Thetownend.com

Roll on Saturday  :)

Stevenage have started well but have recently suffered 2 league defeats and a draw. Our 100% away record will hopefully continue.

Stevenage 0-1 Swindon (Simpson) Att: 3,113 (687 of us)

With Anthony Grant's call up to the Jamaica team that means we are missing 3 players in Grant, Williams and KKH so could the game be called off now?

soapy tit wank. Already being discussed in at least 2 other chats already JJ :)

This was the first thread I opened this morning :)

Selfishly for me I want it called off as I will have to watch on mobile at a friends 50th birthday party and I hate watching on mobile, sorry BO :)

Fair enough JJ. Obviously because I have a ticket I hope it goes ahead but understand where you are coming from also. Would your friend mind you watching football on your phone at his party? Or does he have no choice?

It sounds like an all dayer JJ tell your friend you can only make the evening!

Its not mate, its from 1pm till 5pm as they go away for a break at 6pm to Boremuff!

This option!

No way out then mate😀

Anyone going to talk about the game?  :D

As my 3 year old grand daughter keeps saying "why?" :D

I was trying to follow Saturdays game via my mobile at the races, but the 4G was shit (I assume as its in the sticks and not designed to try and cope with 10k+ people trying to access it) so coming home to a victory was a nice surprise!

probably going to wait until after its played tbh

Hope it's not called off as already booked a hotel and bought ticket!   Thought KKH was available?   Is it 3 callups or 3 unavailable due to callups?

Your predictions too? Mystic Batch.

Does anyone know if you can turn up and pay on the gate for Stevenage ?

Tickets are likely to be sold out but you could risk it and hope there are some available, or go in the home end.

How likely is this to be called off? Got my tickets last week and have been really looking forward to it.

that's between me and the prediction League.

1-1

How do you join or is too late

in a browser click prediction League at the top of the page. you need to create a new account as it's septate from the forums.

it's not too late, but you will be 4 predictions behind

I've still not put all the fixtures in yet..

Many thanks Batch
How does the points system work as you're on 3 points but haven't one a game?

Game on.

No Mini Golf this week - I'll be there.

1-2, pump it up.

Cheers I would never have worked that out  :pint:

With Grant and Williams away on international duty, assuming KKH is available and Baudry & Lyden aren't yet fully fit, will be interesting to see the starting XI for Stevanage.

I would go with this line up - hoping we revert to a 4231 formation, as prefer KKH in a natural right back position. Iandolo can fill the defensive midfield role alongside Reed and this also gives support to Hunt on the left. Want to see McKirdy back from the start.

Woolacott

KKH
Conroy
Critchlow
Hunt

Iandolo
Reed

Payne
Gladwin
McKirdy

Simpson

Subs Ward Odimayo East Aguiar Mitchell-Lawson Gilbert Parsons

Surely it's game on!!

I'm assuming /hoping it's going ahead but it would be helpful if the Club would just confirm that. Did someone from the Club actually confirm that to you Crispy?

Are the club selling away tickets at the ticket office yet or have we still got to do it all online?

https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/news/2021/august/stevenage-tickets-now-on-sale/

Looks like either online - via Stevenage or in-store. Although I would advise being quick as the club announced there was only 350 left yesterday.

Just ordered online. Says collect from club. I take it that means Swindon.

Is the club shop back up to consistent and regular opening times now?

So 350 tickets left means we've sold 1,040 as of yesterday. Good stuff.

Yesterday I thought it said we had sold 750 and there were 350 left

It did. The tweet said 'As of this morning, we had sold 703, so just under 350 available'

I think 4D increased the away capacity!

Anyone got a number for the ticket office that works please? Eticketing not working for me as my email address has changed

The Stevenage FC site says the away end holds 1,390.

Disappointed they've dropped the Borough from their name.

Probably an idea for the club to update the website that the store is closed on Wednesdays and not open 9 to 5 like the website says.

Any news on whether the game is still on or not ?

I have a ticket, and would rather go this Saturday than some freezing Wednesday night in February !

Would have been called off by now if it was.

I suspect they have sent us around 1,000 tickets and then the rest are either kept back and sent to us to try and sell (unlikely at this late stage) or kept to be sold on the day. I would have thought given our start to the season we'd have pretty much sold out.

What’s the best website to use for train travel? The normal ones just seem extortionately expensive

What price you getting around £71

Probably thetrainline or something like that. If you are looking for cheap rail tickets forget about it, this is England remember.

Try booking individual train journeys if you have changes, that is to say if you need 2 changes try booking the individual legs of the journey instead of making just one booking.  I know my dad has had success with this in the past.

I know historically if you book trains from Swindon to London if you split them at Didcot there were savings to be had.

I was going to say you are looking north of £70.

Two seperate rail operators are both £71 Paddington, Tube, Kings Cross, Stevenage around 2hrs 15m.
It may be worth trying to from Didcot as Bob has stated otherwise that looks the cheapest you will get.

Have a look here for tickets, saved me a bit of cash going to Kiderminster this week.

Thanks all. Not really one for getting trains, usually drive but fancied a drink for this one! Using Trainline have managed to get to around £45ish, that’s with a group saver added however.

Just checked no cheaper splitting from Didcot so £45 is a good price

[quote authjavascript:void(0);or=stfcjack link=topic=58979.msg1639574#msg1639574 date=1630510278]
What’s the best website to use for train travel? The normal ones just seem extortionately expensive
[/quote]

Trainline ?

Forgot Luke Norris was at Stevenage. They'll get at least 1 then.

What, sending off ??🤓🤓

They have Norris, Jake Reeves, Scott Cuthbert and Brad Barry and are managed by Alex Revell. Lots of Town ties there.

Revell will score, somehow

Always does, against us.

At 37 he could have been the experienced centre forward we were looking for😀 Scored a cracking goal for us away at Brentford I remember.

Any update on how many we have sold?

He was a decent target man, not grabbed many goals but always managed to score against us!

9 goals in 13 games!

As a manager hes got a win ratio of just 27% from his first 63 games winning 17 games and losing 21.

They have started the season well and sit just below us in 9th place on 7 points, just 3 points behind us.

Looks like we will definately be without Grant and Williams but hopefully KKH will be allowed to play so Iandolo will probably be the only change for Grant in the starting line up on Saturday.

Swindon to suffer a single goal defeat in front of 3,045 fans with 985 Town fans there.

I think I'd have Gladwin playing deeper next to Reed, but I'm a bit wary of him giving the ball away when deep.

Somewhere between 703 and 1050. The club haven't announced an update since earlier this week.

Went to collect today about 10:30 and had about six people ahead of me in the queue which surprised me. Looked like maybe only 30 or 40 away shirts left and only small kids sizes in home.

Expected the shop to be empty.

Any XXL?

I have the away shirt in XXL. Your previous posts suggest you may want to try 3XL.

Continuing the kit tangent, apparently a third kit coming soon. Not sure who we'd need it against. Bratfut maybe?

I've read it's likely to be white FWIW.

Cuthbert and Barry looking all over the place on Tuesday in the JPT for Stevenage, they did score a couple of nice goals in reply though in a 4-3 home defeat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypWYcSkJ-ak

Cuthbert at fault for a couple of the goals here too in the 4-1 defeat at Bradford, if Simpson can hit form he will run rings around the aging ex Town defender on Saturday. Also Brad barry looking lost at Right back against Spurs, another weakenss in their defence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQQ6A-gKRd0

They seem pretty good going forwards though and a constant threat so have to keep an eye on the top scorer Elliott List who managed double figures last season and is on 3 already this season. I bet Norris either scores (probably a penalty) or gets injured.

They have young Premier loan keeper Joe Anang in goal from West Ham and his positioning looks almost as poor as our ex Man Utd loanees even though he saved a penalty in the 4-1 defeat at Bradford.

All white third kit with a very minimal amount of red has given us two of my favourite third kits in the early 2000's, so hoping for this.

(https://fraserdigbyswashbag.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/swindon-3-01-02.jpg)
(https://fraserdigbyswashbag.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/swindon-3-03-04.jpg)

Or alternatively an exact reverse of the current home shirt would give us red pin stripes similar to this

(https://fraserdigbyswashbag.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/swindon-a-94-95.jpg)

I heard the exact opposite!

Those highlights suggest they are a bit "ball watchy" when defending.

I was ITK on the yellow shirt.  The third kit may surprise some.

Only yellow and blue would really surprise me as a Swindon kit in this day in age and that has sailed with having yellow and green.

White or black seems pretty standard, we've had both in recent years. Also had blue, purple, grey and green.

Pink maybe :girlgiggle:

is it lbgtq+ rainbow on the front, BLM on the back, with 'Afghan refugees welcome' side flashes?

I hope so

That would, I suspect, horrify many rather than surprise given the tone of recent opinions aired on this forum.

Gay Whales Against The Bomb, for me. With a nod to the knit your own yoghurt brigade.

Make it happen just for the amount of shit that would be lost....

I have heard its dedicated to all the black jewish communist homosexual gypsy palestinian afgan nurses.

Snowflake white?

Northampton away 2pm kick off

https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/news/2021/september/northampton-town-ticket-details/

Why 2pm?  :hmmm:

It dosen't say all I can think of is international games or Northampton Rugby union

Why in the Stevenage thread?  :hmmm:

I thought the thread had lost its way so just joined in😀

It was announced a while ago. Northampton rugby also at home so staggering kick-offs.

Couldn't the egg chambers play on Saturday evening or Sunday!

Given rugby is the better followed sport in the town, very unlikely.  Have the Cobbs ever made a European final?

Give us a sash, we deserve it. 

That's why the football's been moved then!

As has been mentioned, both clubs have agreed to move things around when they both play at home, so one week the FC will change KO, another week the RFC will change.  A very fair and reasonable approach.

I can't disagree with that just wasn't aware.

Does anyone have a phone for the club that actually gets answered? My tickets are due to arrive by post and I'm starting to get a little twitchy.

Was it STFC or Stevenage who sent them

Ordered from STFC Box Office online

KKH definitely missing tomorrow according to Garner. He also said we could have postponed the game but felt our squad was good enough to compensate. Brave brave man.

I ordered mine on Monday and they arrived yesterday if that's any help

Tel: 0330 002 1879 is the store

Didn’t want to start a new thread.

Trying to contact the club shop as the shirt I ordered hasn’t been delivered. Says it’s open 9-5 Monday to Friday but nobody is answering. The order says it was DHL tracked but gave no tracking number.

Any ideas

All phone numbers that are stated on the club website go unanswered, it is incredibly frustrating

So on rare occasions you could watch both on the same day !
Would love that if it was Swindon & Glos

Somebody should let the Green Goblin know.

