Thetownend.com

We go again  :)

We should beat this lot. Lowish crowd though.

Swindon 3-2 Harrogate att: 8,117 (128 away)

Venks was telling me they were a park the bus team last night. Niggly and time wasting from the off.

Then we got onto Crewe, which feels like it was last season but was in fact only November.

1-0 - This time we break down the negativity
Austin, 78th minute
att 8510, 96 away

Comfortable 3-0

Agree with the lower crowd predictions, somewhere around 8400 perhaps.

As for the score, I'd like to think we have enough about us to win this one even if we're without Khan and FBT. I'll go for a 2-1 win.

Swindon 2 Harrogate 0 Att: 8,640 (78 away fans)

I cant see past a defeat again currently with the players available.

Harrogate will come and pack the defence and hit us on the break, as so many teams have done successfully against us this season (and last).

They will get numbers behind the ball and soak everything we throw at them with their huge experienced centre back Tom Eastman, the sort of lump we need at the back at times, and their keeper who is also pretty experienced Mark Oxley always plays well against us and in his 5 previous games has never been on a losing side vs Town.

Last night vs Grimsby they drew 0-0 at Grims and had 4 shots and 1 on target vs Grims 15 shots and 8 on target, and 1 corner vs the Mariners 7.

These are the comments from Grimsby fans about it, I think they show us what we can expect.

No idea on crowd but I will guess at...

Swindon 1-2 Harrogate with 8,711 and just 33 Gate fans there.

If we lose this I’ll eat my own shit

Piece of piss.  4-1.

I'll believe you did it, do not post the pics

(I think you're safe)

One bloke, two cups?

Ahh Harrow Gate...head says a 0 - 1 loss or a draw.

However heart says Town will go intensity lead and get themselves ahead and maybe win with the tea quaffers having no reply.

2 - 0  (Austin 26, Cain 45+2 - Free Kick)
Att: 10,301 - 106 tea swiggers
BTTB
Someone dressed as a Moonraker to start a fight with Rockin' Robin and winning. Gets instated as the new and more preferable mascot.
Garlic Bread thrown on the pitch.
DV 'teabagged' by some nice away fans?
Three draws is a win. But two wins is six draws. Eat my goal Luke Warm.
Despite back to back wins, Morris resigns after the match. Leaving Town a point off the POs.
SdM takes charge as Interim Boss.

Enjoy the ride  ;)

We've not won consecutive league games since October, and consecutive games in any competition since September. Would like to break that run please.

Tomlinson fit for Saturday apparently

Well that’s got to be a bonus.  Need all the fit bodies we can get.

I'm pretty sure there are some people on here that love this sort of thing so i'm going to ask.

Let's make an assumption that Tomlinson, FBT, and Williams are fit and as we know RHM comes back in after suspension and Khan begins his 5 games out.

What's the line-up?

Morris has said not but guess we will see - FBT out for 5/6 weeks.

FBT is out for 5/6 weeks

Sheeeeeit. Khan and FBT out at the same time is... not good.

               Brynn
Hutton Brennan Clayton Iandolo
             Cain Kadji
     Wakeling McEachran Darcy
               Austin
     

It's not... strong. And the bench is grim.

FBT being out that long is a travesty.

Oh really? Yeah that's not good at all is it. Just read the presser notes -

"We've got Tomlinson and Devine back in training. They're not ready to play, but it's pleasing to see how the pair of them have trained, considering the spell they've had out.

Shade is looking fitter and fitter, but he still has a bit of work to do in terms of working a bit harder and doing a bit more. Sometimes, you can be worried about reaggravating a hamstring injury, but he'll get there.

Blake-Tracy injury is pretty bad. He'll be out for five to six weeks with a medial ligament injury (knee). Not the worst it can be, but Morris knows from experience that it can fool you into thinking you're fitter than you are."

It’s lucky we didn’t get rid of the only experienced centre back at the club on deadline day isn’t it.
Oh.

Yeah, medial ligament injury is his knee, Morris said it could have been worse but they won't rush it.

Lucky Top Deck didn't get a replacement.

First goal is key in any of our games.

I was amazed we recovered v Salford on Saturday.

Harrogate sound like organised spoilers, so if we concede it will be a struggle.

Season over.

I'm sure it's going to be an absolutely miserable and frustrating game to watch. Sounds like Harrogate are going to shithouse it right from kick off and I wouldn't be surprised if they got a goal from a defensive cock up. 1-0 to Harrogate

In all fairness, I'm not sure coming out of the transfer window with a plan of using your most consistent left back as your right sided centre half was ever a good idea anyway.  FBT being injured should only be a problem because Tomlinson is out as well.

Totally this.

I said this the other week that in essence FBT was MacDonalds replacement and Tomlinson was FBTs replacement but was told that I was categorically wrong and that wasn’t the clubs plan at all & obviously Sandro messed up somewhere by not signing an experienced CB replacement for MacDonald because his spreadsheet doesn’t do experience or something & that FBT couldn’t be anyone’s replacement because he was already here despite the fact since the window he’s been playing in MacDonalds position.

Isn't Harries due back in March or has he had a setback🤔

Either approach was folly - letting AM go on the proviso we thought a left sided, relatively inexperienced (football league level) left back was a good replacement for an experienced right sided centre back would be bad recruitment policy.  Letting AM go, thinking you would replace him, and then not managing to do so would be bad recruitment policy.

MacDonald wasn't even that great a player, but he was at least semi competent and had games under his bel to call upon when placed in tricky situations.

Tomlinson was injured - signing him as an immediate replacement is clearly stupid.  edit: not saying signing him at all was stupid, he's someone I like the look of.  Just not someone we should have been counting for the here and now.

