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.

Might have been Snowdon putting the header in for Glatzel to cross to Smith, but good awareness.

Drinan & Glatzel will need to chip in with goals & assists if we are to thrive.

Attendance officially announced as 1906

Hearing that Holloway wants to use a lot of long ball this season, was on show yesterday for most the goals.

You coming ??.

If he wants to mix it up a bit, I'm all for it. I don't suppose he's intending to turn us into Cambridge Utd circa John Beck 1992....

One of the interesting points from the LSPod review was mentioning how *big* we looked - players like Minturn and Kirkman having filled out a bit and Ball being a monstrous man.

It can't hurt! I suspect that 'playing football' in L2 is actually more effective than most fans think, but I think we all prefer watching a team that can put itself about a bit as well!

More the Macari style long ball and chase game rather than Becks all out air assault like the Cowleys were at Lincoln.

Holloway described his Blackpool PL team as disguised long ball didn't he?  Get the ball into the opposition half and then get it down and play.

So thats why we bough Lincoln's air raid siren.

Seriously though, whatever works to get us up.

I realise none of us are exactly Pep Guardiola and it's more complex because football is all about space and moving the other team around etc. but I think we'd all sign up for 'get rid in our half, play football in theirs' instinctively!

Get it away from our goal.
Get it in their goal.

No need to over complicate things.

Which was exactly what Macari did so well with us in the 80s, press, get the ball into the opponents half, chase and harry it and create chances quickly.

It worked very very well back then and often scared the shit out of tippy tappy teams.

Its not overly pretty but it can be very exciting to watch when done well.

Create space when attacking and press when defending, dont over complicate things.

I will always take it at this level....if the alternative is boring tedious 'keep ball' losses under Lindsey and Garner.

100% this.

TBH in its own way, its actually not a million miles away from what Guardiola and Klopp do, win it back quickly by pressure and get it into areas where damage can be done. For too long we've had managers content for us to just piss around with it in places where there is literally no danger to the opponents, but in the case of our defence pissing about, but plenty of danger to us!

It's all about being able to mix it up where necessary.

When you have willing runners like Tabor and Drinan, and a big Target man like Smith, you'd be silly not to go a bit more direct or to play the channel ball more often. League 2 defenders are rubbish and make mistakes often. Turn them, make them deal with direct balls and balls into the channel. Look at how we scored the equaliser at home to Port Vale. Drinan was just chasing what looked like a lost cause.

Then after 60-70 mins, when the game is stretched and players are more tired, that's when we can bring on the 'technicians' like your Butterworths and your Glatzels.

Absolutely agree about defenders at this level being poor and having no pace, press them, there arent many CB's that can get near matching Smith in the air so have someone quick close by for Smiths knock downs.

Most teams rely on massive CB's with the turning circle of an oil tanker so exploit that with a bit of pace.

It would be nice to have forwards with Smith who just occasionally gamble that he might win a flick on, and perhaps catch the defenders on their heels

And for one of them to not spend half the game on the floor

I know it is the Under 18’s - but this is really poor isnt it.

I guess without knowing the reason why we can't field a team it's hard to say. We surely have enough of them, so e.g. squad illness is a valid reason.

Or have we double booked/not returned to training yet/not got the necessary staff availability (given they are u18) or?

My mate who plays for Highworth said this was called off before the weekend, the wording of the tweet makes it sound worse than it is.

They are back training, went back last week i think

Called off because of injuries apparently

I see that we are lining up a game so Holloway can look at lots of trialists

Versus a team made up of mostly non league players apparently, organised by a "mate" of Holloways from London. (who I am assuming is some sort of agent).

Nowt to lose in getting games arranged like these might uncover another young gem who hasn't been picked up by a league team.

Think Highworth have made it sound worse than it really is. Request was made 5 days ago and it can't be helped that there's a smaller squad than would be expected at the minutes with a few injuries.

Under 16s not being allowed to play vs full grown men's teams makes sense as well from a protection viewpoint and Holloway will learn far more about the young lads who didn't play on Saturday in todays behind closed doors friendly than against Highworth.

No offence to Highworth but there's a reason its the 1st & 2nd year scholars who were due to be playing them rather than first teamers.