We are in the same boat
Hoping they'll come Morrow morning

I live on the outskirts of Daventry which is about 10 miles from Northampton and it's very much rugby country here. Have seen loads of people wearing Northampton Saints gear and only 2 people wearing Northampton Town shirts. Few Villa knocking about as Birmingham is less than 1 hour away. Yet to see a Town shirt other than my own and there is a Bristol City fan that goes to my gym.

The website also says totally different opening hours to what the actual opening hours are, including open on Wednesdays. I made a pointless trip over from Bassett Wednesday.

Stevenage forum is hard work if anyone has taken a look!

I'd seen you'd moved to Northants, hadn't seen exactly where.  When I'm in England home is very close to you, 4 miles north of Towcester up the A5 so my dad is also a local Town fan, he's never owned a Swindon shirt though.  A few of my mates are Cobbs fans and one is a Saints fan, unfortunately one of them has gone to the dark side down the road.

I'll be around sometime in October/November for a bit I think.

I've got a relative near Towcester  :)

Classic old market town, plenty of pubs.  I was in the church choir when I was a boy, not for religious reasons, purely for the singing.  Got paid a pound if we sang at weddings :D

Good luck..

Don’t work in the club shop do you, Berni?

I've got a relative with a toaster

Does anyone know where our pub for the game tomorrow is please?

Seen quite a few people mention ‘Our Mutual’ we’ll probably head there

Oh and afternoon officer  ;)

Thanks, will head there too!

Looks like a nice little country pub - very much reminiscent of the Bulldog !

Towcester is really nice. We had to go there to collect the keys for our new house. There is a pub/restaurant I want to take Mrs Bob to and want to go there for Horse Racing when that starts up in the winter.

Give me a shout nearer the time and we can arrange a beer or two somewhere local.

Sounds good, will do :)

Drive past it every other Saturday.

Was a pain last weekend as the A43 was closed at Silverstone

Has anyone on here had or has this problem? Bought tickets earlier in the week to be sent out but have not arrived yet. So squeaky bum time if they are going to arrive in the morning.

nijholts nuts & badger on the previous page.

not sure our postie would arrive in time on a Saturday.. Hope yours does

Ah sorry just seen, thanks Batch

Yes - pretty shit I'd say - ordered on Tuesday, still not here on Friday, game on Saturday.

Hopefully they will come tomorrow, which is OK for me, as I live in Hertford, but more difficult for the Swindon based guys I would imagine

Tickets are off sale for tomorrow's game against @StevenageFC - we have sold 957 tickets.

Around 293 will be on sale on the day at Stevenage, while you can collect your pre-bought tickets from the Stevenage Ticket Office if you can't pick them up before 4pm today from us. #STFC https://t.co/BCAxP8s16X (https://t.co/BCAxP8s16X)
---------------------
I've tried asking what to do if they don't turn up via twitter.

I'm not even going!

Thanks Batch - appreciated

It is Saints vs Glos on same day 2 weeks time. However, rugby KO is 3pm so watching both not an option.

2-2

Att: 2,969

It's a hard one to call for me but I think you've got the crowd about right.

no reply on posted tickets not arriving. sorry

1-3, Simpson Hat Trick. We're invincible away from home :-) Crowd, who cares.

It’s a great pub, I had my 50th birthday drinks there. As Martin Fry once said - Don’t judge a book by the cover. For all you Spoons fans the main one by the bus station has shut. The Standing Order in the Old Town is open. There are many pubs in the Old Town, the better ones being the Red Lion and Chequers. If you’re after a Spoons crawl get the train to Letchworth for Three Magnets, 97/98 bus to Hitchin for Angel Vaults and then 100/101 bus to The Standing Order in Stevenage.

The more 'spoons pubs close the better, would serve that twat Tim Martin right if the very thing he invested in so heavily bankrupted him, especially after his treatment of his staff at the start of the pandemic.

My love for STFC is back. Original plans for today shelved in favour of a trip to Stevenage. COYR.

Pre match revelling in the plentiful supply of ale in the topically named The (Michael) Standing (Court) Order.
Have walked through the rather unappealing shopping area a few times and always hear mention of Red Bull bad for Mercedes.
Thought it was keen interest in famous local son Sir Lewis Hamilton.
It eventually dawned on me that it was just parents worried about their daughters rubbishy energy drink intake.

The main drag through the old town is ok.
Not one empty retail unit in sight.

Not sure what to expect today.
Now that Simpson has broken the seal would be good to see him go on a wee scoring run.
Would also like to see McKirdy start and interested to see what JML and the Brentford lad have to offer.

The 1-0 win here in 2018 under Flitcroft was beyond Gary Bowyer levels of dour. Same result but a better performance would be ideal today.

Allowing a loanee to play against their parent club is always risky.
No such issues for us in the first league visit here.
So the not too difficult quiz question is to name the Town player who played for Stevenage that day.

Can see us going something like!

Wollacott

Hunt

Odimayo
Conroy
Crichlow

Iandolo

Reed

Payne
Gladwin
McKirdy

Simpson

Subs

Ward, Gilbert, East, Parsons, Mitchell Lawson, Aguiar, Dabre

Unless either Baudry or Lyden are fit enough for the bench??

Is KKH available today?

I haven't checked.

I think Garner said he isn't

Cheers mate.

It seems a hard one to call today JJ maybe a draw

still no tickets !

Apparently Sky are with the team all day and Clem is currently having breakfast with the Sky news reporter.

Three points today 1-3

Shouldn't we have been able to get it postponed with 3 international call ups?

No, but I have experienced similar to you with my order of 2 home shirts - it went that well that I still don't own 2 home shirts, and am not likely to.

Stevenage, although they have conceded 4 goals in3 games and they only have kept 1 clean sheet so far will be a tough game at their place.

We have played them at Stevenage 5 times and only won 2 of them and they have won 3 so we need to even the score! the last 5 games at the Lamex have ended 0-2, 1-0, 2-5, 0-2 and 4-0 (Town score first).

Bob - I think I went to that game, as was working in London at the time. Weekday evening game, right? You are 100%, it was beyond shite, hoof, head, hoof, head, hoof out of play. Repeat for 90 minutes. Most notable thing that happened all night was I had to run to get a the special 'football bus' back to the station, which left just before most of the crowd could catch it. wtf. Answer to your question is Jonathan Smith?

I have seen both our wins there, 1-0 in awful conditions & a terrible game a few weeks after we had lost there in the cup, and the 4-0 when a young Miles Storey was among the goal scorers.

Good news, we’re going down today.

PS no need to mention we also went to two of the defeats

Yeah, it was Tuesday night.
This is the first league visit here on a Saturday since the 4-0 win.
I've wiped the 5-2 cup game from memory.
No not Jonathan Smith.

I've just paid £10 for a video pass for Stevenage, had no idea it was offered until this morning.

Yes mate always available on international weekends.

I see. Thank you Peter.

Oliver Risser.

Ironically, Grant was also playing for them that day

Could people update what pubs are available to Town fans as and when they find them please ?
Cheers

Yes, Namibia's finest.
Scored a couple of good volleys for us.
Main memory of him was approaching the away fans behind the goal for a chat after we lost at Cheltenham early season. Not the best idea at the time.

Absolutely gorgeous day on the Mumbles pier. Full Rhossilli Breakfast with Lava Bread and Cockles. Hope you all get to and from St. Evenage safely today, the sun shines and three points in the swag bag.

I'm friends with Risser on FB. I used to chat with him regularly but it's been a while. He's a really nice bloke and was a tad awestruck to be at a 'big' club like Swindon. I think Tans knew him as well.

Has he been on loathed strangers yet?

TOWN STARTING XI 👥 | Wollacott, Odimayo, Iandolo, Conroy (C), Crichlow, Gladwin, Simpson, Payne, McKirdy, Hunt, Reed.

SUBS | Ward, Mitchell-Lawson, Gilbert, East, Aguiar, Parsons, Dabre.

Hope we don’t get a defender injured!

Not a huge amount of coverage in that bench is there!

Nah but 3 very good players out i suppose

Big call from Garner not to call it off.

But if he did, he’d be saying to the other players he didn’t think they were good enough.

5 o’clock will tell!

We're watching today as well.  What is it that determines when games are/are not available?

I feel gladwin is a little lucky keep starting. he has obvious qualities which he all know but need to see more of. a little quicker and more accuracy in the passing. he's always the first player I want to be subbed around the start of the second half.

squad is a little light today but fingers crossed. 0-2 gladwin (because of the jinx) simpson

International Saturdays and Tuesday nights if not on Sky isn't it?

Good spot of the video being available, will be good to actually see a game! Thanks to those who pointed it out.

Thanks.

No away comms on iFollow?

Was just gonna ask, is the ifollow audio working, I'm off to work in a bit so could listen via the audio listen in...

Not working home or away. Just crowd noise, tannoy and adverts!

Personally, I'd love an option to just hear the crowd noise with no comms.

Or at least no adverts ...

Seems you have got your option today

Some cunt brought a drum  :suicide:

This camera is a more than a bit wobbly.

Stevenage (home) audio stream now has commentary.

iFollow - rely on us to disappoint.

I only hope these comms aren’t such total abortions as the Carlisle crew.

Away now has static!

McKirdy forgets to take the knee and bombs off on a run through the middle. Very amusing.

Oh, and the camera has a restricted view of the Stevenage near side. Glorious.

It’s McKirdy’s world, and we’re just living in it. 😂

haha. payne out muscling Cuthbert

Iandolo draws a foul. We put in a ball that goes harmlessly along 6 yard line.

Credit for that awesome 'you're shit, aaahhh', just then.

Away fans sound loud

Mansfield and Harrogate got off to a flyer.

Clear foul.

Oh dear. Camera doesn’t even cover the corner.

How can you broadcast and only have a restricted view?

Poor ball from Hunt. Couldn't find McKirdy

If it were a match ticket, you'd get a cheaper one wouldn't you? This game should cost £8 not £10.

Wollacott routine save after we gave ball around down our right

I wanted that to be a goal because there were some sublime one-touch layoffs down the left in the buildup.

Reed looks very slow today

Great save JoJo

WHAT A SAVE!!!  Jojo, take a bow son..

Absolutely blinding save!

Superb.

Piledriver from Stevenage.  Great reflex save from Wollacott.

Superb shot from the ex Rovers player. Brilliant save from our player of the early season.

Great having a mobile keeper who has no problems getting down

https://twitter.com/jiff1967/status/1434158936836513794

Superb.