Regardless of the intent vs what happened, none of it is good business.

Austin was the only bit of immediate impact good business we did and it seems likely that was because Clem met him in Aus.

Behave.  Minturn would be a better option I think, at least we would get to see if he can cut the mustard for the longer term.

Brennan and Clayton will be the outcome, but's riddled with inexperienced risk.  Hopefully they rise through adversity and all of this can be chucked in the rubbish bin of fans ridiculous rantings.

I know that but it's how Sandro see's things that matters🤣

In agreement it was bad business, not disputing that.
Just think the outcome was exactly what the club planned to do.
MacDonald out - FBT in as replacement CB - Tomlinson in as replacement LB.

If so it's even more clueless than anyone gave them credit for.   

TBH Stinks to me of a panic fire sale, all big earners off the books, (Williams was being pimped about too), and fuck promotion in the arse.   Which also makes absolutely no sense given impact on player values and season ticket sales and gate receipts of a 15th place finish in league 2 and finishing the season with a whimper, (probably). 

I don’t think Williams was being pimped out? We turned down offers…

Perhaps but let’s not forget 95% of our fanbase didn’t rate MacDonald till this month & were happy to see him go.

I still don't :rate" him.  He is a L2 competent defender with experience.  I though a club like ours should aim for better.  I still also think that letting him go was nuts, because he is still the best we had.  Same for Gladwin and Reed - they may not be world beaters, they may have been in periods of dodgy form, but they are better than what we have to fill their boots - for NOW.

Evidence for this assertion?

Worth noting that both Reed and Gladwin are currently injured.

Was there any update on RH-M? Thought he was getting close again now. Possible bench on saturday?  :hmmm:

Great players though both Gladwin and Reed have been at times, I was happy enough to see them moved on.  I was enjoying the increased pace of our build ups under Gav.

Neither would have been much use as central defenders for sure.  Selling MacDonald without a strong replacement was suicidal.

Take one look at L2 and you need to be able to be authoritative in the sometimes grubby basics of defending.  And especially if you have relatively inexperienced central defenders as partners. 

MacDonald's lack of elegance or comfort on the ball was slightly disappointing for one who had played at a higher level - and worth a forum quibble.  But he remains an almost season defining loss so far as the run in is concerned.

Sandro himself yelled it as he emptied his bollock over my arse

Did I imagine it, or did someone say that he really didn't want to be here  and was making it very obvious he wanted out to the extent of not acting particularly professionally?

He was suspended, he's now not suspended so should be back in the squad I would have thought.

Think it's maybe a different reddit forum thing you should be on?

There were certainly rumours, although it was unclear whether this was chicken or egg; was he unhappy he was being pushed out or being pushed out because he was unhappy to be here.

https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/news/2022/july/swindon-complete-deal-for-macdonald/

It was a bit of a curious one with Angus Mac. I had to look back in the archives but he was brought in on a 2 year deal, presumably on half decent money and was club captain. We heard rumblings about him being unsettled/disruptive behind the scenes, something must have happened for us and him to tear up the remaining 1.5 years of his contract to allow him to move to Aberdeen. Not even getting an undisclosed fee for an asset when our director of football is so vocal about making money on players is curious. Perhaps we do get some compo from Aberdeen as part of the way the 'deal' happened. Similar to what Sutton are looking to do if we ever sign Ward.

As we always say, nothing is very straight forward around these parts!

Attempt at a likeup...

                Brynn
Hutton Brennan Clayton Iandolo
             Cain Kadji
   RHM McEachran Wakeling
               Austin

Options on the bench: Darcy did well against Salford as an (enforced) impact sub but wouldn't rush to play him for the full 90. Not sure if Williams is available. Jephcott could also be in consideration but probably only if Morris saw a tactical advantage of playing two up top with a diamond midfield. Other than that we've not got a lot have we... Aguiar, Adeloye, a half-fit Shade and the kids.

I'll give Adeloye some credit, his finishing looked sharp in the warm up at Salford. Would love to see him grab another goal soon and build up a bit of confidence.

                 Brynn
Hutton Brennan Clayton Iandolo
             Kadji
     RHM     Cain       McEachran
            Austin Wakeling
 
Think it might be too narrow and weak in the middle?

edit alternate:


                       Brynn
        Brennan   Clayton  Minturn
 Hutton                                   Iandolo
              Cain  Kadji  McEachran
                 Austin  Wakeling

Ugh, this is difficult

When Greer went to Brighton (yes, I’m mentioning that again) the same rumours went around about him being disruptive and a bad influence in the dressing room. Unprofessional etc etc.

Yet, now - a long time after the incident. Everyone from that team (play off final to relegation) have all said on various podcasts words to the effect that losing Greer completely split the dressing room, took away the leader and took away a lot of the professionalism.

I think fans like to lean on ‘bad attitude’ to make themselves feel better about rubbish transfers - so the player becomes the enemy rather than the club.

That probably the best we have and looks like a team with goals in it..... for Harrogate sadly.

They took 100 fans on an 85 mile trip to Grimsby, last season they brought 41 for their first ever trip to Swindon while they occupied 7th place in the table, this seaosn they sit in 21st place. They took only 87 Salford for a 57 mile trip and took 21 to Colchester.

Cant see them breaking 50 let alone 100!

 

I wonder if McEachran could play deeper in the holding two and Darcy come in at #10

The difference (ignoring that Greer was a far better player) is that Greer was sold for a decent fee - not enough to make it a good idea, but enough that you could sort of see the logic. MacDonald was shipped out on what seems to be at best a free, if not even us paying him off. We don't know that, but he tore up an 18 month contract and joined Aberdeen on a shorter one, normally that would require some financial pay-off unless he REALLY wanted out and was happy to give up the guaranteed money.

