of last ditch tackles kept him out. He was certainly the player that the majority of the crowd came for. His goal was the pick of our 4. Pleasantly surprised with his performance today.

It is, its a Swindon Town XI so the players not involed at Eastliegh and the youths will play vs Weymouth.

Thanks for posting the goals, Ameens 1st was a bad mistake by their keeper doing a Kovar, the 2nd Ameen couldnt really miss TBH.

Smiths goal was set up well by Tabors chasing and then he himself took his goal well lobbing the keeper.

Solid start to the pre season as we have lost there twice previously in the last 10 years.