Villa for Sale or Rent: Swindon at Home

Don’t doubt this club’s commitment – and plain common sense – to putting everything (well almost!) behind this marvellous push for promotion. Something I would often write, more in jest (or false optimism; which is the same thing surely?) than in hope:

“Promotion in our time…” is a looming reality. We just have to match whatever Burton Albion do, or better – oh and win our game in hand.

But commitment? No sooner had the ink dried on the pages of the Express and Star than the club announced a “Friend for a Fiver” game. Any season ticket holder could use up the E voucher in their season ticket and get a ticket for the said fiver to Tuesday evening’s home game against mid-table Swindon. Mid-table? No problem for the mighty Saddlers surely? And then there’s the cunning but well intentioned rabble-rousing (except we aren’t rabble are we?) from man-in-charge Jon Witney, in the press. Disguised as a too-early team news release he praises the Walsall crowd(who cheered –almost to a man, woman, child and dog)the team on to the win on Saturday.

Witney’s message is that “since you were so good on Saturday I pick you for the next game.”

Clever, shrewd, empowering – and meant to bring a few extras in to the game.

Incidentally we are consistently one of the last teams to announce, publicly, the starting line-up for any game. This from my social media vulture and sometime soul mate Jack. He who agonises every game day because the team hasn’t been announced (on Twitter or wherever) and then rages because it has and it doesn’t quite match …

But, news from elsewhere in the local football world. A few minutes up the M6 Aston Villa have – finally – been relegated. Losing to Manchester United was the final nail in their Premier League coffin. They have been imploding quietly for some time. But now?

Two directors resigned from the recently appointed football committee (there’s stickability for you then!) and the board have apparently decided to close down the Upper Tier of the Trinity Road stand, five hundred people employed there will, it is said need to lose their jobs …

So, just maybe some of the beetroot and blue-scarved ones’ll give up the ghost and convert to Saddlerism. Frankly I don’t care who comes to the Bescot at the moment as long as they don’t cause trouble, give us some positive vibe and pay some filthy lucre into the war chest.

But, I still owe my brother for the Port Vale ticket he got me so, after quick phone call, set out on Monday to snaffle the five pound ticket. Not expecting a queue: well you don’t do you? And, sure enough there was a bit of a queue – at least ten buyers ahead of me. The guy in front had a bag under his arm as if he had packed for a day waiting. Turned out he has diabetes and that was his bloods kit, insulin et cetera – just in case. We got to chatting; West Brom (that fabulous Paul Merson goal), Follows park ( the memorable low- level gents toilet with no roof (no really!)) and, eventually – how on earth could we possibly get out of , er … going up this season. Both of us, obviously veteran Walsall junkies. Experienced in all kinds of avoidance strategies: losing a cup game, not quite getting relegated for example. Pulling irons out fires; then sinking a beer or two.

Big, frustrating queues on the way home on Tuesday and I’d had hardly a drink all day. So dehydrated, but expectant. Strong coffee at bro’s house, the sun beating into our eyeballs on the way to the game. I’ll probably remember that I need sunglasses and do something about it around about September!

Parked up. Into the Savoy Lounge. Meting up with Cully, Andy, matt and Mike. The aforementioned social media furious one at home ill and suffering. None of us think that’ll prevent him getting the up-dates on Twitter.

 

A pint of cool lager and, body fluids reaching some kind of equilibrium we take our seats. Yessss! The crowd is definitely up for it: loud, proud and, as usual could do with a few more bodies. But don’t doubt the spirit please>

Nor the players. Brave decision by the coaches to put main man (in theyes of many) Tom Bradshaw on the bench and start the team that eventually stopped Southend. And they are forward going. Hiwula looking really fresh and full of running. Lalkovic and Henry still seeming a little disjointed on the left but Demetriou and Forde doing well down the right.

But Swindon are not cowed. Indeed they seem to be finding spaces and getting through to have some, admittedly feeble or ill-directed, shots. Walsall, on the other hand are impatient – in a good way. Getting somewhere near and letting one go! Bomb! Bomb! Boom! Quite different from our usual pedantic don’t shoot until you can pass into the net kind of style. It’s impressive but, sadly no more effective. At half time we are nil – nil. Still not losing –and I am looking for any positives.

Arch rivals Burton are at home to league One leaders Wigan this evening. We are quietly hoping that Wigan do a job on ‘em, wreck their confidence and steal all three points. Yes, all right our destiny is in our own hands, but a little Wigan intervention wouldn’t go amiss would it?

 

Despite the weather forecast of closer-later it is still rather warm. There is talk of telegraph poles, Lawrence of Arabia, families, trying to plan a weekend away – but not knowing the fixtures – only four games left (barring play offs of course) and work.

Second half kicks off. Impetus with us; Swindon breaking skilfully now and then. I am suddenly, instinctively tense: they are breaking through the middle, having a shot. It is deflected away. But only to a running-on midfielder, Michael Doughty, who coolly slots the ball home.

How many times has this happened?

But, then again, how many times have we broken back – and made it all right?