To a point I'm kinda surprised there hasn't been more said (by the club, the manager etc.) about the circumstances involved in releasing our captain six months after signing and without any clear reason why as he was in the team every week. Makes me wonder if it might have been a personal circumstances thing, but it's not like Aberdeen is closer to home.

In the absence of any actual information, there are always going to be rumours I guess, it's just pick your own poison whether MacDonald was a bad boy (explains his previous romantic attachments) or Sandro just wanted anyone over 25 out of the club on a point of religious doctrine.

In fairness my only reason for comparison was the rumours about said player as and when they were leaving.

The fact they were both our best defender, captain, experienced pro and season defining transfers is just co-incidence

Angus McDonald, of the clan McDonald, course it is...  ;) :D

I'm not doubting you, but I don't remember that at the time.

I do remember though thay many of us thought Cuthbert was the better player that season. And as it turned out as soon as Greer left he went down hill.

I understand the sentiment/comparison, but Hasney Aljofree would be more of a suitable comparison than Greer I think.



Bigger picture is, we fucked it in the window and now we’re painfully short. Adrian Mariappa would be good wouldn’t he? go and get him sharpish 👀….

…..and we find the club in the same division as this shit week in and week out.
So frustrating.

I don't think McDonald is that much of a wanker is he?

Ability / talent wise sure.
Aljofree wasn’t ever considered our best defender, let alone when we let him go.

Greer’s probably the best centre half I’ve seen for us  (Showing my age here), Angus was very average at times, but fucking hell we do miss him.

Depends who you ask 👀 players seemed to get on with him just fine.

Was McDonald considered our best defender before he left, it seem to be after his departure that he has been elevated to that level?

Aljofree had pretty much alienated the fan base before he left anyway, not sure anyone moruned his departure like they have with McDonald?

I considered him our best defender.
Cant speak for anyone else

I’d agree, but have also heard that he was a bit of a cunt around the club, but not necessarily with the other players.

Also was said he was dropped from the pikeys game because he refused to train.
I’m assuming based on that they let him go for free without paying him anything.
The biggest problem was not signing the CB from Spurs in the window. Also doesn’t help that our best two CB’s (if fit) are both left sided and don’t appear to be able to play together

Easily our best pure defender. Plenty of others in the back line have better attributes but there were none better at tackling, heading and interceptions imo. I wasn't that bothered about him leaving at the time, but I assumed we would be replacing with better. We didn't.

Sadly I have to agree, if we are talking about immediate performance needs.  Clayton probably is our best prospect and could easily become a far better player, but he needs a guiding hand.  Brennan and him are going to be looking to each other for help, which is a problem.

It's just such a poorly cobbled together squad - if having an automatic promotion chasing consistent team was the aim.  There may be two positions in the team where we have a first choice and a back-up who covers the same role as - Right Back (I rate Lavinier just ahead of Hutton) and Left Back (Tomlinson and FBT).  Everywhere else it's a random mess - Kahn has no other, Cain has no other, Austin has no other (Jephcott has none of the outside the box ability) and so on.  Even the first choice players are young and inconsistent, as you'd expect.

We will win 2-1

Of course he was, but primarily because of his experience.   You only have to look at the goals against column to see that is the case.

Aljofree offering out the fans after an away game at Stockport was a particular highlight. What a cunt.

I took a look at the match day thread for that one earlier (mainly for self indulgent reasons as I attended it on my stag and wondered what I had had to say about it), makes interesting (and strangely familiar) reading, generally nothing much seems to change. http://thetownend.com/index.php?topic=30972.0

FWIW our fans were fucking weird that day, but offering someone out in earshot of pretty much the entire away support really wasn't the best idea!

Fucking weird thread when nobody has the game to actually watch as it happens - all hail iFollow!

It’s just a continual rant.

Bloody hell I thought he had also picked up an injury as well?!

Cheers Mr Orange

Yeah but...IT's SWINDON TOWN  :D

Who's the reporter asking the questions lately🤔

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OLeCU_1LdhU

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8hQHBftNYE0

Just win please. Have a nice day everyone.

Dave.
5:13 in.

He's not a reporter.  It's Dave Wrixon the clubs media manager

Thought we might all 'enjoy' an STFC unavailable/coming back from injury XI:

Brann

Tomlinson
FBT
Harries
Baudry
Lavinier

Devine
Khan

Williams
Shade
RHM

Couple of stretches at the end there, but gives us the scale of the defensive difficulty at least

Cheers Pookemon I didn't know that. Have we always done two separate post match interviews with the manager as I've recently noticed Wrixon & Hawes ask the same questions.

This. 1000% this, on all these points.

New TEF tagline 25% football 80% rant.

TBF thats a better team than we have fielded in some games this season!

Quick start and an early goal needed today.
Otherwise it could become a grind & a not particularly pleasant experience to watch.

Just play with a bit more tempo.

Their Southampton loanee looks to be the main threat going forward.

Almost got my prediction right last week, correct scoreline but wrong scorers. So will go for a 3-1 win today with Austin getting two and Wakeling one with 8,760 in attendance. No idea how many will come from Harrogate and I don't really care. As someone else said on here a game like todays really hi lights the need for us to get out of this awful league.

 Not watching today. Hope it brings us luck!

Stains 0 BRovers 1 (pen)

I know it’s a choice between syphilis or gonorrhoea but I’m fine with this so far

Make that 0-2

The piss stains are on a rotten run of form, great stuff. It'd certainly make L2 better next year with that lot around.

It could happen they've played a minimum of 2 games more than the clubs below them.

Stains, Franchise, Nam & Vegans would be a great result to get relegated if we don’t go up.

