Stevenage v Swindon pre match chat and matchday thread

[Legends-Lounge]

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

Or shop workers. Office workers too for that matter.

[singingiiiffy]

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.

[JBZ]

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

[Badger]

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.

Well said

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

[Crackity Jones]

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

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

[Flashheart]

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?

[Crackity Jones]

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?

[Flashheart]

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

[Moss]

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

Fight, Fight,  Fight

[Shrivvy Road]

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

I think we are both right

[jayohaitchenn]

I think you're both wrong. And cunts.

[Bob's Orange]

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.

[Bob's Orange]

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?

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.

[horlock07]

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....

[Bob's Orange]

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!)