Hope we get these throughout the season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZfxAw0yHqI

Can you pay on the day tomorrow?

Says tickets still available. Can’t imagine you’d get turned away.

Wonder if the heat tomorrow will affect the game - maybe too hot to play a friendly.

Imagine that’s one game the players wouldn’t mind a 12 o’clock kick off.

Moonraker saying players may get 60 mins today, should be a good indication of which players may be in favour.

There is a triallist on the bench today, who i assume is a goalkeeper as Ward is playing and Ripley is not on the bench.

I think Robinson is one of the u-18 keepers.

Bloody shambles. Bar not open along with terrace. Hundreds of fans with no shade.

Home already.

Yes I think so

Wtf! How come?

That's a right money earner

There are 2 bars down pitch side both serving.
Food outlets puts our pasty shack to shame.
We could learn a lesson from this outfit 

Asked bloke on the gate. Apparently they have a pre booked wedding reception this evening.

Begs the question - why have a game on the same day.

Swindon chose the date, enough beer being consumed not to notice the wedding party upstairs

There’s not a wedding party upstairs. It’s either been cancelled or is on after the game.

Doesn’t matter who asked for the date, you can’t expect people to stand out in 30+C sun for 2 hours.

Starting XI

Joe Acklam has tweeted a picture of a defender trialist - looks like a bit of a unit

https://x.com/acklamjoe/status/1944023623771066428?s=12&t=oVOVVFL5yn5o1EyxCE_sEA

Yes there is, I can't post the picture as it's saying it's too large. You can see them from opposite side of the pitch, from the covered seating area. Or you could stand in the covered terraced area behind the goal. There are options to stay in the shade

Suggestion trialist is TJ Eyoma ex northamts defender

Wasn’t he one of those that was on trial with us before?

No, if you mean for the 1st week of pre-season, couple of people thought he was though.

Surely TJ Eyoma is too good to be a trialist? Can’t imagine that’s him.

He was identified as one of the trialists from the first week photo. But that turned out to be the lad from Torquay.

:thumb:

Is he better than Ofoborh, whose a trialist at Cambridge

Turned me down on FM24 to sign for Burton.

I got promoted - Burton got relegated.

So fuck him!

(from now on I’m going to judge all potential signings on my experience with them in my FM24 save - Jude Soonsup-Bell is a must fyi)

Different players, Eyoma is a CB.

I know, but I think most might say that Ofoborh is too good to be a trialist.
So no reason that Eyoma couldn’t be on trial somewhere

H/T. 0-1 Nichols

Moonraker said yesterday the trialist played against us on the game in Tuesday, majority of that side was non league players so may be a good chance it’s a non league player.

There is a wedding party upstairs, they’re all on the terrace in their suits.
Melksham announced during the week the upstairs bar was closed, isn’t much more they can do.  

But Ofoborh has a history of health problems so it makes sense for clubs to assess him before offering him a contract, right?

2nd Half

0-2 Tabor

0-3 Tabor

0-4 Will Wright

We're going to go into the season at peak hype aren't we!

No doubt the media hype will be saying that but hopefully Holloway will keep him out of the spotlight and play things down.

First time having a look at Owen Foye live. I think he looks pretty handy personally.

Holloway's post-match interview indicated "handbags" at the end, was there anything to it?

Something to do with the wedding reception? :D

I wonder if Smith was involved 😁

There will be highlights later on today as well, I know the lad who was commentating, I think he did a good job!

.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zurmJAb3yeQ

Not sure we needed to know quite so many ins and outs of the Ripley situation, could have just stopped at ‘family issue’, but whatever. Otherwise an enjoyable listen

Highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaVO7ZJXJcI

90% sure the trialist is Cerny Ando.

https://x.com/tylerontherun/status/1944185177107738757?s=46&t=JFJ6WuyoqR937j03pvTFhQ - These images match up.

Saw the same fixture last year and the team seem far more together under Holloway. When they loose the ball they have obviously been programmed to get it straight back which they did yesterday. We have def upgraded players this off season and seem to have more pace in the team. Quietly confident ……..