I think Vegans is a certainty the rest is all to play for all we can do is hope unless we surprise ourselves and win ten of our remaining games and go up through the play offs😀

Anthony Grant co-commentating today!

Let's hope we do well then, he was... not great when we were bad.

He dosen't hold back!

Oh dear, came across as an absolute dick last time

He did and also sounded quite angry.

My favourite bit of commentary was last home gone when it was mentioned that Mansfield were winning and he said ‘yep, Louis Reed’ as if Mansfield winning was some how proof that letting Reed go was a mistake or that Mansfield were only winning because of Reed.

The same Louis Reed who is out injured and wasn’t even playing in that match that Mansfield went onto win 4-0 I think

Yep, Louis Reed

I may be wrong but haven't Clayton and FBT  only played 1 game as a central pair in a back four. Bit early to judge that "they can't play together" I think

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fp0Tw4oWYAAapJi?format=jpg&name=4096x4096)

All he went on about was himself and how much better we were when he was here. That might be true but totally irrelevant

…teams out.

We can play whose going to continue the incredibly poor run of discipline under Morris and get sent off for violent conduct.

Huttons turn this week I think.

Spot on and not sure what his beef was about

As opposed to what I was expecting,that's not too bad! Decent bench too

Tomlinson on the bench is good. A left back wearing #7 is a travesty.

No 7 is the old fashioned right winger😀

Christ that's a small, small team. McEachran, Williams and Cain in midfield. No doubt for one second we'll be better on the deck, but Brennan, Austin and Clayton must be the only people over 6ft and Clayton must be close.

Looks like a 4-3-3.

That’s what you get when you hire a 5ft 5 manager!!
Our team probably looks tall to him.

This always annoyed me with Joao Cancelo.

Its nice to have Tomlinson back for sure. And yes the bench has a fair bit of experience other than Copland in goal.

Seems to naturally line up with McEachran and Cain playing the slightly more defensive roles in midfield, McEachran probably playing more the box to box roll. If fit I think I would have prefered Kadji instead of Cain in the defensive midfield roll though.

                     Brynn
Hutton   Brennan   Clayton    Iandolo
          McEachran    Cain
                   Williams
Wakeling        Austin              RHM

Must say I somewhat detest how any number is literally given out to any player these days.
The Wolves keeper who worn #11 ffs

Chelsea right back Khalid Boulahrouz wearing #9 ffs

Vincent Pericard playing upfront in #5

Ossie Ardiles wore number 1 in the 1978 and 1982 world cup for Argentina ;)

This season we've seen Ellis play AML wearing 3.

We have seen him play number 3 and hes not a left back ;)

Not a bad team for today, if they keep it mostly on the ground when they can.

We have?!?

We will keep it on the ground, highly doubtful that Harrogate will play that way though!

Always felt William Gallas wearing 10 for Arsenal was an insult to Bergkamp as well. Shouldn't be allowed!

Ended 0-3 to the Sags, only 8,437 bothering to turn up too, KR must be on his last legs surely.

Last 8 games LLLDLLL, lost 4 consecutive home games and only scored 3 goals in the last 8 conceding 15! I love it!

Arkell's looks a fair bit emptier than last time round, although still a very healthy number.

No PA system in the DRS today, just had to guess there was a 1 minute silence. Shambles.

Based on the first minutes alone, we're going to break possession records today. Let's hope we do something it.

It does, I counted the Harrogate fans, looks like there are 35 up there at the moment.

Need to have more box entries than Casanova today. ;)

Home fans booing and shouting forward after four minutes. Terrific. It is very, very sedate to be fair.

WTF seriously? booing us already for passing the ball around? I fucking despair.

I don't see the tactical value of pointless side to side like that.

We go forward and score!
Co-incidence I think not

1-0 RHM

Have it! RHM 1-0!

Big early ball forwards from Ellis to Wakeling, Hutton runs onto the knockdown, cross, goal. Lovely stuff, although I'm not actually sure where our main centre forward was because he literally wasn't in the picture throughout!

We all get a bit fed up of the sideways passing but booing the team 5 mins into a game and we arent even losing? seriously?

Loverly

We scored 2 minutes later, so it obviously worked

Hoping this opens the game up.

Ellis has put a couple of very dangerous long passes/balls forwards here, long may it continue

1st really good cross from Hutton in weeks and it pays off, great header by RHM against a much bigger marker.

Lovely cross and great finish

RHM nearly beats his man again on the wing, looking lively when they get the ball to him.

He crossed for Wakeling's goal last week, no?

Yeah, I like the bloke but he was more interested in other scores. Really bad.

I will be quite happy to keep passing the ball sideways and win 1-0.

He did but TBH Wakelings finish made the goal not so much the cross. Unlike today.

Awful numbering.

A yellow card for an obvious tactical foul taking out Wakeling when he was on the break, that's a good sign from the referee.

The wife who is not a football fan but hears the commentary every game loved his meanderings last time and asked can we get him back every game! she kept saying hes gonna say "fuck" soon...but he didn't!

Khalid Boulahrouz took number 9 at Chelsea, I remember. Was a defender. Milan Baros number 5 as a striker as well.

Its just yuck.

That is taking the fucking piss.

Ossie can do as he pleases.

Daring to cross the ball as well.

High foot on McEachran there.

Yellow for the Gate player.

Brennan played a great ball down to Wakeling and he wins a corner.

I think the thing that gets me with the passing at the back is, I get it if it's the simple ball and keeps possession going, trying to pull the opposition out of shape, but even when it isn't that simple a ball, we seem to prefer the ball backwards to an equally difficult ball forwards. At least one of our defenders isn't particularly comfortable on the ball, so it seems like it's asking for trouble.

