Battle of the Big Beasts

[Balham]

"Team" as in Swindon Town not "Team" as in players. They had their heart and soul ripped out of them in the summer.

All their best players departed:
Foderingham
Byrne
Luongo
Stephens
Gladwin
Smith
Williams
Toffolo

If we lost that many first team players we would be down there too.

...that is exactly why I lumped on them (and Chesterfield) to finish bottom half this season; the only downside is that I had Wednesday to do the same in a treble.

 

[Ricky]

Jesus Christ it's like being in the opticians.
Better with? Better without?
Better before? Better after?

Erm not sure can we try again?!

I trust you were telling us how lucky we were to have him at the time then, and are not saying this purely in hindsight because the new manager has taken us backwards, albeit in some mitigating circumstances?

Does Adkins' failure make Clough's failure 'good' failure we should have continued to settle for? Were we wrong to want better than what Clough delivered last season? Were we wrong not to allow Clough to continue insulting us all with the way he was trying to manage the club?

 

[nowtfancy]

I trust you were telling us how lucky we were to have him at the time then, and are not saying this purely in hindsight because the new manager has taken us backwards, albeit in some mitigating circumstances?

Does Adkins' failure make Clough's failure 'good' failure we should have continued to settle for? Were we wrong to want better than what Clough delivered last season? Were we wrong not to allow Clough to continue insulting us all with the way he was trying to manage the club?

I said, along with the majority, I would like him to stay.

I never felt insulted, but don't let that stop you telling me & everyone else I was.

 

[Ricky]

I said, along with the majority, I would like him to stay.

I never felt insulted, but don't let that stop you telling me & everyone else I was.

Well I think your standards for this club are far too low then.

 

[nowtfancy]

Well I think your standards for this club are far too low then.

That's not true.
What is true is that we have different opinions on how best to get out of this shithole of a division.

 

[mattbianco1]

I don't disagree with you.
The same team still did get bartered in the final though after dispatching us quite easily (despite what the second leg score line suggested.)

My original point was to show why they are poor this season.

But reading your comment above ^^

They didn't "easily despatch" us. They beat us 7-6 on aggregate with the decisive goal coming in stoppage time at Bramall Lane in the first leg.

I bet there isn't a single Swindon fan who thinks they beat us easily over those two legs.

 

[Ricky]

That's not true.
What is true is that we have different opinions on how best to get out of this shithole of a division.

My opinion is that not only did his performance suggest he wouldn't get us out of this division, but a manager who did these things at this club doesn't deserve the opportunity to try...


Constantly attempting to set low standards and expectations to suit himself, not the club

Disregarding the bare minimum the fans justifiably expected

Never even attempting to entertain the 20,000 who turn up

Playing negatively home and away against poor teams before telling us poor results were good ones (standards/expectations...)

Putting personal agendas before results and success - despite the fact we've already been down in L1 five years

Doing the job at the pace he pleased, not the one required by the club

Signing old mates on expensive contracts

Signing Brayford - reckless, wasteful, irresponsible and self indulgent

Arrogantly and irresponsibly disregarding club policies and doing whatever he pleased - the fact they let him get away with it is another matter

His general 'untouchable' attitude despite achieving nothing in management



We're far too big a club to be at the mercy of someone like him. Allowing him to keep us in the palm of his hand would've been inexcusably weak.

 

[PeteBlade]

My original point was to show why they are poor this season.

But reading your comment above ^^

They didn't "easily despatch" us. They beat us 7-6 on aggregate with the decisive goal coming in stoppage time at Bramall Lane in the first leg.

I bet there isn't a single Swindon fan who thinks they beat us easily over those two legs.

The first leg was tight but they beat us at home and then comfortably beat us at their place.

 

[mattbianco1]

The first leg was tight but they beat us at home and then comfortably beat us at their place.

Comfortably beat us 5-5 ?

 

[PeteBlade]

Comfortably beat us 5-5 ?

In terms of the tie, we weren't in the second leg at all apart from injury time for about a minute.

 

[BushBlade]

In terms of the tie, we weren't in the second leg at all apart from injury time for about a minute.

I think it was between five and ten and we couldn't string two passes together. That was the only time we were within one goal of forcing extra time (from what I recall, although I do try to erase memories like that from my mind).

 

[mattbianco1]

In terms of the tie, we weren't in the second leg at all apart from injury time for about a minute.

Can't accept that.

After 18 mins we were out of the game (3-0)
After 38 mins we were well and truly back in it (3-2)
At HT we were still in it (3-2)
After 59 mins we were facing a tough, tough task (4-2)
6 mins later on 65 mins, we were back in it (4-3)
After 84 mins it was game over (5-3)
After 88 mins (5-4)
After 90 mins (5-5)

To say we weren't in the game is ridiculous. Being 3-0 down cost us but we did extremely well to pull back into the game on several occasions. Shocking defending throughout the game not just the opening 20 minutes, but we lost by 1 goal over 180 minutes. A last minute goal at Bramall Lane was the difference.

