Tuesday 18th May 1982 - Newport County v Swindon Town

HMS Antelope explodes at the
entrance to San Carlos Water,
Falkland Islands, 24th May 1982

The year 1982 is best remembered for the Falklands War and while Margaret Thatcher was busy buying her 1983 General Election win with the lives of 255 UK service personnel in the South Atlantic (prior to the Falklands conflict she was the most unpopular post-WW II Prime Minister with only 25% of the electorate satisfied with her premiership), closer to home Swindon Town Football Club was facing the unthinkable of relegation to Division 4 for the first time in its history.

Thursday 18th May 2017 will see the 35th anniversary of the infamous date when Swindon Town visited South Wales knowing that only a win would safeguard its Division 3 status. Newport County had visited the County Ground ten days earlier when a certain John Aldridge had equalised for the Welsh side not long after Roy Carter had put Swindon ahead from the penalty spot. The draw and a subsequent loss away to Portsmouth on 15th May 1982 meant that the last game of the season away against "The Ironsides" was a "must win" affair for the Town. With this as the background, a group of us callow Swindon youths, 16, 17 and 18 year olds, decided that a road trip to the Welsh Valleys was in order. Two of the group had cars and, in order to max out the occupancy and lighten the load on our pockets, viz. petrol money, a couple of lads from outside our gang were drafted in. Given that this was in the days when hooliganism in football was rife and as ones who were only interested in going to watch the football, we were keen to stay away from trouble. However, the vetting process was along the lines of "Are they all right?".
"He's a bit of a nutter, but he's fine."
"Can he afford the petrol money?"
"Yes."
"He's in."

The M4 wasn't as crowded back in the eighties as it is now, but a great deal of Swindon seemed to be heading west that evening. Scarves trailing from car windows, this wasn't a cheery day out to Wembley, seeking glory at the fabled Twin Towers, this was to be a grim do-or-die affair in the land of Welsh Steel where anything other than a win for the Robins would spell an ignominious drop to the bottom of the Football League.

We spent the time chatting and getting to know the new members of our "Band of Brothers". As the cars ate up the miles and the Severn Bridge loomed nearer, it was becoming clear that at least one of our new brethren was one of those 80's football fans whose main interest seemed to be to visit new and interesting places, greet the inhabitants and then beat ten tons of  brown stuff out of them...only when within a group of like-minded fellows, though. My thoughts were that this didn't bode well.

Having crossed the Severn Bridge and with Cardiff receding in the rear view mirror, the M4 snaked its way towards Newport. You could smell the old Welsh city set astride the River Usk before you could see it. Towards the south east of the city was the enormous steelworks and it loomed large out of the nearside car windows. Dominating the horizon, the smoke and steam spewing from the chimney stacks and cooling towers lent it a menacing appearance, and it gave me a sense of foreboding that only Frodo Baggins could have appreciated as he approached Mordor and the Crack of Doom.

Somerton Park - Old Home of Newport County

Turning off the motorway, the only place to park by the ground was in the nearby side streets. Leaving our transport where we hoped we would find it safely after the match, along with other Moonrakers, we walked to Somerton Park, home of Newport County. I wasn't expecting much in salubrity from the football ground, so I wasn't disappointed on first seeing the home of the Ironsides. It resembled something that had been thrown together out of what could be found off the steelworks slagheaps and old Anderson shelters. Corrugated iron was definitely de rigueur in this part of the world and the open, windswept terracing easily accommodated the travelling red and white army from Swindon.

The atmosphere was boisterous amongst the away fans, but there was an overwhelming sense of tension in the air. The local constabulary didn't help matters when they sent in a number of their order to try and quell the mood in the adopted Town End and scuffles broke out between the roughnecks from Swindon and the police from South Wales. One poor, unfortunate, young copper found himself alone at the back of the terrace and, rather than draw his truncheon to frighten off the Wessex Yobbery, he adopted a karate stance. Within seconds and like a pack of African hunting dogs, he disappeared under a pile of flailing arms, fists and boots from the Swindon thugs.

