The Robins Nest Forum

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... fall-apart" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;





A dire warning of how quickly things can unravel; I'm actually from Bury/Bolton way, so I would say Swindon are only a few short steps away from going bust completely here. Hopefully our own situation with Andy Wilcox stepping down won't be the start of anything (& my hunch is we are too stable & well run for that; hopefully).

Still. Not good.

Swindle have been mismanaged and stuck in an over spend/plead poverty cycle for years. I would not be surprised at all if they follow Southend into successive relegations.

If anything we are not, it is mismanaged by crooks or salesmen.

Wilcox leaving has no impact financially and see the PB interview for reassurance of our financial prudence and security.

Whatever happened to the FA's "Fit-and-proper-person test"?

Lee Power must have passed it! It has always puzzled me over the years how these charlatans become club owners. No doubt, he won't be the last.

Maybe they will go the way of Bury or Southend. It would be appear to be more like the former than the latter.

Red Duke wrote:Whatever happened to the FA's "Fit-and-proper-person test"?

Lee Power must have passed it! It has always puzzled me over the years how these charlatans become club owners. No doubt, he won't be the last.

Maybe they will go the way of Bury or Southend. It would be appear to be more like the former than the latter.

The test is meaningless.

Being obviously dodgy or a charlatan means nothing unless there is something like a recent criminal conviction. Some owners have bought clubs with a previous conviction but the Fit and Proper test has a cut off point, so if you have a conviction from years ago you can still past the test. And if you are currently under trial but without conviction the EFL give you the benefit of the doubt I believe. Basically people can take over a football club when no other business would want them anywhere near. Has anyone actually ever failed the test?

Someone wanting to take over again Leeds a few years ago failed it and had to withdraw.

my heart bleeds ..........

asl wrote:Someone wanting to take over again Leeds a few years ago failed it and had to withdraw.

And Newcastle now with the Saudis wanting to come in

Little Swindle have had a huge number of warnings and chances. I have no time for them.

Malabus wrote:Little Swindle have had a huge number of warnings and chances. I have no time for them.

Fully agree, they operate on the same boom and bust operating model as Bury, they need to finally reap the consequences.

Malabus wrote:Little Swindle have had a huge number of warnings and chances. I have no time for them.

None of that is the fans fault, though. I have plenty of time for supporters who lose their football club through no fault of their own.

Robin wrote:Swindle

As an aside, you'd have to be in your 40s to remember the origin of the Swindle tag. it's impressive how it's stuck around decades after the event. I'm sure the yoofs of local rivals use it routinely without understanding its etymology.

Jerry St Clair wrote:

Robin wrote:Swindle

As an aside, you'd have to be in your 40s to remember the origin of the Swindle tag. it's impressive how it's stuck around decades after the event. I'm sure the yoofs of local rivals use it routinely without understanding its etymology.

I always assumed it came from their shenanigans in the 90s and 2000s. Maybe nominative determination taking effect!

Apart from recently I do not recall Swindon fans speaking out against their owners, protesting or being concerned. Like when they overspent on Di Canio and his players…the fans were cheering promotion and saying how big a club they were rather than asking the Board where the money was and whether it was sustainable.

I thought we generally started calling them that after they owed us money (quite a lot, for us) for a player in the 2000s? Don't recall hearing it before that.

asl wrote:I thought we generally started calling them that after they owed us money (quite a lot, for us) for a player in the 2000s? Don't recall hearing it before that.

What player was that ? I do remember them owing us money for some match tickets and then buying players soon after. Bloody Moonrakers !

Yes - that was it! Not a player: they were withholding some money we were due for tickets.

Couldn't care a less about swindon always played with fire and gained promotion with questionable finances over teams that played fair. And their pond life fans were always giving it all that during these 'good' times, its about time some clubs antics caught up with them and make them pay.

asl wrote:I thought we generally started calling them that after they owed us money (quite a lot, for us) for a player in the 2000s? Don't recall hearing it before that.

It dates from the 1991 illegal payments scandal. Swindon beat Sunderland in the 91 play off final but, a week later, were found guilty of making 36 illegal payments to players. Swindon were ‘relegated’ and Sunderland went up in their place. The shortest top flight stay in history. I think someone at the club, possibly a Director, was jailed and others received suspended sentences.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:
Apart from recently I do not recall Swindon fans speaking out against their owners, protesting or being concerned. Like when they overspent on Di Canio and his players…the fans were cheering promotion and saying how big a club they were rather than asking the Board where the money was and whether it was sustainable.

Were Cheltenham fans vociferous in speaking out about overspending during the Allen years? Would we have deserved it if the club had gone bust? Fans are pretty powerless when the bills start piling up. Yes, no doubt many fans turn a blind eye to mismanagement, especially if results are good on the pitch. But I still object to any assertion that fans of a club deserve it.