Swindon had 4 players booked in the last 5 minutes. I'm sure they knew we were still in the tie.

 

[Balham]

Can't accept that.

After 18 mins we were out of the game (3-0) (5-1)
After 38 mins we were well and truly back in it (3-2) (5-3)
At HT we were still in it (3-2) (5-3)
After 59 mins we were facing a tough, tough task (4-2) (6-3)
6 mins later on 65 mins, we were back in it (4-3) (6-4)
After 84 mins it was game over (5-3) (7-4)
After 88 mins (5-4) (7-5)
After 90 mins (5-5) (7-6)

To say we weren't in the game is ridiculous. Being 3-0 down cost us but we did extremely well to pull back into the game on several occasions. Shocking defending throughout the game not just the opening 20 minutes, but we lost by 1 goal over 180 minutes. A last minute goal at Bramall Lane was the difference.

Swindon had 4 players booked in the last 5 minutes. I'm sure they knew we were still in the tie.

Not sure about that: I've added the aggregate scores and it would have taken a United-esque collapse from Swindon for us to have gone through. It was only in the last minute that we got within a goal of them.

 

[JohnDenver]

Barnsley........ A place where even the pigeons fly upside down cause there's nowt worth shitting on......

NBC were considering making a new forensic crime show, CSI Barnsley. But then they realised no-one there has any teeth and they all share the same DNA.

Here
All
Week

 

[PeteBlade]

Can't accept that.

After 18 mins we were out of the game (3-0)
After 38 mins we were well and truly back in it (3-2)
At HT we were still in it (3-2)
After 59 mins we were facing a tough, tough task (4-2)
6 mins later on 65 mins, we were back in it (4-3)
After 84 mins it was game over (5-3)
After 88 mins (5-4)
After 90 mins (5-5)

To say we weren't in the game is ridiculous. Being 3-0 down cost us but we did extremely well to pull back into the game on several occasions. Shocking defending throughout the game not just the opening 20 minutes, but we lost by 1 goal over 180 minutes. A last minute goal at Bramall Lane was the difference.

Swindon had 4 players booked in the last 5 minutes. I'm sure they knew we were still in the tie.

As someone else has pointed out we were only within 1 goal of them for the first 5 minutes and after 90 minutes.

The rest of the time we were at least 2 goals behind them.

My original statement stands, we were only in that game after 90 minutes, other than that it was comfortable for them.

I can see why the score line would mask things for outsiders but a bit confused at how any Blade that watched that game thought we were in it.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

As someone else has pointed out we were only within 1 goal of them for the first 5 minutes and after 90 minutes.

The rest of the time we were at least 2 goals behind them.

My original statement stands, we were only in that game after 90 minutes, other than that it was comfortable for them.

I can see why the score line would mask things for outsiders but a bit confused at how any Blade that watched that game thought we were in it.

For those who didn't go but watched it on telly , we were always playing catch up , and everything was a little too late . Didn't enjoy Yeovil and certainly didn't enjoy Swindon.


Swindons class and weakness were shown there true colours in the play off final.

UTB

 

[PeteBlade]

For those who didn't go but watched it on telly , we were always playing catch up , and everything was a little too late . Didn't enjoy Yeovil and certainly didn't enjoy Swindon.


Swindons class and weakness were shown there true colours in the play off final.

UTB

I think that's the impression that most of the people I know who were there or watched on telly had too.

 

[Ricky]

Anyone who was there would tell you there was no belief whatsoever at any stage that we had a chance of going through.

 

[Bladesince59]

As someone else has pointed out we were only within 1 goal of them for the first 5 minutes and after 90 minutes.

The rest of the time we were at least 2 goals behind them.

My original statement stands, we were only in that game after 90 minutes, other than that it was comfortable for them.

I can see why the score line would mask things for outsiders but a bit confused at how any Blade that watched that game thought we were in it.

Agreed. Was at both games
What a strategy to give them 3 start. Well done Nigel - you cunt
.

 

[Bladesince59]

Anyone who was there would tell you there was no belief whatsoever at any stage that we had a chance of going through.

Clough just sat with his head in his hands for 45 mins.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Clough just sat with his head in his hands for 45 mins.

He might have still been in a job if he. Didn't also have his head up his arse . Hindsight is a great thing , but did he do us a favour with getting the sack.

Put aside the recent results , Adkins it could be said also to some has his head up his arse , but is more user friendly with it .

Let's hope we hit the play offs , if we do we do , if we don't we don't . Pressure for Adkins is next season .

UTB

 

[Bladesince59]

I think that's the impression that most of the people I know who were there or watched on telly had too.

Yeovil was the pits
Giants versus pygmies the wife said.

 

[northsomersetblade]

Clough just sat with his head in his hands for 45 mins.

So did everyone else