Expecting a call...

Waiting with baited breath for a phone call that you know will arrive is a bizarre feeling. This morning that is what I have been doing. I know Mark is doing all he can, and that by constantly checking my phone, if anything, I'm prolonging the process. That's how it feels anyway. Yet I still do it. I'm sure if I just got on as normal, the call would come.

It's not even a life or death situation. Simple Minds;

You only sing when you're winning...

I haven't blogged for 10 months. Go on say it: "You only sing when you're winning".

The last time I let my mind wander onto the World Wide Web was close season, during World Cup 2010. Oh how much has changed since then! And truth be told, I have been singing when we definitely haven't been winning! Luckily, I've managed to put a poor World Cup and even worse League 1 season to the bottom of my list of things to worry about and it's definitely for the best.

The 2009/2010 season was one I'll never forget, and the current season sits at the complete opposite end of the spectrum. I spent most of last year ranting and raving about how good Swindon are and will be this season, only to be completely humbled. Now, I've spent many an hour arguing about why I didn't just have to have a slice, but the whole damn humble pie chucked in my face. Whether it was the manager, a rift between the players or failing to replace the lads that last season's success has catapulted to new levels is a conversation that we could talk about for hours. Don't worry, that's not going to happen.

Instead, this post marks a change in direction for "The Robins' Nest". Though still massively football focused, its going to be more a Molotov Cocktail, an explosive mixture of the things that make me, me. Music, Technology, Film, Friends and Life. If you don't want to read, then don't, it's that simple. In all honesty, I've only ever used The Robins' Nest as a way of channelling everything that's floating around in my head into something logical. I think way too much, on and off, due to all sorts of different stimuli. And my ol' chap once told me "Don't go to bed worrying about something because you'll lose sleep. Instead, write it down and allow it to leave your head, then worry about it tomorrow".

Yes, this season hasn't been ideal for STFC, but if you can accept that without pain, we couldn't have pleasure, suddenly the pint becomes half-full. From a broader perspective, since June 2010 I've had my fair share of good and bad. Admittedly, when these things happen, its bloody difficult to keep this mind-set. But the way I see it you've got two options, sit and dwell or try what I've just said and the world becomes much brighter.

I've got to credit this blog post to the amazing new album "Punk and Poetry" by The King Blues. Since I got home from work at 17:30 this evening, I've been listening to every verb, adjective, simile and metaphor that Itch utilizes to explain what's floating around in his head. Check the album out on Spotify via the link at the end, I can guarantee you will find at least one song you can relate to on there. And remember:

"Time don't wait, like the changing of the season. Sometimes it makes no sense, but it happens for a reason. Everything happens for a reason".

http://open.spotify.com/album/2bLbzMRDHQsbicDwE6Oxy5

A summer of football!

We seldom get to see this much football throughout the year. It almost feels like it never ended! Just a week's break following our trip to Wembley and then it was time to don my 'other' football shirt, that one with 3 Lions upon the chest!

Last season, by the time the new season fixtures were released my mouth was drooling after what had seemed like a lifetime summer break. This summer is the opposite. My mouth is still drooling over the fact that new season fixtures are released tomorrow, but I've still got 3 weeks of International football to get my teeth into! We've done something a little bit special at my house to cheer on the lads out in South Africa. We've transformed the back garden into "Gig's Arms", THE venue to watch the World Cup in Hungerford. We've also created a prediction game called "The Beautiful Game" thanks to the great idea from Will Beattie. This drummed up amazing interest amongst friends and family, getting 34 entrants! And at a tenner an entry that's given us quite a hefty prize pool to play with. The idea is, you make your predictions, then throughout the World Cup, you get points for true predictions. For example, you choose Brazil as Top Goalscorers, each time they score a goal you will get 2 points.

So far I haven't missed a World Cup game. It hasn't been the most thrilling start ever to a World Cup but I just can't get enough of it! This is the first World Cup of the Social Networking age as well, and Twitter has been overhauled with "football twits"! There has been some great discussion, from everything to jokes about Rob Green's gaff, to the Vuvuzela debate! I've been using Twitter for Blackberry away from my computer, Seesmic Web whilst at work and Tweetdeck at home on my PC to stay involved all the time in between my work responsibilities.