Swindon Town FC Squad 1981 - 1982

Meanwhile, a football match had broken out on the pitch. My abiding memory of the game was that Newport had to deal with wave after wave of Swindon attacks. But, try as they might, the Reds could not find the net; Paul Rideout came closest by hitting the post. A counterattack by Newport later in the second half led to a handball from Roy Carter in the box and the subsequent penalty was put away on the 81st minute. Nine minutes later and Swindon Town had fallen through the trapdoor to Division 4.

During the excitement of the match, our group had been split up, so we made our way back to the cars in a subdued mood and waited for everyone to appear. Not surprisingly, the new, brash member of the gang failed to show and we were told that he'd been arrested. We drove in our little convoy of two cars to the main police station only to be told that he would be up before the magistrates in the morning so we would be better off going home. The older terraced houses of the city all seemed to still be burning coal and the fug they produced swirled around the garish yellow streetlamps adding to the sombre mood as we followed the signs to the M4. The unthinkable had happened and the following season would see Swindon Town being tested in the lowest division of the Football League.

It doesn't seem like that road trip was 35 years ago. It is sad, disappointing and inconceivable that the club is back in the same position in 2017 as it was in May 1982. It would be another two years before the inspirational appointment of Lou Macari as player manager saw the upturn in fortune for the club which was to culminate in its only season in the top flight of English football in 1993. What is needed now from Lee Power is another inspirational appointment and a similar investment in the team if Swindon Town is to be able to climb up the Football League and emulate the Macari/Ardiles/Hoddle era.

       

Swindon Town's All-Time England Team

I work with many people who, although they may have been born in Swindon and are resident in the

Wiltshire town, for some inexplicable reason choose to support football teams from elsewhere in the country. Chelsea fans with West Country accents, Manchester United fans hailing from London and "plastic" Scousers from the Midlands, all these fans, supporting teams with which they have no cultural heritage, are Glory Hunters seeking the annual thrill of a trophy win like a drug addict seeking a quick fix; some support Tottenham Hotspur so not all are in it for the honours!

It rankles when these fans talk about the "we" and "us" when referring to the particular mega-rich club to whose pole they have struck their flag when there is a perfectly good professional football club to support in their home town, and it is even more irritating when they deride the lowlier ranking of Swindon Town. Many have never been to the home of their so-called team and would probably get lost on their way to the ground if they were to venture outside the boundaries of their home borough.

This is the background to many a discussion of the beautiful game I have with others whose passion

Banner from www.Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk

is Association Football. One night, the talk got around to who could produce the best all-time England team from the ranks of their team's players, both past and present. Immediately, the Premier League snobs snorted that Swindon Town would be hard-pressed to find anyone to fill such a roster. Rising to the challenge, I asked what the criteria would be for me to come up with a Swindon Town All-Time England team. The answer came back that the players could have represented their country at any level and at any time in their career, but good luck on finding anybody eligible from the Robins squads of yesteryear! A number of players immediately came to mind, but I had to delve a bit deeper to get a full squad of eleven and substitutes. For this, I have to thank Richard Banyard and his outstanding website, www.Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk (possibly the best "fan's" website on the internet); his site is chock full of all the facts and figures that any Swindon Town fan might need to satisfy any thirst for knowledge on their football club.  

Swindon Town All-Time England Team

Goalkeeper - Fraser Digby

Fraser Digby with English Schools Cap

There were two contenders for this spot - Tim Flowers and Fraser Digby.

Whilst at Southampton, Tim Flowers spent two loan periods with Swindon Town, once in the 1986 - 1987 season (2 appearances) and once the following season, 1987 - 1988, making 5 appearances. Flowers represented England at U-21 level (3 caps) and at full international level (11 caps) and won a Premier League Champions medal with Blackburn Rovers in 1993 - 1994. He also won a League Cup Winners medal with Leicester City in 2000.


However, my choice for Swindon's England goalkeeping spot is

Fraser Digby. With 504 (+1) appearances for the club, Fraser Digby can truly be called a Swindon Town "Legend". On his day, he was equal to any other English goalkeeper playing at the time he was with Swindon and it is a credit to him that he remained a stalwart at SN1 for as long as he did when so-called "bigger" clubs were given mention in the press as in the running to sign him. His qualification for inclusion into the Swindon Town All-Time England Team stems from Fraser gaining England U-15 Schoolboy honours Youth honours and 5 appearances at England U-21 level, these last ones whilst at the County Ground.

