Thetownend.com

Would anticipate something above the level of dreadful shite today.

Just win the game or don't lose it.

Still early days and a long way to go.

Shrews want their manager sacked.
Have picked up 1 point all season.
Sat 23rd with a minus 9 goal difference.
Scored one league goal all season.

Nailed on Shrewsbury win if ever I saw one…

Shrewsbury have 1 win in their last 22 games…

What could possibly go wrong 🤔

Will be interesting to see how we set up & what the tactics are.
If we try to play the same way with Drinan in the Smith role we’re doomed.

I’d play Delaney, even if it’s just to defend set pieces, and probably two up front so we get an extra body in midfield.

STFC 0-2 STFC

When we did it against Notts County in Jan it was horrific to watch and we got played off the park.

Knowing Ollie he’s likely to put Delaney up front. Can’t see past a dour draw.

Not dropping too many points while adding to the squad while restructuring the team is key.  This is where experienced heads in coaching and management are needed.  Today's game is important in establishing where the team is and where it has to go.  A game that mustn't be lost, but Shrewsbury must be seeing this as an opportunity to steady their ship.

Had decided last weekend to go to this one, but after watching the game on Tuesday, intertwined with nursing a hangover today I'm not bothering.

So for all those going, enjoy the most entertaining game we've played in quite some time resulting in a 4-0 win with 4 different scorers.

Probably going to go today. If anyone has an adult and under 11 ticket going spare before I buy them, give me a shout :thumb:

Wonder if Delaney will come into the reckoning after our defensive malady on Tuesday? Like to see it to be honest in this line up
                  Ripper
      Wright Delaney W-B
          Oldaker Kilkenny
McGregor  Nichols  Munroe
          Prince  Drinan

Won't happen though but!

Should he: yes
Will he: doubt it

My team  ignoring that


                                Ripley
            Wright.   Delaney.    W-B
McGregor                                     Munroe
                     Kilkenny oldaker
                             Nichols
                   Drinan     Glatzel


Glatz won't be in many people's teams.

Subs: ward, kirkman, butters, prince, Tabor, Bodin, mabete

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOoMUpVI1D0

If I hadn’t bought tickets before Tuesday’s ‘game’ I would have swerved this.

Another dollop of the shite like the Barnet game and the crowds will dwindle and The Waffler will get more than a few grumbles.

This unfortunately.

Please just play Munroe wide, and play three centre mids, and don’t go long every time.

If it was my pick I would play this probably.

                           Ripley
            Wright    Mbete    Wilson-Brown
Snowdon                                              Munroe
          Kilkenny      Nichols      Oldaker
                   Drinan         Ehibahtioman/Glatzel

Looks close to the starting line-up, IMO.  Glatzel and Drinan will need to be as energetic as possible and will need to immediately punish defensive errors.  They will need to be sub'ed off after an hour or so for some fresh legs.

I'm off out with the Mrs for the day. Probably won't even check what happened until after.

Its getting like the second half of Powers reign of terror again for me, although I didn't even come on here then.

Have fun chaps.

Expecting a reaction after that horror show on Tuesday.

Must be a comprehensive home win to quiet the noise.

COYR

No idea what to expect from todays game, we are hit and miss with 2 wins from the first 5 games. Obviously we will have to change our style with Smith being out for many months so could favour a more passing approach.

The Fake STFC have 1 draw and no wins from the first 5 games this seaon and sit 2nd bottom with only Cheltnumb below them on zero points. That means they have just 1 win in the last 23 games.

H Bromley 0-0 D
A Tranmere 4-0 L
A Grimsby 3-1 L (LC)
H Colchester 0-2 L
A Notts C 4-1 L

So 11 goals conceded and only 2 scored in 5 games under the ex Pox manager Michael Appleton.

We havent beaten Shrewsbury in the last 4 meetings with us losing 1 of those (the last game played a 1-0 Shrews win at the CG), but overall we have won 47% of the 64 matches between the teams with them winning 26%.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GzCM1y0W0AExcIb?format=jpg&name=4096x4096)

Mabete in as expected, Tabor back on the bench.

Still no Delaney then.

There was a cock up on the work rota and I can't go today.

Not sure if I'm dissapointed.

Operation where is Delaney?

Might be signing for Fray Bentos.

Delaney will only be considered for the 1st team if he is still with us after deadline day and he hasnt found a new team.

Glatz Right, Nichols Left with Drinan centrally, Mabete in at the back? About as good as we could expect....

Although, hugely unlikely, that could be a back 4 with a diamond in the middle

Snowdon right back, Munroe left back, Wright screening the defence and lining up passing moves, nichols tip of the diamond behind Drinan and Glatzel

Wishful thinking....

That first XI suddenly looks extremely average. Not much physicality there either so if the ball isn’t on the ground it’s going to be a painful watch. Let’s hope the other STFC are as bad as their form suggests.

Thought McGregor deserved a start.

Surprised at that, was expecting major changes to play a fast passing game.  Expect he will come on after an hour or so, assuming no right-sided injuries.

It’s got to be 352 I’d imagine.

