Just who the hell Is going to pay for this massive Police opperation,STFC are bust,so I suppose its the good old council tax payer who will be saddled with the bill.The sooner STFC closes down the better.I say pull It down and build a MOSQUE In Its place.

A successful operation? The police are satisfied? How wonderful that due to a few thousand "football fans" wanting to see the match,a lot of the town centre had roadblocks that paralysed the whole centre. Why should the whole town have to suffer for the sake of a "football team" whos' very future existence is in doubt. Millions of pounds are about to be invested in regenerating the town centre but once a fortnight it becomes a no - go zone because of either traffic or fighting fans.
Fold the club. Sell the ground to IKEA and be done with it!

BWB wrote:
Just who the hell Is going to pay for this massive Police opperation,STFC are bust,so I suppose its the good old council tax payer who will be saddled with the bill.The sooner STFC closes down the better.I say pull It down and build a MOSQUE In Its place.

****

Fred Elliot wrote:

BWB wrote: Just who the hell Is going to pay for this massive Police opperation,STFC are bust,so I suppose its the good old council tax payer who will be saddled with the bill.The sooner STFC closes down the better.I say pull It down and build a MOSQUE In Its place.

****

What was your point Fred?.

BWB wrote:
Just who the hell Is going to pay for this massive Police opperation,STFC are bust,so I suppose its the good old council tax payer who will be saddled with the bill.The sooner STFC closes down the better.I say pull It down and build a MOSQUE In Its place.

The rate payers will, as the police (I understand from reliable sources) used the day as a training excercise. Had the football club requested such a large police presence they would have been liable, and no doubt in the bankruptcy court this morning after being presented with the bill for the bill!

Well, I'd rather the police be there than in an office filling out paperwork.

Besides, if you'd rather have Rover's hooligans rampaging about the place, that's your choice. I'll take overkill police presence.

Why should approx. 6000 good law abiding football supporters suffer and have their club closed just because a few idiots want to kill each other? STFC are not bust - if they were they would no longer be trading! I aknowlege that the club is being run badly and can understand peoples frustrations (for example, they said they would hold the rovers fans in the ground after the game and then opened the gates). I really believe once we have decent owners, you will see a big difference. It is not the fans who do not care about the local community, it is not the fans who dismiss the views and feelings of the community! In fact the fans are dismissed along with you! Instead of wishing us gone, why not try to support a takeover so that we can all enjoy the beautiful game? And try to remember, football may not be your bag, but how would you feel if someone wished your hobby or interest gone, and no-one would stick up for you?
One last point, I go to football, am a season ticket holder, when there is no football on - I don't go into town, because it's a nightmare, some people are rude, ignorant and it is far too busy on a saturday. There are people from all walks of life and all interests who make choices about how to treat other people, please do not put all football supporters in the same bag, just as you can not generalise about all religions, races and sexes.

Peeved wrote:
A successful operation? The police are satisfied? How wonderful that due to a few thousand "football fans" wanting to see the match,a lot of the town centre had roadblocks that paralysed the whole centre. Why should the whole town have to suffer for the sake of a "football team" whos' very future existence is in doubt. Millions of pounds are about to be invested in regenerating the town centre but once a fortnight it becomes a no - go zone because of either traffic or fighting fans. Fold the club. Sell the ground to IKEA and be done with it!

Only in Swindon could someone suggest that the local professional football club should be closed down and replaced with an IKEA branch without a hint of irony. Great idea, just what the town needs, one less thing to do and more retail space.

And traffic in the town centre? On a saturday? A month before Christmas? I blame those nasty football fans!

LordBelacqua wrote:
Well, I'd rather the police be there than in an office filling out paperwork. Besides, if you'd rather have Rover's hooligans rampaging about the place, that's your choice. I'll take overkill police presence.

Thats a fair point, as indeed are the points made by Swindon.

OK monkey... so the IKEA idea was a little tongue in cheek. Good Call. But the traffic situation is not just around Christmas time. We suffer this everytime STFC play at home.
P.S. It looks like even the manager of our poorly run "football" club has had enough. If he's ready to jump ship after such a short period in charge doesn't that tell us all something!
SHUT IT DOWN. SELL THE LAND. PAY BACK THE MONEY THATS OWED TO THE TAXMAN AND THE LOCAL COUNCIL.

I’ve little interest in football but I do however accept that it is our national game. If we wish to promote our town, a good football team with fans that merely wish to enjoy the game make good ambassadors for Swindon. Calls to close the club are not in the best interest of the people of Swindon.

