Guys keep up the good work, we're going up this year. OK Mates !!!

Happy New Year to all my fellow Jacks!


Isn't it just great to be a Jack!

Not everyone can say that!

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda to you all.

Just to point out that, according to the Swans Online site, the club have chosen not to appeal against Bodde's red card. They are concerned that the FAW would not only refuse to overturn the suspension, but also lengthen the ban. He will miss the next 5 games starting at Swindon (auto 3 match ban for red card shown for serious foul play, 1 extra because it's his second red card and an extra match because he picked up his 5th booking v Cheltenham).

I thought it was a crude challenge by Bodde, however you can see from the highlights that the referee seemed to merely put his arm up to signal a free kick until the Leeds tossers came in like the Light Brigade and influenced his decision. Am I right in thinking that refs and linesmen...sorry, assistant referees (!), are connected via mirophones and earpieces in games these days? I guess it's possible that the linesman told him it was a red card offence over the microphone (the linesman had even more of a shocker than the ref), but in that cauldron of noise this seems unlikely as surely the ref would have deemed it necessary to confirm this face to face with his assistant to be sure of making the correct decision.

One thing's for sure, 9 times out of 10 if the ref is certain that a foul is worthy of a red card he doesn't bother to signal for a free kick - he will usually run in to the scene of the incident to ensure that the players don't react to each other, and show the card as soon as possible as a means of diffusing the situation. This didn't happen on Saturday which suggests to me that his mind wasn't made up to send Bodde off until the Leeds players reacted.

Just out soon for the New Year drinkies... the owner of the bar I go to is a Forest fan, so hopefully I'll have something to be smug about come May.

In the meantime, when I get back (probably about 2am here, 7am in the UK), I'm hoping I can get up again in time for the match commentary.

Happy New Year to all and sundry in any case, lets hope we continue to have a successful team to argue about in the coming years.

Andy - Swansea

Exactly the point, one gets a red card and the other gets nothing.

A total farce

The referees change in reactions tells it all

Good to see you are in early, ready for tomorrows game.


Roy Wells

Very valid points you made in your posting and the point you made about the referee making a decision over a period in a game to stop it getting out of hand I accept, but a red card????????

Watch the ref. from when he first saw the incident to when the Leeds players started to pile in and see the difference in the guy.

This is why I hope the Welsh FA have the balls to overturn the decision, but there again, I doubt it

For any team to be successful in any Division, you must have this "winner/dirty" player, otherwise you are an also ran.

Where would Man U have been without a certain Mr. Roy Keane???????


Aberafan

You could see the McDonald transfer coming and I wouldn't be surprised if Matt Collins went as well. You are not going to progress in with the "stiffs"

Seems it's only me and Jack Daniels up, so I' d like to thank Dai for putting up with our rantings and ravings for the season! Always diverse comments, we all see the games through different eyes, if we all said the same thing wouldn't life be boring?

Happy New Year Swans fans, how nice to look down on the rest hey?
Reading through, I'm so glad many saw the same game as I described in my post 50507. This was just after I got home and was seething about the performance of the officials. Having cooled down, I still think the ref was wearing yellow underneath, and also was the colour of his belly.
Was anyone close to the incident in front of the East stand, when either Rangel or Anderson was nearly cut in half? I was over the other side, but it looked crude to me. Even the old lady in front of me jumped out of her seat!

Happy New Year to you all.
And after Boxing Day and Saturday -please, no more moaning about our players and their performance.
We are top of the league.

Talking to one of the players on Saturday night and he said that Roberto is a genius. Said that old brown shoes told them to keep the full backs busy and they would turn into a long ball team-and did'nt they just!!
Also that he had to drag the Spanish and Dutch players off the Leeds dressing room door after the match because they were screaming 'we are top of the league etc etc'.
Best Crimbo for an age.

The fact remains if Bodde loses his appeal he's out for 5 matches.Hot off the press a few bit's of info regarding some of our youngsters.Port Talbot tried to take Shaun Mcdonald on loan from tomorrow but he's about to sign for Bouremouth,Chris Jones has been told he has to go back out on loan and the club are trying to get Kerri Morgan playing at a higher level than PT in the Welsh Premier.Happy New Year and hope to see you all in Swindon tomorrow.

Haydn

Honestly, on reflection, BOTH players should probably have been sent off. The Leeds guy for a two footed challenge, and Bodde, for a subtle stamp which would normally have gone unpunishes apart from the reaction of the Leeds players.

Bodde is no saint, and neither was the cheat from Leeds.

The game has gone too soft- but that's a whole new argument!

RE Matthew lewis

Good point about ofloading bad behaviour but do we have anyone as good as Ferrie in the squad, with Crainey and Way out on loan and no sign of them coming back yet, Olearey not fit to wear a welsh league shirt KING ROBERTOS only option at swnindon is to push Robbo more into the centre and bring in Butler.