He is looking at pace off the bench when others are flagging

Crowd doesnt look great at the moment with about 300 to 400 Shrews in attendance.

Oldaker very slow on the ball there, not aware of players around him, good move by Town.

Poor by the Shrews striker should have done better unmarked from that cross.

Mabate clears for a corner to them.

Another good chance but its a misshit shot cleared by Town.

Sleepy start. Not great signs

1-0 Drinan a great move.

5 passes to Drinan who beats the keeper from the angle 6 yards out.

Lovely passing move!

Hahaha

Lovely bit of passing football, where has this been in previous games?!

Who’d have thought passing would pay off!

Wright FK saved.

Drinan almost through again but the keeper clears it off his foot.

This looks a bit ‘nicer’ - Although some of the passing is a little off.

First 13 minutes and we look a totally different (and better) side

Oldaker is playing in a far more advanced position than he has so far.

Yeah, making some use of our carpeted pitch.

Not being pressed much in possession and looking comfortable enough on the ball.

Drinan tries to release Glatzel but its a mix up and a good move is wasted, nice break by Town again.

Some poor pissing around at the back again nearly cost us.

Would it be fair to suppose that we've been forced to use a midfield now that lump-it-to-Smith is off the table?  And that using a midfield might actually be a good idea?

Ripley has started lumping it long more and suddenly we look less in control

I dont mind a bit of lump it forwards but passing around we always look decent and its entertaining too. We have looked short of bodies in midfield in the last few games for sure.

Need to put this to bed.

Are they still in financial turmoil as well as they look at every bit a L2 struggler?

Yes, it can potentially be a good idea.

In an ideal world you’d be able to utilise both options.

…but…also (famous last words) pinging it around Shrewsbury might be slightly easier that most…

Who would have thought playing to the teams strengths rather than a players strength would on early viewing be successful and easier on the eye?  Oldaker, Nichols, Glatzel and Drinnan look completely different players.

I know I risk the wrath of Ollie having an opinion and all that, but very early signs are very promising.

Great pass from Nichols but Drinan cant beat the keeper from close in.

Snowdon finds Wright in the box but his shot is easily saved from the angle.

100%.... they've had to adapt in a way they would not have attempted to do if Harry was playing...

This is true.

Shrews player injured already and gone off.

With the space at the back in the Shrews defence I would love to see Tabor given some proper game time 2nd half to run at them.

Nichols caught in possession but he gets away with it.

Playing this way is going to suit Tabor big time, fox in the box must be rubbing his hands together watching this and thinking he can get himself in the right place at the right time

Equally keen to see Price run at them

They have to be the weakest team defensivey we have played this season, they have more gaps than we do at the back.

Yes get some pace on against them 2nd half.

Great block by Ripley.

Yellow for the Shrews player.

Another weak pass from Glatzel there in a good position.

Kilkenny with a lovely interception but his through pass is too hard for Drinan in the box.

Fair play to Mabete hes had the very experienced Marquis in his pocket this half so far.

That looked like a corner for them but the ref gives us a GK.

Oldaker finds Snowdon wide and his cross is blocked at the near post and goes out for a corner to Town.

Oldaker definately looking like hes playing his best game for us so far in a more advanced role.

Thing is, Smith is deceptively good with the ball for a big man, I reckon he'd thrive if we played like this around him....

Lovely pass from Wright to Drinan and his cross is not as good as it should be and is cleared.

He would have a field day against the useless Nsiala who is all over the place.

Great claim from Ripley catching the high cross.

3 mins added.

Nichols with a lovely interception and finds Oldaker who finds Drinan but the cross is behind Glatzel, great break.

Another yellow for a Shrews defender.

Agree with Bodin - We need a second

Drinan shoots on the turn but its knocked wide for another corner.

HT 1-0

Pretty simple.

Few chances to put this to bed already, but looking much improved. Shrews have flattered us though

They looks certainties for the drop but can only beat what’s put in front of you.

Can see Bodin & Tabor having a run out in this second half, need a bit of quality in front of goal.

We do score some quality goals

Shrews dont look like they have ever played together before, very very weak especially at the back.

A bit of pace up front and we can easily put them to bed today, perfect game for Tabors pace and I would bring him on for the innefective Glatzel.

Big improvement, not 1 aimless hoof, actually touching the ball in midfield and some decent movement in spells.

The other STFC are looking bereft of ideas but we can't give them any encouragement so need to keep it up.

When we are passing it around in their half we look pretty good, Shrews look very poor defensively though.

Being into negative double figures goal difference wise after 5 games is some going.

Thats relegation form. -2 goals per game on average.

Oldaker wins the ball and finds Drinan and he wins a corner off the keeper.

Better corner from Oldaker under the bar but the ref gives a foul.

Shrews get the ball after a Munroe mistake and get a shot in that goes just wide, sleepy by Town at the back.

Averaging over 3 against away from home so far, we’ve got to be aiming at netting 2 or 3 this half.

Att: 7,498 (317 Shrews)

Nichols has a shot from 20 yards but its an easy save.

Poor pass by Ripley who puts pressure on Mabete.