Corner defended well. Lines then with a bullet to the right top corner sending Wollacott diving to his right to push it over. Great save!

For anyone who hasn't switched already, away commentary is now available

Ah thanks. At least the home lot weren’t trolls. #stillfuming

Thank f#ck for that!

Thanks :D

wot cunt put that camera there then?

Who's the Town co-comm? Don't recognise the voice.

Phwoar, that’s a stunner

Phil Smith isn't it?

Phil Smith no?

Cheers.

Revell's coaching staff look like night club bouncers who are damn certain you're not coming in wearing those shoes, pal.

McKirdy tries a trick and has his left foot shot blocked for a corner.

Corner hit long to Reed who blasts over.

Both teams looking lively but neither with a particularly good attacking threat.

Another great save, this time from Stevenage's man.

good effort

Another great save by their keeper - almost 0-1 from Payne

Another superb save.

Wow! About 20-30 passes and Payne with a long range dipping shot saved onto the crossbar and post then wide.

Dipped ferociously.  Lovely shot.

Simpson should have hit the target

Reed from the right. Hunt heads down from the left. Simpson blasts it over the bar.

Teaching Stevenage how to play football...utter hoofball merchants...

I know it's 0-0 but I think we've been really, really impressive on the ball. We keep turning, leaving men for dead and playing dangerous balls forwards - Iandolo, Reed and Payne have done it repeatedly and lots of joy coming down both flanks.

We'll concede a shocker now.

Been a bit sloppy last 5. Careful now.

Largely agree, at the risk of sounding lik a broken record, we're lacking a bit of nous in the final third

Another great save from their keeper from McKirdy

pretty good 40, sloppy last 5.

While we've posted it around reasonably well, we haven't created that much. a couple of long shots and Simpson's chance. didn't think that was simple but it was reasonable.

and as I type mckirdy goes close but should have done better. or was it a save...

Stevenage had a few chances too.

McKirdy curls it wide.

HT 0-0

Disappointed by the lack of STFC branding on Garner's grey hoodie.  At the very least, you need the Club crest and a 'BG'.  Looks like he threw it on after a light workout at the gym.

We're a class above Stevenage... Will be a travesty if we don't win this...

Best performance of the season!

Call out to Reed, Odimayo and Iandolo - superb.

Saying that, everyone seems on top of their game. Be a big pisser not to win this.

Well apart from part of the pitch being hidden from the camera,I enjoyed that half.We look marginally the better side.Back 4 solid with Conroy outstanding,Payne his usual busy self, Reed with some decent passes,Simpson working hard as usual and McKirdy at times,dangerous.

Lots of effort but only glimpses of any quality

McKirdy will get one of these soon. Like the threat he offers playing more centrally.

...in terms of potential, maybe.  But that was a scrappy half that either side could have nicked.

We have better quality and to think we are not even full strength. Would be a shame to lose this one.

Gladwin's been better today.

Yes indeed

I'm glad someone had a different view.

I thought we had played relatively well, but have lacked quality with the final ball. Hunt and Odimayo have been guilty of that. Payne keeps dropping deep to get the ball. He has made a couple of mistakes when doing sowhich has put us under pressure. Up front, we don't look clinical

A couple of tweaks and the goals will come

It worries me that we're missing the player who can be relied upon to regularly put away half chances. Don't want to become the side that racks up a large number of 'should have won' draws.

Obviously every team could do with a 30 goal striker but my god would Eoin Doyle thrive in a team playing like this. Simpson looks useful though, definitely wouldn't be writing him off just yet.

yup

not writing off Simpson at all. but he didn't look like he's going to score loads. That doesn't mean he's not valuable to the team

That's been his match day wardrobe for every game thus far.

Wow!

Simpson through after pinball. But, not selfish enough and cut it back to Payne. Ball the ricocheted around before being cleared.

Another good save from JoJo from a Norris header

Cross from behind the red girder. Norris heads it to top corner and Wollacott saves

Conroy is having a great game

Payne loses ball and puts us in trouble. From corner Critchlow runs 3/4 length of the pitch before losing it.

lively

yup.

Payne loses the ball again. Critchlow well placed to block

Gladwin bustles way through the box after intercepting a back pass. Tries to play in McKirdy but whistle blows for a McKirdy foul or Gladwin offside

Gladwin ffs

Ah fuck's sake. Gladwin dawdling in defence. Shades of last season there, absolutely no need to concede that.

Disappointing

Gladwin fuck up

Obviously only watching on TV but Simpson is a bit pants tbh.

He's one of the only players I now to jump and be 2ft shorter

fucking hell gladwin

Doh!

Fuck me that was Sunday League defending

1-0 Stevenage.

Gladwin decides not to clear the ball in the area. Cooker comes and robs him then blasts it past Wollacott

Aye.

Bugger.

Gladwin cross. Payne retrieves passes to Hunt who curls one wide

Payne shot. Corner

Excellent effort from Iandolo from range.

good effort

Keeper has 2 attempts to save Iandolo thunderbolt

Great effort Iandolo

Time to step it up, bring on the 2 new "forwards" and give them something to think about..

Passing it around nicely. Then Odimayo with a poor pass puts us under pressure

Looks like their is an on pitch protest taking place by the Oldham fans - pitch invasion and all congregating in the centre circle.  They are 3 nil down at home to Barrow

Simpson offside...but didn't jump for the ball anyway!

Yep.  Couldn't agree more.

Looks like a sub coming on... Mitchell Lawson I think

Sub coming on

Mitchell-Lawson for Rob Hunt

Are we calling him JML? Just makes me think of shouty TV adds for home gadgets.

Surprised to see Hunt coming off. Thought he’d had much more movement than in previous games. I’d have sacrificed Iandolo or Gladwin.

too easy

Gave the ball away and left them with a 3 on 0

looking ragged

Akin has struggled today with his distribution - decent defensively (except for allowing the attacker to get wrong side then)

McKirdy gets away with a comically obvious handball inches from the linesman.

Odimayo runs it out of play

Odimayo has been pretty hopeless with the ball. I would've taken him off instead of Hunt.

McKirdy off for Gilbert

Is someone telling Gladwin to play this deep? It’s not like we need a double pivot.

Gilbert with a huge hoof to Iandolo

Gladwin floats one wide

Our approach to breaking down the low block since going 1-0 down appears to be to shoot from miles out. Not sure that's the best solution.

We are looking a mess at the moment

Good effort Payne, good save

Payne shot saved

Not saying he's keeping them in it exactly, but Stevenage's keeper has been really good throughout.

weak from Payne

Gladwin trying too hard to find Hoddle-esque passes

Odimayo, Iandolo and Gladwin all look like they could do with coming off to be honest

 
 :nod:

Gilbert crowded put. Payne dives and claims a penalty

Bloody diving

I’m liking Gilbert’s direct running at them.

He has some urgency. He thinks Iandolo is quicker than he is though!

Did Simpson... duck that header?

More nice play. No final pass.

At times like this, Freeman is greatly missed

Brad Barry on. He and Norris get a corner. Gladwin clears header from corner off the line

I’m afraid it’s all been a bit Luke Williams since the goal. We don’t need endless pretty passing at distance, we need pace, urgency and crowding their box.

Payne shot fairly easily saved, again from outside the box, and it's kicking off in the away end.

Payne shot from outside the box.

Two flares in the away end. One thrown on pitch.

sounds lively in the away end from the Stevenage comms

Iandolo hasn't really been on it this half. Hunt was doing a much better job there.

Idiots ripping up seats now

seats coming onto pitch

what the fucks up with our lot?

Think he's knackered. Done a lot of running

PEN SWINDON

Penalty!!!

JML absolutely taken out by Cuthbert three yards out, not sure why the comms think that was okay?

Foul on Mitchell- Lawson

Didn't look a pen to me. c'mon Payne

Thought he was blocking the shot

Didn't look a pen to me.

Penalty - fair shout for me.  Not exactly stonewall, but a reckless challenge for the area

1-1 Payne

Get in!!

Will take that

Embarrassed by those idiot fans throwing seats though.

get in you fucking fucks! 1-1.

cheers Cuthbert!

Feels like a win!

3rd place :)

Good old Cuthbert

This game has epitomised us this season. We knock it around okay in 2/3rds of the pitch, but just dont have it in the final third. We have been fortunate to claim the last couple of wins (an offiside goal allowed, and a goal wrongly disallowed), and we have got very lucky today with that pen. This luck isn't going to last the season.

Absolutely amazed Garner thinks we have enough in the attacking third, a striker to actually play off was a must. Too oftern the lauded Payne's final paass or shot is scuffed.

Still considering where we were 2 weeks pre the start of the season, i shouldn't complain too much i guess. We either need to be better at Plan A, or we need a Plan B we dont currently have.

I heard JBZ was there causing all the havoc (sorry JBZ)  ;)

Think Gilbert should start next Saturday.

Love it, just in the nick’s time!

Plus the yellow filth fuck up their bid to go top.

Watching on ifollow today. Sat with my terminally ill father in law.

Strange game that. First forty minutes or so we used the ball really well and controlled possession, but both sides had chances and both keepers made excellent saves. Either side of half time we went very wobbly indeed and after the goal we just showed no real ideas about how to break down a side sitting in deep and defending a lead, other than a lot of long range shots which the excellent Anang was more than equal to. Could easily have conceded again on the break and it looked for all the world like 1-0 Stevenage.

Then the penalty came more or less out of nowhere, JML cleaned out by Cuthbert, I can't see why there'd be any real doubt about that being a penalty. Probably deserved it over the course of the match, but probably didn't deserve it on our play after going behind. Sickener for Stevenage who performed really well whilst outgunned.

Individual performances wise, I thought Payne's work off the ball and on was impressive, Conroy looked solid and I liked the look of Gilbert when he came on. Odimayo defended well enough but his distribution was exposed going forward - Stevenage were happy for him to have the ball even well into their half.

Overall not a perfect performance, but when we were good we were very good and with Williams, KKH and Grant to come back, this side is much further ahead of where I thought they'd be at this stage of the season.

deserved the draw, but lack of cutting edge and pace/urgency in attack a concern

Conroy & JoJo joint mom

1-1 FT

Although it looked as if they had a claim for a penalty in the last seconds!

Another melee after the whistle.

Draw a fair result

All very well stroking the ball around but there has to be a purpose!

First ever draw in this fixture.

Got away with that. We need to change our game plan when we go behind, at least as we get closer to the end.

Something has to change. We create very little. Hopefully Gilbert can put some umph into our forward play.

The pointless tippy tappy stuff is doing my head in.

Still, a good start especially minus 3 players!