Tabor scores against higher league opposition again. Strange to think no tier three or four side took a punt on him.

I'm sure he'll find it tougher against League Two defences/shithouses but it's nice to be excited about a player again.

Thanks for the highlights.

1st half we need to do a bit more with the chances we created, Nichols took his goal well though.

Tabor has a real goalpoachers instinct with 2 well taken fairly close range goals and came close with another chance, he has pace down the left, I really do think hes a real find and a player we took our first look at back in January and he himself is obviously enjoying himself here already from his interviews etc.

Another solid win, cant ask for mch more TBH but maybe a couple more goals certainly from the 1st half side but it looked a bit weak of firepower when I saw the line up.

How did Festus Arthur play? assuming it was him and not the other players mentioned?

Those highlights reminded me what drove me mad about Sobawale last season. Using his trickery and pace to bomb forward only to then just stop dead in his tracks, turn around and spend an age looking for a simple pass. Completely breaking up any momentum of play.

Someone needs to focus on working with him on learning to cross a ball.
Either that or fully commit to him being the right side of a back 3 and have him stay back to use that pace to cover if Wright's stepped forward into midfield.

I recall Ollie commenting on just that last season, a lot wil depennd on how far away McGregor is away.  Sobawale's pace at the back resulted in being able to play a higher line, unfortunately he has a tendency to switch off.  I suspect that the Town might release him given a decent offer.  

Highlights courtesy of Melksham Town:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaVO7ZJXJcI



Vlog from Saturday:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_4Uxd8csS0

From those there did anything else materialise from what Ollie said about there being "handbags" between our players and theirs at the end of the game? like who of our side were involved and why?

Probably nothing much in it but its something Ollie will have to stamp out, its fine protecting your team mates but only to a point.

Who's most likely to have been involved from our side? Harry? Ollie? (Clarke, not Holloway)

I wouldnt like to guess bu we do have some "spikey" players, Kilkenny, Clarke, Smith all had on pitch arguments last season but without being there I wouldnt know.

From where i was sat it looked like Tabor may have been Snowdon was hit a bit late and they had a little grapple of each other in the left back position but that was a few minutes before Wright scored so not fully at the end but near as. We left as Wright scored so unless it was after the incident above who knows
Melksham number 19 gave it to Minturn during the first half when Minturn questioned a decision, but the Melksham manager or back room staff was certainly vocal for anything resembling a misdemeanor on any of there players. Also chopsy little fucker plain as day shouted you're fucking having a laugh ref about 2 minutes in and nothing was said about it. The ref let things go and allowed the game to play which was good.

THanks for that IAHHM, nobody else seemed to notice anything, or havent posted.

Swindon Town's extended highlights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye8rtlbaZjE

The handbags was at the final whistle in our pen. area. A handful of players from each side were involved. A lot of them were holding on to each other but I didn’t spot how it started.

The 2nd video posted above shows the incident at the end on the pitch but hes so far away its impossible to make out who is involved, other than obviously Smith as he is head and shoulders taller than the rest so hes easy to make out.

It looked like they niggled us all game and something at the final whistle took them over the edge, a couple of fouls on Tabor looked nasty in the highlights.

I dont think it was anything bad though just our players looking after each other.

Well onto the next game today away at Reading, no idea what time KO is today or what type of game it is, 45 mins or 2x 60 mins in the BCD game.

I did wonder if RoyalsTV was going to show it as they showed their game at the weekend I heard.

Holloway mentioned a 4 x 30min format post Melksham.

Cheers Bob missed that.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gv5CgaHWMAAPSbh?format=jpg&name=4096x4096)

Sinclair must be one of them? Though I thought that Moonraker said he wasn't expected to do maybe not.

Still, interesting we've got 4 trialists.

Ripley is back too

No Harry Smith?

Didn't spot that

I guess any sign of unusual stiffness or injury and you rest them at this time of year, where's they may play through it in the season

Yeah, it's not like Holloway doesn't know what Smith can do or what position he's going to play him in...may have just given him a rest day...

HT 2-1 to Reading after 60 mins, 60 mins left to play.

How are we looking or is the heat (I’m assuming it’s still hot) making it difficult to tell?

