OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR
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« Reply #45 on: Tuesday, June 7, 2011, 18:31:59 » |
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after the summer of up, then down, then back to parity the squad were deflated and robbed of their right to play 1st division football, without the upheaval I have little doubt that we'd have been ok.
I agree with that. The players had had the shit kicked out them (as had we) and were really just going through the motions that following season. They did well to stay up in hindsight. That was without doubt the worst experience you could possibly go through as a football fan. Nothing else can come close to that. I personally think the '90 team was a better overall team than '93 which relied too heavily on Hoddle pulling the strings at sweeper. As has been said, this was pre-Premier League and that gap was not quite so huge then as it is now and maybe, just maybe we could have stayed up, gained a bit of a toe hold and stayed up for a few seasons. We'll never know of course. I think the absolute most galling thing about that whole episode was the fact that the football league fixtures had already been produced with us as a (as it was then) 1st Division team. Then, when the whole demotion episode had been played out, they were published with Swindon and Sunderland having had their fixtures swapped. So we knew then, that our first ever game in the top flight would have been away to Norwich City. Every week after that when we were playing Barnsley or Oldham, we had to look and see that Sunderland were playing Arsenal or Liverpool or whoever. That was the absolute fucking pits. One last thing. That performance at Wembley was far and away the best Town performance I have ever been fortunate enough to witness. It could and should have been five or six. Sunderland could not have complained if it had been. To suggest they were not bothered because they 'knew' we would subsequently get demoted is fucking bollocks. In fact there was no guarantee that they would have gone up in our place. All sorts of permutations were discussed (Bournemouth staying up in Div 2, the last relegated team in Div 1 not getting relegated etc.) So please, Reg, tell your sauce to fuck off and for once, just once, give your club some fucking credit. |
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chalkies_shorts
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« Reply #46 on: Tuesday, June 7, 2011, 18:42:51 » |
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There was a lady from Calne....Carol Embrey, who fell out with Brian Hillier, and a director, Somerset farmer Lionel Smart, who was also on the FA Council, a typical old fart.
Lionel Smart was the cunt who dobbed us in - a fucking Slave Trader as well. Carol Embury was a micro celebrity and if she was involved then she would have been a "patsy" for someone else. It got pretty tasty for a few people while the accusations were flying around. We were superb against Sunderland and we were lucky enough to give Steve Cram some stick afterwards. On the positive side Sunderland fans got a real hiding that day. |
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Summerof69
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« Reply #47 on: Tuesday, June 7, 2011, 19:11:10 » |
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Sunderland were lucky to get NIL that day. If we had won by seven, they couldn't have complained. They did have the ugliest ever forward line in Gabbiadini and Eric Gates though.
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jonah
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« Reply #48 on: Tuesday, June 7, 2011, 19:39:08 » |
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Jeez, this thread has brought back all those bitter memories.... I was 16 at the time and was Town mad. I remember sitting by the radio awaiting the news conference on GWR. I was so shocked and angry that I don't think I ate for about 2 days! I just wanted to go up to London and smash Lancaster Gate!  The Football League fuckers. Can remember the following seasons singing "The football league, is full of shit" and "You don't know what you're doing" to all the representatives of the FL.... even the North Stand got involved!! Hey ho, the whole episode taught me how the world works e.g. the "big guys" always win.... and it's who you know that really matters..... Jonah |
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Wiltshire boy born and bred - long in arm thick in 'ead.......
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Reg Smeeton
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« Reply #49 on: Tuesday, June 7, 2011, 19:57:51 » |
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So please, Reg, tell your sauce to fuck off and for once, just once, give your club some fucking credit.
My sauce at the time, told me that the club knew they wouldn't be promoted, and had offered to withdraw from the game on the proviso that we'd remain in Div 2. If we knew this then why shouldn't Sunderland... I'll give credit where credit is due.... |
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woolster
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« Reply #50 on: Tuesday, June 7, 2011, 20:21:25 » |
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My sauce at the time, told me that the club knew they wouldn't be promoted, and had offered to withdraw from the game on the proviso that we'd remain in Div 2. If we knew this then why shouldn't Sunderland...