Jerry St Clair wrote:It dates from the 1991 illegal payments scandal. Swindon beat Sunderland in the 91 play off final but, a week later, were found guilty of making 36 illegal payments to players. Swindon were ‘relegated’ and Sunderland went up in their place. The shortest top flight stay in history. I think someone at the club, possibly a Director, was jailed and others received suspended sentences.

Yea, I'm aware of the history there - but I still didn't hear the nickname until they tried to 'swindle' us out of money they owed us, that's all.

I've really enjoyed chatting with my elderly, Swindon-supporting neighbours, recently...

why is this thread in this section ? Swindon are L2

Jerry St Clair wrote:

RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:
Apart from recently I do not recall Swindon fans speaking out against their owners, protesting or being concerned. Like when they overspent on Di Canio and his players…the fans were cheering promotion and saying how big a club they were rather than asking the Board where the money was and whether it was sustainable.

Were Cheltenham fans vociferous in speaking out about overspending during the Allen years? Would we have deserved it if the club had gone bust? Fans are pretty powerless when the bills start piling up. Yes, no doubt many fans turn a blind eye to mismanagement, especially if results are good on the pitch. But I still object to any assertion that fans of a club deserve it.

Whilst I agree with your overall point - that fans in the main are helpless in these situations - I have to take you to task on fans criticism in the Allen years. There were more than a fair few who tried to get people to realise what was going on with Allen at the club and the over-spending that was going on. A much bigger majority were either blind to it or simply refused to listen, calling those who did raise issues trouble-makers, etc...

I have never understood the criticism that Martin Allen got for the financial management at the club during his time. The mess sits squarely with the board on that one I'm afraid - they sign the cheques. I think Paul Baker has even admitted that himself. Allen retains his Voldemort type status here but I think the whole club was an absolute shambles at that time.

Hubert Parry wrote:I have never understood the criticism that Martin Allen got for the financial management at the club during his time. The mess sits squarely with the board on that one I'm afraid - they sign the cheques. I think Paul Baker has even admitted that himself. Allen retains his Voldemort type status here but I think the whole club was an absolute shambles at that time.

PB said in his recent interview that the Board took its ‘eye off the ball’.

There was plenty of complaints from fans and of course the Echo campaign against MA.

Jerry St Clair wrote:

asl wrote:I thought we generally started calling them that after they owed us money (quite a lot, for us) for a player in the 2000s? Don't recall hearing it before that.

It dates from the 1991 illegal payments scandal. Swindon beat Sunderland in the 91 play off final but, a week later, were found guilty of making 36 illegal payments to players. Swindon were ‘relegated’ and Sunderland went up in their place. The shortest top flight stay in history. I think someone at the club, possibly a Director, was jailed and others received suspended sentences.

If I remember rightly, the punishment was relegation by two divisions from the top level (I can't whether it was called the premiership or league 1 in 1991) down to Level three but because they won promotion they stayed at level 2.

Actually 1990 so before the Premier League was born in 1992. Lou Macari was their manager at the time.

Fuller wrote:Actually 1990 so before the Premier League was born in 1992. Lou Macari was their manager at the time.

I thought Ossie Ardiles was the manager at the time.

Yes sorry he took over from Macari. Hoddle followed Ardiles.
Swindon only ever went for big names back then. Roy Evans was there for a bit too.
Wonder who wishes to take over next? Good luck.

Steve Macmahon was manager at swindon wasn't he?

Takeover now complete. New chairman aiming to finish top of L2 followed by sustainability in the Championship a couple of years later. He'll only ever pour money in - never take it out because "he doesn't need it." And all the fans will be allowed to eat cake.

The fans appear to be having a collective orgasm about the news, if the Adver and FB comments are anything to go by. Me, I'm a little bit more cynical...

asl wrote:Takeover now complete. New chairman aiming to finish top of L2 followed by sustainability in the Championship a couple of years later. He'll only ever pour money in - never take it out because "he doesn't need it." And all the fans will be allowed to eat cake.

The fans appear to be having a collective orgasm about the news, if the Adver and FB comments are anything to go by. Me, I'm a little bit more cynical...

Surely they know by now this will end in tears.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:

asl wrote:Takeover now complete. New chairman aiming to finish top of L2 followed by sustainability in the Championship a couple of years later. He'll only ever pour money in - never take it out because "he doesn't need it." And all the fans will be allowed to eat cake.

The fans appear to be having a collective orgasm about the news, if the Adver and FB comments are anything to go by. Me, I'm a little bit more cynical...

Surely they know by now this will end in tears.

of course it will, they may get promoted back to league one this season but this is when the fun and games begin.

asl wrote:Takeover now complete. New chairman aiming to finish top of L2 followed by sustainability in the Championship a couple of years later. He'll only ever pour money in - never take it out because "he doesn't need it." And all the fans will be allowed to eat cake.

The fans appear to be having a collective orgasm about the news, if the Adver and FB comments are anything to go by. Me, I'm a little bit more cynical...

an Australian builder iirc?

https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng ... indon-town" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Swindon should change their emblem to the ouroboros, but there's a £ on the tail.