Got away with murder there

It was clearly a tongue in cheek comment but I'm genuinely sorry for the current situation faced for your family.

Just about deserved.
Payne is definitely a potential Town legend.

No offence taken my friend

Get used to it, thats the style we have brough Garner for, and thats why we didnt sign any proper strikers.

You may not like it, but we need to get behind it.

Or you can like the idiot Phil Smith on the radio who clearly only thinks there is one way to play football.

Second half a bit disappointing but what a spirit this bunch has,typified by Payne.Stand out performances from him, JoJo andd Conroy today in my opinion.Like the look of Gilbert,will be an asset on that brief showing.Iandolo went from decent to shockingly poor second half

definitely deserved something from that game and for me that was a penalty.

It doesn't matter if the defender tried to tried to clear the ball he completely went through the town man to do that and was a terrible challenge. iv watched it back 3 times on ifollow and cant see anything but.

my pre-match criticism of gladwin proved true again- just seems a yard off it all the time.

brentford fella looks really handy- nice and direct and happy to take it past people.

not the best performances from simpson, gladwin. fairly decent hunt and payne.

a good point with a depleted team and some debutants. I would like to see this team in an attacking line up- two up top and less conservative. i think we are a bit too nice to some teams in this respect and should go for the throats a bit more.

Give Garner and co. some time, for League 2 the Town's football is unbelievable. 

No opinion on the penalty yet but I think we deserved a point at least. We need more urgency in the final 3rd but we're in fourth so what we're doing is working so far. If it's not broken, don't fix it and all that.

I like the look of Gilbert. He wants to get it forward and has skillz.

Town are going to be (in the first half of the season) where teams will be wondering why they didn't get a win against. Some riding of luck but hell does this club deserve a break and without at least one key player today (on or off the pitch)

Happy to be proved wrong but if Town can get to Jan sniffing somewhere between POs and Autos I think they're really going to take off in Jan/Feb. Key players signed (that striker) and we can forget that Town were ever relegated!

COYR

I agree. I've not got a problem with the style. Just find it amusing that some seem to.

Clear MoM was Reed. He was immense first half, between breaking things up, picking the ball of the back 4, pinging passed around. Very impressed.

We were actually much better imo when Iandolo was still central and Hunt was LB. He should have just straight swapped Gladwin off for Mitchell-Lawson as opposed to moving them all around.

Gilbert or a League 2 industrial centre forward like Norris, hmmm, let's take a nanosecond to think about it. Gilbert looks to be am incredible prospect, great signing.

Iandolo lost the ball to many times on the left, agree with that.

Just watched it back a few times. I wouldn't have given it in real time, but I think Cuthbert does come through the player without getting close to the ball. Certainly not nailed on. Will now have a peek at their late claim, which looked close to me.

I have no problem with the style but like Phil Smith - I do have a problem if it’s the only style we use: all game, every game.

Nothing wrong with going more direct, longer and quicker on occasion. You don’t get any extra points for style or possession or passing stats.

Variety is fine.

Yes, there is some merit in having a plan B or even C to go to if necessary

Joint 3rd I'll have you know  ;)

I have a feeling Gilbert is going to be a right decent bastard. Just a feeling mind.

Not sure what to make of that game to be honest - equal good and bad.

Reed has improved since the first couple of games, so likely just getting fitness.

Gilbert gave us what was missing up until then - drive.  He likes to run forwards and has some talent, that much is already evident.  I'd love to see him, Williams and Payne buzzing around Simpson.  Reed can sit with Grant or Gladwin (who still looks like a plyer in pre-season).

Iandolo is an enigma for me - one game there looks to be a good left back in him, next game he is shocking, then he looks good in the wing back role or more advanced, then he puts in the second half he managed today.

I agree with Bamboo, we are riding some luck at times right now, but we have much more about us than I expected.  Get to January in the mix and we really could put a strong second half of the season together.

It’s the pointless passing that’s the problem. Too many first choices is to pass backwards. They’ve obviously been drilled to retain possession above all else - to the point that we create very little.

Sure, if you have the players to go more direct and longer, which we didnt acquire in the window, we signed more of the same, so that option just isn't open to us. Short of the Sheridan style Broadbent up top.

It does change when Williams comes on, and Gilbert added that today.  That's what the defence and holding midfielder need, someone pulling people around and able to turn into or get into space to drive forwards.  I think we will look much better with those two in the team and settled.

As I have stated many times, Iandolo is nowhere near good enough to play fullback, he can scrape by as a wingback at times but looked far better at CB and defensive midfield earlier in the season.

Checked their pen claim. Clear dive. Chancer.

Garner
- Disappointed not to win
- You have to keep going and pushing
- Created enough in last few games. Think we had 15 or more chances today
- Their keeper has made some good saves. Thought Payne had scored
- They changed to a back 5 at half time.
- They managed game well.
- Officials have to manage this better. There should have been more time added
- Gilbert was excellent when he came on. Glides with the ball and was creative
- He's a creative player
- JML gives an injection of pace
- Some players start games and some finish. JML and Gilbert gave us something extra
- Need players back fit and healthy from international games
- Flares and seats on pitch: Know fans are passionate, but need to be sensible with it.

15 chances?

Simpson is a big unit and Gladwin is gangly and tall.
We have (as you’ve said) plenty of the smaller, quicker attacking players to run off those two.

Don’t see why it wouldn’t work as a plan B if/when required.

Not sure how much you have watched, but being big/tall doesn't mean those players can fulfill that role. Not sure Simpson has won that type of header all season, its just not his game.

Asking an ex-GK about passing football will likely always come with a negatively edged response. Especially if they played in a less modern version of the game.

FORRRRR'ARRRRDD!

I think when the squad clicks/has some more correctly targeted additions, Town will be unplayable (hence get to Jan then boom). Sorry Phil Smith, your opinion is outdated but expected from many GKs.

Tbh, Hodgetts is to blame there really. It's like asking a bald guy about his opinion on hair extensions.

But if your primary game plan isn't working with players apparently suited to it, why not at least try something else to mix it up.  Nothing is lost in doing so.

But it is working

True but I think it's about identity and trusting the process. Struggling to get it across all the players at present (again hence get to Jan) granted but Town are still churning out results. Joint 3rd is above most expectations at this stage. This is why when I think those extra 2 or 3 bodies are specifically targeted then Town will have a ready made system to fit them into.

The league position says that it's working and not sure why there's so much negativity as we're still work in progress with key players to come back.

Yes, can't complain about the league position. STFC are exceeding my expectations.  

I take the view that there is nowt wrong with trying something else during a match.  That was (to me) apparent today.        

Not sure if you have read back.  Not sure that there has been much negativity.

That’s a fair point, but being one dimensional isn’t really a good thing.

I agree but that appears to be Garners Football philosophy similar to williams and at times we just pass for the sake of it

It isn’t just headers though is it. Going long / direct doesn’t mean pumping it 9ft in the air.

Simpson can no doubt get the ball into his body and play with his back to goal - as long as there are people around him (something we didn’t do enough of vs Mansfield)

I think that'll come though DiV.

I don't think Town have played their best/fittest side yet so to be where they are at, the signs look good.

Did they give the attendance as not showing anywhere

Attendance: 3589

Cheers so slightly more than expected

Perhaps it will. Having said that if you can’t / won’t do it in the 89th minute whilst 1-0 when are you going to do it,

I get the impression that Garner has told them to stick to passing unless he tells them otherwise. Maybe once that is fully embedded he’ll had a plan b. You know learn / perfect one thing at a time.

Who knows *shrugs*

Eh? I can’t see why a Gk’s opinion is any less worthy? They get the best view of the game in front of them. That’s about as valid as the Robbie Savage approach to phone-ins, which is to reject anyone’s view on the basis they didn’t play professionally so can’t possibly know anything.

Sounds like we deserved a point on balance without setting the world alight. I’m looking forward to seeing our collection of first choice “forwards” together, but I wonder if even they might want someone there
with a striker’s instinct…. in the meantime, I’m quite happy that we’ve had a lucky break or two. And that Oxford lost to AFC.

Away point is good. Better than an away defeat. Unless we battered them for most of the game and missed a hatful of chances, I’ll take that.

Waste of energy bitching. PV next week. Three points please. Enjoy your weekend.

And another thing - what was with the "Lawnmower Simulator" ad behind the goal?

Is that the shittest VR experience possible?

Disappointed not to get the 3 points.
Bossed first half but need to take the chances. Will take the point though in the circumstances.

Ripping up seats, pulling down advertising boards, flares on pitch and punching stewards are likely to now get us a fine.
Fun and games out the ground with pony and traps all over. Local gypo’s deciding to have a late evening ramble. Took a short cut through the woods and got body checked by a horse :)

What Saturdays are all about.

Good point in the end but the twats and their pyro  :crash:

On the contrary, I think it's a good sign that football supporting "normality" is starting to return and don't even bring Venks into it  ;)

Hopefully the twats will be found and punished.  Never understood why people behave like that - It's not as if it is kids either.

We were poor second half - 2 defensive full backs just doesn't work - tempo was far too slow
Not sure why Hunt told Gladwin to leave it for their goal.

Gilbert looks decent and a really good first half display.  A couple of cracking saves from both keepers too.

Agree with the general consensus on the thread. Thoroughly entertaining first 35-40 mins as we dominated the game, but seemed to lose direction in the second half after conceding through a rare defensive error.
Good performances from Conroy, JoJo, Payne and Reed. Thought Gladwin had a good first half but disappeared second. Gilbert looked bright when he came on and looking forward to seeing more from him.
Didn't see the pen incident clearly from the other end but by then was feeling deflated by the behaviour of a selection of idiots in the away end. Embarrassing and somewhat sickening to see. Put a dampener on what could have been a feel good ending to the match.

Was there a large hooligan element there today you don't normally see at away games and was there trouble outside the ground atterwwrds

All unnecessary I agree, but the stewards did enrage it.
I was sat down the front, and heard one steward asking a Town fan to see him outside after the game, and another say "don't mess with the Taliban"

So they have some questions to answer too

Admittedly the flares would probably have gone off anyway !

No and not that I saw.   Both sets of fans walked towards town together.

We always seem to take a fair share of undesirables to the larger away days.   They may go the smaller ones too but harder to get away with the twattishness

Decent first half as others said.  If we had made our dominance count and stuck away a chance or two I think we would have won that. Second half we lost our way until the subs with our possession consisting of passing from Crichelowe to Conroy to AK and back again ad infinitum until one of them attempts a Hollywood pass to give Stevenage possession. I enjoyed the game until some of our fans went off on one. What the fuck was that all about?