Moonraker has put an article out. Raheem Conte, Cerny Ando are two of the trialists alongside a LCB and ST from our trialist game last Tuesday. Smith has a minor knock and Sobowale/Mino just not in the squad.

I wish I knew, apparently there are some reporting restrictions in place today so updates will be few and far between.

FT 2-1 defeat at Reading today in a 120 min game, a good run out for the lads hopefully.

It a lot cooler today (20C) with showers.

Any idea who scored?

28c down here in South Somerset/Devon/Dorset botder and not a cloud in the sky again.

Its comparatively cold and pissing it down in the north west, missus is threatening to put heating on!

Match report, courtesy of Joe:

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/25316272.swindon-town-suffer-narrow-pre-season-defeat-reading/

What a weird report. Almost devoid of any comment concerning a Town player - not even the scorer.

Probably been told not to

Looks like it was taken from the match report on Reading F C website

That would make sense as Joe mentioned the other day his request to attend was refused by the club.

Who were Trialists A through C for the first hour?  Cerny Ando and Scott Sinclair were presumably two of them.  For the second hour, even without Smudger, the line-up had more experience than for the first hour.  An obvious question is what is the plan without Smudger?  Who goes up top?

According to the Moonraker, Sinclair wasn't involved in the Reading game

Raheem Conte was one of them

Alex Kpakpé was possibly triallist C

Still none the wiser! 😂

Have we ever signed a single player from 2 seperate teams before? :)

On to Chippenham on Saturday then for the next episode.

They are on the back of 2 home defeats 1-2 vs Bristol Rovers and a 2-3 to Yeovil, they had 1,465 crowd vs Rovers and 800+ vs Yeovil, hopefully we will take as many as Rovers did and help put some money back into lower league local football teams.

Another step up in opposition quality after Supermarine and Melksham. Hopefully we will have a couple of trialists get some game time to see if they are good enough.

Its my target to get to the game after having had a full new knee on Monday.  So if you see someone on crutches please be carful around me but do say hello!

I hope it went well mate, my wife is waiting for a double knee replacement but thats likely still years away yet, as well as double hip replacements thanks to genetic osteoarthritis.

Hats off to saxondale if he his able to make it to the Chippenham game.

Sorry to hear about your wife JJ as she must be in constant pain all of the time.

Gladwin?

Yes shes gone from being a fitness instructor 5 years ago to being wheelchair bound now. Shes not good but it is what it is mate, thats one of the main reasons I cant get to many games now.

No I mean hes actually contracted to 2 teams at the same time.

Ah I see, gotcha!

Very sad to hear.

Yeah sorry to hear that Venks.  Growing older sucks!

Hope it goes well, one bit of small advice is to carefully follow the post op exercise advice from them, my FiL had his done a couple of years back and ignored what they told him to do and did loads more and has basically royally fucked it up!

Also very sorry to hear that.

Thank you all, shes only 55 and it has certainly changed our lives, not for the better mostly.

That was bugging me as well but apparently it was one of the trialists who scored....so that explains that...

The club have posted the goals from our behind closed doors win last Tuesday. Oldaker, Snowdon, Glatzel, Wright and Drinan the goalscorers.

What game was that? Thought we lost to Reading

I’m presuming it was the game against the PFA team

It took me way too long to twig why they didn't show the 6th goal.   :doh:

Just limbering up in Chippenham ahead of the big game.
Not stopped here for many a year.
Can't beat a bit of Cotswold stone construction.

Will aim for the Prince of Wales micropub later.

Prince of wales is tiny but nice.  Good selection of beer.  The sister pub the Waverley at the top of town is very nice and has my daughter working on the bar.  Chippenham has a few decent pubs and wine bars now.

Old road tav was our go to. Right next to station on the homebase side.

Used to like working in Chippenham.

My mate Wil helps run events there, a good little pub with some very good comedians playing there every month.

Hodgson?

Yep.

Anyone know if we will be able to drink pitchside for this one?