At work, I've been used our independent BT Broadband link (so as not to disrupt our network and keep senior management happy!) to watch the games streamed live on the broadcaster's respective websites www.bbc.co.uk/worldcup and www.itv.com/worldcup. This has been a godsend! Though the big names have thus far failed to light up the tournament (bar Germany), I'd have been livid at the prospect of missing games such as Ivory Coast vs. Portugal, which on paper should have been an encounter for the ages.

I think the above have helped let everyone get involved in the World Cup if they want to, wherever they are, for the first time ever. Its a true signal of what is to come - watching games wherever you might be, sharing banter with fellow supporters halfway across the world, or at the games in South Africa themselves. However, all good things must come to an end. The World Cup will be won and lost and life will be back to normal.But until then, keep hash tagging #worldcup and get involved in the first major footballing tournament of the digital age!

Moving on from Wembley...

I've finally had time to sit back and mull over the past week and a half. I'm not going to match report the Wembley encounter or anything like that, rather chat shit sitting at the war table.

As I stood at The Valley following Stephen Darby's penalty kick, I felt pure exultation of the highest form; how I imagine one would feel upon receipt of your first-born or landing that dream job. This is no exaggeration. For me, getting the opportunity to watch my beloved Swindon at Wembley for the first time caused this, and you may or may not be able to relate. If you're unable to, try to find your purest passage of joy; how would it feel to top that? In light of this, perhaps I was not ready for a Swindon victory at Wembley just yet.

Regardless, the 11 days between the thrilling 2nd leg encounter with Charlton and our big day out at New Wembley saw me on top of the world. No cheap-shot, sucker-punch, slobber-knocker or crippler-crossface could knock me down. Even with such anticipation, those 264 hours felt more like a mere 24. In hindsight, I wish it had been the opposite. To have been able to bask in the glory of the evening of Monday 17th May for longer would have been nice, and our Wembley defeat brought myself and I expect many a Town fan back down to earth, too hard and too soon. Alas, the organisation of transport to Wembley and the purchase of tickets consumed many of these hours and before I knew it, it was squeaky bum time and Destination Wembley Stadium. A huge thanks must go to Trevor Wainwright, Gig Talmage and Wayne Talmage who gave up a huge amount of their own time and money to make our Wembley trip possible.

Final day was an absolute stonker. I had an absolutely amazing time journeying and whilst at Wembley, and I'm sure many others will agree. The only thing left was Town being en route to the Championship, but this was not to be. For days I thought about what could have been, and in my head what should have been, but finally my pint is once again half full.

A long and fruitful season has left me with much to be grateful for; the unearthing of starlet Charlie Austin, some of the best football I've seen grace the County Ground, unbeatable away days, back to back victories over both Leeds and Southampton and of course the privilege of watching the mighty reds grace Wembley's hallowed turf.

This was my third visit to New Wembley, after previously watching Exeter's rise to League 2 and an England friendly. On my 2nd visit I stopped off at the statue of Bobby Moore for a quick prayer to the footballing gods. As my father and I turned to leave I said "The next time we see this statue we will be here to watch Swindon in the playoff finals". If only I'd have added "winning" to my statement...

League 1 climax most exciting in England?

Tomorrow, we make the short trip to South East London. Destination; The New Den, home of Millwall Football Club. The buzz ahead of this encounter is huge, as the race for second place and the fortune it brings, gets set to climax on the final day of the season.
The excitement is phenomenal; as only Norwich have secured a route to the Championship, one of five teams will take the other automatic spot tomorrow afternoon. So here is how it pans out:

Leeds Utd currently sit in 2nd place on 83 points. They are the only team in the fray with fate in their own hands. A win on the final day of the season will seal automatic promotion for the whites, but they must overcome Bristol Rovers at Elland Road to achieve this. The Pirates sit in 9th place after losing their early spot in the playoffs and on paper, Leeds should take all 3 points, but we all know that 90 minutes are played on the pitch and not on paper. So bearing this in mind, what can happen if Leeds and Bristol Rovers share the spoils?