20 mins and 75% possession, seems to be the way the game is going to continue.

I pressume you mean Brennan, who ironically has played one of the best 2 passes of the game to Wakeling!

But yes in the main I agree.

Brennan is improving well

Gate have a shot but its an easy save for Brynn.

Longer passes though, it's his short passing that worries me!

A bit Conroyesque.

3rd yellow of the game for them for a foul on RHM.

We've still only had one shot for all our possession

Not sure Harrogate are finishing this game with ten men. They're not that dirty, just a yard off our pace and putting in late, clumsy tackles as a result which the referee is not having.


You could have posted this in about 80% of matchday threads this season and it would have been relevant!

Creepies getting dicked at home, 3 down already!

And a 'bit' dirty too TBH.

And the other 20% we would have had none on target ;)

It's not Stevenage-esque nasty, leaving a foot in stuff though is it, it's just the tackling of a team who are not nearly as good as the player they're trying to tackle.

Lindsey out😀

I like this ref, hes spotting pretty much everything so far.

Crawley 3-0 down with 62% possession. Absolutely classic Lindsey areas!

 :clap: :clap:

Wakeling misses a great chance.

The ball from Cain to Hutton was absolutely lovely.

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e2/f3/12/e2f3120613ddcf05a955f342c0c7fca7.gif)

Nobody is Stevenage (or Cowleys Lincoln) for being dirty nasty niggly bastards. harrogate just know that other teams have bullied us into submission and are trying to do that as often as they are able to catch us.

Cain looking more like the player we were told he was today so far.

Morris Out!  :girlgiggle:

RHM is very loose and chaotic. Makes him really fun on the ball but his support play when the opposition have the ball is pretty poor, loses the ball and gives away quite a number of fouls. Think his natural role is likely to be as a sub unless he tightens that up.

Lindsey ball settling in well near Gatwick airport as predicted. How many box entries?

How on earth did we concede three to these? My word.

0-4 now

I think when everyone is fit both him and Shade are both so unpredictable and fast that they would be great options to change things from the bench.

The thought had crossed mind mind, although Hawes said that only 5 of the 22 players that started that game have started this one, so it's basically two entirely different teams.

2-0 RHM

Slowest goal crossing the line ever.

RHM with a scrappy second. They all count!

Whisper it quietly, but Ellis is having a stormer.

He's doing ok😀

Get in there, finally we are coming out on top against some cloggers!

Honestly this could be any score we want, they look dreadful at the back.

Not sure I would say a stormer but hes having his best game in ages, looking like the player he sometimes promises to be, long may it last.

I know it goes both ways when it comes to the team giving a good product and the atmosphere, but fucking hell, you’d hate to be a Swindon player at the CG. Booed for one pass back, no atmosphere whatsoever. Fully aware we’re mid table in League Two and the atmosphere has been poor for many years, but blimey, we must have one of the worst home supports in the FL!

Slower than Shade's?😮

Wonder how that relationship with the fans is coming on. Bet he walks straight down the tunnel and doesn't look the post match interviewer in the eye.

Brennan stays down, that's not good. Surely we can't have *another* defensive injury?

Easily! proper scuff but it went in :) thats all that matters!

This looks bad for Brennan who was playing well TBF.

The first was slow, the second was even slower.

do do dooo

another one bites the dust


Brennan popped shoulder

Brennan’s going to be out for weeks now, down to Minturn as our last centre back option. If we lose him or Clayton we literally have no one else who can play there. How has it come to this?!

Is our defensive training just smashing mirrors with black cats or something? FBT, Baudry, Harries, Devine, Lavinier all out with Tomlinson and Clayton just coming back from their own long term injuries.

No L2 squad would look good with six or seven defensive injuries. It's just incredible.

Centre Half's graveyard

Where’s Minturn?

Both proper goalpoachers finishes, slow but precise, hes making up a bit for the pathetic sending off a few weeks back.

Agree on the first, second one looked a bit scuffed to me, but it'll absolutely do.

I'm beginning to dislike Grant. Which is a shame, 'cause I loved him as a player

We're about to see Ellis Iandolo, centre back. Poor guy, having a decent game and he'll get moved again.

The replay looked like his elbow rather than shoulder as he hit the floor hard.

Chuck Jephcott in there

Has to be Kadji surely? to CB.

Took it off of Austin's toe almost too so had to score to avoid a mouthful.

Surprised no Minturn on the bench.

It is him coming on. Will be interesting to see if it's a direct swap, he's got the size for it.

Luckily this game is about as soft an introduction for a centre back as you could reasonably hope for.

That is Brennan done for the season - 6 weeks minimum for a popped shoulder - by the look of how smooth they are moving, it is still out and perhaps they were struggling to get it back in

So close to Austin for a 3rd there, off his toe.

McEachran's corners are delightful.

So far I would say McEachran is an upgrade on Reed.

HT 2-0

Solid if not inspiring. Gate look very very poor.

thought that was scrappy

but at 2-0 who cares

Decent half, albeit against pitiful opposition. Most pleasing thing is that some of our fringier players have been our best performers - Iandolo, Cain, RHM. Williams and Austin (aside from one excellent pass, oddly from left back) haven't done much, but we're still coasting it.

If there are two teams in the division worse than Harrogate are now, they must be woeful. And with that, to check the score at Crawley...  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

How bad does it have to get until we can apply for an emergency loan with a straight face? Not just for goalkeepers surely.

I think I read the wording in the laws a while back. It was literally in place for GKs only.

Fuck.

Harrison Minturn, come on down...

There must be a serviceable free agent CB somewhere?

