We Got Promoted. Then We Got Unpromoted.

RIGHT.

I’ve had enough now.

Every single discussion about Manchester City and punishments goes exactly the same way.

Rangers.

Juventus.

Chelsea.

Everton.

Southampton.

Some team from the 1937 Belgian third division.

And still nobody says:

SWINDON. BLOODY. TOWN.

HOW.

HOW ARE WE NOT IN THIS CONVERSATION?

In 1990 Swindon Town WON PROMOTION TO THE TOP FLIGHT. (What was then The First Divison)

Won it.

At Wembley. (18 Year old Haphazrd was there; the old Wembley, too)

Beat Sunderland with a 25th minute goal by the late great Alan McLoughlin

Job done.

Look we got a Trophy – Alan McLoughlin & Ossie

WE ARE GOING UP SAY WE ARE GOING UP!!!!!

We had reached the promised land.

And then the Football League basically pissed on our chips.

“Actually lads, no you haven’t.”

Because of irregular payments we were originally DEMOTED TWO DIVISIONS.

TWO.

We started in Division Two.

Won promotion.

And nearly ended up in Division Three.

Even by Swindon standards that takes some doing.

We appealed and The FA reduced to one division, which was apparently the merciful option.

So instead of:

“Congratulations on promotion, you’re now getting relegated.”

It became:

“Congratulations on promotion, you’re staying exactly where you are.”

Cheers.

Lovely.

Sunderland got our place and Swindon fans were left staring into the middle distance wondering what the bloody hell had just happened.

Greavsie was on our side.

And now, decades later, everyone is having this huge debate about financial wrongdoing and severe punishments and STILL WE’RE NOT GETTING A LOOK IN.

You cannot move for people mentioning Rangers.

Rangers

Yes. WE KNOW.

Juventus.

YES.

Chelsea.

FINE.

But Swindon Town had promotion to the top flight physically taken off them after winning it on the pitch.

That feels fairly relevant.

I’m not saying the City case is the same.

It isn’t.

Different rules, different charges, different era, different everything.

I’m just saying that if you’re compiling examples of English football absolutely leathering a club for financial irregularities, maybe include the one where a club WON PROMOTION AND WAS THEN TOLD IT HADN’T.

Just a thought.

Maybe stick us somewhere between Rangers and Juventus.

Tiny mention.

Couple of lines.

An asterisk.

Anything.

Because I’m think Swindon could have been demoted to the Isthmian League, fined £40 million and forced to play home games on the M4 and commentators would still go:

“Of course, the obvious historical comparison here is Rangers.”

NO IT ISN’T.

LOOK AT US.

WE ARE RIGHT HERE.

Some of us have been carrying this nonsense around since 1990. ( I am not bitter honest )

We’ve earned our moment.

So please, football media, next time you’re discussing brutal punishments for financial irregularities:

Remember Swindon Town.

We got promoted.

Then we got unpromoted.

Then we appealed against the unpromotion.

And somehow that was considered a decent result.

Peak Swindon.

Absolute peak Swindon.

Anyway, rant over.

Until somebody mentions Rangers again.