{"id":11716,"date":"2004-08-08T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2004-08-08T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.staging28.planetswans.co.uk\/?p=11716"},"modified":"2020-09-22T11:26:01","modified_gmt":"2020-09-22T11:26:01","slug":"programme-northampton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jackarmy.net\/wp67\/2004\/08\/08\/programme-northampton\/","title":{"rendered":"Programme – Northampton"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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In The Programme – Northampton Town<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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JACKARMY.net TALKING<\/p>\n

Welcome back to the start of another season at the Vetch, this one tinged with a touch of sadness as it is, of course, the last season that we will open at the Vetch Field. In just 23 league games time, the Vetch Field will be consigned to the history books as the Swans prepare for their new future at White Rock Stadium (no matter what the council say it is White Rock to me!)<\/p>\n

I’m sure I won’t be the only Swans fan spending every game this season savouring the atmosphere that the Vetch can generate and to any visiting fans reading this I hope you enjoy your last visit to the Vetch as well. Life will seem strange in 12 months time but we will soon get used to it and although we will never forget this place in 5 years I am sure we will feel the same about White Rock as we do about the Vetch Field.<\/p>\n

Hope you all had a great summer. Bit of a shock the Greeks triumphing in Euro 2004 don’t you think but it goes to show that a hard working and well organised team can go along way. Greece reminded me very much of our championship side of 2000 – not pretty to watch but very effective. Question is does success come ahead of entertainment? I hope not.<\/p>\n

A warm welcome as well to the Vetch Field to all of Kenny Jackett’s summer signings. Gary Fisken, Garry Monk, Adrian Forbes, Sam Ricketts and Kevin Austin will, we hope, all become firm crowd favourites at the Vetch and all look to be more than useful additions to the squad.<\/p>\n

Writing this, as I do, almost two weeks before the Northampton game I also hope that we are welcoming a goalkeeper by now as well, whether as first choice or as back up to Brian Murphy. Roger Freestone is a hard act to follow but it can be done and we have to hope that in the goalkeepers we have the man to do so somewhere.<\/p>\n

Northampton of course arrive here today as one of the favourites for promotion this season and rightly so. Their form at the end of last season was exceptional and only a penalty defeat at Mansfield stopped them last season. This will prove to be a tough opening fixture for us and one that could well give us a good gauge of our chances for this season. Good luck to you Cobblers but only after today.<\/p>\n

It was great as well over the course of the summer to see the club reporting record season ticket sales. With attendances well up last season and this behind us there is every chance that this season’s average crowd will be higher than that of last season. And we all know what a difference the fans here can make – it can be like having a goal start every game. It’s the last season here, let’s help make the place the fortress that it can be.<\/p>\n

Finally for this opening article of the season, let’s hope that we steer clear of the injuries that were dogging us all of last season. The squad are certainly looking fit as we head into this season and if we are to have any chance of realising our dream of promotion this year then a relatively injury free squad is what we need. Fingers crossed anyway.<\/p>\n

That’s it from me for this time – enjoy the afternoon and at long last it’s the return of football as we know and love it – here’s to promotion (hopefully!)<\/p>\n

UP THE SWANS!<\/p>\n

Phil Sumbler<\/p>\n

phil@sumbler.freeserve.co.uk<\/p>\n

You can keep up to date with what the Swans fans are talking about by visiting www.jackarmy.net<\/a> – Supporting the Swans, All Day, Every Day <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Why not check out the latest Vetch Verdict<\/a> on the BBC site?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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