*22-23 Reed

We really can’t trust him if he can’t get a place in the squad with no other fit CBs at the club.

Of the 11 pro defenders on the books:

2. Remeao Hutton - miraculously uninjured
3. Ellis Iandolo - fit after a long spell out at the start of the season
4. Tom Clayton - coming back from injury
6. Mathieu Baudry - season ending injury
7. Joe Tomlinson - coming back from injury
18. Reece Devine - your guess is as good as mine, but injured all season
20. Frazer Blake-Tracy - injured for six weeks
22. Marcel Lavinier - injured for a while yet it seems
26. Cian Harries - injured till March
31. Harrison Minturn - probably fit, but not picked even bearing in mind the above
34. Ciaran Brennan - now injured

Never seen anything quite like it.

The good news is I could play CB in the second half and we should still win this game.

Yes and latter half of 21-22 Reed after the silly sending off vs Sutton when he never really regained his form.

Agreed. This season's Reed

Some bloke went to the toilet in the Arkells and could here Brennan screaming in the tunnel. Ouch.

What position is Devine meant be?

LB?

Left back.

Poor old Creepy 4 down at home with 65% possession, Carlisle had 5 shots on target and 4 went it!

As an aside, I’m sweating on a Crewe win for a very nice acca

Bit of a mystery how he hadn’t been snapped up before.

Look forward to Lindsey's post match interview🤣

Pretty sure it was said he was injured until around October/November and was training at Cheslea to regain his fitness.

I do sometimes wish we wouldnt fuck around at the back so much.

Sometimes?

Must be bad if the shoulder can't be popped back in on the pitch.

Looked like a 3-4-3 on the change.

Back to a 4 on restart.

Onus is on Harrogate.

Edit: Wakeling looking like a part time WB.

Good chance for Austin but his unmarked cross cant find anyone in the middle.

I’m surprised it wasn’t Tomlinson on at LB and Iandolo in to CB just because versatility

The only thing I can think of is that Iandolo is playing quite well and Morris didn't want to disrupt that.

How did Austin not score there?

How's the back four lined up now? From reading it seems like this....

Hutton Kadji Clayton Iandolo

Is that accurate?

That's it.

Pretty much that yes.

Interesting.

Hope they ask about Minturn in the press conference, seems odd he isn't in the squad considering our non-existant options

Att: 8,683 (73 Harrogate)

Your count of 35 was a bit out then!

Not bad, considering.

No question. Quality player. Get him in longer term.

We have a year's option, which is good.

Save by Brynn, low and easy.

Kadji (naturally) getting drawn out of position a lot so far.

That wasn't a bad guess if I may say so😀

Arguable he's at least comparable to the original version. He's come in to a struggling side and been a shining light. Reed was good when the going was good.

(https://i.postimg.cc/C1ctJ0dS/332390416-989247035379161-591208931412716398-n.jpg)
Never 73 there!

46

I can only count 43

Andre Wisdom in the directors box the other week. God knows how fit he is though.

Clearly 30 of them gone to the loo.

I counted 35! :D

Think that includes their 1st 11, the subs, the coaches, the coach driver and the physio. 27 more there easy

Wakeling lucky that was only a yellow

There will be some in the directors box

Cash at the turnstiles 😀

Did I hear Hawes say before the game that Nick Watkins, once of this parish was a big Harrogate fan and is in the director's box today? Maybe they're including corporates!

Wakeling seems to have moved to left wing back which is... odd. 5 at the back?

He did indeed say that, it is possible.

Oh, Ellis.

Iandolo really got away with that there giving the ball away on the edge of our box.

Maybe it's safety in numbers, even if three of our centrebacks aren't normally playing that role

We've sat right off here, which if Harrogate weren't absolutely shite I'd be really nervous about.

Watch this bite me in the arse...

We need to be really careful here, we’ve let them back into this and look poor at the back as you’d expect.

I'm not sure we needed to make a formation change at ht, it feels like a change for the sake of it

Why are we letting them back into the game? they look shite, we look fairly disorrganised at the back, might be worth getting Darcy on the run at them which scares them when we do it.

Few fans in hospitality, maybe?

Nearly a great ball from Iandolo to Wakeling, so close.

Play Wakeling in defence for 5 minutes and he’s injured

Wakeling hurt. He's chased absolutely everything today, he's doing Austin's running for him and then his own on top. He's not the finished article but my god does he put in 100% every week.


Two weeks in a row you've made me laugh DV, something must be up!

Apologies for the echo in here. I'm keeping a healthy page behind distance for the IPTV delay.

What was it that amused you last week?

Austin seems to be playing much deeper this half, probably conserving his energy.

Tomlinson on for Wakeling.

This one...

Oh yeah.
I’m fucking hilarious, me…

He's been miles off the pace of this game throughout, was literally not in shot for our first goal. Plenty of credit in the bank and you'd keep him on the pitch for his finishing alone, but this game it's looked a bit like the run of games has caught up with him.

Kadji inches away from a great pass to RHM.

He’s going to score in a minute isn’t he!

Let's hope so!

Oggy oggy oggy

3-0

3-0 OG

I would give that to Tomlinson.

Phenomonal drive to get the ball from Tomlinson there.

Lets go for the kill and maybe get Adeloye another goal

Anthony Grant really does have a massively high opinion of himself doesn't he..  I had way too much man love for him as a player, not so much as a commentator

Just fucked my predictions league score up🤣

That was Tomlinsons goal. Fucking made up for him. Get in.

He’s an awful commentator isn’t he…

Anthony "I told you so" Grant. Massive egotist

He's scored on his debut again😀

I’m glad we gave Tomlinson such an attacking squad number.

He is indeed playing winger today :D

Still better than Hockaday tho..  :D

Lots of changes.

