Robins Relegated

Relegation. The "R" word. Some managers ban its use. Others would rather speak its name so that their players are fully aware of the enormity of dropping a division. For a club sliding out of its respective division, it can mean a loss of players, revenue and ultimately a lot of its fanbase. For the fans it brings emotional turmoil: What if we never come back up?

Unfortunately for Swindon, all this and more is now more relevant than even the most pessimistic of fans pre-season could have predicted. In a season that promised so much, they have been relegated from Npower League One with two games still to play.

A 3-1 defeat away at Sheffield Wednesday coupled with Walsall's point at Oldham means Town will play in the Football League's basement division in 2011/12. The results means Swindon now become the 5th third tier play-off final runner up since the inception of the Football League Play-Offs in 1986/87 to be relegated the following season.

As for the match, Town boss Paul Hart made five changes to the side that capitulated at home to Notts County on Saturday, with an immediate return to the team for Andy Frampton following his one-match suspension. Phil Smith replaced the injured David Lucas between the sticks with Simon Ferry also handed a rare start in midfield. On-loan Crystal Palace midfielder Alessane N'Diaye made only his second start, with Jon-Paul Mcgovern dropping to the bench alongside Calvin Andrew, who was replaced by Elliot Benyon in the frontline.

It was a composed, impressive start for Swindon who enjoyed much of the possession inside the first fifteen minutes with Benyon and Matt Ritchie looking bright up front.

However, Town's good early work soon counted for nothing as the home side opened the scoring. A low strike from the edge of the box took a wicked deflection off Lescinel Jean-Francois and rocketed past Smith into the back of the net.

The home side extended their advantage on 27 minutes with a well-taken header from Neil Mellor. A deep cross from right back Jon Otsemobor saw Mellor get the better of Frampton and loop a head home from 16 yards. Chances came Swindon's way after the goal, with Frampton and Benyon twice denied by superb goalkeeping from Nicky Weaver.

Swindon's afternoon soon went from bad to worse with Frampton going down to a heavy challenge, inuring an ankle, before being replaced by Scott Cuthbert in the heart of Town's backline.

The Robins did have something to cheer about three minutes before the break with a superb first Swindon goal for Jonathon Douglas. The skipper followed up a blocked shot from Ritchie to fire in a right-footed effort into the top corner of the net from 25 yards.

Prior to the game, Douglas' inability to score had been highlighted consistently as a weakness in his game. A combative midfielder, he has come agonisingly close in recent weeks to breaking his duck, so must surely be seen as a positive on what was ultimately a bad afternoon for all connected to Swindon Town Football Club.

Despite a strong start to the second half, Town edged close to relegation as defensive hesitancy from Cuthbert and Michael Rose allowed Mellor to the ball past Smith at the second attempt, making it 3-1 just before the hour mark.

The visitors continued to strive for a second goal to give them a glimmer of hope and, despite efforts from Benyon and another long-range punt from Douglas, they couldn't get themselves back in the game.

With relegation confirmed on the final whistle, the season must now be put to bed, allowing the inquest into this year's failures to begin. Preparation for the 2011/12 campaign must begin immediately and, with an expectant support behind them, Swindon Town MUST bounce back.

Fat Lady Warms Up Her Tonsils

Another home match. Another defeat. Incredibly, it has now been over five months since Swindon last won at home. Despite a change in management, tactics and, on some part, faces within the squad, the same problems linger in a season many Town fans are already writing off.

With a similar set of on-the-field circumstances, Notts County travelled to Swindon today on the back of a much-needed away win at Tranmere, their first under new manager Martin Allen. It ended their nine game losing streak, and brought them into today's encounter full of confidence.

Allen is renowned for his never-say-die attitude and his touchline (and indeed on-the-pitch) presence, qualities which have since provided him with the nickname "Mad Dog". These assets were evident again today, with Allen often seen communicating verbally with his players and staff, ultimately earning them a second successive win.

It was, however, Swindon who started the brighter side. Town tested County goalkeeper Stuart Nelson on two occasions early on, the former Brentford man first pushing a Michael Rose free-kick clear of danger, before reacting brilliantly to tip a mis-hit Liam Chilvers clearance over the bar after Paul Caddis had whipped the ball dangerously into the box.

The hosts continued to press forward and were desperately close to taking the lead on 18 minutes as Calvin Andrew burst clear on goal and rounded Nelson before poking the ball goalwards, only to see Chilvers back track brilliantly to clear it off the line.