Millwall and Swindon are hot on the tails of Leeds United, holding 3rd and 4th spot respectively and joint on 82 points. With these two teams meeting at The New Den, both players, management and supporters will be keeping a close eye on the game at Elland Road. If Leeds slip up, there is EVERYTHING to play for. And if either team steal all 3 points, with that will come the automatic promotion place. In the event that Leeds draw, and nothing separates Millwall and Swindon, 2nd place remains open to...

Charlton Atheltic, who are in 5th place on 81 points. Though 3 points alone wouldn't be enough to steal automatic, they would need a 12 goal advantage as they travel to Oldham Athletic. So Charlton will also be hoping the Pirates take all the plunder of Elland Road, and that they can swashbuckle their way to 3 points at Boundary Park.

And finally, sitting safely in the final playoff spot; Huddersfield Town are the last team who could take the coveted 2nd spot. Though currently on 80 points, if results go their way; namely a Bristol Rovers victory, a draw at The New Den and Charlton failing to beat Oldham, then Huddersfield could pip the automatic place on the home straight. They will of course need to take all 3 points from Exeter at St. James Park, but also win by 6 goals. 5 wouldn't be enough as Leeds would take 2nd place based on the number of goals scored throughout the season. Such a goalscoring feat could send shock waves at the other end of the table...

There is of course still 1 relegation place to be decided. Tranmere currently occupy the place but are on 48 points along with Exeter City, whose goal difference keeps their head above water. If Huddersfield achieve what they need to be in with a chance at automatic, that would likely sink Exeter to relegation from League 1 if Tranmere manage to gain a point against already relegated Stockport County. Above them on 49 points sit Hartlepool United. Thanks to their goal difference, it would require both Exeter to beat Huddersfield AND Tranmere to beat Stockport to relegate them if they fail to win their final match away at Brentford. Safest bet here is to take all 3 points from the Bees!

Above them and still not safe sit Gillingham. The Gills are on 50 points, and again, if they fail to win away at already relegated Wycombe and the aforementioned teams pick up 3 points, the Gills will be relegated to League 2.

I think football fans across the country will be tuning in to see the League 1 culmination tomorrow afternoon as we are set for what could be one of the most exciting final days of football in a long time. Its a time when heroes will be made and jobs will be lost whilst pride and dignity hang in the balance. I implore you to pick a team and cheer them on until the death whilst watching Jeff Stelling and the lads on Soccer Saturday. Be the 12th man and get involved in a historic day of football!

Of course, Leeds might win and Tranmere might lose, rending my pre-match speech completely void, but I've got a hunch that their could be a surprise or 2 in store when Saturday comes.

Who wants automatic when you have a record like ours at Wembley?

Mulling over the past few results, I'm sure I wouldn't be ridiculed for thinking that perhaps we didn't want automatic promotion, and would prefer going up via the esteemed route of Wembley? OK I admit it would be nuts to think like that! But we do hold an unbeaten record at Wembley, albeit dating back quite a few years. But for those of you that didn't know, as far as I'm aware Town have graced the hallowed turf a total of 3 times, and have come out victorious each time. Please correct me if I'm wrong!

Anyways, in 1969 we defeated the mighty Arsenal 3-1 to win the League Cup, and is by far the highest regarded point in the club's history. The rules stated that League Cup winners would gain passport to the then "Champions League equivalent" if you will; the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. It was later revealed that this was not the case, and only League Cup winners from Division 1 would be eligible for the tournament. Instead, the short-lived Anglo-Italian Cup was created. Town appeared victorious in both incarnations of the tournament, which was made famous more for hooliganism, than a European footballing extravaganza. The final had to be abandoned, with Town being awarded the trophy as they were 3-0 up, and the tournament was never held again!

20 or so years later we made our 2nd appearance at Old Wembley, and won promotion to Division 1 (now the Premiership) with a 1-0 victory over Sunderland. Celebrations were short-lived as financial irregularities seeped through the foundations laid by a previous regime and Swindon received tough punishment for "illegal payments", which saw their promotion overturned and were further relegated to Division 3, the latter being successfully overturned under appeal.