Jojo, Reed and Payne stood out for me. Gilbert also looked bright when he came on.  Thought their keeper was decent as well. On the subject of Reed, I got talking to some Posh fans moonlighting in our end specifically to watch him. They were really complimentary about him. They also spoke highly of the General.

A useful point all things considered.

I wasn’t close to the front so can’t comment on the events that triggered the trouble but there had been a fair bit of goading of the stewards for quite a while. Regardless of any comments made by individuals there is no excuse for ripping up seats and stadium signage and hurling them at the stewards.
I saw the Stevenage fans decided to get in on it too with at least 3 bottles hurled at the Town players as they celebrated the goal.

Just got home. Really good first half performance, Payne unlucky not to score a deflected shot and Simpson should have done better when about 8 yards out.

Started second half poorly and goal was coming, but very preventable. Gladwin switched off at the back post and a great finish. Think we may find it tough to break teams down when we go a goal behind, but we stuck to the plan and got a good point in the end. As others have said, Gilbert looked very decent when he came on.

As for the fan situation - stewards all games were utter cocks, very provoking to Swindon fans and the one that everyone surged to was definitely goading the fans. The fans did still act like bell ends and all behaviour by the (big) minority was inexcusable. Would have been different if the stewards had been more refrained and also where the fuck was any police?!

...I hope that blonde idiot who was kicking bins and throwing them on the pitch isn't at Northampton....what a drip! Then a few stone island peckers making wanker signs at kids and elderly Stevenage fans as they were leaving. Ridiculous behaviour, made me wish we were shit again with Phil Brown as manager as less of these types seemed to travel away.

Thanks Pookemon. I've not witnessed too much trouble over recent years apart from Oxford so was surprised to hear about seats getting ripped up and thrown.

Ripping up seats, bins, hoardings etc and chucking them on the pitch cannot be described as "innocuous revelry"
Standing up in the first row so everyone behind you, no matter how small or infirm, has to follow suit is just inconsiderate.   Go to the back FFS.

Shout, boo, get pissed, smoke in the bogs but don't spoil everyone else's day just because you want to be a cunt on your day off

So, how does Garner get Gilbert into the starting XI?

https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/news/2021/september/club-statement-stevenage-away/

As I say, I find the different perspectives interesting and extraordinary…

Mate of mine went. Talked to him and he said it started when a Steward said ‘you don’t mess with the Taliban’. That escalated to a response of ‘you can stick fucking (insert deity of choice) up your arse’.

Never understood anyone wanting to be a steward at football matches.

The stewarding was amateurish and inept. The standing issue could have been avoided if they’d not unnecessarily insisted on seat numbers. (Cambridge was sit where you want.)Then those preferring to stand would have graduated towards the back etc. (But in my opinion football is to be watched on your feet, end of.) All in all, it was handbags today. I’ve no time for the resulting moral outrage. If anybody claims to have felt seriously threatened or in danger in the ground they must have lived a very sheltered life.  

The Taliban?  ???

Apparently, said steward was a bearded Asian gentleman. There is a video on Twitter.

Anybody who used to stand in the Townend in the late 70's - 80's will know how scary it used to be when the likes of Millwall & Pompey were in Town.

They were highly efficient and committed friskers! I can't remember the last time I was so vigorously touched up at a L2 game.

How did the officials get 4 mins of added time today and 6 mins against Mansfield?
As for blind Pugh the Lino needed to open his eyes.

Shouldn’t laugh though, before pen young kid, not sharpest in the box catches the ball in the Swindon end, us chasing the game and he stands there for a fair few seconds with Swindon fans screaming at him to throw it back on :)

Lady around 70 they were going through her handbag.
Took it in good faith though,

What an odd thing to say.

I can certainly believe that the stewarding was amateurish and inept but isn’t it often? I also have no reason to dispute that some of the stewards may have stepped over the line in making comments. But the way to deal with that is not through vandalism and violence.
I didn’t feel in any way personally threatened or in danger but I don’t want to witness or be associated with the behaviour on display. I do want to be able to enjoy a game of football and to be a part of the feel good factor around the club that has been evident in every game this season.
The fact that there much worse was commonplace 40 years ago, and I’m old enough to remember that, doesn’t make today’s incident acceptable.

Responded to abuse that referenced that group?

That's where I'm at - I'm old enough to remember having bricks chucked at us and it's not fun. 
I've never enjoyed a rumble.  Having a beer and watching football with a few mates is all I ask for.

If the club gets fined and we end up with get restrictions put on our away support then this behaviour - whilst not threatening - does affect all of us

I'm with CheltRed and Pooky.

Personally if I want to watch a fight of sorts, I'll buy a ticket to a Boxing match, UFC or dare I say - the Wrestling. The shocking truth is, at a football match...I want to watch football no be distracted by things off it.

It does become quite pathetic though when the consensus of instigators are blokes in their 50s. Blokes who seemingly can't let go of the nostalgia of hooligan tinged 80s but most definitely should know better.

Most of the rest of us have moved on and don't really want to be associated with that kind of bollocks.

Something I also wasn't impressed with was walking into the toilets (where there was clear no smoking signs) at half time to see the toilets covered in smoke with people having a half time fag. Hate the smell and shouldn't subject people to it while they have a piss.

Can't see why the stewards couldn't have let people out for a half time ciggie however.

Agree the standing issue does needs to be sorted though.
 Those that want to stand should be able to and those that want to sit should also be able to - I've enjoyed both.  

That was a stewarding error - what harm could be done of opening the main gates for 15 mins.  There were loads of stewards they could easily have manned a small cordon.  Really don't help themselves at times.

100% with you guys. I'm also old enough to remember the 70s and 80s. Whilst it's always easy to reminisce fondly about your youth; the good old days and all that; the reality was never all that. I remember have lumps of the Stratton Bank chucked at me (Bournemouth?) The world has moved on, thank god. Throwing seats on the pitch,  at Stevenage ffs. Grow up.

Agreed, the stewards today were clearly on a bit of a control and power ego trip and should have let people out for a fag. They reminded me of Bury away a couple of years back when Woolery scored a brace and then stewards chucked out a stout young Town fan who took a lot of shifting. Still, nob stewards doesn't excuse ripping up seats etc....

I was at the bank that day when the crowd was given as 14,300 when anybody in the ground could see that all four stands were packed and the attendance was 20,000+

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqS-bfkWLF8

It was just a large boisterous crowd, giving good support to the team.
We could be all saying what a great following we had - it looked like half the crowd

But when you get stewards saying don’t mess with the Taliban when we’ve all seen the distressing scenes over the last couple of weeks then I don’t blame the people getting wound up.

Breaking seats is stupid but I can understand why they reacted against the provocation

I did the love the Town fan (yellow shirt?) who had his very young daughter on his shoulders, right in the middle of all the carnage when the pen was awarded and both were loving it.

Played pretty well overall. Lacked a bit of cutting edge without a quality attacking full back (not a fan of Odimayo at all tbh) or a physical threat like Woolery gave us a couple of years ago.

Great first half save from Woolacott. Critchlow was excellenf, Conroy very good alongside. Shades of an in form Yas Kasim in Reed. Payne is a class act - if he had Twines shooting boots he'd be in the Champ - and Gilbert looked pretty exciting when he came on

How about - it was fucking stupid in the 70's, really fucking stupid in the 80's and remains equally as stupid today?  The vast majority of people who watch football have no need to engage in Neanderthal re-enactments.

Me too. Arrived to see several fans covered in blood.

Bournemouth away in the same year saw our 'fans' ripping up seats and throwing them on the pitch after the game

Highlights out yet?

The venom exhibited by those who appear to be mortally offended at people standing up is also interesting….

Ignore the score they wrote it incorrect

https://www.skysports.com/efl/championship/video/12399298/stevenage-2-2-swindon

No-one is offended because people are standing.  They do get pissed off that someone is stood in front of them when they want/have to sit.   Swapping seats seems the logical solution until they provide areas to stand.

We should all be able to watch and enjoy the game without getting on each others tits.

Alternative point of view...people standing up directly in front of others who want to sit are selfish ignorant twats*...it's nothing to do with being offended, it's got everything to do with some cunt blocking your view...it's not fucking rocket science.

*no venom from me - no one was blocking my view but totally understand people who were pissed off. People who don't get that boggle my mind...completely and utterly self-centered and don't give a shit about anyone else...  :doh:

I think that the point has been lost somewhere along the line  :girlgiggle:

Another decent result. So much shite on here again today which seems the norm now on the match day threads this season. Empty cans make the most noise. Shhhhhhh

Shame there's no like button :clap:

Youuuuu reddddddssssssss :pint:

I was there today and whilst I can't agree with the damage done to the ground, the root cause of it all comes back to the stewards being overwhelmed, under-resourced, clueless, unprofessional and had no clear strategy or backup plan when Plan A failed.

It all started with Swindon fans being frisk searched whilst no other Stevenage fan I saw got searched on entry to the ground.

Soon as you got in, you had 1 bloke re-checking all of the tickets again which was frankly completely pointless.

You had fans with tickets that had no ability to choose where they wanted to sit so everyone's seat was a lucky dip

Then you had another steward behind the goal that was the only one telling fans where they had to sit. Half of the people just walked straight past her and the other half got hacked off by getting told they couldn't sit with the fans behind the goal or their friends at the other end of the stand that had just breezed past her.

Before a ball was kicked, the stewards had lost control of the stand but then continuously tried to fix their mistakes by pushing overcrowded gangways into overcrowded rows of people.

Half time came and the stewards did fuck all to prevent the problem in the 2nd half and ended up with an even worse problem with overcrowding than the first half. Tempers started to boil with stewards pointless attempts to clear the gangways.

Then they nearly lost it with one fan trying to throw the ball back but the stewards were being knobheads about that and looked like they were going to kick him out. Then it all boiled over at the end. Saad really because it was obvious with the direction of travel before a ball was even kicked.

It's by no means an excuse but this is basic crowd management 101. Whilst some Town fans did what they did and ultimately look worse off, the stewards engineered the problem and enabled it to escalate...

Sad to see the club statement blaming Town fans without really wanting to understand what happened...

Glad we got a point though, we outplayed them for the majority of the match and their fans barely made a noise all game. Shocking set of supporters, especially the idiots throwing things on the pitch when we scored the penalty!

I suppose they're not used to handling crowds at Stevenage.

Thanks for the account of what was occurring in the 'mixer'....we've all been frustrated in crowds at football and by knob-head stewards. Most of us don't resort to scum bag actions like throwing seats and bins onto the pitch like the Town coke-heads did today.

I noticed that.

