Swindon Town are a club, like Leeds who have suffered the infamy of considerable financial woes. It’s a battle of the paupers as Leeds United take on a takeover bound Swindon Town.
Vital Quotes:
In October 2006, the management duo of Dennis Wise and Gus Poyet stunned Swindon Town fans by confirming that they were departing the club, bound for struggling Leeds United.
Now branded a ‘traitor’ by Vital Swindon, Wise goes into a first meeting with his former employers perhaps safe in the knowledge that with hindsight, he made the right choice.
Whilst Wise is expecting ‘stick’ from the 1700 travelling Town supporters, he firmly believes that when he left The County Ground that the time spent there was beneficial for the club: ‘I enjoyed my time at Swindon,’ Wise told leedsunited.com. ‘I think we took 31 points from 16 games. We set a good base with the start we had, and the pre-season we’d had.
‘The players worked hard and I enjoyed working with them. Then, this came along, it was a great opportunity and I wanted to take it.
‘I don’t have any regrets and hope I don’t get too much stick, although I think I might do.’
A large portion of the squad from the Wise mini-era remain in the first team plans, and the boss has admitted that tactically Leeds may have to alter a few routines: ‘There’s quite a few still there, and some of them might remember a few of my set-plays so we might have to change things!
‘I think they are a bit more direct, but it will be a tough game.’
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Turning to Swindon Town, manager Paul Sturrock has gone all Oriental when it comes to talking selection and tactics for his sides’ trip to Yorkshire.
Speaking to the Swindon Advertiser Sturrock warbled: ‘I am in a quandary about what the selection is now. Ask me at 2pm tomorrow, I will have made my mind up about which way we will go. Either we will go tora, tora, tora, or it will be the china wall.’
With Swindon suffering from injuries in all departments, it does however seem unlikely that they will be visiting Leeds United with defence in mind: ‘If we were to put my thoughts onto the football pitch with the personnel I would like to be on the pitch, my advice would be don’t go it would be a right boring game.
‘But my personnel has been taken away and we are going to have to go with something a bit more cavalierish.’
Leeds United Team News:
Dennis Wise will be sweating on the fitness of both Jermaine Beckford and Frazer Richardson who have so far been the only named players to have suffered from some form of sickness bug.
Alan Thompson, despite completing 90 minutes for the reserves may not be risked.
Andy Hughes is back in training however other crocked players include Ian Westlake, Jonathan Douglas and Tore-Andre Flo.
Filipe Da Costa is suspended following his midweek red card.
Player to watch: Leon Constantine
Constantine looks like he may well be fully fit and raring to go now and the potential for Jermaine Beckford to miss the game through illness could provide him with a chance to stake a claim for a first team place.
If Beckford plays, expect Leon to make some form of impact from the bench.
Swindon Town Team News:
It is almost a case of naming the Swindon players that are currently fit, rather than the injury list at the moment as Paul Sturrock struggles to piece together a side.
Star defender Jerel Ifil is unlikely to feature as Swindon look not to risk any further reaction to his shin injury. Ifil is joined in the treatment room by fellow rear-guardsmen Ady Williams and Jamie Vincent.
First choice goalkeeper Phil Smith is also out injured, so 6 foot 7 Slovakian Peter Brezovan will deputise.
Player to watch: Blair Sturrock
It’s the bosses’ son! With so many injuries will Sturrock junior add to his 8 appearances this season?
He’s also the first person I’ve ever heard of with the first name ‘Blair.’
All About Swindon:
You will find many interesting things about the town of Swindon, but none more interesting than: