VIC MORGAN COLUMN: The crazy days keep on coming (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

VIC MORGAN COLUMN: The crazy days keep on coming

6:00am Thursday 6th September 2012 in Sport

While we all reflect on the result and events at the Kassam yesterday evening, let’s try and get some kind of perspective of another crazy few days at SN1.

No question, there was great optimism pre-match at Deepdale. After all, Premier League Stoke were victims of the PDC circus just a few days before.

A flurry of comings and goings brought renewed hope and the long journey north to Preston had a more than usual excitement about it. Well it all went a little strange didn’t it?

You sometimes felt you were in the middle of some late-50s sci-fi TV show as the events unfolded.

Goals flying in the Swindon net, the goalkeeper being substituted and kicking a drinks bottle, a post-match apology and subsequent explosion by the manager, and no veggie food in the away end (disgraceful). It was all a little difficult to understand, until you sit and think about it.

As football fans we rarely see a goalkeeper substituted. In all the years I’ve been watching the Town I can’t remember that change being made except for injury.

It does seem, that we think of it as a position apart and it's only to be tinkered with in exceptional circumstances.

I remember one Swindon manager saying to me that he was going to sign a defender later in the week. I immediately thought it was either a full-back or centre-back. That’s how I and, I guess, most fans think.

The manager concerned was Lou Macari and the defender was Kenny Allen. Yes a goalkeeper. Pretty good signing by the way Lou.

So I suppose the point I’m making is that if a manager feels a change is necessary it can be ANY position.

As for the way it’s panned out? Well, it’s been fascinating to watch it unfold. We live in extraordinary times.

What is for sure is that the name of Swindon Town attracts more attention these days than most others at our level. The clip of Sunday’s events has been shown over and over again. Is that a good or a bad thing? Ain’t no such thing as bad publicity. The only problem is that thing called perception.

Do we care how others see us as long as we’re doing well? Or, ARE we worried about our club’s image? I’m guessing that the majority of Swindon fans just want to see the team win, and why wouldn’t we?

I haven’t though. and will never just support every decision. For a few moments I was as baffled as anyone else by Mad Sunday at North End.

I felt for TWO young goalkeepers, Wes Foderingham who must have felt embarrassed and humiliated and Leigh Bedwell, who had the enjoyment of a league debut forgotten in all the hullabaloo.

Does the end justify the means ? Not always. There are many examples of that not always being the case. But people are paid to make decisions, and in a football club there can only be one winner.

I won’t be returning my season ticket and watching other teams. I couldn’t. You see, I want MY team to prosper. That’s my perception of the last crazy few days.