It could be a great option for Sundays when feeling a little delicate. I think I'll download it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9dJTttuysQ

According to Stevenage, 1005 Swindon in attendance yesterday. Damn good once again.

Happy with the 1-1, away points are always good.
Glad that Payne kept his nerve with the pen.

Despite all of the enthusiastic frisking the "pyrotechnics" still made into the ground.
Maybe they were stored somewhere that was outside of the heavy petting remit.  :hmmm:

"Is that a bengalo in your pocket or are you just happy to be in Stevenage?"

If your reaction to the stewards being a bit shit is to try and tear the stand apart, then you’re still a cunt.

which bit, the match analysis or the of field events analysis.

With match analysis I just call it as I see it. I am not claiming to be right, but equally surely thats ok either way.

good away point and better League position than most of us probably expected in a best case is the fact.

a bit slow and ponderous in buildup, especially when chasing the game is my opinion

But those mean stewards said some nasty things to some of our sensitive fans.
If you give it out, then don’t cry if you get some back.

And FWIW the trouble started when a Town fan in the front row took exception to something a steward said, and it was the Town fan who went to the steward to exchange views.

On the Facebook page it's reported that a steward punched an older Swindon fan if true then that's surely a police matter.

There is no fucking excuse for knob fan behaviour, shit stewards or not, sometimes our fans, especially at away games, embarress us as a club.

The stewards are shit? fine, stewards are shit at almost every ground but that doesnt give anyone the excuse to throw shit on the pitch, rip up seats and generally act like a thug, it just brings shame on the club and fanbase.

I totally agree and if you notice they tend to do it away at the small teams

I reckon a can of small stones would make more noise than an empty can.

Some of our fans are pathetic wankers, no two ways about it and I wouldn't try to defend them. But the stewards have to be aware of the type of people they are dealing with. Unfortunately a lot (by no means all) of stewards are pathetic wankers themselves. When you have one group of dumb dumbs trying to control another group of dumb dumbs looking for the slightest excuse to kick off, it's never going to end well.

I don't know the answer but it seems to me 'matchday steward' is one of those countless jobs that is totally undervalued and not even seen as a proper job, often by those doing the job themselves. Other examples are supermarket workers, bin men, street cleaners. There are dozens more but the point is they are ALL important jobs and should be valued.

Dealing with large crowds of people is difficult at the best of times. But when you consider that a lot of those people are going to be in an aggressive state of mind in the first place and that mood will have been fuelled by copious amounts of alcohol and/or drugs and it becomes almost impossible. That is unless you have adequate training and experience, you are working as a team to a set plan and are getting paid something approaching decent money. It should be seen as a profession and not just something people do for a few quid on the side.

But yeah, a minority (albeit quite a sizeable minority) of our fans are low life and make me want to throw up.  

Can't disagree with any of that OST.

Having been a senior steward at the CG for nearly 15 years back in the 80s and 90s I can confirm that there are in general 4 types of football steward.

1, really does a good job and enjoys the job.
2, overly officious little hitlers.
3, only doing it for the wage.
4, not bothered about the job but go for the chance to watch football for free and get paid in the process.

Good insight PV. Which type were you? As 'Senior Steward' I'm guessing 1, with a bit of 4?

You must have witnessed some right knobs during that period when football hooliganism was still very much alive.

100% :)

Also, I guess stewarding isn’t (m)any people’s full time, day jobs.
I imagine a lot to be agency as well.

My dad was a steward in the early 90s
Think he mostly just went to watch the football.

Maybe one of the things I missed out from my rundown in the turn of events, a particular steward was goading a small group of Swindon fans who ended up saying to said Swindon fans 'come on then'. I appreciate people should be the bigger person and not resort to throwing fists but I don't quite understand what else said steward expected to happen by telling them to start a fight. That steward ended up getting dragged off by his colleagues after it all kicked off.

It's half a dozen of one and half a dozen of the other but it seems everyone who didn't witness what happened has squarely apportioned 100% of the blame on the fans, sadly, including the club.

I've personally fired off a complaint to Stevenage for the way they handled the entire match. Yes, Swindon fans did shit they shouldn't have done but the stewards enabled and let it happen when they are supposed to be the ones in control.

I have worked with your dad.

Stewarding at Swindon went over from club controlled to agency around 93ish IIRC we went from being emplyed by STFC to being People Recruitment in Commercial road.

We often had loads of stewards from Reading and Slough shipped in for home games, they were in the "in it for the wage" category and were totally disinterested in even being there, I expect this to still be the case.

Back then I would say that 75% of all stewards were in it just so they could watch the match and get money for doing so. All were Swindon fans that did that.

One benefit of People Recruitment taking over was we had the chance to swteward Wembley Internationals and England cricket games at the Oval and Lords. We also did a lot of away games too in the Premier League and the following couple of seasons.

In short, stewarding needs better training than a lot of clubs offer, just turn up and keep an eye on things seems to be the way now at any level under head steward or "stand supervisor". We used to have Summer training sessions with the police held at the CG each year.

There was possibly the perfect opportunity to voice displeasure at the stewarding to Rob Angus at Half time when he and Clem joined our fans. Maybe the second half escalation could have been prevented?

Personally I would have videoed him doing that and sent it straight to the club and police and made a formal complaint to his supervisor.

I know that in the heat of the moment thats not always possible though, but lets face it, one twat of a steward goads you then there is no need for it to resort in physical confrontation or violence especially when it brings the clubs name into disrepute and sometimes sanctions against the club.

Alcohol has a lot to answer for.

There is a video on twitter showing stewards ushering away one of their own. Don’t know how to copy it from there to here!

Bollocks to that, I've got the original on cassette.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=inn4S_6LO0o

There were Town fans ripping down advertising boards from the back of the stand long before the dick steward got into an argument with a Town fan.

It was generally fine & good humoured until it looked like we were going to lose, there’s no doubt that some fans were looking for a fight and they managed to get a Steward to react so it could give them a reason to kick off.

To be fair the Stewards shouldn’t react, and the dickhead that did should never be able to do the job again.

Sadly, whilst I don't agree with the violence, I think it's just embedded in our culture. Barely anything has been said about the bottles that were thrown at Jack Payne from the Stevenage fans when he scored the penalty... The bitterness of the Stevenage fans outside the ground, being very confrontational and berating Swindon fans (me included) just walking back to their cars after the game was quite unsettling too.

I didn't see a single copper all day. Next time we play them in Stevenage, it's going to be as spicy as a Vindaloo if Stevenage are so underprepared and under resourced again. Fingers crossed this is served as a warning and they learn from it.

Only been to 2 home games, and no trouble at all at either, so not seen anything in person, but picking up from here and fans of other clubs (Gas especially); plus the Euro final etc.;  there does seem to a bit more trouble about than we've seen before (at least recently). I wonder if there as lot of pent up 'something' due to COVID thats now letting loose?

You would have thought that they knew we had sold over 900 in advance that they would have been prepared, unprofessional by Stevenage to say the least.

Although the dark days of football violence from what I witnessed in the mid 70's through to the early 90's has on the whole disappeared inside the grounds outside as an away fan you still have to be vigilant walking back to your car or to the train station as there's still pockets of young undesirables looking to have a rumble.

Exactly my point. They had 2 stewards at the beginning trying to make people sit in seats they didn't choose to sit in. One can be seen in this video https://www.facebook.com/SwindonTownFootballClub/videos/397669208366444 (https://www.facebook.com/SwindonTownFootballClub/videos/397669208366444) pointlessly checking tickets before even getting into the stand and a single female steward halfway down the stand behind the goal. She was overrun with people and half slipped past her without being challenged.

Like I said before, the stewards had lost control of the entire situation before kick-off. Everything else from there just escalated as the stewards attempted and failed to regain control.

And beware the bus station

In the late 70's maybe as the grass bank was always a flash point with away fans going back to the railway station. We're still  waiting for you to tell us what you see on your walk through on a match day as that time of day it must be full of normal passengers waiting to get on/off busses!

Walk from the railway station every home matchday, honestly cannot remember the last time I saw any trouble prior to the game. 
Newport would have been the last game I saw any trouble in Manchester Rd after a game and that pretty soon fizzled out.
Definitely nowhere the level of violence in the 70's and 80's.

Back to the game, I thought in the 90 mins we had enough chances to bury a very average side who we pretty much dominated for most of the game.

Even though they had a couple of good chances I thought we created more and probably the better chances.

Bore out from the 66% possession and our 16 shots to their 8.

I would say we were slightly lucky with the penalty but there was indeed contact however slight and their penalty claim was 100% right by the ref where he fell to the floor with no pulling from Reed at all, he should have been booked for simulation TBH.

Overall not a bad result in getting our first ever draw at Stevenage who will be low mid table at best on that showing whereas we are still waiting to fully click into gear.

A special note again for McKirdy, my god he frustrates me a lot but hes worth it for that one or 2 things in a game that with a little more luck would be a gamechanger.

I think I would prefer him to come off the bench to change things and give Gilbert a go sat in a free role as a number 10 behind Simpson.

I don’t hold too much in terms of possession, as a good portion of ours is across the defence in our own half, and even the shots can be skewed if there’s a lot of long range efforts.

We were clearly the better side in the first half and should have been ahead, albeit jojo made a really good save.

In the second half, before they scored we were second best, and only really got back into the game when they sat back to try and hold on to a lead.

The penalty, i’d ask how much contact did Cuthbert make with the ball, I’d say none at least until after he had gone through the player. If you took out someone off the ball in the box it would be a penalty so can see why the ref gave it.
It’s one of those that you would be aggrieved if it was given against you.

Overall, we deserved at least a point from the game.

Cuthbert was making those type of challenges 10 years ago playing for us, his timing was and still is very poor at times.

I lost count of the amount of penalties he gave away in his 2 seasons with us.

Got sent off against us for Luton for something similar didn’t he?

He did, it was even more clumsy in giving away the penalty though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJQTcTSdaNI&t=13s

Our culture?

A large element of football fans go to football get coked up and drunk and act like idiots. I used to do it myself and many of others do, he is right though. Our culture tend to go out get drunk and coked up and want to fight everyone

I queried the use of 'our'.  I ain't part of that.

We know you're not the norm  :)

You include that element of the Bus, Railway Station and Manchester Road area in your eagerly awaited dissertation. Still no release date?

Me neither and never want to be either but there’s no rose tinted glasses in the world that will hide the truth what portions of our society comfortably do like it’s second nature. Shivvy Road hit the nail on the head to exactly what I meant though. Let’s not forget that it wasn’t THAT long ago you had all the hooligans at the international tournaments, that culture clearly hasn’t disappeared, just behind a mask waiting to rear it’s ugly head again. Yesterday was a perfect example to that in many ways.