Our final and most recent trip saw Town being promoted to the Premiership for our first ever foray into top-flight football. In 1993, a 4-3 victory over Leicester in the Division 1 playoffs sealed the promotion.

Now, 17 years on, it is becoming more likely that a trip to Wembley will be inevitable to successfully complete the promotion push that has been launched by Danny Wilson's men this season. If we make it there, will we have what it takes to keep our untarnished Wembley record in-tact. Or will the mounting media and public exposures see us crack under the pressure similar to our close-season?

A trip to Wembley would be great but give me automatic any day!

The Race for 2nd Place!

Wow its been a month since my last blog post! Football and work have been keeping me busy over the last few weeks, but with things looking so good for Town at the moment, I felt I had to get typing again! Since our 4-1 victory over Stockport, results have been up and down for Town. Directly following that home victory we slipped to a 3 game streak without winning. Firstly, being involved in a drab 0-0 draw at Brisbane Road with Leyton Orient, where the highlight of the game was a rogue flare. Then we stumbled to a hammering from local rivals Bristol Rovers in a 4-0 reverse and a 2-1 defeat at Stadium:MK.

But just as things started to slip away, the boys dug in and ground out a well battled 1-0 victory away at the beautiful Withdean Stadium, courtesy of Charlie Austin as he slipped the ball past ex Town stopper Peter Brezovan. The Robins built on this with a stunning second half performance at St. Mary's to over-turn in-form Southampton with a brilliant 1-0 result. And finally, the jubilation continued as lady luck donned her Swindon shirt and Town salvaged a point with an injury time Gordon Greer header during the visit of top of the table Norwich.

The past few weeks haven't been without their tribulations however. Amongst the celebrations, Swindon's boys having been falling left, right and centre to injury woes. Stopper David Lucas fell victim at the Brighton game after a hamstring injury forced him off with just 12 minutes on the clock. Hats off to Phil Smith, though not everybody's favourite shot stopper, Town's current longest serving player has come in and held his own in a tough run of games, playing an absolute blinder at St. Marys in particular.

Billy Paynter was left out of the squad for the clash at the Withdean Stadium due to a hamstring injury he picked up in training (what is happening to our hamstrings??!!), causing Mr. Wilson to call upon the emergency loan window. Danny called upon the services of 18 year old Frank Nouble of West Ham. The striker is highly thought of at Upton Park but is currently not in the first team plans. Nouble played his first game in a Town shirt alongside Charlie Austin at home to Norwich. His strength looked good and he really wanted to take players on, but he will have to start scoring goals to win over the Swindon crowd, who have recently been giving Vincent Pericard a torrid time thanks to the goalscoring antics of Charlie Austin. Town fans are not easily pleased!

It became apparent that Kevin Amankwaah had been playing through the pain barrier for some time as he fell victim in Milton Keynes after receiving a kick in the glutes. Wilson again dipped into the emergency loan window and bagged the services of young Stephen Darby from Liverpool. He had an onerous debut at the Withdean trying to contain Kazenga LuaLua (younger brother of Lomana), but managed to come through unscathed and has so far held his own in place of big Kev.

And finally, Scott Cuthbert was withdrawn during the 1-0 win over Saints after taking a blow to his medial ligament, stretching the Town side to its very limits. But with Alan Sheehan having returned from his injury and resuming his role in the left-back berth, the man he replaced Mr. Lescinel "nobody knows which is my surname" Jean-Francois filled Scotty's role at centre back, and has performed admirably!

I think that's the lot of our recent injuries. To add to this Simon Ferry was dismissed at St. Mary's (yes we beat Southampton with only 10 men) after receiving his second yellow card, and therefore missed the Norwich match (yes we drew with leaders Norwich with a side weakened through injury and suspension). And to look at our league position now, I have to take my hat off to Wilson and his men. With the help of a few results going our way, such as Colchester's draw with Brentford the other night (and Leeds slip slide gets an honourable mention), what was once a distant dream, is now within touching distance, and Swindon certainly shouldn't be counted out of the race for 2nd place!