Right Back - David Kerslake

For simplicity's sake, for my Swindon Town All-Time England Team, I have gone with a 4-4-2 formation . Therefore, some players may be in a position in the England setup which is slightly different to that in which they were employed when playing for Swindon. This is the case for my choice of Right Back. When David Kerslake was on the ball, the crowd at the County Ground always sensed that an attacking opportunity was on the cards. His favoured position was as a right wing back and it is the memories of his forays forward that stand out more than his solid defensive work. He represented England at Schoolboy and Youth levels and had one international appearance at U-21 level whilst playing for Queens Park Rangers.

Left Back - Phil King

Phil King played for the Town during the Lou Macari era featuring in the 1987 League Division 3

Play Off Final. He made 141 (+4)  appearances during his first stint with Swindon between 1987 and 1989 scoring 4 goals. He was signed by Sheffield Wednesday and won a League Cup Winners Medal with them in 1991. He is also renowned in Aston Villa folklore as the player who scored the winning goal against Inter Milan in the UEFA Cup. A second term at Swindon Town came in 1997, but he only made 5 appearances before leaving for Brighton in 1999 having spent some time on loan at Blackpool. His England qualification comes with only the one appearance at 'B' International level, but his commitment to the cause when at the County Ground earns him the Left Back role in the Swindon Town All-Time England Team.

Centre Back - Terry Fenwick

Admittedly, the role for Centre Back has only one candidate - "Oo" Shaun Taylor (no true Swindon Town fan will mention Mr. Taylor without the preceding "Oo" - I wonder if that's his title in his passport rather then Mr.?). Unfortunately, not having represented his country at any level, Shaun Taylor cannot feature in the Swindon Town All-Time England Team. So, this honour must go to other players who have worn the red shirt of the Robins. In the twilight of his footballing career, Terry Fenwick was signed from Tottenham Hotspur in 1993 to help bolster the defence for the club's only appearance in the top-flight of the Football League. Renowned for hard tackles, Terry Fenwick's 30 (+3) appearances for Swindon Town saw him notably break the leg of Blackburn Rovers' player, Paul Warhurst. Fenwick represented England at Youth International, U-21 International (11 appearances) and Full International (20 appearances) levels.

Centre Back - Neil "Razor" Ruddock

More for his previous experience of top-flight football with Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, Neil

"Razor" Ruddock is my second choice for a Centre Back role. Other than his free kick which saw him score the only goal in his debut against Colchester, his 14 (+2) appearances for Swindon Town pale into insignificance when measured against his legal dispute with the club over unpaid wages. In his day, "Razor" was a formidable defender for Spurs and Liverpool and his banter with opposing forwards could have an unsettling effect on their play. He represented England at Youth International, U-21 (4 appearances), 'B' International (1 appearance) and Full International (1 appearance) levels.

Right Wing - Nicky "Buzzer" Summerbee

Nicky Summerbee was one of the few Swindon Town players to emerge from the Premier League season (1993 - 1994) with their reputation enhanced and in demand by other Premier League teams. With a running style all his own, once on the ball, it took a strong defender to remove it from what seemed like a magnetic force keeping it at Nicky's feet. A legendary crosser of the ball, the right wing was his domain and he made 108 (+27) appearances for Swindon Town. His England credentials stem from his 1 'B' International and 3 U-21 appearances.

Left Wing - "Sir" Don Rogers 

The Ides of March 1969 will live long in the memory of those fortunate to be both old enough to

