Extreme opinions abound following the mid-week game at Cheltenham, but whether you’re in the “two points dropped” camp or “an away point gathered” crowd - the important thing is that we are still top of the table by 7 clear points with only 13 games still to play. Which brings us to the visit of Swindon Town, whose form has improved significantly since the appointment in October last year of Ian Holloway as their manager. How much input he will have on Saturday is open to discussion though, as he was sent off after 11 minutes of their home game last weekend against Chesterfield, and has now been charged with misconduct by the FA - he has until next Monday to respond. Their current form is better than ours, having won 4 of their most recent 6 games…
January 24th Newport County (A) Won 1-2
January 28th Tranmere Rovers (H) Won 3-1
February 1st Carlisle United (A) Won 1-5
February 8th Port Vale (H) Drew 3-3
February 15th Harrogate Town (A) Lost 1-0
February 22nd Chesterfield (H) Won 1-0
A growing number of Football League clubs have explored the benefits of having overseas owners, and Swindon Town are no exception - their chairman and majority owner is Clem Morfuni, an Australian businessman. Their playing history is even more yo-yo than ours - they have competed in all four leagues, won the League Cup, and had legal wranglings and run-ins with HMRC over non-payment of wages. Previous managers have included Michael Flynn and Dave Mackay.
Incidentally, there has been much discussion in this forum about the maximum number of points we could achieve this season. It appears that the League 2 record number is 102, achieved in 1986 by …yes, Swindon Town!!
Mat Sadler is on record as saying that he wanted to rest Harry Williams for the Cheltenham game, but with Swindon’s current form it would surely make sense to field our strongest possible team (and bench). We shall have to wait and see whether this will include any of the younger players signed in the January transfer window who haven’t appeared as yet! One thing is for certain, and that is that if we do get within sight of the final whistle and are ahead, we MUST preserve that lead and not allow it to be hacked away, either by skill or fluke…
Prediction? It would be typical of this squad’s esprit d’ corps to come out with all guns blazing after the experience of the final minutes at Cheltenham, and a home win of 2-1 beckons with Jellis and Harrison our scorers.
We’re at home, the supporters have been absolutely fantastic and for the first time in years there’s a genuine connection between players and fans that you can see and feel.
We need to fill the place out and stick together for the remaining games.
Holloway has got Swindon playing much better than the Swindon we beat at their place so it’s going to be tough but I imagine we will be chomping at the bit to get at them.
If he goes with the Cuban heels and Sergio leather jacket he must wear a quality cravat then I think the “ Jason King “ debonair classic look will be complete, a droopy moustache would also help complete the look.
The Swindon Town home fixture always takes me back to my first Walsall game, against Swindon in February 1966. We won 5-0…a repeat of that score would be sweet.
Win this, I think 5 more wins from the last 12 games and we’ll be there!
Thinking back to the start of the season and early weeks, I would have been over the moon to have been in with a chance of the play offs…never mind being top of the table with a nice cushion! Need to keep this in mind when we assess things!
I had a bad feeling about Cheltenham so didn’t expect us to completely dominate them for 89 minutes. Those two late goals really hurt. A lesson in taking our chances and maintaining pressure - we didn’t.
Holloway will attack - some games of his I’ve seen have been like basketball games, so Sads needs to get this right. Push them back and pin them in their own half. I hope and expect the midfield three of Stirk, Jellis and Lakin to be restored.
My introduction to life as a saddler was less successful - a 2 - 0 defeat to Oldham in 1968 I think.
I always say it prepared me for the decades that followed…
@Cats It reminds me of Kammy’s Roy Keane joke ‘adapted’ below:?
I got in a lift on the 7th floor of the hotel in Morecambe and on the 5th floor, a gentleman and Derek Adams got on. Adams was chuntering to himself about ‘disrespect’ and didn’t hear the gentleman ask him what floor he wanted to go to.
The gentleman said to Adams, “Going down?”
So I nudged him and said, “I think he’s talking to you, mate!”