Some more legs for Mabetes collection.

I see Crewe are currently top, think next weekend will be a bit different to today.

Cross by Wright but the keeper takes it off Glatzels head pretty much.

3 subs by Shrewsbury.

Unfortunately they take off the useless Nsiala.

Great point blank block by Ripley.

Drinan on the counter put it over the bar. Bad miss.

Gosh! What a counter! What a miss by Drinan!

They are the ones that let Drinan down

Drinan needed to half jump and tap.  Got under it.

I have to agree, hes done well today mostly but that was awful. Worse than Smiths miss last week.

We need some pace up front soo, Prince or Tabor for Glatzel who for me has done little today.

Mabete with a nice pass to Snowdon down the line.

I've seen his name mentioned 2 or 3 times on the BBC for assists (Glatzel)....

Been quite impressed by Mabete today

He really badly needs a goal to get some confidence back.

Hes done very well IMO.

sub time, Holloway

Not at game today as on holiday. Need another goal to settle the nerves a bit. Hopefully can get one with all this dominance

Princewill on for Oldaker
Bodin on for Drinan.

Bit unfair on Oldaker he played well today.

Not sure I would have taken Oldaker off, probably our most creative player today

100% he has been.

He’s covered a lot of ground. May be knackered?

Oh dear Glatzel.

Not the act of a footballer.

You can see the Swindon Town script here can't you..

Indeed!

Counter by Princewill but his shot is blocked after running 50 yards.

Good header accross goal by Glatzel but he cant find anyone in the box.

Ripley with a lovely tackle. He could be injured though.

Sitting in a pub in Chippenham waiting for the ping on my phone saying ‘Swindon have fucked it again’ but then again I’m a pessimist.

McGregor and Butterworth about to come on.

And rightly so.

Butterworth and McGregor coming on

He's had a very good game today.

Chances for Town but Munroe shoots wide.

Excellent again.

Will Wright is gonna be Bodin's MoM !

Hopefully silence the Ward fan club for a bit.

Mabete with a brave header there and gets a kick.

I doubt that, they are a bit....ahem...thick.

McGregor on for Glatzel
Butterworth on for Snowdon
Kirkman on for Mabete.

8/10 for Mabete today for me.

Ripley is mine at the moment

Definitely giving off cult hero vibes…

Feel Tabor was a tad unlucky not to get on, but tactically I understand why he's brought on who he has

Ripley, Oldaker or Mabete for me.

He stepped up and didnt look out of place for sure today.

Think I would have made him one of the first subs for Glatzel, who I thought has flattered to deceive again.

We've made this second half a lot harder than it's needed to be

1-1 not deserved at all.

FFS

And there it is!

And there it is

Where is it?

Another set piece too....

Butterworth shoots wide.

The Swindon town script, it’s just so predictable isn’t it!

The Swindon Town script was being written as the 2nd half progressed

Same old Swindon.

FUCK !Butters

So many chances to put this game to bed early not taken....

Holloway out.

5 mins of the 7 added left.

2-1

2-1 Bodin!

Billy Bodin you beauty!!

Get in there Billy boy

BODIN YOU BEAUTY

Bodin wont score with a weaker shot than that ever!

Deserved the goal though.

Who wanted Holloway out😁

Surely we can see this out now. But yet again our failure to finish off teams and control the game is a big concern.

Me. Still do. Dinosaur.

Oh YES!!!

Let’s hope we can hang on…

I am not counting our chickens yet.

It’s not good for your nerves.

A Man United youngster with weak wrists at the CG, sounds familiar.

That was never a foul by Princewill.

Wilson Brown has won so many headers today, much better

That was so close to a penalty on Princewill.

FT 2-1

Made that harder work than we should have, still I will take it.

Phew!

A wins a win but we did our best to fuck it up. Next weekend will give a far better indication of where we are as Crewe will be far superior to this lot.

Just seen the Shrews goal - I can’t even work out how it’s gone in.
Has it literally just hit one of their players on the back & looped in?

Bodin’s shot was a daisy cutter ‘n all.

Gotta love a 90th minute winner.

Could we stop questioning Ripley in goal.  

What shirt was Wright holding up?

I think it was a message to Harry

I assumed as much

I felt for Mabete today. Least experienced player on pitch and he was played in the middle of the three getting absolutely zero support from Wright, both physically & verbally.

I thought he did very well!

Needed the win. Got the win.

Some good performances, but we never look short of an opportunity to fuck things up.

Game plan looked very different, so hopefully with more time to work at it, they will look better.

Crewe lost a late goal in their defeat at Gills today, next week will be interesting, new body or two perhaps?

COYR

"Thinking of you H"

(https://i.postimg.cc/5ybzCpZR/537291953-1225920662909687-6752203822091405378-n.jpg)

Good job they didn’t need any ‘E’s

What is Holloway on about? Has anyone slagged off Harry Smith or something?

Were people moaning at Princewill or is Holloway talking shite?

I'm at a wedding could someone stick up a MotM poll?