You can find it in motorway service station bargain bins and other good retail outlets. 

It’s not out yet. Could be at the proof readers.

Sorry, I clearly missed the eyewitness accounts of Stewards ripping up hoardings and chucking them into the away end alongside some spare seats they'd got hold of.

I get your point that a professional stewards should manage their role effectively, BUT, how can it be a stewards fault if fans act like knobs?  Each person is to blame for their own actions, people should grow up and assume responsibility for what they do.  At least one poster was being honest in saying he enjoyed such behaviour, at least we can all point at him and and call him a dick knowing he knows the society does indeed classify his chosen behaviour as dickish

I don't care if it's 1971 or 2021, if a steward said to me dont mess with the Taliban, I'd happily chin the fucker. If what is alleged is true then Stevenage need to make a statement and this fucking idiot should never steward another game again.
I wouldn't rip up seats or horardings, just sort out the source of the problem and I'd take my chances with the cops.

I assumed he said it in misplaced jest because he looked foreign?

bad taste and shouldn't have got involved with the crowd.

Check out UK casuals on YouTube as there's lots of stories on what football culture used to be like in the 80's & 90's

I am flattered to hear that my travelogue is so eagerly awaited  :girlgiggle:

Whether in jest or not, he's a fucking tool who should not be allowed anywhere near a football crowd again.

I look this in a rather simplistic fashion. I am never particularly pleased with how I get treated when I attend a football match. However, I have not got to the stage where I feel the need to damage any fixtures and fittings, hurl items on to the playing surface and/or make threats of violence to third parties.

I have to say the Town stewards are pretty decent, we have a laugh with them.

Neither do thousands of other factory workers up and down the country

Or shop workers. Office workers too for that matter.

Away from the fans element, my main talking point after watching ifollow was how can Stevenage place a camera in a position that doesn't cover the whole pitch. Had to guess in anticipation when the ball was about to be floated into the box on corners/crosses etc. Surely quite a basic thing on installation!

Hated everything about my only visit to stevenage in 2004. Lost 2-0
Having a look we had some decent players in the team!

Wes Foderingham
Grant Hall
Raphael Rossi-Branco
Darren P Ward
Nathan Thompson
Yaser Kasim
Massimo Luongo
Ryan Mason
Alex Pritchard
Dany N'Guessan
Nile Ranger

probably the greatest midfield ever to exist in league 1.

Having sight of the whole of the pitch should be a minimum requirement.

Well said

(And I did hear the Taliban comment - and the offer by a steward to a fan to have a fight)

No they don't. A large element of football fans go out to watch the game and have no interest in fighting everyone

You know you can have separate 'large elements' within the same group, right?

Yes. Hence my comment that a large element go to football to watch football, right?

So why did you start your objection with 'No they don't'? You're making no sense.

Fight, Fight,  Fight

I think we are both right

I think you're both wrong. And cunts.

Before I read back i'll post my thoughts on Saturday as it was my first game in ages.

First half I thought that we played very well and Stevenage spent it chasing us around. We dominated possession, playing some absolutely superb football. We didn't create much clear cut but did keep the Stevenage keeper and defence on their toes and it seemed only a matter of time before we made it pay. Unfortunately second half we weren't as good and Gladwin dawdled trying to shield the ball out of play (reminded me a little of Caddis away at Crewe last season) and their RB nipped in and finished well. We then spent the rest of the game passing the ball about without really looking like scoring, until the Penalty decision and Payne spanking it home.

Player wise overall a great first half and a bit sloppy in the second. I think the setup of the team is great with all players comfortable on the ball and capable of playing some excellent stuff. It's the final third where we appear to be struggling. The final ball is just not really there at the moment and when we do get into good areas, wrong decisions are made. I thought Gilbert came on and looked lively and intelligent and perhaps him and Jonny Williams will add the attacking impetus we need. Overall an away point and a last minute goal will be like a shot in the arm to the team.

As for the off the field stuff. I thought the atmosphere in the away end was very good on Saturday for 80 minutes. There was a good mix of young, middle aged and older supporters and anything over 1,000 going to watch Division 4 football has to be applauded. I wasn't allowed to sit with a group that had kept me a seat and told I had to sit on my allocated seat as 'it was a sell out'. Bit irritating but not the end of the world. There appeared to be some good banter overall including an amusing rendition of 'your on the chase in the morning' to the portly Steward who looked like the Beast on the TV quiz show. He clearly found it amusing.

With about 5 minutes to go the tone appeared to change. I was to the right of where 'the yoof' where stood and one of the stewards appeared to be a little cheesed off. I don't really know what was said but he pointed to the pitch in what looked like a 'watch the game' or 'look on the pitch to see who is winning' type of gesture. This clearly didn't go down too well as his colleague was then making gestures for people to calm down. Someone then went to say something to the gesture steward and put his hand on his arm. The steward threw his arms back as if to say 'don't touch me'. It then got completely out of control as fans 'waded in'. 2 flares were thrown onto the pitch, 2 rubbish bins were also thrown in the direction of the pitch and I saw a couple of broken seats. Part of an advertising hoarding was taken off the stand in preparation for it to be used as a projectile. The fans around me were getting pissed off with our fans at this stage and started shouting for them to calm down and stop behaving like dicks. Eventually we got the penalty and it seemed to calm things down. I saw part of an advertising hoarding being thrown and hit the second steward who had been trying to calm things down earlier.

I actually spoke to a couple of the stewards after the game and had a bit of a joke with them. A number of our fans were also apologising for the behaviour they had to suffer. I do not know what the problem was with the actual steward in question, apparently he behaved very unprofessionally towards fans. If so, then he totally misread the situation. That said, at times it was being in a re-enactment of 'Lord of the Flies', breaking seats and throwing advertising hoardings over your own fans is literally mindless behaviour. I hope some of the more mature members of the fanbase aren't put off going to away games. The 'yoof' certainly add atmosphere to the fanbase, but really need to behave properly.

I'm with you here. Given lockdown etc I think there is an element that people really want to 'let themselves go' and some of it is spilling over into mindless anti-social behaviour.

Not sure it can be blamed on Covid, the last game I went to was v. Carlisle in Feb last year (so not long before lockdowns started) and even then there seemed to be a pretty shitty atmosphere of a lot of 'fans' off their tits (not on booze I suspect), it was the first time for years I had heard chanting about the IRA....

Must be Brexit then. (that's a joke before anyone dives in!)

As is often the case with Town teams that have a great midfield, the same can't be said for the defence.
Who played left back in that game? I guess Thompson was RB but I can't see any of the other 3 as a LB.

Grant Hall.

FIFY  ;)

Good write up Bob, agree with all of that (I did read it, just didn't see any point in quoting it all)

I have seen a post on FB from an elderly gent who was refused entry to the game and accused of being drunk when infact gphe is disabled with Parkinson’s. Had family with him too extended.

That is absolutely horrendous. Sums up how bad the stewards were the other day.

Here it is copied verbatim.
Nigel Pearce

ijust want people to remember this incident what happened to me yesterday at stevanagei traveled up to watch game and a really aggresive steward  denied me access to game saying I was drunk I have suffered  with  parkinsons diseasefor a number of years . which I informed him but know he stil refused toa let me innother steward advised me to go get a coffee   and sober up  s informed him no amount off coffee can cure parkinsons which had already upset mytwo sons and my 5yearold grandson ilater seen thev same steward ain a alticationwith some supportersi I hope these steward sare given the opertunity to trainhow todeal with crowdrather than intimadate themi am a 67yearold life time supporter and have never been in any trouble nor did ihave any trouble any otherclub awfull stewards very intimadating I shant be going there again

A couple of seasons ago Stevenage stewards made female Grimsby fans strip down in public before they would admit them.

‘Female football fans were left “shocked and stunned” when they were made to show their bras during security searches at Stevenage football club, a supporters’ group has said.

At least 10 Grimsby Town supporters had their bras checked by stewards before the League Two sides met on Saturday, according to the Mariners Trust.

A 70-year-old woman was among those left “mortified” by the searches outside Stevenage FC’s Lamex Stadium, the Guardian understands.

The English Football League said on Monday it was looking into the allegations. A spokesman for Stevenage FC said it was conducting an investigation.

In a letter sent by the Mariners Trust to Stevenage FC, the Grimsby Town fan group said female supporters were asked to lift up their tops to show their bras to female stewards in view of other supporters, including men and male stewards.

The group said the “gross invasion of privacy” went further when some female stewards asked to feel supporters’ bras if they confirmed that they were underwired. “This act would effectively constitute a sexual assault and these types of searches are unlawful,” the group said in its letter.

A spokesman for Hertfordshire police, which polices the Lamex Stadium, said it was looking into the allegations.

Paul Savage, the vice-chair of the Mariners Trust, was at the game on Saturday. He said fans were left “shocked and stunned” by the experience.

He said: “The police were actually in view of what happened. They were stood within 15 yards so if they didn’t see it I would be shocked.

“We are aware of at least 10 people who were asked to show their bras and all of them were shocked and stunned. It’s the horror of being asked to do something that bad, they went in and said to their friends and partners: ‘What just happened?’”

Savage said 10 supporters had contacted the Mariners Trust directly to say they were subjected to the searches, but more may have complained directly to Stevenage FC or Hertfordshire police.

He added: “What we can’t understand as football supporters is why Stevenage football club have told their stewards to do this. It’s not a policing issue, it’s a football club issue – they’ve told their stewards to check people’s bras and we can only assume they’ve been given some intelligence to do that. You don’t have it at airports, so why would you have it at a football club?

“Football fans get a bad press. There was no trouble, there were no arrests, nobody was chucked out of the ground. There was just a lot of bewildered and bemused and upset people.

“It wasn’t really until the game had finished and we all left when we thought ‘what on earth has just happened?’ and it all started to sink in.”

The Mariners Trust letter also claims Stevenage FC stewards carried out full-body searches on children as young as five, leaving at least one minor “visibly upset”, and confiscated safe objects including hand sanitiser from fans.

The group also complained that a female steward was posted inside the away fans’ men’s toilets throughout the game, which they said raised “significant safeguarding issues” regarding young children using the facilities.

In a statement, Stevenage FC’s safety officer, Steve Reed, said the stewarding on Saturday was “not typical” because they believed high-risk groups would be attending with the potential for antisocial behaviour.

Reed said the club implemented a “100% compliant” search regime due to a belief that prohibited items may be smuggled into the stadium by women and younger supporters.