You could do a decent poncy pub crawl in Nam now.  3 crowns is a craft beer place, down to the waverley for more good ale and cocktails.  Maybe over to the Gladstone - bit more of a food pub but the do the more commercial side of decent beers.  Then down to wine monkey for a bottle.  Onto the Prince of wales and finish in the Old Road.

Mind you these days I reckon 2 of those is enough for me.

Great to see McGregor on the bench. Notable absence of the full back trialists as well.

Harry Smith starting at Chippenham, so we haven’t sold him yet ;)

Ameen, Glatzel & Drinan also starting so either 4 up or Ameen playing Wing back

No trialists then

I guess Scott Sinclair didn’t pass Holloway’s run  :bye:

0-1 Glatzel

Anyone there to give us a clue of the formation today?

Reported as 3 5 2, with Drinan on right side of midfield, Glatz and Ameen up front.

0-2 Ameen

0-3 Clarke

E I E I E I O

Is Harry Smith playing CB?  Or is it actually a 3-4-3

4 ball

Who is this Ball? Was clearly not paying attention when we signed him.

Free midfielder/defender from Wimbledon.

It looks like 3-4-3, Butters on the left and Drinan on the right.

Smith and a Chippenham player got yellows at the end, after a bit of pushing

Cheers

Drinan at wing back odd but those there saying he's doing well.

Butterworth less so

What do bookings stand for in friendly games🤔

Drinan dropped into rwb once last season for us as well. I don't remember how long for in the game but he did well. With his stamina if you're looking at a game expecting to mainly be on the front foot he's not too bad a shout there. Wouldn't want to do it if it was likely to be a more even game let alone if likely to be defending for large portions though.

Don't know for sure, but don't think they count for the reguar season. The games are arranged directly between clubs who would arrange for a local ref.  Can't remember a preseason card applying to a regular season.

 Cheers, apart from the obvious straight red for two yellows = a sending off during the game I did wonder.

Might be recency bias but I can’t even remember the last pre-season where these local friendlies just felt business as usual - we just turn up, roll them over as we should with probably 95% of our squad already in place with some familiarity of formation & tactics.

To the point where I don’t think our squad will look majorly different when the window slams shut at the end of August

It will be interesting to see how we get on next week against Eastleigh who we don’t have a good record against.

1-5 (glatz, ameen, Clarke, ball, , brown)

Enjoyed that. Could/should have had 10.

Walked past the dugout shortly after a foul on our player to see Holloway giving an absolute barrage of abuse at their manager “Fuck you you prick, he stood on his neck, I will kill you, go fuck yourself!” Etc etc. Quite entertaining. A pleasure to meet Saxondale who I recognised with the crutches and is recovering well from the knee op!

Absolutely nothing.

 :D

Entertaining maybe but we don’t want that behaviour creeping in next season.

Any idea of the crowd🤔

1729 according to the Advert...

Cheers Shaun, that beat the 1465 they had against Rovers.

Very nice to meet you Molepar and Wobbly Bob.

I have to say it felt like 1700 people when I was crawling around trying to make sure people didn't bump into me.  I even wore shorts so people could see the bruising so they may have been a bit careful around me.  Didn't seem to make much difference.

Enjoyed what I could see of the game.  Typical of these games the lower ranked team seemed to have a couple of players who were trying to show these poncy types from the football league.  Chip 6 I think it was who tried to force Smiths head into the ground in some sort of wrestling move.  And their 11 was trying too hard.  He was nicely ignored by Clark who practically just laughed at him.

Will Henry had a great game and kept the score respectable.

Nice run out.

 

 

Doesn't surprise me. Same at the air tattoo today - people walking straight into the push chair and trying to push past me and my 12 year old lad in the shops afterwards. Society massively gone down hill since I was younger and I'm only 36!

Edit to add: these were mainly 40 plus blokes not teenagers 

Sounds like the footy could be promising this season anyway. Top 7 has to be the aim!

Goals
https://x.com/Official_STFC/status/1946661318830035141/video/1

.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNPXVk5CgeM

Holloway not too pleased and apologised for the colourful language  :soapy tit wank: He mentioned the Smith contract situation here; how did you all interpret that? Sounds like Smith may have rejected the initial offer?