Holloway:
- Never been prouder of my team.
- We thought they would play a different way
- We let one in which was our achilles heel. Then we went back to being brave
- Some of the chances we created today...
- Last year Holloway could put people up with Smith. Now we have to be brave and play
- Pass, move, pass, move
- Smith and Minturn both have ACL.
- Didnt want anyone to see him on Wednesday morning because of the serious injuries to players. Hit him a bit
- Team was brilliant on Thursday
- For them to be able to play like that after 1 training session. He knows they are good, but that was better than expected
- Gutted we didnt take a bigger lead into half time
- They weren't bad. They weren't bad at all
- We could have folded, but didn't
- You have to earn the right to win. And they pulled it out the bottom of their boots
- Trying to be proud of the club.
- Had a rant about stuff on social media gloating about Smith (from Bradford). Said he'd told the players off after gloating about the OG at the time. Doesnt want us doing that. But this was uncalled for.
- Transfers: Would rather talk about it when its definitely sorted. Don't know whether it is happening yet
- Ameen to Norwich: Had to look around at what he has and what he needs. When there is someone who doesnt want to be here and wont sign a new contract, then had to let him go. He wanted to go to Norwich. Will miss him. Think he will be really good. But, have older people who can do the same as him. So, it was down to Holloway
- Holloway hasnt had this support at any other club from a Chairman. Its absolutely incredible.
- Don't moan about players, even those on loan. Heard moans about Princewill. Encourage, support. Dont moan. Holloway will always moan at moaners. There are ways to encourage. Dont moan.  Look at Freckleton. How well he played for Holloway at the end. After the moaners almost ruined him (paraphrased)
- Ameen: Club is well protected if he reaches his potential. Its done. Good luck to them and good luck to him. Enjoyed watching him. But, he's inexperienced. The money is going straight back into the team.
- We said no to £350k for Smith.
- We are in the 4th tier of English football. We need to earn the right to be a big club. Holloway doesn't care about the past. We need to build for the future.

Ah, Shaun just said Bradford fans had been having a go. Wow, for someone who doesn't care what fans think,he reads Bradford's forums?

He just can’t help himself can he, at this point it’s almost like part of his job is to create a rift amongst the fans. It’s nothing to do with being a character, he just seems a propaganda machine for the ownership. He also needs to stop gaslighting us, we have eyes and could see for ourselves Shrews were terrible.

I think he was talking about Twitter (but I may be wrong).

Ollie just needs to cut out these stupid rants

It’s just creating unnecessary noise

Why is Holloway such a fun sponge. It was a largely good performance and everyone went home with a smile on their face

But oh no, that's no good. Better have pop at them telling them how to think and behave.

Fuck off

Shrewsbury forum: "I'd love to have a keeper like Ripley!"  Nuff said.

Think anyone with any sense knows that.

I don’t think anyone thinks Ripley is a bad keeper just that he’s not started this season at the same level he finished last season.

Some of that will be rust, some of that will be lack of challenging pre season, some will be new defenders, some of that will be his alleged part time training schedule.

Also some of that will be last season we compared Ripley to Bycroft where as this season we are comparing Ripley to Ripley…

I agree. There are certain facts of life we have to accept, such as people making moronic comments on social media and people making comments at football matches that we don't personally agree with...but you've just got to not take them to heart. I love his passion, that's something you can't fake but he shouldn't get so angry over stuff he can't control and ultimately doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

Unlike a lot of people, I actually enjoy his interviews most of the time and don't mind when he goes off on a tangent and into full on 'Ollie mode'...I had to turn him off today though. I just wanted him to talk about the game and stop preaching...

Ripley was indeed very good, they certainly weren't without chances.

I said before I worried about mabete, I thought he was outstanding today. My mom

I love Ollie, he's one of my all time favourite Town managers but yeah...I completely agree...

Zippy made him MOM as well :nod:

I said it the other day, I've not seen a better keeper in L2. MKD keeper today was fucking terrible

Went with little expectation - left with a bit more hope. Enjoyable game, played some terrific football.

Thought Matete was excellent on his first start. Kept it simple, got stuck in and was brave. Couple of hairy moments.

Will Wight’s best performance this season.

Ripley excellent.

Glatzel and Drinan worked so hard.

Nice cameo from Buttermymuffinworth.

Shrews defending was dreadful - gave the ball away with gay abandon. Their keeper was a major offender.

I haven’t heard the BBC Wilts interview where Ollie has is usual rant but theres nothing but praise for the players and chairman in the clip below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zSFhobxqXY

Shrews lacked self belief and playing for each other.  When they get sorted, they wil be tough to beat.

The ex-scummer will be gone by then.

I’m trying to work out why the Shrews goal wasn’t ruled out for offside. Cross comes in then is headed onto the back of a player who’s seemingly only got Nichols between him and the goal.  

I have to give Ollie a pass on his post-match comments to the BBC.  He obviously appreciates the freedom he has been granted to control the playing side.  For that, Clem deserves recognition in "not buying a dog and barking himself".  On the other hand, making career changing decisions about players would weigh heavily on anyone who cares about their players' welfare, or their players as people in their lives.  It has been a very stressful week for the supporters let alone the manager, players, and coaching staff.  So, with the game over, he needed to vent.  As far as I am concerned, he can rant on about anything as long as it follows gaining points as a result of acceptable performances.