My team as follows

DORUS

RANGEL MONK TATE PAINTER

ANDERSON PRATLEY BRITTON ROBBO BUTLER

SCOTLAND.

It makes sense and bring in a quality striker and centre half we wont be far short of the top 2 places come may!!!!!

Just seen the highlights on Virgin Media and was particulaly interested in Bodde's challenge. I have not had the luxury of seeing it in slow motion, or analysing it from all angles, and as a referee I know we only get one chance at normal speed to make the decision.

Personally I didn't see any maliciuos intent in the challenge. It looked to me that both players were intent on getting the ball.

As a referee you tend to make your mind up as to whether it's a yellow, or red on the initial challenge, and try to ignore the players. Occasionally you may need to go over the challenge quickly in your mind and make the decision as you're calming things down.

Another indicator is the player's reactions. The player who commits the foul will normally try to proclaim his innocence, but when he knows he deserves to be sent off it is just a token gesture. Very often they accept the card before you show it.

Bodde's reaction was pure disbelief. I feel he was expecting a yellow.

Having said all this I am just commenting on an isolated incident in a match. Sometimes a match will build up and as a referee you will say to yourself 'the next iffy challenge will be a booking' to prevent the game getting out of control, or if that player fouls the same player again he's in trouble. So the incident has to be taking into consideration in the context of the game.

Having said all that I wish I was there to see what was obviiously a great performance. I would like to finally add that personally I will be happy with a point tomorrow. (particularly 1-1 as that's my predictascore!!) Leeds would have taken a lot out of us physically and mentally. Possibly a few changes tomorrow, then an assault on the FA Cup with a few more changes.

Happy new year to everybody. I've enjoyed the debates, and look forward to more in the new year, and possibly meeting more of you throughout the season.

Haydn (50898 and 99)
I thinki that is exactly the point I was trying to make

Matthew Lewis

So you can say that Bodde categorlcally deserved to be sent off????????

Or is it because you were also conned by the referee's decision????????

Matthew,

If you honestly believe that Bodde's challenge was malicious, you would be in a minority.

If Martinez were to think along the same lines, don't you think he would have had a go at him? fined him? Maybe he's kept it behind closed doors, but if Martinez had given Bodde the hairdryer treatment over it, i'm sure Haydn would have found out by now.

Jason Lewis

Have a look at the ergonomics of the situation and in the direction that Bodde was going.

Then where did Mike Thomas think he was going to put his left leg??????? Bodde wanted to win the tackle and not jump out of the way and at the same time, he was protecting his inside shin bone of his left leg, when the Leeds player was sliding/flying into him.

If anyone had studs showing, it was the Leeds player, so why wasn't he booked

Isn?t winning the ball in the tackle, part of football these days and isn?t it why the game in Britain is the best in the World because of this part to our game???????

If we are not careful, football will be played by a lot pf "pansies". It?s bad enough that you can?t touch the keeper these days without trying to stop someone winning the ball in the tackle

The referee Saturday was conned big time by the Leeds players

Jason Lewis

Have a look at the ergonomics of the situation and in the direction that Bodde was going.

Then where did Mike Thomas think he was going to put his left leg??????? Bodde wanted to win the tackle and not jump out of the way and at the same time, he was protecting his inside shin bone of his left leg, when the Leeds player was sliding/flying into him.

If anyone had studs showing, it was the Leeds player, so why wasn't he booked

Isn?t winning the ball in the tackle, part of football these days and isn?t it why the game in Britain is the best in the World because of this part to our game???????

If we are not careful, football will be played by a lot pf "pansies". It?s bad enough that you can?t touch the keeper these days without trying to stop someone winning the ball in the tackle

The referee Saturday was conned big time by the Leeds players

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL
Just a few random points,took my 70 year old uncle(60 years an Orient fan)to the Leeds game as a present whilst he was visiting for the crimbo holidays and with no prior knowledge of our players or their histories he thought Lawrence the biggest liability he has seen for years.Does he know anything?maybe not but hes a real fan who appreciated a team that he does not support.Also he had no axe to grind by making that statement and he can show the tickets for over 25 F.A. cup finals as his credentials for a valid comment.
Any one going to Swindon with no ticket, if you want to take a chance,the last time we played there over the christmas period it was billed as all ticket but they were selling the terrace as pay on the gate when we got there,any of you thinking you got the better tickets in the stand its a crap view and you will have your knees around your ears,very cramped so pray it dont rain as I have plumped for the open terraces this year.
A bit of a ramble, but better now than later when the gin kicks in,see you all tomorrow,Im going on the train in anticipation of the hangover.

