Wiltshire Woe

Swindon Town (A) - EFL League 2 - 31st January 2026

I wasn’t going to bother with Swindon, truth be told. I’d bought a ticket a few weeks ago but the Crawley defeat coupled with the 7 hour round trip made the trip less appealing. However, as the week wore on the old instincts kicked in. The instincts that told me I needed to be there to either witness the proper start of the Gallagher era or to earn another stripe on the arm dedicated to dismal failure.

So, off I went. A steady drive down the M6 and M5 with a podcast with Leicester City’s groundsman for company. Yes the fun never stops in my car. Passing the flooded fields that accepted the Avon’s overflow I started thinking about the game - would we change shape? Maybe. Personnel? Definitely. Results? Hopefully.

A noon arrival and I parked up near the ground and had a wander in. Funny place, Swindon. It made it’s name as a railway town and nowadays the main industry is making cars. What next: e-scooters? I wandered through the town centre which was unremarkable really, standard shops of groups of young men who gather in full tracksuits with their hoods up, glowering at the world, arriving at The Glue Pot pub. Lovely spot. Nice beer, decent fodder and the majority of the customer base present had the Bluebirds in their heart. Always the highlight of an away day, it’s bloody lovely to sit with nice people, having a chat about anything and everything. As the team news came out, brows were furrowed. Where’s Freddie Anderson? Earing in midfield? I don’t think anyone had him in the personal selection but in Gallagher we trust. For now. 2.15 and the debate as to stay in a nice pub or go and watch us eke out a point at best was won by decades of loyalty and suffering and we made our way to the County Ground. 

We started brightly enough, getting the ball wide and looking to get forward. This must be the definition of ‘front foot’ that everyone wangs on about. Sure enough, on 10 minutes, a corner swung in by McCann is forced home by Rose. Joy unconfined. The home crowd who had not yet raised their voice beyond a mumble were irate. There was something here for us, if we could show the requisite steel. 

Alas, ten minutes later a corner was needlessly given away and Palmer managed to hook the resultant cross in and past Stanway. Architects of our own downfall again. 

The rest of the half was pretty even with neither keeper really called into action. The Swindon right winger - Olakigbe - was a constant threat down the right with his pace but by and large he was martialled ok by debutant Powell who himself looked to get forward and make an impression on the game. 

Half time - 1-1. That’ll do. Not a single person in that away end wouldn’t have taken a point. 

No changes for the second half which didn’t really get going thanks to an early injury. Gallagher soon began to ring the changes. Malcolm off for Fletcher…ok. Powell off for Jackson…hmmm. 

Then ten minutes later Barkhuizen off for Whitfield and Harper on for Earing. The shape looked to have been tweaked and whilst this was presumably to get us back on that front front in search of a win, in reality the hosts began to turn the screw. Olakigbe was getting more joy down the right and although there were times that they were passing it around their back three to no effect, when they did get the ball moving they were going through us with more ease than in the first half. 

On 71 the killer blow - Kirkman picks up the ball on the left, carries it forward with the jogging Harper for company, slips it to Drinan who cuts in past Harper’s non-challenge and with a bit of quality not often on show over the afternoon, slots it past Stanway at the far post. 

There’s been plenty of debate about how we set up but in moments like that it’s not all about the shape, it’s about individual desire. If that was Darren Sheridan coming across, Kirkman would have been six feet in the air, Drinan would have been chopped down and a yellow card gladly taken. 

The ever industrious Smith was sacrificed for Mahoney and I should probably have made an early start on the drive home. As it was, I stuck it out. Great decision. On 87 an unchallenged shot from the edge of the area was palmed into the path of of Drinan, showing all the striker’s instincts that have seen him notch 16 goals this season. 16 goals for one player. What sorcery is this? 

We continued to make a bit of a fist of it, fashioning some half chances but in reality it never felt like a Wimbledon-esque comeback was on the cards. The whistle went and the reaction was muted. No booing but the applause was half hearted where it came. On the Spillin’ the Beans this week, Ronan opined that at times it’ll be shit this season but we need to stick together til the bitter end. Wise words. 

Listening to the post-match on BBC Sounds, Gallagher reported that the riot act had been read. With the final squad list of the season due for submission when the window closes he needs to make some tough decisions. Jettison those who aren’t up for the fight and go with those who are. Hopefully Welsh got fired into the shandies on the bus home and delivered more home truths. After Radio Cumbria wrapped up my listening changed to the second half of the Chelsea game and their comeback.

A manager who makes game winning substitutions. Imagine that. Hearts-Dundee Utd on Radio Scotland followed in the hope of some Luca Stephenson content but he played only a peripheral role until I switched the radio off as I got home at 9. Not too bad. Glad I went? Weirdly, yes, as daft as that sounds as I sit here on Sunday morning watching the goals back. Two more days of transfer action and then that’s us for the run in. We can’t keep relying on Harrogate and Newport to be as bad/worse than us can we? So whatever business is done, needs to give us every chance of putting some wins on the board. (Editor’s note: amazing insight there Dave, how DO you come up with these pearls of wisdom?)

A final note on the manager. When he was appointed, Gallagher’s demeanour invited comparisons with Evatt. His results suggest Jolley is a more appropriate marker. A board that potted a manager with 1.05ppg won’t hang around if the current rate of 0 ppg stretches too far into February - the stakes are too high. I want him to succeed. We need him to succeed. Time to stop talking and referencing stats turning green and get some points. 

Notts County next. Wonderful. 

Come on Barra….for the sake of all our mental health, come on. 

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