Town fans were left cursing their luck, but were celebrating a minute later as Jon-Paul McGovern showed fantastic ingenuity to over-head kick a seemingly dead ball and lost cause across the six yard box, before Matt Ritchie side-footed from a yard out to give Swindon a deserved lead.

Swindon again dominated the early periods of the second half and were agonisingly close to doubling their lead after 53 minutes, as Jonathon Douglas met a well-delivered McGovern corner with a sweetly-timed volley which thundered off the underside of the bar and out.

Town continued to look the better of the two sides, but as the half drifted into its latter stages the visitors were looking increasingly dangerous in attack - seemingly galvanised by the introduction of talisman Lee Hughes.

And it was the controverisal striker who was involved in County's equaliser, as he allowed Alan Judge's cross drift to across his body and into the far corner.

But if Town fans thought that would ruin what had set to be a fruitful afternoon, they were in for a nasty surprise as Hughes snatched the ball from a hesitant Scott Cuthbert and raced through on goal, before rounding David Lucas and making it 2-1.

The goal cued a furious reaction from Robins fans, some of whom approached manager Paul Hart on the touchline to express their anger. For Hart and Town League Two beckons, as Swindon’s miserable winless home run became their worst since the 1901/02 campaign.

It was a sucker punch for the hosts, and it effectively sealed the three points for Martin Allen's resurgent side, who saw the game out with relative ease, as Town failed to create another clear-cut chance and went down to what looks like being an ultimately fatal defeat.

Swindon must now travel to Sheffield Wednesday on Monday in the knowledge that only a set of unlikely circumstances will save them from an inevitable relegation. Out of the teams above the relegation zone, only Dagenham and Redbridge are now catchable and, should they, Walsall or Bristol Rovers better Town's result on Monday, relegation into the Football League's basement division will be confirmed, with two games left to restore some (if any is restorable) pride.

Swindon's Year Of Grief

As Swindon head into this season’s crunch Easter period, fans are forced to look back at the weekend matches over the same period last year, as an unthinkable fall from grace looks set to be completed.

Just over 12 months ago, Swindon ran out 3-0 winners at home to Tranmere. It was embarrassingly easy for the Robins, and the result came just 48 hours after winning at Elland Road by the same margin to move into the second automatic promotion spot.

Danny Wilson's side were in fantastic form. Strikers Charlie Austin and Billy Paynter had formed an unstoppable duo, while young Bolton loanee Danny Ward had made himself at home in Wiltshire.

One year later, and exactly 48 games, Robins fans have witnessed their side win just nine times in the league since that afternoon stroll in the weak Spring sunshine against Tranmere. And instead of being on the verge of Championship football once more, the club now look absolutely destined to spend a spell in the bottom division.

Town are currently six points adrift of safety towards the foot of League One. They have played at least one more game than everyone else trying to avoid the drop and if it weren't for Plymouth's points deduction, they'd be rock bottom.

Off the pitch the club is in the best shape it has been for a long time. They have a local chairman who is passionate about the club and the community. He heads up a consortium of owners that boast some serious bank balances. Ticket prices are down, gates are up and commercial activity is off the chart when compared to a decade or so ago.

Add into that list the now-serious prospect of a redeveloped ground and everything at the club should be providing a platform for Championship football. But football is not played in the boardroom, the planners department or the terraces, it's played on the pitch and on the pitch, Swindon have been nothing short of horrendous over the past year.

Every man has an answer as to why. It cannot be denied that the sale of captain Gordon Greer to fellow League One side Brighton – who have run away the title – has had a huge influence. The loss of Billy Paynter was also a blow, as was the failure to secure Danny Ward again for this season. But player turnover at League One level is always high.

The loss of players is one thing, the failure to replace is quite another. And it's not as if the money to replace them wasn't there, it was just mis-spent in the wrong areas, with mis-placed faith in young centre backs and unreliable strikers compounding the errors.

But even then the problems go much deeper. Most of the squad from last term are still at the club, and have been added to with what should have been solid top-half League One players such as David Prutton and promising young 'stars' such as Scottish duo Paul Caddis and Simon Ferry. The money has been spent, and the feeling among the club's officials was that the squad this year was stronger than last.

But they, and every Swindon fan who talked of bouncing back from Wembley heart-break, of doing a Millwall, have been proved wrong in spectacular and horrifying fashion. There is no rhyme or reason. No explanation, no apology, no answer. There is just League Two football looming.