I think the club should have a very close look at Bodde, he is undoubtedly a good player but his conduct on the field ( and consequently his support of his team mates ) is simply not good enough. In my view his foul on Saturday was malicious. I can imagine the vitriol on this Guestbook if we had lost on Saturday which would have been down solely to Bodde. Can you imagine it? This was the second time he has had a red along with a hatful of yellows in only 4 months. In my view Roberto should off load him as soon as possible in January - good riddance to bad behaviour
STID

I see Darren Way didnt play on saturday due to the flu but is expected to return to the Yeovil side tommorrow.
I really hope he returns to the liberty to presume his Swans career.
S.T.I.D

i have watched the bodde tackle a few times and i stick with my veiw on the day that the leeds player went in 2 footed and came off the worse maybe if Bodde had faked an injury he might not of got sent off but he is to honest a player for that, also the reaction of the leeds players did not help thompsons attitude through out the game stank he was on to the referee incesently and at the end summed it up for me when he had a go at de vries for celebrating SOUR GRAPES ME THINK

denis wise has said that his team have 52 points from 23 games and they need to do the same in the second half of the season HELLO you do not have 52 points you have 37. i am fed up with people harping on about if leeds had this if leeds had that (football focus for one)they are where they are and they will most probably go up automatically so take your punishment and get on with it!!!

Has anyone got a link to the swansea v leeds Highlights, i have toomates who support leeds and i was the first to call them and have a wee brag. coz if we lost i would have most definatly received a call from them. for once we got to the top and are fighting off oppersition with style and passion.

Guys keep up the good work, we're going up this year. OK Mates !!!

theoracle

Tell me why, would a rich benefactor be interested in taking a stake in the Club when he only can have 28% of the shares

This is going to be a very interesting discussion point when we are promoted to the Championship and in future years

I also doubt that Martinez will go after one year with us, but equally important is the success we are now seeing is not down totally to Martinez, but to the whole management team.

Just watch Martinez and Jones discussing tactics during a match and it?s obvious it?s not one way as before to see that

I'm definately with Haydn on this one.
At the time I thought the fracas was because the Leeds guy had dived in two footed thoguh Ritchie said Bodde is going to get booked.
I have watched it time and time again, frame by frame his right leg did not appear to me to be aiming at anything more a case of staying upfright. Boddes left foot was being used to pass the ball.
The ref's body language changed when dirty leeds actor's society got in on the act. They got Bodde sent off. My verdict was that the leeds guy should have been booked for that challenge and got himself hurt.

Mike Thomas/Vivsjack

First time for me to have a look at the Bodde sending off

I know the leg was forward but that was never a straight red. That was a foul you see time and time again watching football on the box, at best a yellow and no more

Have a look at that particular incident on the official Swansea website or better still see the TV replay where you can look at it, frame by frame and then tell us that you still think it was a straight red.

That was a sending off orchestrated by the Leeds player?s full stop. I would even go and say that if Bodde had not got in there, in such a way, that he would have been on the end of a nasty foul. I would even ask in what was the difference in Painters foul in the Cheltenham game, where he didn?t even get booked and the one that Bodde did.

While you are at it, have a look in how the reactions changed of the referee. From when he first blew for the foul and when the Leeds?s players started piling in

I can now understand why Bodde wants to appeal against the verdict and I hope that the Welsh FA have the balls to overturn it

I have always said that referees haven't a clue what they are doing and these are ones that perform (or is it the opposite) in the Premiership and they are supposed to be the best.

You have only to look at recent games to see the cock-up?s made by these so called prima-donors to tell you that

Thanks mark

Mike - I've re-watched the tackle a few times now, I concede that you are right. I hadn't noticed the foot from Bodde straight away.

Swindon Advertiser saying that there should be a very large crowd tomorrow (for a swindon game anyway), as well as reminding people that kickoff is 1pm.

A few random comments that the locals are also expecting trouble from a large away crowd.

Colin, Clive;

Around 1800-2000 tickets sold for Swindon, with fans able to pay on the day for the uncoverd seats behind the goal.
On Swansea Sound and in the Evening Post.
Up to 3000 expected to travel.

Can anyone tell me the ticket situation for Swindon.

Will I be able to pay on the gate? (for either end if need be?)

If you have a spare ticket for the Swindon game please give me a call thanks, Clive. 0792 93 33228

hi all great game against leeds,were is the highlights on virgin media

Vivsjack, I have to disagree. The Leeds player certainly went sliding in, and if Bodde had stepped back or fallen over, he would certainly have won a free kick, possibly even got the Leeds player a booking. But look at the clip again and look at Bodde's right foot. Where he deliberately put that had nothing to do with controlling the ball and everything to do with hurting his opponent. You don't deliberately step INTO a sliding tackle to protect yourslef, you try and get out of the way. Once he did that, everything else became irrelevant, he was off.

An awesome game on Saturday, still feeling excited by the whole event now!

Interesting to see that Darren Pratley thinks the atmosphere was the best its been since he joined!