When they came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

So to all those who wish the football club away, where does it end - who will speak up for you when your interest/hobby is under threat? Because I'm sure there are people out there who don't like what you do.......

I don't like the thought of tax payers subsidising the business of STFC, and I can generally see that it's difficult to draw a line between what 'cultural' activities we do subsidise and those that we don't.

However I see a difference when it comes to STFC. We, the tax payers, don't really have that choice. STFC attracts large numbers of anti social people and we therefore feel compelled to spend money and valuable resources on something that we may not like.

While we're on the subject, is it just STFC that benefits from such a subsidy? do the pubs and clubs in and around Fleet Street benefit from the same?

Perhaps we should look more generally at the nature of a business when determining their business rates. If they attract anti social peole, then they should pay more.

Peeved wrote:
OK monkey... so the IKEA idea was a little tongue in cheek. Good Call. But the traffic situation is not just around Christmas time. We suffer this everytime STFC play at home. P.S. It looks like even the manager of our poorly run "football" club has had enough. If he's ready to jump ship after such a short period in charge doesn't that tell us all something! SHUT IT DOWN. SELL THE LAND. PAY BACK THE MONEY THATS OWED TO THE TAXMAN AND THE LOCAL COUNCIL.

I dont see the logic in complaining about a popular event (by Swindon standards) causing trafic. People going shopping causes traffic, people going to work causes traffic where do you want to stop?

Yes, Sturrock leaving after less that 18 months does tell us some things.

1. He's in demand because hes a good manager
2. Yes, the club has been run by inept clowns for some time now. I pray that this will soon change with Mr Fittons proposed takeover.

Peeved, do you think that removing the no. 1 spectator activity from the town sends our the right message that Swindon is a place to be proud of? Do you understand that the club's existance has a positive effect on the local econmy to the tune of millions per season, as well as employing hundereds of mainly local people on match days?

The fact that this shower of a football club is the number 1 spectator activity in Swindon is far from anything to be proud of. Less than 3% of the population attend an STFC match throughout the season. With improved investment and infrastructure this could possibly increase but neither is likely. The club will end up being sold on the cheap and will slip further and further into trouble.
Cut the losses and close it down now.

Paul Sturrock has agreed to re-join Plymouth. I have this on good authority. He had a meeting on Saturday morning. STFC are currently in talks over compensation. Nothing in the press yet.... but just thought I'd tell you all.....

Meh. I'm not honestly hugely fussed what happens to STFC - I watch the rugby anyway - at least there you don't get the hooligan element.

Who cares about the traffic when Swindon play?? My guess is, the people who are driving their cars into town to go shopping. Stop your moaning, you can always go in on a different day, walk or take a bus and stopping adding to the problem. Swindon don't play at home everyday so you have a choice of which day to go shopping, if you choose to go on matchdays then thats your problem.

Peeved wrote:
The fact that this shower of a football club is the number 1 spectator activity in Swindon is far from anything to be proud of. Less than 3% of the population attend an STFC match throughout the season. With improved investment and infrastructure this could possibly increase but neither is likely. The club will end up being sold on the cheap and will slip further and further into trouble. Cut the losses and close it down now.

Sadly you are not very well informed. The club may well be sold on the cheap soon - but to a (relativly) local multi millionaire called Andrew Fitton. He has made a fortune turning round ailing businesses and is a football fan. (There are stories all over this website if you'd care to do a little research.)

A perfect example of what can happen with a properly run football club is just down the M4 at Reading. Thier football club (and their modern soon to be expanded stadium)is now the pride of the town.

Unfortunatly you are probally right though. Because of people like you the County Ground will never be redeveloped, and will instead will be bulldozed to make way for more retail space.

Swindon - The prosperous, dynamic, vibrant, modern town where you can work, shop............ and errrr thats it

"less than 3% of the population attend an STFC match"
I don't like my taxes going on policing the town centre on Friday and Saturday nights - can I have all the bars closed down please as only a small percentage of the population visit them!!!
I hate the traffic and hoardes of shoppers on a Saturday - close the shops too. And dog walkers and cyclists...the list is endless...live and let live

I cannot believe some of the comments on here. I live in swindon and will support my team and am not interested in the pathetic posts that some put on here. I expect they are a arm chair supporter of a premiership team - depending who is on top at the time. We may not have much money but are keeping our own in league one and are doing well. If people don't go how can they comment on the performance of the team!!

