The Exiled Robin

The prospect of raiding the under 14’s for squad members seemed  to finally jolt City into transfer action this week, as they swooped for the double loan signing of Derby County centre-half, Alex Pearce, and QPR’s ex-Swindon attacking midfielder, Ben Gladwin. To say caretaker boss John Pemberton moved quickly is perhaps masking the truth somewhat as I have it on very good authority that the Pearce signing in particular was lined up by Cotterill for last Friday morning, only to be delayed following his dismissal the evening before. We all saw what Gladwin could do last season, in the games against us in particular, but also in Swindon’s other televised games during the run-in. His challenge is two-fold; to prove that the great run of form at the end of the season wasn’t a flash in the pan, and, if it wasn’t, to prove he’s got the intelligence, pace and ability to show it at Championship level. With Alex Pearce, however, our experience is probably more limited, aside from reme...

Amidst all the celebrations on the pitch at Wembley last Sunday, and as closely bonded a team as this bunch most evidently are, one player seemed to take a little bit of a lead, be the one who got the fans cheering the loudest. One man seemed to take on the mantle of being the leader of the pack. It wasn’t club captain, Wade Elliott, or the vastly experienced Aaron Wilbraham. It wasn’t even boss Steve Cotterill, who generally allowed his players their well-deserved moment in the sun on their own. No, this figure was a man maligned by many during his first year at the club. A still young player who suffered a torrid time full of own goals and gaffes that threatened to end his City career before it had really started with the blame of relegation ready to be heaped around his shoulders moreso than any other. Indeed, before the start of the season there were considerable question marks over whether he would even be in the first-team squad. But on Sunday evening, Aden Flint m...

And there it is. A first league defeat in controversial circumstances at old rivals Swindon Town.  Now comes a true test of this team’s seemingly strong belief and character, moreso than during games where a defeat had looked on the cards as this team now needs to show how it reacts to a loss, especially one which angered and frustrated manager, players and fans alike. Steve Cotterill’s temperament and approach will be critical this week.   If he has spent the week getting the players to channel their emotions productively, then Preston could feel the backlash.   If it’s been a week of feelings of injustice and despondency, the outcome could be somewhat different.    Being 'up for it' seems to be most fans' desire after such a defeat, but without control, that can sometimes be an approach which loses you the sense of purpose and planning with which we have achieved so much this season.   When you throw in the loss of your captain and midfield lynch...

After a brief hiatus from the league and an all-too-rare level of success in the two cup competitions, City return to league action this weekend in the first of a trio of mouth-watering clashes at the top of league one.  Preston North End and Peterborough United are on the horizon, but for now a classic local derby looks to be on the cards, as Steve Cotterill takes his unbeaten league leaders to the County Ground to face Swindon. Stu Radnedge caught up with Dan Johnson www.twitter.com/danwjonson - a blogger for the Swindon Advertiser, to get the other Robins’ take on their own great start to the season. “As the new campaign got underway in August it was hard to predict what sort of season was on the horizon. Due to a courtroom battle over the clubs ownership the club had only signed a handful of players in time for the big kick-off. However, despite suffering a chaotic pre-season, Town began with a win, beating Scunthorpe 3-1 at the County Ground.  The opening mo...

Tuesday night sees a momentous occasion for the many fans (almost everyone?) who just love a night match down at Ashton Gate. Port Vale are the opponents who will be the last ones seen under lights by the East End as it stands, as the countdown to the end of an era begins in earnest. As an aside to this main feature, you should note tickets are now on sale for the East End for that final game, click here to buy and support the lads for one last time, whilst recalling fond memories of days gone by: Anyway, back to Tuesday night’s game and the trip to Staffordshire last October feels, in retrospect, like one of the more influential moments of our season. Going into the match we’d been on an improved run of form, even if results hadn’t represented that and confidence was growing steadily, when, leading 1-0 through a Scott Wagstaff goal and on course for a first win and clean sheet of the season, when Aden Flint made a dreadful mistake in the 94 th minute and passed the bal...

Two away defeats may not feel like ideal preparation going into a “should-win” home game, but the encouragement players and fans alike could take from the spirit and the long spells of control and quality in the matches at Swindon and Southampton bodes well in terms of driving us towards that elusive first league win. The possession and chances created at Southampton in particular should give everyone the confidence that we’ll soon be taking great strides up the table, but there remains a concern – one which I’m certain Sean O’Driscoll will bring up in his pre-match press conferences – that the pressure of performing in front of an expectant and increasingly (largely understandably) impatient home crowd will prove to be this young team’s undoing yet again.  It will only take a couple of misplaced passes, or a rush of blood to the head of a defender for anxiety to sweep around Ashton Gate in a manner that simply can’t have been replicated with a smaller, less dominant away follow...

Aside from a postponed first round League Cup tie ( which we lost, of course ) two years ago, this weekend sees the return of a much-anticipated Westcountry derby after a six-and-a-half year absence.  Let's hope this long-awaited Derby return has a similar result to the last one, albeit without the pitch invasion this time around! Very kindly, top Swindon blogger Ron Smith, of The Washbag has offered his thoughts to Stu Radnedge on the other 'Robins' ahead of Saturday's clash. Saturday's match marks the battle of the Robins and the only 'local' derby City have to enjoy in this division. Do you perceive there to be a bitter feud between the teams or are we more like friendly foes? "It's the only local derby we've got to enjoy in League One also. There is a rivalry, however it has fluctuated over the years and is somewhat a distraction from our true foes."   Seeing as we're nearing the end of September, how do you feel...

The first sign of the new football season drifted into view on Thursday in the shape of the Carling Cup draw, and the most eye-catching draw for fans in the West was a derby between two sides with unenviable recent records in the Carling Cup. The bonus of the draw means at least one of Bristol City or Swindon will reach the 2nd round, an achievement that will mark progress for either. In a period of relative success in the league, City's record in the junior cup competition makes horrific reading. It's 23 seasons since the infamous two-legged semi-final against Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest, when the width of a post denied Alan Walsh a tie-winning goal, but there has been precious little to shout about since then. Only one progression beyond the second stage in ten years, and five exits in the past six seasons to lower league opposition; Sven Goran Eriksson's Man City the side to disrupt that run in the second round, four seasons ago. Meanwhile Barnet, Cheltenham...