http://www.thisisstfc.co.uk/Columns_Ritson_Story.asp?NewsID=731
Swindon finally over there dissapointment I see
Swindon finally over there dissapointment I see
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Sour Grapes - not us
- Thread starter Napper
- Start date
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,613
Sam Parkin's column from the same site 
Funny how it doesn't mention his cocky comment to Virgo about texting him from Cardiff.
We’re devastated but we will come back stronger
27th May 2004
THE only way to describe how I felt sitting in the dressing room after we’d lost on penalties to Brighton was shell-shocked.
I was in a state of disbelief for the next hour or so. It was the first time I’d experienced anything like that in my professional career. There was utter despair in our dressing room and a lot of the lads were in tears. For the more experienced players they had probably been in this position before. But for they younger lads like myself, Sean, Nico and Brian we had never been through this.
On Thursday evening we stayed up in the hotel bar in Brighton and had a few drinks together.
It was difficult for us because we were drowning our sorrows but we had to get together because it had been the last game of the season.
It is probably the last time a few of the lads will be playing together. We had to do something then because everyone will be going their separate ways on holiday.
It was such a hard defeat to take. It would have probably been easier to accept if they had beaten us convincingly. But the whole country watched us batter them but we still came out of it with nothing.
It was doubly bad for me as I suffered a bad injury when I was kicked in the face in the first ten minutes.
I stooped low for the ball and their left-back just caught me in the face. I was bleeding heavily from the mouth and the whole area around the mouth and jaw felt out of place. It was very painful.
I actually lost a tooth. Luckily it was found on the side of the pitch and was put into milk. One of my two front teeth was twisted back behind the other, it was hard to draw breath.
If there had been nothing to play for I would probably have come off. After the game I went to hospital in Brighton and they put the tooth back in and fixed my front teeth. I am in a brace in now am almost eating through a straw!
In the game we didn’t create a lot in the second half but we knew all we needed was one good passage of play or a spark of brilliance. When Tom hit bar the crossbar I didn’t think it was over because we still hadn’t had created a really good chance.
In the end it was some good passing movement that led to Sammy’s shot. It was half saved and it got a bit scrappy but luckily I was in the right place at the right time.
It was probably my most important goal although I doubt I’ll remember it in years to come because of the result.
I felt relieved that we had finally broken Brighton’s resistance but it was still a poor game.
Once we got the equaliser we were just thinking about going on and winning it.
We were just going around in the break before extra time just saying: “Don’t let it go to penalties now. They don’t deserve that chance. Let’s finish it now in extra time.”
We played brilliantly in the first half of extra-time and Rory scored a very nice goal. I think then a few of the players’ were thinking we were almost there.
It was a very cruel way to end the match but they were always going to get one last chance. We went to sleep for a minute and they punished us. I just couldn’t believe my eyes when it went in and it certainly gave them a boost going into the penalties.
I had the first penalty and I just tried to get a good contact. It was very tense and on another day I could easily have missed. I scored but in the end it didn’t mean anything.I’m not saying that Brighton were better than us at penalties. But with our luck this season losing on penalties did not surprise me too much.
Driving home from Brighton the next day I was emotional. Not because we had let people down but because this sort of thing has happened to me rather a lot in my young career. We lost the shootout at Leeds and we have conceded last minute goals this season. But when I was in the Chelsea youth team we lost on penalties on three or four occasions.
It’s still been a good season for us and we’ve had a lot of fun and some fantastic performances. But with more consistency we could have got automatic promotion.
Some of the lads, Tommy, Stef, Brian and Dukesy, are out of contract now and I’ve not heard that anything has been resolved yet. People outside the club keep ask me about whether I’m leaving or not.
As far as I’m concerned I’m returning for pre-season training on July 6 with everyone else unless hear I hear otherwise.
I think we’ll have a great chance of promotion next season. I don’t think the league will be as strong.
If Bristol City go up,which I hope they do, with QPR and Plymouth the teams coming down aren’t as strong. Sides like Bradford and Wimbledon are struggling financially and hopefully with a few additions to our squad we will be even stronger.