I absolutely detest Holloway, win, lose or draw he has to have a pop.

If he managed any other club I would want him to fail massively, unfortunately he’s manager of my club so I can’t wish that, but I don’t think I have ever disliked a manager more, and that includes Paul Hart.

It’s every week now, the days of giving him a pass are long gone. It’s the same mantra as the ownership, conditioning us to accept the lower reaches of league 2 and making out we plucky little underdogs. How dare us expect a win against the worst teams in the EFL, saying they weren’t bad just shows he thinks he can take us fools. He’s just taking us for mugs at this point, just like the ownership do. There’s a reason he hasn’t been touched by competent owners in the best part of a decade!

Next week we play a team that for the first time this season have won a couple, that will tell us whether we are any good or just had a fortunate run of fixtures.

I agree with that

Will Wright vs Kostiuk. Sounds like Smith has lost a family member.

He must be like marmite........I luv him !!

It's getting very tiresome being told how great our chairman is and how "it’s completely insane what he’s managing to do for us"

It's all the same spiel we heard at the Fans Forum two seasons ago about "changing our mindset". We've heard every manager wax lyrical about how great Morfuni is as if it's the primary part of their brief for interviews.

Yep. I'm the same. But it doesn't stop me from wanting us to do well

Not trying to be provocative but if we do beat them,will you accept that maybe we are capable of top 7?

I thought exactly the same. Lino confused because the keeper is in front of the player?

It should have been disallowed for one of two reasons, there were fouls (Two IMO) on the Swindon players, and for offside. Subsequently, with the away side going for the winner, I had expected the ball to hit Wright on the arse, rebound off the post and then cross the line.

That puts it in a different light?

They were showing love and support for a fellow player and friend. How about Kostiuk try just not being a fucking dick?

It's alright if they do, Adam Hart has a shipment coming in any day.

I don't detest him but I definitely find him very trying, if he keeps playing more like today rather than Tuesday then I can tolerate him.  I certainly wish he had a filter when it comes to his interviews as he makes it very hard to want to be on his side.

This. It's putting me off even the support the team part now. Ideally we'll still win every game but any joy is being sucked out at the moment.

Absolutely this. He's a quality keeper, we just want last seasons Ripley.

It's been done to death over the years, CK is a prick who craves any sort of attention he can get. 

Even if it were relating only to his injury, it's the game after it happened, not like we're wearing black for 7 years and in mourning.  Hope if he himself has an accident he has better friends than he'd presumably be to his in the same boat.

Benda probably. But yeah, he's up there.

I actually want to like him as he's alright most of the time. If he could stop being a cunt that would be great.

Sheridan tops the bill for me.

I thought the same tbf, just didn't open my mouth.

Goals
https://www.skysports.com/football/video/26947/13417185/swindon-2-1-shrewsbury-league-two-highlights

Can't fucking stand that Kostiuk prick, crying about being singled out. What a bellend.

Holloway trying to gaslight the fanbase into thinking Shrewsbury are in a false position.

They were absolutely woeful. As bad as that Scunthorpe team in the Garner season.

He’s still got blue blood in his veins.

In all the fun of the fair I forgot about the new electronic board .

Pre match it showed great promise, we got some video of the John Trollope statue reveal. I couldn't make it so that was good.

But promise turned to 'meh' when during the match it became obvious that it's just an advertising board with no real use to the fans. At least none based on yesterday.

Free transfer at the end of the season?

I was hoping they’d have first half highlights at HT

Just caught up with the extended highlights. Glatzel assist was good and then put another on a plate for Drinan in the 2nd half.

Kilkenny instrumental in both goals, love to see him twist and turn then drive forward, quality player.

Shrewsbury created two clear chances apart from the goal. Bodin I think lost his marker for the goal. We need a good defensive midfielder over a striker in my opinion.

It took us 19 league games to get 3 league wins last season (7th December). Albeit some negatives but a much faster start and points on the board.

106 days quicker.

It's been a good points start to the season. No doubt about it.

Like Oboforh?

The MKD keeper was a target for us in January but we ended up signing Ripley, luckily.

Agreed re defensive midfielder

Only problem is, is that we’ve not played a good team yet.  Next week will be the test.  But yes, IF we can finish the season as last season those early season points could be invaluable.

Harry lost his nan the day after he did his UCL.

This for me too, absolutely.

FWIW I think Shrews will become a mid table side but my God they looked shit yesterday against us, nothing in front of goal and weak as paper defence, it would have been a crime had we not beaten them yesterday.

How that CB Nsiala is a professional footballer is beyond me, Harry would have tore him to pieces.

I, for one, was very disappointed he didn't re-sign.  Miss his ability to break up play and of course his energetic support for the rest of the team.

You are by no means alone in thinking that, unfortunately our offer just wasnt good enough to keep him due to wage/budget constraints apparently (which means we didnt offer him what he and his agent wanted yet Barnet did).

