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TOWN FLIER: Swindon may need Roy of the Rovers
SWINDON TOWN investors Jeremy Wray and Andrew Bert' Black call their racehorse-owning partnership Comic Strip Heroes' and they have enjoyed tremendous success with horses named after the reading matter of their formative years.
Captain Hurricane (of the Valiant) won them the prestigious July Stakes a few years ago, while Winker Watson (from The Dandy) was one of the best two-year-olds of his generation last year, following up his Royal Ascot win (Norfolk Stakes) with success in the July Stakes again.
He could even help Town fans pay for their 2008/9 season tickets if he comes good in the 2,000 Guineas this spring, for which he is currently on offer at 12-1.
What division those season tickets might be for could yet be open to question because, remarkably, talk of Swindon Town's season has moved with indecent haste from the p-word to the r-word.
If their current abysmal run continues - one win in nine games - they could yet be in need the help of Melchester's finest, Roy of the Rovers.
Watching Town lose 1-0 to Southend on Monday was a totally dispiriting experience. Nine days previously, they had played Carlisle off the park, though failing to get their just desserts.
They got just what they deserved for a woeful display on Monday - precisely nothing.
Ten of the same 11 players started yet the tactics adopted were radically different. With Barry Corr returning to the strike force, it was Route One all the way.
Against Carlisle there was a measured approach with the ball played to feet, from Brez in goal through the defenders and the midfield.
Against Southend it was lump it forward to Big Baz' - for little return.
I admit I have a blind spot about Corr. I think he was flattered by the purple patch of goals he scored last season, as Grant Smith once was for the club.
Consistency and soundness are two much underrated traits, whether in a racehorse or a professional footballer, and Corr has neither.
He played less than 20 games for Sheffield Wednesday in more than two years and throughout his Swindon Town career he has had to be wrapped in cotton wool for back and now shoulder problems.
Brutal though it may seem, sometimes you have to cut your losses. And the same goes for the other long-term absentee, Christian Roberts.
The more balanced partnership of Cox and Paynter played up front in the second half; in truth it wasn't a lot better, though the opportunity to gain a travesty of a win was spurned.
Paynter (twice) and Peacock should have made the net bulge in the closing minutes, but it wasn't to be.
Prior to that, Southend, with the biggest full-back pairing I have ever seen, defended stoically, bossed the midfield and threatened enough up front.
With their momentum building, only a blatant Jerel Ifil handball and two superb saves from Brez kept us in the game.
Poor Jerel had a mare', with even the simplest pass beyond him in the second half, but he was not alone in producing a sub-standard display.
Timlin was a shadow of the player from the previous week, perhaps inhibited by his early booking, while Comminges doesn't play with the same freedom going forward at left back that he does at right back.
The only Swindon player who came out with any credit was Anthony McNamee; whenever he was given the ball he made things happen.
Manager Malpas says "Punters are not interested if you play well. They just want to see you win games."
Wrong. I'd watch the type of football played against Carlisle all season and happily pay my £20, because you know in the long term it will achieve results.
The yawn-enducing direct approach embodied against Southend you can keep.
A local legend is rightfully, if belatedly honoured, with the news that the South/Nationwide/Kingswood will now be known in perpetuity as the Don Rogers Stand.
Funny how the most vivid memory of Swindon's 1969 League Cup Final was not the Don' but Arsenal's white-blond centre back Ian Ure making the mistake ahead of Roger Smart's opening goal.
Ure's full name was John Francombe Ure - so we are back to racing again.
11:31am Wednesday 26th March 2008
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