"Well, I'd rather the police be there than in an office filling out paperwork."

I expect Plod enjoyed there day out , too!

Alledgedly most of the police were from Wales and took part in a bit of English bashing.

Let me just say I am a Manc and I follow my team as much as possible I will be Man Utd till I die through rain or shine good times or bad its not a hobby/interest its a passion, its like a love affair you cant explain why you feel the way you do it jiust happens. I fully support these REAL supporters who love STFC to the bitter end what else has Swindon got to be proud of as a Town you should be getting behind your team and screaming your loyalty from the terraces. I have been to Swindon games if I cant get back up North and fully back this as my local team so come on Swindon lets get behind the lads and put this dull grey boring Town on the map.

swindon wrote:
When they came for the communists, I remained silent; I was not a communist. When they locked up the social democrats, I remained silent; I was not a social democrat. When they came for the trade unionists, I did not speak out; I was not a trade unionist. When they came for the Jews, I remained silent; I wasn't a Jew. When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out. So to all those who wish the football club away, where does it end - who will speak up for you when your interest/hobby is under threat? Because I'm sure there are people out there who don't like what you do.......

Good - lock them all up.

OK Chris - but that includes you, that's kind of the point, in case you didn't get it!

Voice of Reason wrote:
Let me just say I am a Manc and I follow my team as much as possible I will be Man Utd till I die through rain or shine good times or bad its not a hobby/interest its a passion, its like a love affair you cant explain why you feel the way you do it jiust happens. I fully support these REAL supporters who love STFC to the bitter end what else has Swindon got to be proud of as a Town you should be getting behind your team and screaming your loyalty from the terraces. I have been to Swindon games if I cant get back up North and fully back this as my local team so come on Swindon lets get behind the lads and put this dull grey boring Town on the map.

Fair play VOR. Of course it's not a hobby or interest, but sometimes you have to simplify things for people who don't understand football. It's very difficult to explain how it feels to support your team, I normally use the word addiction as I am unbearable if I can't go!

Come come, its just some 'ladz' indulging in horseplay and fisticuffs, we should be embracing these hooligans lifestyle and celebrating it. Its an ancient English tradition which should be kept alive, rather like the Shrovetide football match in Alnwick, Northumberland.

You can't blame it all on the club. Blame in on the few idiotic moronic fans who refuse to grow up and insist on acting like complete idiots!
If they had brains and supported the team like the genuine fans we wouldn't have a problem.

Also blame the police and government. Why are these so called fans not arrested and locked up before they can even start trouble. I saw loads of idiots (Will call them this as they are not fans) in Old Town on Saturday and the police generally just watched them shouting abuse and causing trouble, why are they not arresting these idiots and stopping them from going to the game.
Happy with 12 arrests??? I saw at least 30 that should have been arrested.

So Just because once every couple of weeks, for a few hours there is a bit more traffic,some people want to close down a club with a history going back to 1879 and who have been at the County ground for 120 years.
I have supported, (as in actually going to the games) Swindon Town for many years. I think in a historical sense that the football club has been there longer than the surrounding houses. If the situation is so bad and people really don't like football days, then why on earth did they buy a house near the ground in the first place. Crowds are not massive as Swindon has over the years, attracted people from other areas with their own supporting traditions of either their old home team, or as is now fashionable, one of the teams they see on the telly.
I did not experience any trouble on saturday and I am sad that a few morons seem to have prompted people to suggest that the club should fold. As in my case, the club has been supported by successive generations of my family, in a peaceful and enthusiastic manner. I also walk to the ground, with my son in law and his dad cycling. Also if there is only a measley 6 to 7 thousand attending, then the traffic can't be that bad. Most of the traffic I see on the way to the ground is going into the town centre anyway.

It is so pathertic that because of what happend and because of SOME idiots, some people want our football club to be closed down! I agree with swindonbloke.

swindon wrote:
OK Chris - but that includes you, that's kind of the point, in case you didn't get it!

No it doesn't.

I'm no communist, social democrat or trade unionist. I'm certainly not a jew and absolutly not a Swindonian!

Swindonbloke wrote:
You can't blame it all on the club. Blame in on the few idiotic moronic fans who refuse to grow up and insist on acting like complete idiots! If they had brains and supported the team like the genuine fans we wouldn't have a problem. Also blame the police and government. Why are these so called fans not arrested and locked up before they can even start trouble. I saw loads of idiots (Will call them this as they are not fans) in Old Town on Saturday and the police generally just watched them shouting abuse and causing trouble, why are they not arresting these idiots and stopping them from going to the game. Happy with 12 arrests??? I saw at least 30 that should have been arrested.