I'll give credit where credit is due....
if sunderland new this surly they would have made more of an effort, rather than go up in there minds by default |
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Reg Smeeton
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« Reply #51 on: Tuesday, June 7, 2011, 20:28:11 » |
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if sunderland new this surly they would have made more of an effort, rather than go up in there minds by default
We'll probably never know, the thought occured some years later, when I could bring myself to watch the highlights of the game. We were so dominant....ok it was hot and we were suited to the big pitch and conditions, but the seed of doubt has been there since for me. |
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adje
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« Reply #52 on: Tuesday, June 7, 2011, 20:31:04 » |
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I was 34 years old and I admit I was in tears that day.I wrote to every newspaper and football magazine-got a few published too.Still have the reply I got from the Football League.Cunts!
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quot;Molten memories splashing down
upon the rooves of Swindon Town"
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BANGKOK RED
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« Reply #53 on: Tuesday, June 7, 2011, 20:34:04 » |
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I was 34 years old and I admit I was in tears that day.I wrote to every newspaper and football magazine-got a few published too.Still have the reply I got from the Football League.Cunts!
I love posts like this. I'm not long past that age so it makes me feel young still. Cheers adje. |
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OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR
- FACT!
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« Reply #54 on: Tuesday, June 7, 2011, 20:41:46 » |
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We were so dominant....ok it was hot and we were suited to the big pitch and conditions...
....and we were a far, far, better team...go on Reg....admit it....let go....you'll feel better.... |
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Coca Fola
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« Reply #55 on: Tuesday, June 7, 2011, 20:55:49 » |
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I love posts like this.
I'm not long past that age so it makes me feel young still. Cheers adje.
It makes me feel young still that I'm over half your age. Cheers Bangkok Red. |
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Christy
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« Reply #56 on: Tuesday, June 7, 2011, 21:03:33 » |
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Oh man, half a life time away, as I'm 42 now. I was 7/8 of my way through finals and had come home to recharge, but also subconsciously because I knew where I had to be when the announcement came.
As was the norm then I turned to John Peel for solace during such matters of national urgency. The great man, who was a friend of the Bring The Noise guys didn't let us down. I can hear him now, he opened his show after the 8:30pm news by saying "that is a monstrous decision, Swindon fans, this is for you....."
The days that followed are a blur.
A week later, more refreshed and positive I sat down focussed and ready for my final exam. The invigilator, a lecturer and Forest fan called Jennings gave the usual intro "3 hours, 3 questions, silence...." and then followed it with "unlucky Christy, that's bad news about Swindon". The focussed bit went out of the window and I spent the next hour stewing and stumbling through....not that I'm still bitter about twenty plus years on of course.
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Arriba
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« Reply #57 on: Tuesday, June 7, 2011, 21:08:39 » |
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i was 15 and this came at the time when stfc was the most important thing to me.i was well hooked and followed the club up and down the country.
i remember a group of us were at the fair on wootton bassett road and someone had a radio.the news came through and everyone went to the county ground. roger malone was there and got abused by the fans.one fella in particular went mental at him.
all this had followed my favourite season and all that went with it.generally brilliant football,away games were brilliant with us taking loads and singing loud as fuck,it was just the best time as a town fan.the parade the day after the final,calderwood standing on the civic offices balcony and giving an s. great memories.
all that came down with a massive bump that evening with the demotion.the march was a good show from the town,although it got us nowhere in regards of justice for the club.
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Benzel
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« Reply #58 on: Tuesday, June 7, 2011, 21:13:40 » |
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Reading through all your memories makes me glad I was just an infant. I would've been absolutely distraught if I was old enough to appreciate what was going on.
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Is your cat making too much noise all the time?
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Ardiles
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« Reply #59 on: Tuesday, June 7, 2011, 21:15:14 » |
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Really interesting to hear all these stories 20+ years on. For me, it was the event that got me started as a Swindon fan...helped, in no small part, by being at school in Bath and surrounded by Bristol Rovers & City fans who were loving every second. I guess I got naturally defensive about people having a pop at my home town, even though I'd not been to a game at that point. Felt it all very personally. The rest is history (for me).
As a fan base, I don't think we talk about 1990 as much as we could or should...given what a seismic event it was in the club's history. Those of us old enough all remember it. Hearing these stories just makes me remember the sense of injustice and how wrong it all was. Brings the memories right back.
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