Lets hope performances (from the team and the crowd!) like that continue on for the rest of the season

Cheers

Jim

I've just seen the highlights on virgin media.

- Bodde shouldnt have been sent off, the Leeds player went in with two feet off the ground, if he had connected with bodde then it could have been very nasty. I thought Bodde's challenge was certainly a yellow, in no way was it a straight red.

Once more its the time of year for predictions so here is what was revealed once the entrails of the slaughtered lamb were examined.

1 Promotion. (It is unclear whether automatic or playoffs) but I can clearly see a sunny August day and the Swans kicking off at home in the Championship for 2008/09.

2 We will be knocked out of the FA Cup by a premiership side after a replay.

3 Roberto will receive an offer he cannot refuse and, after much soul searching, will leave the club near the end of the year.

4 A rich benefactor will become interested in the club and there will be much speculation of a takeover.

5 Some Swansea City fans will continue to see the glass half empty rather than half full. As usual they will see any defeat as a reason to call for management heads to roll, and for any players poor perfomance to immediately require a transfer.

6 Fortunately the majority will realise that we have a manager that believes in transformation not revolution, and they will understand that there is a difference, in that the former takes time.

So happy New Year to all, and remember, all things in moderation.

Mike, I have also watched the Bodde incident a few times and from that angle, I can't see what he did to get sent off. There is no doubt that the Leeds player jumps in from some distance and that will have increased the force of any impact. You may well be right that Bodde saw it coming and raised his boot but to make sure he didn't come off worse but I can't see it on that clip.

As for Barry Corr? Hmm, I remember last time we went to Swindon, 2 years ago today in fact, and a certain Rory Fallon was playing for them.

I just watched the highlights on Virgin Media myself.

Loved the fact that the commentator thought that both of Thompson's free-kicks were in the 1st half. Did he not notice that the teams were attacking on different sides?

If Feeney won't sign, we might do worse than take a look at Swindon's striker, Barry Corr. He's a 22 year old Irishman, 6'3" and looks a powerful player with a fair bit of skill. Swindon are in financial trouble and might be inclined to let him go at a reasonable price. Have a look at his two latest goals, against Bournemouth. We will have our hands full with him tomorrow.

Just watched the highlights of the game on Virgin Media and played the Bodde incident over and over about 20 times.

There's little doubt in my mind that he saw the sliding challenge coming in and thought the Leeds player was fair game for a sly boot, a case of 'get your retaliation in first', but it worked better than he imagined it would. A definte red card, and I wouldn't bother appealing, or the Welsh FA might extend the ban by another five games.

The fact that his natural reaction is to think like that bothers me, it shows a flaw in his character. It's a shame, because he's obviously a very gifted player, but he's no use to us unless he can control his nasty streak. I hope he will take a leaf out of Robbo's book, our previous 'wild child', but this isn't the same problem. With Robbo, the red mist used to descend when someone or something wound him up. With Bodde, he seems to know what he's doing and is quite cool about it.

My message to Roberto/Graham Jones is 'sort it out'. The way they've conducted themselves so far, I've no doubt they will.

WE ARE THE KINGS OF SWANSEA CITY IN LEAGUE ONE!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008

TO ALL SWANSEA JACKS(NICK, CHRIS ETC)

/HAPPY AND HOPEFUL PAT

Evening post said on saturday 19,500 sell out at the liberty

yesterday's papers say attendance was 19.010

what happened with the other 490 people...

still hasn't beat the record set for the yeovil game

Happy New Year to all swans fans

I have just watched highlights of Leeds game just to cnfirm my feelings on Boddes sending off, the ref was correct in his sending off but the Leeds player should have been sent off for a 2 footed tackle at the same time. Bodde will learn from each sending off he has and go on to be a legend at Swansea.

Just been looking at one of the Leeds websites, they are still whinging about the 15 point deduction, how they are still the best team in the world and how they are going to run away with the league.Dennis Wise must have installed the same thinking and attitude to the fans the same as the players.Whinge, moan,whinge.
Cant make it tomorrow, good luck to the boys and hope all of you who are travelling have a prosperous day and new year.
STID

Darren....Top of the league with so many unreliable players, awesome.

How is the dressmaking going, do you think you could run me up a new number for my May holidays.

Colin wrote Bodde first class

I agree - first class Eurostar ticket back to Holland. How can Martinez plan with having someone as unreliable as him?

Nice to hear that RoW won the predictascore for December and with that in mind I thought I would ask him for a few pointers until I happened to see he gave 5-1 for the Leeds game.

They do say there is a fine line between genious and insanity.

I agree with Jackland on Lawrence.

He took one hell of a battering on Sat and came out of it really well.

I thought the ref had a reasonable game in an intimidating atmosphere. Wise has taught his players to whinge and moan as much as he does.

Bodde first class, Just remember it's a contact sport and not dress making.