Darcy, Shade and Adeloye on for Austin, RHM and Williams.

So is me farting into a microphone.

No. And that's saying something!

I dunno.
Hockaday certainly doesn’t spend most of the game talking about Hockaday

Is Jephcott out of favour🤔

Darcy low shot, saved for a corner.

I like this ref, can we have him every week, hes actually been very fair and on top of everything, don't recall one mistake.

Cain shoots from the edge of the box but its too soft and over the bar, good chance.

Not mine! Reckon I might go top!

Iandolo has a shot from 30 yards, deflected for a corner.

4 mins added.

I didn't realise you were tucked in third! You've missed a few games as well😀

Kadji has grown into the match after his shakey start.

Darcy has had 3 really heavy touches since he came on. Way over hit passes.

Sadly,I've made zero pence!

Lovely pass from Adeloye to Shade there!

FT

Harrogate were bobbins
We were alright

Delighted to get the points. Huge test next weekend.

Defender injuries a real worry.

FT 3-0

Didnt look stressed, Harrogate pretty shit TBH.

Apart from the injury to Brennan,a satisfactory day's work

Still can't quite say I rate him, but his last few appearances have been a marked improvement. He looks like a pro footballer now.

Back to back wins Orient away next!

Excellent result.

Harrogate proper shite and pretty lucky Tuesday but 6 points from 6 in the circumstances is unreal.

Can't wait to go next week. Massive game

Fucking cunt bus driver, ditched me.

Fair play. Done what was needed the last 2 games. Tough run of fixtures now. Needed to be 6 from 6 leading into it. Patchwork defence for a while as well a worry.

You always have problems with the buses😀

Give JT a contract now

Yeah, fuck a year option. Get him signed.

Just angry because I ran and he still fucked off. Prick  ;D

Corner of Manchester Road bus stop

Fire station

Years ago a few of us used to run to get the bus from Manchester Road which we often missed🤣

First back to back wins since October, for what it's worth.

Actually thought the game was a tad scrappy.
But massively comfortable.

I'd settle for a load more of those for the rest of the season

Tomlinson looks like a mammoth upgrade on what we already have in that position. Love having a local lad in the first team too

Surely have to bring in a free agent centre back this week. As comfortable as today was, the first 15 minutes of the second half showed the second half back line wouldn’t cut it against better sides and orient are certainly that.

What did Morris say on the radio?

Morris wasn't happy with Town fans booing?

Good - it was quite frankly pathetic

So he’s figured out a fairly large element of our fans are twats then?

That was the first I had heard about it and as you say pathetic

 :clap: :clap:

He said he largely agreed with the sentiment behind the booing but not the actual physical act as it was too early in the game. He does however share the frustration of easy forward passes being turned down in favour of ‘safe’ backwards stuff.

.
https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/12820011/swindon-town-3-0-harrogate-league-two-highlights

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bCcKyDOWi-U

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

Couldn’t hear a ruddy thing out the PA system in The DRS pre match, caused a little confusion for the minutes silence as some didn’t know what was going on. Glad to see 6 months on from Aberdeen saying they were fixing it that clearly it’s not.

I assume it was Ukraine.
or was it Motty

who knows

it was weird. can't have been more than 10 minutes in.

Did they boo much under Lindsey when the football was dire?

 good to chalk up another win . Of course there are some sterner tests on the horizon

The booing was before we scored the first goal. I get it was frustrating with Brynn, Clayton, Iandolo and Brennan making the same passes, but I also appreciate that they're doing it to try and open up space and, as I'm not a moron, I didn't boo.

Maybe the boos were for you not booing?

he good news is we are starting to see a style of play and Morris certainly knows how to switch things up. I think with better players we get some much better performances from the team. Defence will cost is this year in my opinion but we are doing the best we can with that defence. Ellis Iandolo is 1 lucky footballer isn't he, probably about to be dropped and now required in a back 3 gain

Thought Wakeling did a good job defensively too 2nd half. Nice to see Kadji grow into the game 2nd half too, 19 year old playing out of postion

Is Harrison Minturn not available or is he at Chippenham still?

I sit behind the dugout and tbf Morris was going nuts himself as he wanted them to get rid alot earlier

I booed (at the radio) & then we scored, so I’m firmly claiming the assist

Bloody hell Quimbo, that wasn't bad a guess all round

I was in the town end and had a right bunch of dickheads in front of me, both adults and, quite frankly, children (obviously copying their dickhead adult relatives). They were yelling at Brynn and Clayton from the off. It was frustrating watching the passing round the back at times, but we were firmly in control and ahead, what good does calling these guys out by name do? I’ll tell you. Absolutely nothing. Maybe I’m being naive but I don’t understand the mentality

I impressed myself😀

I do like the fact that he openly says it’s a problem and doesn’t just laud pointless possession. If this was Lindsey he’d be salivating about pointless passing along the back, Morris just needs to break the bad habits that have been coached into the players.

Talking about Lindsey...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cctAr70r-OA&t=22s

Boo to the boo-ers

I was saying boourns

JM is the kiddie. Rate his post match interviews. Probably best since Wellens, which isn't saying a great deal.

Morris is absolutely right, idiots booing after 4/5 mins & “get it forward”.

He really is totally clueless isn’t he?! Again completely unable to even look at the interviewers after a defeat. Would love to know the real reason behind his appointment there as it it certainly wasn’t based on his managerial credentials. Lindsey combined with a defence with Conroy in was never going to end well, losing every header to someone whose 5ft 9 sounds very familiar.