He added: “Stewards used for this role in the away section of the stadium were provided by a reputable agency and are qualified to act as such. Searches conducted are recorded on CCTV and on this occasion, were in the presence of deployed police officers.

“No incidents were recorded on the day of any inappropriate behaviour towards female supporters or young spectators. Had such incidents been either reported or flagged up, the issues would have been dealt with immediately.

“The club takes these allegations seriously and will both study the CCTV footage and speak to the relevant parties to ensure that no infringements of accepted procedures took place.”

Nonsense… It was the fans fault of course!

I understand that being in close proximity to other people in a near full away end is inevitable, but everyone there was willing to take the risk however small at the moment.
In a Covid world is it really appropriate or necessary for people to be frisked such that unwanted physical contact is unavoidable?
By all means search any bags but at the end of the day it's just a lower league football match.

As we were being frisked on the way I did here one chap shout “that’s the most I’ve been touched in years” 😂😂

In effect what the club are saying is that they can use any excuse they like, valid or otherwise to conduct themselves in any manner they like knowing full well that people have paid in advance and travelled miles to get to the game and are therefore more likely to be compliant. Any conduct or actions that ‘could’ be deemed ‘inappropriate’ or ‘unlawful’ has to be proven and reported to the club who, ah yes, make up the rules. A kangaroo court scenario if you will. I doubt very much anything will ever come of any allegations made by a football supporter towards stewards, club officials or police in any of these situations. Best bet is to boycott clubs like St. Evenage and deprive them of valuable away support income, which on the day for a visitor club like Swindon would be circa £20k.

The stewards appear to have verbally provoked. I wasn’t there, but I still struggle with that escalating to punches being thrown, bins (really??) and hoardings being thrown around. They need to grow up.

Completely agree. The stewards provoked and behaviour wouldn't have followed if they hadn't provoked. HOWEVER, the following behaviour was disgraceful and unacceptable

Cunts are cunts, regardless of which 'side' they're on. They should all be dealt with accordingly.

Hi All
TrustSTFC and Official Supporters Club joint Press release based on the events of the Stevenage game. https://truststfc.tv/joint-statement-from-truststfc-and-official-supporters-club-on-recent-events-at-stevenage/

Thanks

Sounds to me like a bunch of counts just looking for a cheap frill.

I don't feel the need to chip in to cover the damage

Sorry, but I do.   Isn't that what a forum is for ??,  Or are you just looking to increase your posts ??.

Sorry but that statement is pathetic, full focus on the minority of mindless idiots and largely glossing over the actions of the stewards and just adding more publicity to the matter. You’re meant to be more focused on our supporters so rather than releasing a half baked statement how about wait on the full circumstances to become apparent so at least there is some balance. It’s become apparent from other sets of supporters over the weekend that Stevenage have Stewards that clearly aren’t fit for the job and more focus needs to be put on that.

There seems to constantly be statements for the sake of statements at the moment from all things STFC related!

Not sure I follow. I didn't attend the match.  I noted the reference to some form of go fund me whip round. I commented that I will not add to the coffers. Isn't that what the forum is for?

Why should decent, responsible fans cough up for the actions of a few knuckle draggers?

Stevenage can fuck right off.

Take the money out of the stewards wages

That statement works fine in a ‘we do not condone this behaviour’ way, and is necessary for the trust and osc to probably comment on that. They address the apparent stewards behaviour, but it’s shouldn’t take away from the central message I.e. don’t be a dick

The idea of a crowdfund to pay for the repairs and fines is a bit silly

Frankly appalling one-sided statement from the Supporters Trust. Is this what we should expect from both the Trust and Supporters Clubs, a mouthpiece to the club now?

Really not impressed with any of how this has been handled and before anyone has a pop, I'm not condoning the behaviour of those that reacted!!

Sorry mate, didn't read back, and should have done.  Thought you were referring to ' chip In' as in regarding comments,  not funding.  With you 100% they can fuck.off.

Does that mean that Brovers paid for the seats they ripped out and threw on the pitch at the County Ground a few seasons ago ??.

I was at the match. As others have said, the stewarding left a lot to be desired (and it seems like they have ‘previous’) but it’s like that at plenty of grounds that I’ve been to. That’s no excuse for our knobhead fans to act like knobheads, though. The sentiment in the joint statement is about right and I understand why it has been made but I don’t feel inclined to put my hand in my pocket (again) if they decide to go with the crowd-funding suggestion.

A few seats were damaged and some rubbish and advertising hoardings thrown around. We hardly need a go funding page for that. Surely the club have apologised and can pay for a few seats to be replaced. The fans that caused the damage are still idiots though

Apart from the gofund me part it is spot on.

Yeah I agree with this. A suggestion that I, as someone that is able to attend a football match without the necessity to break and throw seats, advertising hoardings or rubbish bins about when at an away match to pay for the people that did is a bit of a nonsense really. 

I don’t feel the need for you to tell everyone about your moral stance that 99% of people would agree with and who’d say nothing about it.

My friend, that's a hot take. If no one says anything, the TEF will be a dull place. 

So the stewards can do what they want with fuck all consequences. So next game they get bolder etc. Town should withhold all money until such time as Stevenage have investigated their stewards.
Town fans should be encouraged to contact the club and it would be nice if the supporters club, trust and club took up the case I stead of rolling over.

‘Hot take?’ WTF?

It’s two separate issues. I don’t understand why they need to be treated as one and the same - and the club acknowledge that the stewarding is being investigated by both teams in the press release

Sorry Alex yours definitely wasn't a penalty even if ours was questionable!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bf-1KbKdGj0&t=282s

An Alta Vista search may assist in decoding this

I’ve seen the clubs Twitter output blamed for whipping fans up in to a frenzy over recent weeks, culminating in Saturdays events. I don’t think that person was joking either  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Hi. Firstly, what a great game of football and a fair result I think.

Re your support. I thought it was fantastic, really vocal and hugely contributed to the atmosphere. Made the atmosphere in many ways actually.


Last five mins was just a bit bizarre from where I was seated (in the north stand opposite). Disappointing to see the seats and hoardings come down but I was with my five year old boy and other than the flares, he was oblivious to it. After the game we walked through your support coming out and there was nothing in the air, no ill feeling or menace about. If anything I detected some of your fans almost looking a bit sheepish. But they didn’t need to be.

Don’t be hard on yourselves, shit happens.

I thought it was a bit odd that the fella who scored your penalty (Payne?) slid in celebration in front of Boro fans. I wasn’t aware of him getting any stick and in my experience that’s a bit provocative but there you go. No big deal.

As for stewarding, it’s always a different experience when you’re away and it sounds like we had a few twats amongst them but I was just surprised that we didn’t see a line of half a dozen old bill walk out as that normally keeps a lid on it. It became apparent that there weren’t any old bill at the ground though!

Anyway, best away support we’re likely to see this year  :clap:

The go fundme was being considered but on reflection we wont be progressing with this any further. Thanks for all feedback.

Fair assessment. Your goalscorer did the whole cupped ear to our fans. Que Sara.

Yeah, I thought that was pretty unnecessary as he got no stick whatsoever from our lot as far as I could tell. But like you say, whatever...

Thanks for the comments Stevenage Fan, always interesting to get a different perspective...

I think the old bill had money on the gypsy horse and trap grand national.
They were more interested in that than the football.😂

Quite.

Ha, fucking ha!

I imagine ours in in the post also. I suspect our rap sheet might be longer given the broken seats and smoke cannisters thrown onto the pitch etc.

So I'm late to this but don't Stevenage like most football clubs have CCTV? I'm hardly one for the surveillance state but is this situation not precisely what that is for?

Find the tossers who can't behave and slap them with a nice fine or a ban instead of penalising the rest of the fans/club. Whether that be Stevenage or Swindon.

Anyone who was there can request a copy of the footage. Might be worth a go.

The stewards I spoke to after the game said that there was CCTV in the away stand and anyone found guilty would get banned - although not sure whether this means banned from future Stevenage matches or STFC games. Clem said in the call with Vic on Monday that they would likely get a first and final warning and would then be banned so I assume the footage will be shared with STFC to make their decisions.

Wouldn't Stevenage also pass it to Inspector Knacker to pursue criminal damage charges?

I presume so.

Indeed and awfully quick. Yet when we needed some answers regarding a pending VC...incredibly radio silent (I know Vic did the "On The Sofa" thing the other).

Still not happy how the Trust essentially blanked us on that matter yet were very quick to tell us that Doris, 93 from Eldene can still be able to get a Matchday programme!

I’ve always wondered how they enforce a banning order.

Like if they’ve got your name and address and you have to book tickets in advance I get how you couldn’t use your own name.

But then you could just get a mate to buy it. Do the people on the turnstiles have a mug shot of all those banned? How does that work in say winter if you tried to enter with a big coat, scarf and hat?

...and if you were a Town fan and banned & had mugshots on the CG turnstiles then how would that be enforced at away games?

Do STFC send mugshots of banned people to the away teams before a game?
...and say you had a complete banning order as a Town fan and you decided to go say Southampton Vs Leeds - how on earth would they know you were banned?

You are banned

I suppose you are totally dependant on stewart recognition. Sometimes away stewards go to away games don't they? No idea if they are legally enforceable and its more likely that you would only be in big trouble if caught doing something when banned. If you were banned and changed your ways you may not ever get noticed

If you have a season ticket that would be cancelled - you could also not buy tickets on line.
I guess the point is that if you get into the ground having been banned and are caught doing something wrong the punishment is increased because you have breached the ban.
If you get in whilst banned and do nothing wrong presumably they don’t find out you’ve breached the ban unless you or someone else publish the fact somewhere - I suspect someone banned for breaking advertising hoardings might be stupid enough to post on Facebook that they went to a game while banned.

They wouldn't know if you were at another game but if it was a Town game they send it to their local police in the lead up to the game

And presumably they'd travel to certain away games just to spot people on banning orders/known troublemakers.

They check the cctv in and around the County Ground too, although that doesn't mean you'll get caught. I met someone at a game years ago and only thought after that his bam wouldn't have finished by that point.

Swindon always had one or two specific Police/Football Liason Officers that travel to every game and have a full knowledge of fans that are banned and keep an eye on them, they also now use social media to clues/pointers.

It does make sense that Swindon send a group of their own stewards to games as we used to do for many games in the early to mid 90s, especially when we are playing at small clubs whos level is not always the same as ours, especially whent hey are overwhelmed by so many travelling fans to a point they cannot cope so well.

Good on the club....

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E-3NkYGXsAkoZv2?format=jpg&name=medium)

Excellent, absolutely the right thing. This should get national press coverage.