Exactly like ofoborh, he was decent going forward too. What a shame.

I maybe in a minority here but I think our midfield 3 of Kilkenny,Nichols and Oldaker with Butters in reserve is performing well .With Clarke and Ball to come back I think we're well enough equipped in that dept.

It was a lot better yesterday, when we actually used it

Thought it was below par in previous games, but we over played the long ball.

Either way I doubt we'll change it now

Well,exactly. Not their fault they've been ineffective in a couple of games. First half v Oldham the midfield was superb I thought

Yeah Oldham first half is a fair shout

Not being funny but this post sums up everything that is wrong at the moment. We are being conditioned by the ownership and management to see L2 mediocrity as success. We shouldn’t be making comparisons with a season where we were bottom of the entire EFL and see bettering it as some kind of achievement.

All it's saying is there's been an improvement from last season.

Can't see what's wrong with that.

If we finish 9th and people are happy I'll agree

It couldn’t have been much worst really could it? I’d say our current start is the minimum expectation we should have for a start in L2. Like I say it just seems like we are increasingly getting conditioned to see mediocrity in L2 as an achievement.

A promotion challenge should be our minimum expectation, I’m looking at Wellens as a benchmark. We’re actually a point better off currently than that season but we then won the next 3 on the bounce, that’s where my mind is at.

Unfortunately, that's where we now are as a club. My worst fear has always been becoming a run of the mill League 2 club. Whenever we ended up in this division before you always felt like we would bounce straight up, or I did, due to the relative size of the football club, having a larger fan base than most at this level, and having decent pull as relegation often followed a sustained period in League 1.

Our stature has massively gone downhill in the last 10 years, this is our 9th in that period playing League 2 football.

That's why I'm thankful for Holloway even if he does talk a lot of crap. At least he doesn't pull any punches and appears to have a strong winning mentality, compared to the likes of Kennedy who just came across dull and placid. We need out of this division now, and I fancy Holloway to be our best chance of that in some time, before we stagnate even further.

Whilst I don’t disagree with the factual element we still shouldn’t let them get away with it. If we go back to 17-18 all our seasons in L2 with the exception of Kennedy our first 5 games have yielded between 7 and 10 points, so we are firmly in what we should expect from a start to the season. Last year was the exception not the benchmark.

As a comparison -

Our other 3 previous championship winning seasons in Div 4/L2
Under Macari
84-85 after 5 games we were 10th on 7 points with 2W, 1D and 2L - F6 and A8

Under PdC
11-12 after 5 games we were 21st on 3 points with 1W, 0D and 4L  - F5 and A6

Under Wellens
19-20 after 5 games we were 10th on 8 points with 2W, 2D and 1L - F8 A6

Currently
25-26 after 5 games we are 9th on 9 points with 3W, 0D and 2L - F8 A8

So I would actually suggest that we are on target/above target and have started the season better with more wins than any other time we have won the championship in this division.

Yeah not disagreeing with what you say - was more just a thinking out loud post from me.

We have been shambolically ran for far too long.

Would we say it's worse now than how we were ran under Lee Power? Feels like a different life time ago now.

It’s tricky to say but expectations are certainly lower than under Power, and lowering the expectations of the fans has been a deliberate act by the current ownership and now it feels like Holloway is being used to do the same. Prior to the Morfuni era we would have seen anything other than a challenge for automatic promotion as a failure.

Is it worse? it is difficult to say, but, we have cetainly not progressed even slightly and it is certainly a comparable level of ownership at least.

Interesting stats but none of those teams were at their best in August. They all went up a level or 3 as the season progressed.

Obviously I can’t rule that out for this Holloway side.

I guess our start under Dennis Wise was probably our best start to a L2 season.

Yes we had a very good start under Wise its just a shame that he chose to leave with us sat in 3rd place and looking good on 31 points from 15 games.

The Garner season was the next best start after Wise with 10 points from the first 5. The main takeaway is our average start in this league is between 7 and 10 points. There’s a couple of exceptions either side but our current start should be what we expect from a Town team.

Trying to think post Macari, Ardilles & Hoddle has there been any manager the fans really took to as even Di Canio had his issues.

9 points from 5 games is a decent start.  Continue that all season and you get 82 points.

Luggy was pretty popular wasn't he?

Good shout and yes Sturrock would be one who was a very likeable guy, no ranting or losing the plot and had his best win % here out of all the clubs he managed.

Not that much of a shame, we still went up

Andy King

I really liked Andy King but at times he seemed to split the fanbase.

I was on the fence about him until I met him, when my son was mascot for a game, came across as an arrogant prick that day

Similar to Steve McMahon then.

I don't think this has been posted already but this interview with the STFC media guy is much better, he just talks about the game without going on a wild rant...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zSFhobxqXY

Yep. Kingy absolutely divided the fan base. I personally was not a fan...

I posted that one yesterday Shaun but can’t find the BBC Wilts one where he was ranting.

He did have an eye for a good player.

I had a similar experience when my boy was mascot.  A great eye for a player, very marmite with the players that played for him, you were either in his gang or not.  His management style was very similar with the fans i think, more suited as a head scout than a manager in my books.