Our younger players like Sean, Nico, Brian and Rory will come back with another year of experience under their belts and be stronger.
The manager will also be looking to bring in a couple of new faces and I’m sure we’ll hear about it first via Teletext at our holiday hotels.
I’m going to be taking it easy for the next week or so and just chilling out. I need to what with the shock of the defeat and my injury.
I’ve got to sort things out with the dentist and then I’m going to visit my dad in the South of France with my girlfriend Chloe for a week.
After that I’m going away with her for a week’s holiday to Crete or another Greek island.
Then on June 25 I’m moving into my new apartment so it’s all go this summer.
Of course I’ll also be watching Euro 2004. I’ll probably be on holiday so I’ll have to sneak off from Chloe and find a friend to watch it with!
Funny how it doesn't mention his cocky comment to Virgo about texting him from Cardiff.We’re devastated but we will come back stronger
27th May 2004
THE only way to describe how I felt sitting in the dressing room after we’d lost on penalties to Brighton was shell-shocked.
I was in a state of disbelief for the next hour or so. It was the first time I’d experienced anything like that in my professional career. There was utter despair in our dressing room and a lot of the lads were in tears. For the more experienced players they had probably been in this position before. But for they younger lads like myself, Sean, Nico and Brian we had never been through this.
On Thursday evening we stayed up in the hotel bar in Brighton and had a few drinks together.
It was difficult for us because we were drowning our sorrows but we had to get together because it had been the last game of the season.
It is probably the last time a few of the lads will be playing together. We had to do something then because everyone will be going their separate ways on holiday.
It was such a hard defeat to take. It would have probably been easier to accept if they had beaten us convincingly. But the whole country watched us batter them but we still came out of it with nothing.
It was doubly bad for me as I suffered a bad injury when I was kicked in the face in the first ten minutes.
I stooped low for the ball and their left-back just caught me in the face. I was bleeding heavily from the mouth and the whole area around the mouth and jaw felt out of place. It was very painful.
I actually lost a tooth. Luckily it was found on the side of the pitch and was put into milk. One of my two front teeth was twisted back behind the other, it was hard to draw breath.
If there had been nothing to play for I would probably have come off. After the game I went to hospital in Brighton and they put the tooth back in and fixed my front teeth. I am in a brace in now am almost eating through a straw!
In the game we didn’t create a lot in the second half but we knew all we needed was one good passage of play or a spark of brilliance. When Tom hit bar the crossbar I didn’t think it was over because we still hadn’t had created a really good chance.
In the end it was some good passing movement that led to Sammy’s shot. It was half saved and it got a bit scrappy but luckily I was in the right place at the right time.
It was probably my most important goal although I doubt I’ll remember it in years to come because of the result.
I felt relieved that we had finally broken Brighton’s resistance but it was still a poor game.
Once we got the equaliser we were just thinking about going on and winning it.
We were just going around in the break before extra time just saying: “Don’t let it go to penalties now. They don’t deserve that chance. Let’s finish it now in extra time.”
We played brilliantly in the first half of extra-time and Rory scored a very nice goal. I think then a few of the players’ were thinking we were almost there.
It was a very cruel way to end the match but they were always going to get one last chance. We went to sleep for a minute and they punished us. I just couldn’t believe my eyes when it went in and it certainly gave them a boost going into the penalties.
I had the first penalty and I just tried to get a good contact. It was very tense and on another day I could easily have missed. I scored but in the end it didn’t mean anything.I’m not saying that Brighton were better than us at penalties. But with our luck this season losing on penalties did not surprise me too much.
Driving home from Brighton the next day I was emotional. Not because we had let people down but because this sort of thing has happened to me rather a lot in my young career. We lost the shootout at Leeds and we have conceded last minute goals this season. But when I was in the Chelsea youth team we lost on penalties on three or four occasions.
It’s still been a good season for us and we’ve had a lot of fun and some fantastic performances. But with more consistency we could have got automatic promotion.