Well, when you can come up with a way to spot someone who is going to commit an act of hooliganism after a match before the match starts, we'd love to hear it.

Dont see what all the fuss is about! I wanted to buy new windows anyway. Bring on the supermarine!!!

swindon wrote:
When they came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

So to all those who wish the football club away, where does it end - who will speak up for you when your interest/hobby is under threat? Because I'm sure there are people out there who don't like what you do.......

How many more times is someone going to post this ridiculous saying?

To all of you! Calm down! If you take football out of Swindon you rip the heart out of town & county. Swindon has nothing else to offer.

Looks like Sturrock decided STFC didn't have ANYTHING to offer and hot footed it back to pasty land pdq.

LordBelacqua wrote:

Swindonbloke wrote: You can't blame it all on the club. Blame in on the few idiotic moronic fans who refuse to grow up and insist on acting like complete idiots! If they had brains and supported the team like the genuine fans we wouldn't have a problem. Also blame the police and government. Why are these so called fans not arrested and locked up before they can even start trouble. I saw loads of idiots (Will call them this as they are not fans) in Old Town on Saturday and the police generally just watched them shouting abuse and causing trouble, why are they not arresting these idiots and stopping them from going to the game. Happy with 12 arrests??? I saw at least 30 that should have been arrested.

Well, when you can come up with a way to spot someone who is going to commit an act of hooliganism after a match before the match starts, we'd love to hear it.

Well, these trouble makers are pretty easy to spot, they are usually hurling abuse at anyone who gets within 250 yards of them, throwing objects, generally being aggressive, etc etc etc.

Most genuine fans are only interested in their team and you can see this, even the vocal ones (which I have been many times over the years).
You can spot the trouble makers a mile off.

The police know who they are but are powerless to do anything thanks to the PC brigade, human rights, etc.

Crime in this country is not punished anymore in this country, it's a complete joke!
And from what I saw on Saturday there were loads committing various crimes (Drunk and disorder, abusive behaviour AT LEAST) and some were smashing things and would probably have laid into any innocent member of the public who came anywhere near them.
If police had the power to get these so called fans either into the ground and into their seats or put them in a cell until the game ended then there would be no need for police and no trouble.
As genuine fans are not a threat to anyone and just want to go and support the team and keep Swindon going.

A shame the idiots can't grow up and see this.

I see nothing was mentioned about the problems at the bottom of Town.

It was just as bad down by Subway and that area, the police were out really early which was good but it comes to something when your shouted at by a copper to close the shop doors and not let anyone in or out as the trouble was kicking off down there. All Rover fans were in the Sir Daniels and Big Fish and could be heard shouting abuse and stuff right down near where I was working.

I heard though that the Town Fans who were in the flag were well behaved which was good.

Its a shame when it comes to this local Darby nothing can be done to stop the fans from coming to Swindon till at least 2pm and then be escorted straight to the Ground rather then all this trouble and nastyness brewing up and people getting hurt.

I think this weekend was the worst weekend ever with trouble from Rovers fans, I have never known anything like this.

Leave STFC alone people, they're your local club. Yes they may be badly run, Yes they're in the lower echelons of the football league, but they are worshipped by many in your town.

But tell me what single leisure activity attracts 7,000 paying customers every other week? If you think shopping, than you are clearly very lost in life.

You wouldn't be saying this if they were in the premier$hip in a lego stadium playing Man U/Liverpool every week etc, you'd be wanting a ticket for the match, wouldn't you?

Football was there before the nimbys and will continue to be after it, its ingrained in our culture so accept it. As is saturday afternoon traffic, in any town, if you drive a car into a town/city centre you will hit traffic. Fact.

At least the supporters of Swindon are contributing to and supporting a local cause instead of lining the pockets of american multi-nationals and generating just as much (if not more) traffic, ALL day, EVERY day.

OK, so there are a few who want a scrap. (12 out of 9,000 - thats 0.01%) They're fairly easy to identify. Avoid them. And to be fair, I saw more fighting amongst the players than the supporters on Saturday.

Don't worry, genuine STFC fans, these people have nothing going on in their lives, thats why they spend their saturday afternoons in shopping centres.

Up the Rovers, and good luck to STFC through the financial struggle, stay loyal. stay football.