Andy King had some decent attributes that did benefit this football club.

Man management & tactics were not on that list - pretty fundamental as a manager.
Also Kingys reign was in the very early days of social media - so it wasn’t till nearly 20 years later when players doing podcast hits you realised what a shit hand he was actually dealt with regards to budget & players not getting paid.

Ah right, my bad....the angry, ranty one is on BBC Sounds if anyone can be bothered....

https://x.com/BBCWiltsSport/status/1959321488357474475

Just got a chance to listen to his post match interview on BBC Sounds. What the fuck was that about! The guy’s gone absolutely mental. What a weird, rambling, contradictory, aggressive and just bizarre interview. Next week he’ll be saying how great the fans are and how we need more bums on seats.

The bit where he said the players shouldn’t be walking around the pitch clapping the fans and we should just be the ones applauding them was mental. I got that right, didn’t I? That is what he said or did I just make it up in a state of bemusement?

Holloway’s rants are becoming a real issue. For a man that preaches optimism and positivity, wouldn’t it be nice for him to focus on the 99.9% of fans who do the same. Someone at the club needs to have a word with him - and it’s offensive to those of us that care as much as we do.

If you want to unify the club, please stop doing everything in your power to create a split. Your words are counter productive.

And as for the win yesterday - brilliant - great to come back, great for Billy B to get one, and great to turn around the feeling from midweek. I hope next time we win the manager doesn’t feel the need to take the sheen off it.

Has anyone seen Arne Slot spend all week slating the fan who abused Semenyo? No. Why? Because he understands that guy is 1 person out of 50,000 in that ground and dealt with.

This is someone who hates moaners apparently  :D

We all know someone who hates moaners who moans constantly.

Well, I suppose now we know at least two people like this...

I think he is a prick.

Said it all along and they wont change.

That's most Australians to be honest,.moaning about the whining poms. Maybe Clem has been in his ear!

I avoid all interviews as a general rule but I did happen to catch some of his pre-match while driving yesterday. Calling the fans cunts and then saying we need to support each other and have a siege mentality did cause me to raise an eyebrow.

This.

His continued endorsement of this regime and the awful, constant sniping at fans ranks him alongside Sheridan and Hart for me. And that's not even mentioning the dinosaur tactics, pathetic recruitment and rubbish performances. I can't and won't back him and want him gone.

We've had a good start. Keep this up and we're up.

I'll suffer him for that. Absolutely. But it's all so avoidable

The issue is with antagonising a lot of the fanbase is that if results start to go bad then they will be quick to turn on him, and the team.

Here’s hoping they keep winning games and we don’t have to find out

This.
Sum’s up my feelings towards him 100%. Never liked the bloke and his time here hasn’t changed my opinion of him one bit.

Billy Bodin said yesterday on BBC that the way we now have to play will suit a lot of the players a lot more. I do feel playing a bit more on the floor suits the majority of the squad compared to the long balls only really mainly suiting Smith and Drinan’s style of play.

He has no real choice in the real world than to endorse his employer because…well he’s his employer…. see how long you stay in a job by slagging off your boss!! Who exactly would you prefer as manager? Maybe a return to the passion and tactical nouse of, say, Kennedy?!!!!!!

True

He's a fucking prick.

Told me to my face I wasn't a real fan and neither is anybody else who wears an orange hat.

Can't wait for him to fuck off. Don't care if results get worse in the short term.

I hope you read this as well. Stop taking the piss out of all of us.

I think he’s some sort of attention seeker.

Cheers Shaun

 Now you know why the shitheads despise him😁

 :D The irony on here. Fans criticise and, even, slag off players and managers all the time. The manager criticises (some) fans and they get all butt-hurt about it :girlgiggle:.

Yeah, he's a bit of a dick at times (like most of us on here) and he'd most likely admit to it.

I only really want 3 things from a manager

1-A team that does the shirt justice
2-Players improving over time
3-Pragmatism over style

I couldn't give a shit if they called me a cunt or what they say pre or post match, dont really need to listen to it anyway.   If Ollie gets us promoted I wouldn't even care if he spilled my pint.

Sorry to only tag along with the pushback on the Ollie dissing.

Does Holloway ramble?  Does he needlessly get involved with the "orange" issue?  Does he engage mouth before brain?  Is his team set up unconventional?  Is the Pope a Catholic?

I will judge him on results.  And also on performances.  Based on our recent record, I'd question the likely quality of any replacement.  

Clem gone and half decently replaced would be considerably better than an overdue promotion (likely to be followed by relegation)  

But a promotion is better than a relegation which Holloway quite likely avoided for us.  IMO, he seems to have played a leading part in attracting some good quality players and loans.  How would he attract players and keep morale upbeat if he's not supporting Clem/STFC in the debate with a group of disaffected fans?  Supporting orange hat grievances is not his job.  

Not individually but as a group getting Clem out is the job of the fans.  And potentially through the Trust (which imo should be actively engaged in finding an out for Clem and above all a plausible new owner).  There is no chance of Town recovering it's L1 status with any permanency whilst Clem is here but that is not Holloway's job.  Promotion is.

