Andy Cryer column

[magicroundabout]

SO the time for celebration has arrived. Town have new owners and all debts are about to be paid off - so why does that feeling of secrecy remain around the County Ground?

I am sure Mike Diamandis & co have deserved that drop of champagne they were enjoying in the early hours of Wednesday morning, but forgive me if I hesitate in raising a glass with them.

Don't get me wrong, this could - and should - be the positive news everyone has been waiting for after an era of financial disasters around SN1.

Payment of the CVA, getting rid of the club's debts and putting the club on a sound financial footing is exactly what people have been praying for for years.

But the feeble statement released by the club on Tuesday night has hardly put people's minds at rest.

Let's be honest - it revealed absolutely nothing.

advertisementBest Holdings appear to be a new company set up as a front for the new investors.

So after weeks of promising all will become clear, things remain as confused as ever.

What are these dynamic changes promised in past statements?

What sort of money are we talking about?

Why and who wants to invest in a club as financially troubled as Swindon?

I think we all hoped the answers would be forthcoming once the takeover was finalised.

But, in true Town style, we are left guessing and speculating, when really things should be crystal clear.

The manner of the announcement was also more a little strange to say the least.

Town's official media partner' Brunel FM revealed the takeover had been completed at the final whistle of Tuesday's clash with Charlton.

We were not the only people surprised - Town boss Paul Sturrock was also bemused by the news in a post-match press conference.

Surely a manager should be one of the first to be informed?

If it had been finalised why then was it not until past midnight that club directors came out of the boardroom declaring the deal had been done?

Another PR cock-up at the County Ground.

All it would take is a few details on what is going on and then perhaps everyone could rest easy knowing their football club is in safe hands.

At the end of the day it is the fans who matter.

It is the supporters who will still be here long after the manager, players and owners.

Surely they deserve better treatment?

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/columns/andycryer/display.var.1621691.0.this_doesnt_feel_as_good_as_it_should.php

[axs]

good lad!

[Give us an S]

Its good to see the adver speaking the voice of the fans. That article is spot on!!!

[stfctownenda]

I once again am very impressed by the content in an article from Andy Cryer.  Everything I have been thinking since Tuesday has been summarised brilliantly in that article, I have a new found respect for the adver these days!!    :bow1:

[Miles Mayhem]

i concur excellent piece

[janaage]

Excellent article.

This Andy Cryer is streets ahead of where John Ritson was viewing things from.

[Give us an S]

This Andy Cryer is streets ahead of where John Ritson was viewing things from.

Too right !!! Andy Cryer speaks his mind from a fans perspective. Legend!

[Ardiles]

Not a bad effort for a Bristol City fan.

[Chubbs]

Adver 3/4 - STFC Board 0

[wheretherealredsare]

Is he allowed to say "cock-up" in a family newspaper?  :jaw2:

[Phil_S]

I love the sub headline best.

Reads

Andy Cryer... on how Town have turned a promising development into a PR disaster.

This board have been incompetent to the end. This just underlines why they still must go. Please new owners kick them out ! You will gain instant respect from 90% + of the supporters.

[flammableBen]

"cock-up" isn't that bad is it?

He would have been perfectly justified in using any, or all of, "Rape", "Abortion", "Gang", "Cunt", "Mutilated",  and "Bloody" in any order to describe the quality of recent PR attempts.

I can understand why he went for the family friendly "cock-up".

[genf_stfc]

i think 'cock-up' actually derives from trying to fire a rifle that hasn't been cocked properly - and the hilarious consequneces that result - and has nothing to do with willies pointing in any direction

[TalkTalk]

Although the phrase 'cock-up' might appear to have come about in a similar way to 'balls-up', its origins are actually in beer making. If the batch went bad, they turned the cock (ie tap, or faucet) up to drain the barrel.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A753527

Isn't "etymology" a great word in its own right?

[wheretherealredsare]

Well I don't want any son of mine growing up thinking that beer is bad. They can keep that sort of thing out of the papers if you ask me!

He could have used something that suggested shopping on Saturday afternoons is bad.