remember that day and to have had the chance to be at Wembley for the League Cup Final. I was just under 4 years old, so do not remember any pre-match excitement in the town for the Division 3 v Division 1 clash, nor any of the post-match celebrations. What I do remember is being told about the event by the older boys in our street and, in particular, the part played by the legend that is "Sir" Don Rogers (487 + 3 appearances). I've watched the match several times and apart from the heroic display from goalkeeper Peter Downsborough, the contribution by Swindon Town's left winger was the most memorable aspect of the game. The third, and last, Swindon Town goal scored by Don Rogers is, in my opinion, the best goal ever scored at Wembley, new or old. When one considers that the game was in extra time, the heavy pitch, the tired legs and Bob Wilson was in goal for Arsenal for that game, the speed with which Rogers sprinted up the field from within his own half, the ball glued to his feet, and the finish whereby he took the ball around the floundering Scottish international goalkeeper, laying in the mud like a landed carp, and slotted the ball home to end the game, winning the League Cup for Swindon, then the attacking left winger is a must for any team. When leaving the County Ground for then Division 1 Crystal Palace, Don Rogers must have seemed a dead cert for achieving full international honours for his country. Unfortunately, he was never to feature in any of the England Managers' plans, but he does qualify for the Swindon Town All-Time England Team by virtue of representing England at Youth International, League Representative and U-23 International (2 appearances) levels.  

Right Midfield - Mike Summerbee

If persons of a certain age were to asked the question "For which team did Mike Summerbee play?" most would answer Manchester City. However, his first professional club was Swindon Town and in 244 appearances, he scored 40 goals. His natural position was as an outside right, but, for the Swindon Town All-Time England Team, I've moved him further into midfield. I remember seeing him on television playing for Manchester City and England and was impressed when my Dad told me that he used to play for Swindon Town. It would be interesting to see how he would have paired up with his son on the right wing. He played at League Representative level (1 appearance) and U-23 level (1 appearance), and won 8 Full International caps.

Left Midfield - Glenn Hoddle

Up to the 1991 -1992 season, I had seen some good players wearing the Swindon Town shirt, but,

when Glenn Hoddle wore the red of the Robins, his play was a class above. As Player-Manager, he controlled the field from the sweeper's position, but he was renowned as a midfield maestro before taking over the reins at the County Ground. Pinpoint accuracy was his forte, whether a cross-field pass or direct free kick, Hoddle could pass the ball to feet or hit the top corner of the goal all the time, every time. He played 73 (+2) games for Swindon Town scoring just 3 goals, but he was finally able to lay the ghost of 1990 when the club was denied its rightful place in the top tier of the English Football League, by leading them to a 4 - 3 win over Leicester City in the 1993 Division 1 Play Off final at Wembley. He didn't stay to manage the team in the Premier League, deciding that Chelsea was where his future lay, but he will always be remembered as the man who took Swindon Town to the Premier League. He represented his country at many levels - Youth International, U-21 International (12 appearances), 'B' International and Full International (53 appearances) - and is a must for the Swindon Town All-Time England Team.

Forward - Paul Rideout

Paul Rideout is a "local boy done good". Playing 109 (+5) times for Swindon Town, his home town club, Rideout scored 42 goals and was transferred to Aston Villa in 1983. A spell with Italian club Bari saw him return to English football at Southampton. He was loaned out to Swindon Town before moving to Notts County (then in the top flight Division 1) and then plied his trade north of the border for Rangers. In England, he will always be remembered for playing for Everton, the club he moved to after Rangers. The 1995 FA Cup Final saw Everton take on Manchester United and Rideout played in the striker's role for the Toffees. A counter attack by Everton saw the ball come back off the bar and Rideout was able to head home from just six yards out. At Schoolboy level Paul Rideout notably scored a hat trick against Scotland, a game that England lost 4 - 5 and which was actually televised live. He also represented his country at Youth International and U-21 International level (5 appearances), but never found favour with the England setup to achieve a Full International cap.  

Forward - Harold Fleming

Harold Fleming is the only Swindon Town player to represent England at Full International level

whilst playing for the club; he played eleven times for his country, scoring 9 times, a strike rate of 0.82 goals per game. Part of the successful Southern League Championship winning sides in 1911 and 1914 - the Southern League was the rival league to the northern Football League, so Swindon Town were the best of all the top southern clubs - he made 336 appearances for Swindon scoring 204 goals, a strike rate of 0.61 goals per game.

Substitutes

Tim Flowers

James Milner

Michael Carrick

Mark Walters

Paul Ince

Steve McMahon

Ryan Mason     

So, there you have it, my Swindon Town All-Time England Team. What's yours?