The whole nauseating comedy show act one liners have built him quite a favourable audience, combined with the so-called  'pashun', appeals to a lot of people but equally grates others.

I’m not advocating “Holloway out” on the basis of his rants. Three wins out of five is a solid foundation we can build from. I just don’t understand what anybody gains from those rants, which are so uncalled for, and misrepresent the fanbase. It’s needless and puts a negative glaze on the positive results.

I must admit I dont mind Holloway, yes I know not many of us agree on here, he says what he thinks and rarely engages his brain before saying things.

He can grate, he can say fucking stupid things at times, often, I dont agrewe with his sentiments very often but he knows who pays his wages so is unlikely to every criticise the ownership of the club.

He knows the fans are the lifeblood of a club, of course he does, and yes he does moan about us too often for my liking but I would rather a bit of that than having a total yes man in charge like Kennedy, Williams, Garner, Lindsey, Flynn etc who never show any emotion in interviews.

I accept that at times he is a knob and says things he shouldnt but he wears his heart on his sleeve and says what he thinks (which often admittedly isnt much).

I dont hate him, I dont love him but he is getting results and at least he communicates, in a way, with fans.

If (and I know he does) he is reading this then please Mr Holloway say what you want but dont direct your anger at the fans who ARE the club, but otherwise carry on with your ramblings by all means.

I don't actually mind him, I dont care even if he was an Oxford player/manager, his previous allegiances dont bother me at all, not even a slight amount, hes here to do a job so get on with it and as long as hes getting results I can ignore most of it.

Hes not going to bite the owners hand that feeds him ever so why would we think he would support any movement to criticise Clem and co? just lay off having a go at the fans.

This. In a nutshell :nod:

Again, perfectly summed up...

He’s certainly becoming very emotional.

For me it's the same with dickheads on Twitter who seem to think they advocating of freedumb of speech is literally to say any old stupid thing they want, however ridiculous it sounds. It gets completely ignored.

For me I pay very little attention to what the wurzel says. As long as he wins football matches, that's all that really matters.

This...

What Managers, Players and employees of the Club need to understand, is that we will be here long after they have fucked off.

Dont blow smoke up our arse!

Take the shit on the chin (when deserved...like Tuesday) and equally bask in the credit when you do well....one doesnt come without the other.

Holloway is right about a section of our fanbase.

Those taking most offence to those comments are most probably the type of fans he’s on about.

I do agree - he could probably do with bringing it in a bit & letting the results do the talking but he’s 62 years old so he’s not going to change now. What you see is what you get; up to you whether the ‘Holloway as manager’ is worth the trade off with ‘results’

Currently it is (and I think most will say the same) the minute it isn’t worth it is the minute it all falls apart.

I must be one of those fans then. I've turned into one over the last two weeks or so.

I think the moaning at fans who were expecting us to beat Barnet at home is the bit that grates.

Although I think IH is wrong in criticising fans for having opinions about football (I’ve been watching STFC since 1967 so have seen a few games over the years and know when the team has played badly) and for wearing orange hats (I understand he can’t criticise the owner, but he could simply ignore the SO69 as “noise” and leave us to carry on protesting while supporting the team properly during matches) my issue with him is the quality of football and the unbalanced squad he’s built.
Last year we conceded almost 2 goals a game in the league, and we’ve added 3 youngsters playing senior football for the first time (2 on loan who may be recalled in January) and planned to play Clarke at CB (after Bromley and MK home at the end of last season it ought to have been clear that this is not a promotion winning strategy, even if we ignore his fitness record and the impact of the Saturday/Tuesday/Saturday treadmill on that) plus Ball who hadn’t played since January and is now out for 2 months.
I think the Smith injury will force a style change - Drinan’s strength is as a channel runner rather than hold up player so the type of long ball will need to be different, and against packed defences we will need to play on the ground and through the lines. Hopefully the midfield players can do that.
Also if the Ameen transfer fee can be reinvested a defender and a midfielder before the window ends could be useful.
The reality is we’ll probably win some and lose some (as has happened so far) and finish up in mid table again.

#ClemItsTime

It’s been well documented over the years Ollie has suffered with family heartbreak so was wondering if he lets some of that emotion out when things get tough during his day job.I also struggle to believe that beating Shrewsbury by playing football on the ground was his proudest moment as a football manager even taking into account losing his centre forward.

Can’t say I give a shit what he says - about anything. It’s all nonsensical bollocks.

I’ll attend, or not, depending on what I see on the pitch - not some ranting old geezer.

Nice quote from the club, though

‘ 70% of the planet is covered by water, the rest is covered by Gavin Kilkenny.’

A bit odd that he only went into a rant on BBC Wilts with Hawes and not the media guy.

Agreed, on both points  8)

Di Canio used to bother me more, but only because he really was a loose cannon and when he went off on one he was more than likely to get the Club into trouble.

Edited maybe?

Good shout, more than likely.

That wasn’t edited. He did the same thing before the match in the corp suite.

Gave everybody both barrels