He’s certainly passionate :D

Blimey, he wasn't happy. Good to have high standards of course

Yeah, sounded like we didn't offer what he wanted.

Still, unambiguous he's not for sale  and Ollie has the day on that

At least we know he’s going to give everything whilst he’s here. Also sounded like a few of the Town fans had been on the beer  :pint:

Sounded a bit harsh on the face of it but in any sport you can't accept second best and he can't have the players becoming complacent. He couldn't have been more emphatic that Harry is staying while he is under contract and people really need to take him at his word on that.

Got to see down expectation markers up front.

Bit like a teacher with a new class year, hit them with the strict early on so they know where they stand, adjust as term goes on so they don't rebel against a year of hell

Whilst of course there are some fantastic people about, there are so many thoughtless, selfish urchins around. Commuting into London 3 times a week I see endless examples of this.

All nicely taken goals, I heard the Chippenham keeper 2nd half played a blinder I had no idea it was Will Henry though.

Highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i9htsktpVA&ab_channel=ChippenhamTownFootballClub

Just some context to last Tuesday's closed-door friendly versus Reading.  Spurs played at Reading yesterday, winning 2 : 0, which was decent for a League 1 side let alone a Championship side.  Pre-seasaon results mean absolutely nothing of course, but if Ollie still feels that there is a lot of work to do along with the need to always maintain high standards, hopefully this will be reflected in performances in upcoming league fixtures.

Wonderful video filmed at Melksham with Jake Tabor and Ollie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj-rwoOEqQs

Enjoyed that.

Does anybody know the kick off time the eleven v Weymouth? My niece (in Dorset) believes its 2pm??

Need to organise trains etc etc!

Really good Crozzer, thanks for posting...

Your niece is correct mate.

(https://i.postimg.cc/VLLLqjKS/516557044-1654962812100029-4050618143628793280-n.jpg)

Swindon Town XI:

Ripley, Mabete, Ball, Nichols, Clarke, Smith, Tabor, Kilkenny, Snowdon, Munroe, Oldaker.

Subs: Ward, Delaney, Glatzel, Butterworth, Wilson-Brown, Ameen, Drinan, Bodin, Kirkman, Mitchell.

Hopefully Wright's absence is down to a knock.

Per Radio Wiltshire, absence is due to a personal issue. So nothing to see here.

Ah yes.
Mother hen syndrome. Which probably doesn't exist.

2-0 down at Weymouth for anyone who’s interested.

Doomed, Weymouth were pants last season.  1 : 0 down at H.T. according to BBC Radio Wiltshire, though.  So, maybe only semi-doomed.

Just been told first one was offside.  We’ve got a chance (dogs chance).

Playing better at the moment.

Is it available anywhere?

1-0 down to Eastleigh,  Shade the scorer

Penalty to Eastleigh

& 2-0 to Eastleigh

oh dear

Ollie won't be happy but a week before the start I'm looking for match minutes and no injuries

Doomed

Also, friendlies are obviously unimportant results wise. But it feels a little underbaked this year in number of games.

Probably totally wrong and we always play 4 or 5.

Yep, hairdryer might come out at H.T.

Ollie wasn’t happy after the Melksham game😁

2-1 now Oldaker FK

Hairdryer may not come out, now.

Yes, I felt like we were a couple of games short...

You can say that again.

Not just short but short of competitive opponents.

Ball and Cutthroat Jake, off, Drinan and Wilson-Brown, on.

2-2 Smith

:)

Evidently, the H.T. bollocking has done some good.

That is the team at Eastleigh right? the yoots are at Weymouth?

3-2 HMS piss the league sailing forwards again

Yep, that's the line up for Eastleigh

Correct, Lord Snowden scores

So 3-2 up at Eastleigh and the youths lost to Weymouth then?

Yes

Subs for Swindon,

OFF: Munroe, Oldaker, Nichols

ON: Ameen, Bodin, Kirkman

Smith at CB. Just for whoever said we didn’t need it with so many CBs

Mabete sent off, apparently

Mabete possibly sent off

He's gonna be dangerous this season   :nod:

Mabete (Crusher) to be one for the future.  A win at Eastleigh, wow that's a first.

