Planet Swans ArchivesIt seems quite strange to be sitting here at the beginning of November thinking back about a game that was postponed. As usual, Swansea lived up to it’s reputation as one of the wettest cities in Britain with the torrential rain of two weeks ago that caused the postponement of the Darlington game. I was sat in my car in County Hall car park when I heard of the game being called off, sadly it had been just two minutes after the bus load of Darlington supporters arrived at the same venue. A great effort to make a trip of that distance but I can safely say that I did not envy them the long trip home that evening. I do hope that some of them make the rearranged date of 16 November – they deserve to make the one last trip to the Vetch Field.
I also write these programme notes ahead of the trips to Grimsby in the league and Wycombe in the LDV Vans trophy so at present we sit very healthily in 3rd place in the league with a game in hand over everyone. A nice position to be in and of course, massively boosted by the two year extension that a certain man in the magic daps has signed. Thanks for committing your future to us Lee and also the same thanks goes to Paul Connor with the news of the one year extension to his contract. It is a sign of the way that the club is progressing that players are prepared to commit their long term future and after a couple of years of massive rebuilding in the summer hopefully our plans are more advanced this year and the additions will be just that next time around rather than replacements.
The arrival here today of Bristol Rovers sees a very tough test ahead of us in what is our most local game of the season. Rovers have come on leaps and bounds this term and after being heavily tipped in the close season, they are living up to their potential and with the two sides matched very closely it promises to be a good encounter. It’s a strange one facing a side from Bristol as traditionally I guess there should be some form of rivalry but I don’t see it with Rovers – hopefully the Rovers fans will appreciate though when I say I don’t like Bristol City. Maybe in every town or city where there is two clubs there is one you can have a soft spot for and one you don’t like I don’t know but as far as the Bristol clubs go, I just cannot bring it upon myself to hate Rovers. That aside though I do hope they go home today with nothing.
Circumstance dictates my absence again from this particular game – a family get together in Bognor Regis of all places being the excuse this time again but from the hours of 3pm to 5pm, I know where my mind will be as I am sure the same can be said for every Swans fan that misses a fixture from time to time.
Next Saturday sees us return to FA Cup action again for the first time since that agonising defeat at Tranmere back in February. Again, writing these notes so early means I have no idea who we are facing but I hope in all honesty that we will be back here next Saturday – the Vetch deserves at least one more FA Cup tie plus a nice trip into round 3 would just help the coffers of the club along just a little bit. It’s easy to say that last season’s cup run was a distraction we didn’t need and give me the choice between a cup run and promotion and the latter wins hands down but it would be nice just to sample Premiership opposition down here on the 8th January next year wouldn’t it?
That just about wraps up my words for this week, enjoy the game, let’s hope that this is the 7th home win on the bounce that we wanted two weeks ago and if you hear a distant cry from the South Coast of “Jack Army” you know where it is coming from this afternoon.
Enjoy the game, wish I could be with you
