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Swindon Town’s Wembley playoff

They say insanity is doing the same but experience doesn’t make it any the trip from Wiltshire had found
thing time and time again and easier to take. enough to shout about pre-match.
expecting different results. When Back in the Wembley of old, with Within 13 minutes the game was
it comes to Wembley, Swindon its Twin Towers and crumbling up, as the Robins found themselves
Town are most certainly losing their walls, Swindon were invincible: two goals down and their captain
minds. three appearances, three victories injured again.
Bank Holiday Sunday’s trip to and enough wonderful memories to Perhaps that offered some form
the national stadium – a third last a lifetime. of consolation; Swindon support-
visit in five years – began with less It’s been 22 years since the last ers had plenty of time to digest
Sam Morshead of expectation than their other two one, though, the towers have been the inevitable. Some retained that
TotalSwindonSport.com but ended in total desolation. It was replaced by a galactic arch, hope slither of belief that a comeback
reflects on how Swindon a miserable conclusion to a bizarre has been usurped by heartbreak remained possible – a slither which
Town’s dream of promotion to and brilliant season. and an entire generation can only was flattened when Michael Smith
the Championship on 24 May Town fans are getting used to associate the north London venue headed wide 30 seconds before
vapourised within 20 minutes leaving Wembley first and filtering with failure. Jermaine Beckford added Preston’s
down the half-mile stretch back
Swindon fans were raucous before third.
in a game dominated by to the Tube with the echoes of the game. The Globe on Baker Street Half-time might as well have been
Preston North End. celebration chasing behind them, and The Torch at Wembley Park full-time, such was the party at one
became boisterous hives, Wembley end of Wembley and misery at the
Way was soon swamped with red other. As much as supporters could
and then, as the players emerged search and search and search, they
from the tunnel, a giant mosaic could find no reason to cheer – a
– printed above the arms of Town harsh and sad denouement to a
supporters behind one goal – added campaign where cheering has been
to the atmosphere. so surprisingly frequent.
It’s just as well those who’d made The fourth for Preston was always

Left, Town’s captain in Nathan Thompson in agony before leaving the
field. Below, Swindon Town defending another Preston attack.
Bottom: Town attack breaks down under Preston pressure

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34 swindonlink.com n June 2015