We’re back for the 2016/17 season and more stories of Swindon Town in a relegation, demotion, or perhaps a promotion…

As I’m sure you can tell, this website has been a bit quiet recently.

Truth be told, I’ve (Ron Smith) have had plenty occupying my time and this is only set to continue. While I won’t wish to bore you all with the various details of life, the consequences have meant this rather amateur website has taken a complete backseat and I’m unable to attend matches with any resemblence of regularity. So 2016/17 will be my first without a season ticket for some ten years, which also took me my somewhat of a surprise…

With so much going on I’ve taken a break from everything STFC since late April, including no reading of the Adver (etc), hardly any social media and attending no friendlies. And the truth be told I’ve strangely enjoyed the County Ground detox, perhaps helped with a dose of the European Championships to take my mind off the club.

Now I’m back, of sorts, I’ve a completely fresh outlook on STFC, but I’m desperately trying to catch up lost time and knowledge.

I can only tell you the name of one player that we’ve signed. The lucky one is John Goddard. I don’t even need to turn to Wikipedia to know that the midfielder signed from Woking is related to those who had the house on The Lawn in Old Town, and he’s entitled to a 50% discount at the nearby Goddard Arms.

Presumably Louis Thompson will be “our saviour” and has / will return on another loan spell.

Money received from the sale of Nicky Ajose has been spent on (1) refitting the toilets on the Stratton Bank just in case it’s in use this season for the visits of Oxford United and (2) a collection of 46 baseball hats for Luke Williams, one for each league game.

The scoreboard doesn’t work again.

We’re favourites for promotion in the minds of 87% of Swindon Advertiser readers.

I’ve missed the headline news that the ‘Glad All Over’ goal celebration song over the PA has been replaced by Lee Power singing ‘I’ve Got The Power’.

The latest incarnation of the fantastic ‘Dugout Watch’ during the summer of 2013 on swindontownfc.co.uk in which the County Ground staff have spent the past five weeks replacing the AstroTurf and Perspex. Perhaps we’ve those fancy Premier League dugout seats…

And finally on the eve of a new season we’ll wait and see this Saturday if Shaun Hodgetts is still wearing the same pair of light blue jeans – for what would be a record 18th season. Finding out whether this record has been broken will undoubtedly be more exciting than the game itself, hence why I’ve purchased a ticket for the visit of Coventry – probably my sole visit to the County Ground in 2016/17.

So stay with TheWashbag.com for plenty more informed opinion this season…