There are substitutions. Demetriou, suffering after a knock, off and Liam Kinsella on. Lalkovic and Forde off: Bradshaw and Kieron Morris on. He’s only been on the pitch a couple of minutes, young Kieron when he picks up the ball, drops a shoulder, runs into the penalty area and swings a good boot through the ball – and we are in it again. But that is as good as it will get. Rumours around are that Burton have also come back from one nil down – another game that will end up as a draw: curses!

Needless to say, there’s a group of us heading up to Bradford on Saturday!

Just What the Doctor Ordered … or not!

It’s Tuesday evening. I’ve been at work all day and now I’m driving off the doctor’s car park. It’s dark. I’m hungry. The various medical test results are all clear: that’s a load off my mind as you can imagine.

Additional bonus: I’ve got a ticket for the away game at Shrewsbury on December first. I’m hungry. I’m wondering whether there’s time to programme my new sat-nav (new sat nav, who am I trying to kid? My first ever sat nav I should say!) and get on the M5 for the County Ground, Swindon where we are playing.

I’m wondering about the news that flared up this morning. A Russian Su something or other fighter has been shot down by Turkish aircraft after, the Turks say, violating Turkish air space. The two man crew baled out, but are they still alive?

This puts two big nations toe to toe. The history of the troubles in Syria involves so many other countries and agenda: known and secret – but these two were initially on opposite sides. Can a resolution be reached?

The assassination of Arch-duke Ferdinand began as a dispute in some little known place and spread because  of alliances, politics and greed;  is It beginning all over again?

I reminds myself of rush hour traffic jams, spaghetti junction, just how far it is to Cheltenham … and that Swindon is some way beyond that … and settle for a stroll across to the Co-op to buy a celebratory packet of dark chocolate McVite’s Digestives.

I get home, set up some potatoes to boil, bring the radio downstairs so I can listen to the live match commentary (about time, BBC WM!) and open the packet . Also a lager. (Saddlers Widow is away, in Leeds as it pansd out, a “mystery/surprise destination” organised by her sister – so I have the house to myself.)

By the time the game comes on I’ve warmed up beef stew, poured it over the mashed potato and toast and am wolfing it down. The TV is on – muted – showing wildlife around Loch Lomond, Scotland and I’m sat on the sofa, trying some guitar tunes.

Swindon Town seems to be a bit of a circus. They were beaten in the play off finals last year, their manager sacked, the owner took over the job, failed miserably and now they have martin Ling – a former Walsall scout and friend of dean Smith trying to rescue a bottom of table misery.

I have been disparaging about local BBC attitude to the Saddlers, but fair’s fair: if I don’t get it here, what options do I have?

We sound as if we are on top; I was expecting nothing else, but They sneak into the lead. It sounds as if the Walsall players are getting kicked about a bit, that Bradshaw has a genuine shout for a penalty ignored, that the referee is making poor decisions, not stamping down on the fouling.

This physical aspect is only to be expected I am afraid. We are in the top end of the table;  a team of ball players. It is hard to get the ball off our players in full flight, so this niggling, chopping and hacking is a way to gain some kind of control.

But, having said that … we have to be able to mix it. Bradshaw is not a big player, but capable of looking after himself. Strangely Jordan Cook has started, instead of, say Milan Lalkovic. Cook is no stranger to the darker side of the game.

 

 

After the re-start, Bradshaw gets his eleventh goal of the season: the result of his chasing and persistence even if it is a scuffed shot. It goes in to the sprout bag – and we needed the goal.

Seems to be fairly simple then to take advantage of the slump in morale that must surely follow our come-back.  Certainly sounds as if we are rampant. But it also sounds as if their goalkeeper is on form. Cook gets the ball into the net, but is ruled off-side.

Now, as my good friend would say (with some justification) “I would have done this – or that (or not done what was done) … but what do I know about being a football manager?”

And Dean Smith has been a revelation this season; all of his plans and schemes have come to some sort of marvellous fruition – this far at least … so I am hesitant to criticise. However, feels like (so here I go then) we need the guile and persistence of Lalkovic, to push Sawyers up a little more … to …

What actually happens is that Reece Flanagan comes on. And a little bit too late to make the difference. Flanagan is a developing player, young and tenacious but a little green and easily knocked off the ball.

Etheridge is making some good saves too, as we push forwards. But Swindon catch a poorly cleared ball and are that vital goal in front.

And so it remains until the end. We lose a game that I was certainly thinking we needed to win; we sink to fourth in the league:

1	Coventry	19	11	5	3	36	19	17	38
2	Gillingham	19	11	4	4	37	23	14	37
3	Burton Albion	18	11	2	5	17	14	3	35
4	Walsall	18	9	6	3	30	17	13	33
5	Wigan Athletic	19	9	6	4	29	19	10	33
6	Bradford City	19	8	7	4	21	18	3	31
7	Peterborough	19	9	3	7	42	31	11	30

The good news is that I am disappointed with my team in fourth place! I could not have imagined, though I always dream of it, that we would have made such a brilliant opening to the season. Credit to everyone involved: players, staff and, especially the scouting  and youth teams. George Evans has had his loan from Man City extended. He has made a big difference; we are happily lucky to have kept him on (and he is equally lucky that we wanted him – of course!)

Our next game is at home against Bradford who are unbeaten in the last ten games or so. At Bescot! Could be a monster game!