Shouldn’t really judge on looks - but he looks a right hard bastard!

Holloway said:
- Minturn not in plans. Needs to get a run of games somewhere else to sharpen up
- Will loans out youths and poss some he has brought in
- Will tell pros who aren’t in his plans. They can then go
- Sinclair wants other things. Not coming here
- Getting 1 more striker. An exciting loan or someone he has admired for a while but might not be wanted at his club. Won’t be a Harry Smith clone as he doesn’t want to lose him.
- Still under budget
- Mabete needs to learn that he can’t tackle like that. But the second was an ‘air shot’ so Holloway didn’t think he deserved sending off. Hadn’t spoken to ref about it

Cheers nmh

Shame about Minno. Not sure if he's got enough but I do wanted the local boy to do well.

Shame about Minturn - I like him.

Glad about Sinclair.

Just what we need - another striker!

Seems a bit late in the day to tell some players he doesn’t want them.

Minturn due to injuries & being here as a squad player has missed out on vital development imo.

He needed a loan to the level below ours about 2-3 years ago. Like we did with Scott Twine - playing every week the level below did more for his development than sitting on our bench & making 5 minutes cameos would have done.

It’s probably last saloon for Minturn. He needs a national league loan where he’s going to play every week…

.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1I1Aj-N8aE

Thought Joe Snowdon looked good (especially 2nd half), so much more positive on the ball compared to Sobowale.

Sent off in a friendly, fucking hell. They used to have a quiet word and ask the manager to take him a player off.

Walsalls’s pre-season results.

That was the point they made on commentary. The 2 tackles were reportedly horrendous.

In my 50 years of following Swindon I have never known a player to get sent off in a pre season friendly for us.

I know Fil loves a tackle but to go in rough in a pre season game is uncalled for, yes we know you are pushing for a starting slot but thats not the way to go about it.

The normal protocol surely is for the ref to have a word with the player's manager and 'suggest' he subs him off...

That is indeed the "normal practice" it seems like the ref never gave Ollie the chance of that though which upset Ollie.

Ollie was definitely angry in his post match interview😁

Yoofs at Weymouth

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

Any Eastleigh highlights anywhere?

We’re lucky to have played Eastleigh in a pre-season friendly as it could easily have been two league games this season if Holloway hadn’t taken over😁

No doubt about it....

Swindonmaniac and I attended the Weymouth fixture after a few liveners in the Town.

Wasnt a bad game but physicality was key. Weymouth by no means a physical side but town were outmuscled in key areas at times.

Big lad up front for Weymouth was a right handful....superb. Big fella in midfield too, pulled all the strings. Town passed around but then lost the ball at the key moments.

I do like Weymouth FC, good luck to them this season. A very nice day out only ruined by a points failure in Yeovil and an extra hour and a bit sat waiting at the station.

Yoof or not, i will always attend a pre season game in Weymouth.

Where is he? Not at Eastleigh?....he wasnt at Weymouth!

John Kelly..87....sent off v Salisbury City. I was there.....Salisbury fans booing too! Usually ref signals to the bench!

Good remebering, I wasnt at that game and it wasnt reported much back then, John Kelly was fucking useless anyway and shouldnt have been anywhere near the 1st team.

Flash was about 30 at the time, so easy for him to remember  ;)

Surprised an 87 year old could get picked to be honest.
He did well to get sent off....

I have seen 87 year olds that ran faster than John Kelly.

Minturn (C), Brown, Alston, McGregor and Gonzalez starting vs Supermarine.

Sobawale has slung his hook to join St Mirren along with Miguel Freckleton who apparently cost six figures.

29/7/2025: 

Supermarine 2 : 1 Swindon u18s

:)

Great question, so far -  no.  Neither side has posted highlinghts, maybe because it's the last friendly before the start of the season and neither side don't want the opportunity for early opponents to analyse.  No vlog published either, which is a bit strange.

Eastleigh get a player sent off in their final friendly losing 2 : 1 to Maidenhead on Tuesday evening.  Their manager in the post-match interview seems to exhibit some selective memory regarding sending offs in friendlies, having witnessed an incidence of this of course on Saturday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM4vVdilvCc