Gerrrr iiiiii ffooorrrraaaaaaddd Tone!  :D

Good win today, obviously any win at present we will all gladly take but 3 - 0 is showing what Town should really be doing against sides like this. The clean sheet is a bonus, shame for Brennan as this game seemed like the perfect confidence builder but that will mean he'll come back even more hungry - obviously could be end of the season for him bit we might see him back by April.

Special mention to Ian, he isn't the greatest but essentially he is a utility player. We might say he's the luckiest player but to ask him to be shoehorned/tried in every position at almost very little notice is possibly an ok sign when things aren't ideal. He's certainly limited and is purely a ''squad'' player but in some ways I think Town are lucky to have him to call upon. He clearly is a player who needs a run of games (in the same position) and we saw what a more settled Ian is like the other season. Almost an anti-luxury player but i'm glad that Morris appears to have some patience with him.

Chuffed for RH-M coming back in and making an impact, there was nuanced improvement from Cain and Kadji did a job when he came on, of which again it was a lot to ask of given the circumstances.

Belter for Tomlinson coming back from injury with an unexpected cameo but nice to get some minutes under the belt. In an ideal world you'd give him 45mins next match but Morris may have to fast track him for a full match vs Orient. He gets the goal given to him based purely on being an absolute bright spark. Amazing how one player can bring some extra energy and without any mention of microwaves, synergy or box entries - well done that lad.

Let's make no mistake though, all you can do is win against what is put in front of you but there were still lots of errors and the game wasn't that great - despite the win. Against better sides (starting vs Orient), Town definitely would be punished and probably would either end up losing or draw at best.

Gotta take the improvements though, no matter how minor and although it still feels like Town might end up out of the places by a short neck or a nose, we can still believe that there is still something to genuinely play for for the rest of this season; just so long as the Wisdom from the powers that be in the boardroom aren't pinning everything on Antony Grant to shore up Town's run in... :hmmm:

 :pint: :pint: :pint:

was wakeling hamstring or cramp?

I think the former, hoping for letter

 :clap:

Ok, just because my recent knowledge for football isn’t a patch on what is was / still is from the 90s

After Joe Tomlinson yesterday - how many other players have scored on multiple debuts for the Town?

The only person that even springs to mind is Austin but that's on a technicality.

I thought Austin but his first goal for the club came in his first start.
He’d already made 3/4 sub appearances.

I checked Austin, Cox, Ajose, Doyle & Yates but all negative.

Both JTs debut goals came in February as well.

…obviously he’s a bit versatile and a very attack minded player but primarily a defender. Makes the feat very impressive.

How tf did we miss him…!!
He should probably be the long over due story of the local youth team lad done good

Longer term I'm wondering how and if we can fit Tomlinson and FBT in the same side, as they're likely going to be two of our best players next season.

Seems obvious Tomlinson left wing back and FBT left of a three.

FBT and Clatyon together as two left footers in a back four doesn't seem to work great but maybe Clatyon as the middle of a three and an experience right footed CB next to him, would work better.

It was 6 minutes in. Fucking pathetic. Of course its a bit frustrating seeing the backwards passing but to boo, 6 mins into the game, take yourself outside and give yourself a talking to whoever booed.

It for the victims from the last year in Ukraine.

Now we need to tie up a short term deal for an OOC centre back asap, Mariappa or Downing are 2 that spring to mind.

A few outside ones like Blackett, Wisdom, Semple, Dinzeyi, Nkumu, Thomas-Russell and Tobin several of whom have links to Chelsea could be options if we go down that route.

Mentioned Mariappa earlier in thread and I reckon thats the most sensible shout, hopefully we get it done before Orient

Technically you can only have one debut

Harrogate were poor but that said, its three points and back to back wins.

Fortunate to win at Salford, unlucky to get fuck all at Sutton, this was a fully deserved victory.

Missed the booing (and the first goal).

Easy for fans to delight in great play with cheers ad applause....bit tricky when you are frustrated with the tippy tap fucking about from Brynn out to defenders....we should of conceded last week from it. LEARN FFS!!

Booing is not the answer but neither is sending a letter to Morris pointing out the obvious.

The result was never in doubt.

Big old game next week, if we get anything out of that it will a right result.

I personally feel its gone with all the planets aligning ref suspension, injury and a wank January window...but i will be delighted to have this post rammed down my throat at the end of the season.

On a side note i popped into the Bug and Spider on the way home and met a fella that took his kids to see the Donny home game after a few years break....he said he wont go back..shame he picked that game!!

Loyal fan then  ::)

Got to love opposition managers view

‘We’d have got something if we hadn’t given away 3 goals’

 :twat:

True, but if he’d have been honest he would have said they would have got something if they weren’t so shit.

That said they weren’t much better at theirs and managed to beat us 3-0, just shows how poor we were that day

:Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

So you could have given away 2 goals and still got something? no!
So you could have given away 1 goal and got something? no!

Came for a 0-0 and got it other than the 3 goals we scored!

Any forum views from Harrogate fans?

I'd imagine it's a very short list.

If there were over 72 fans there, 70 must have pulled the "on shoulders, hide under long overcoat trick". Northerners and their thrifty ways.

i read on twitter the 72 included their squad and directors. makes sense as i counted around 40odd in the away end just before kick off.

another season of this sort of stuff to look forward to.

We counted 53, so assumed the others were disabled fans & carers

Straight from The book of Michael Owen.

Their forum hasn't had a post in about a year.

I didn't even get near that number, this pic taken 3 or 4 mins in courtesy of Batch.

Shall we write a post for you!? :)

Looks like a Vale following.

I had a picture with 49, and a group of four came in after.
But whatever way you look at it, nowhere near 73

 :D

Just hope we put an unbelievable run together and weasel our way into promotion somehow so we can avoid seeing away followings of 40.