Some of the lads, Tommy, Stef, Brian and Dukesy, are out of contract now and I’ve not heard that anything has been resolved yet. People outside the club keep ask me about whether I’m leaving or not.
As far as I’m concerned I’m returning for pre-season training on July 6 with everyone else unless hear I hear otherwise.
I think we’ll have a great chance of promotion next season. I don’t think the league will be as strong.
If Bristol City go up,which I hope they do, with QPR and Plymouth the teams coming down aren’t as strong. Sides like Bradford and Wimbledon are struggling financially and hopefully with a few additions to our squad we will be even stronger.
Our younger players like Sean, Nico, Brian and Rory will come back with another year of experience under their belts and be stronger.
The manager will also be looking to bring in a couple of new faces and I’m sure we’ll hear about it first via Teletext at our holiday hotels.
I’m going to be taking it easy for the next week or so and just chilling out. I need to what with the shock of the defeat and my injury.
I’ve got to sort things out with the dentist and then I’m going to visit my dad in the South of France with my girlfriend Chloe for a week.
After that I’m going away with her for a week’s holiday to Crete or another Greek island.
Then on June 25 I’m moving into my new apartment so it’s all go this summer.
Of course I’ll also be watching Euro 2004. I’ll probably be on holiday so I’ll have to sneak off from Chloe and find a friend to watch it with!
It amazes me they don't look to the future instead of continually bleating about how unlucky they were 2 weeks ago.
Another thing Swindon neglect to mention in just about every whinge is that the goal they did finally score after 173 minutes of trying only came about because Charlie Oatway made a challenge that fell - incredibly fortunately - at Sam Parkin's feet when it could have gone anywhere.
They ought to go up next season - here's hoping the carrot crunching inbreds stay where they are.
Another thing Swindon neglect to mention in just about every whinge is that the goal they did finally score after 173 minutes of trying only came about because Charlie Oatway made a challenge that fell - incredibly fortunately - at Sam Parkin's feet when it could have gone anywhere.
They ought to go up next season - here's hoping the carrot crunching inbreds stay where they are.
Rangdo
Registered Cider Drinker
Its difficult to hear the whining from way up here in the first division
Soton Seagull
Well-known member
Well done Harding. Should have kicked the cocky twat in the b*llocks aswell!
Marshy
Well-known member
Soton Seagull said:
Braders
Abi Fletchers Gimpboy
YEEEEEAHHHHHHHH!Simster said:I agree with the fella who wrote the column. It WAS a boring game...
...unless you were THERE supporting your DIVISION ONE bound, WINNING team.
just had to put up with 4 days of there bastards giving me grief every time i wore my albion top out
so i stuck the DIVISION 1 PLAY OFF WINNERS poster and they shut up !
marvellous scenes !Seagoon
New member
Oh dear. How many Arsenal fans got upset about all those f'ing trophies under Graham because the football was shit?
Mind you, if Albion get a french manager.....
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,613
"I'm not saying that they were better at penalties than us"
God, they can't even admit that, for fear of exposing the myth that they gave the perfect, flawless performance and were moral victors. Actually Sam, we were better at penalties as we scored all of ours and you missed two. Planks. I hope we charged them for the milk they used to store his teeth in.
[/IMG]
God, they can't even admit that, for fear of exposing the myth that they gave the perfect, flawless performance and were moral victors. Actually Sam, we were better at penalties as we scored all of ours and you missed two. Planks. I hope we charged them for the milk they used to store his teeth in.
34064 Fighter Command
New member
Then there is the news story on their official website about Leon's suspension.
F***'s sake people, move on !
F***'s sake people, move on !
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,613
Strange how Bristol City (who by rights should be a lot more upset, having finished well clear in 3rd place) have accepted defeat with good grace and a sense of resignation.
Yet Swindon still whine, all because they weren't good enough to beat us over two games of football.
Yet Swindon still whine, all because they weren't good enough to beat us over two games of football.
Jambo Seagull
Well-known member
edna krabappel said: