Swindon Town: Making Dreams Come True…
from guardian.co.uk
I couldn’t make it to Dagenham yesterday afternoon so I won’t comment a great deal on the match itself, having listened to the game and only seen the briefest of highlights of our pathetic defence and embarrassing performance on the Football League Show.
Our second defeat in 5 days following a 5 match unbeaten run firmly cements Town’s place within mid-table. However, it is not just Town who are failing to find their feat following a 2009/2010 League One Play-Off disappointment; as Huddersfield have lost their previous 3 without scoring and Charlton Athletic drop out of the top 6 after taking 8 points out of 18.
With all three failing to live up to expectations and ‘surprise’ teams Bournemouth, Carlisle, Rochdale and Exeter making excellent starts, the early season table after 10 games is an intriguing representation of what is actually a competitive and unpredictable division. Perhaps this is actually something that should be celebrated?
In terms of the unpredictability of the league, it perhaps comes as no surprise that after recent victories for Town over our ‘big name’ rivals Southampton and Huddersfield, we can be beaten by a lowly Dagenham & Redbridge. Themselves playing at the third tier of English football for the first time after a swift ascent from non-league.
Daggers’ boss John Still commented post match; “To beat a team that was in the play-offs in this league last season, and who have Premier League history, is definitely the biggest win in this club’s history, it is a major step for us.”
Not only is this embarrassing for us in its own right, but this isn’t the first time we’ve made the dreams of other clubs come true by giving them their biggest win in their history. Remember Histon (biggest win albeit then bettered by beating Leeds in the next round), Cheltenham Town, Stevenage and undoubtedly many more I can’t recall…. aren’t we generous!
The Washbag 
I did attend yesterday and whilst it was the poor display it certainly doesn’t warrant the hysteria that seems obligatory these days after a handful of good or bad results. You learn as much from defeats as from victories, and i was frankly discusted by the yobbo ‘fans’ wating to personally abuse the players as they left the pitch. But for the last couple of seasons this has become sadly, acceptable throughout the league. No sense of perspective – we lost 2-1 , away, to a promoted team 10 games into the season.
Don’t get me wrong this wasn’t an unlucky defeat and we were made to look 2nd best most of the game,
and i would willingly trade any of the Dagenham forwards for our own. Dagenham certainly were not a dirty team, just quicker, stronger and more committed.
I don’t share many peoples concerns with the defence, believing that the more time you spend defending then the more goals you will concede. (yesterday about 81 minutes). What we require is a strategy or personnel change or philosophy to play in the opposition half .
I could go into a rant about individual players but i have confidence in the management to do what is required.
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