ANALYSIS: Is Wellens right to call out STFC fans?

SWINDON TOWN manager Richie Wellens has called for fans to get behind the team and be more vocal in their support of the club as the Robins strive for promotion this season. But is he right to do so or is Wellens wrong to call out supporters? Total Sport Swindon’s Chief Of Sport Ryan Walker gives his analysis.

Football fans are the heartbeat of every football club across the world. Fact. They fund a large part of the player's wages, staff costs, overheads, and everything else involved in the running of a club. But it is not just the financial benefit that fans provide. Fans are the lifeline of the team. 

They support their club through thick and thin, rejoicing in every victory and suffering in every loss, only to turn up the following weekend regardless of circumstances to once again get behind their team.

But as Swindon Town manager Richie Wellens issues a rallying call to fans urging them to get behind the squad as the Wiltshire outfit strives for promotion back to League One, there is an argument that fans don’t recognise how much their support can affect a team’s performances. 

In modern-day football there is a stark contrast between the 22 players running out onto the pitch and those manning the terraces, with players living a completely opposite life to those cheering from the stands. But for those ninety minutes of footballing action, the two become unified. 

Last night’s Swindon Town victory over Stevenage saw the Robins end their five-game winless streak with the club just six points off of table-toppers Crewe Alexandra. But in his post-match press conference, Wellens insisted that the support from the home crowd just wasn’t enough. 

A 90th-minute goal from Eoin Doyle secured the three points for Swindon, but does Wellens have a legitimate point or is his bold analysis of the fans support unjust? 

A great start to the season for STFC created a feel-good factor around the club with large proportions of fans even daring to dream of promotion at such an early stage in the season. 

 However, a couple of poor results has reversed feelings amongst the same supporters with those originally praising the squad now demonising performances and insisting the club isn’t going anywhere. 

Fans are allowed to hold whatever views they want. After all, it is these loyal supporters that go to work every day to help fund the club they love. And if they aren’t seeing a return on investment for putting their hand into the piggy bank every week then it is understandable for them to aim criticism at the squad and the manager. 

But in the same breath, the creation of a negative aura around the team is unlikely to create a positive reaction from the players taking to the field. 

It is a cache 22 situation. Fans want to see good performances to cheer about. But the manager wants consistent support regardless of results, and it is here that the core of the discussion is formed. 

Swindon have been on a downward spiral for the past five years with relegation to League Two followed by consecutive seasons of mid-table mediocrity making it hard for fans to show the unwavering enthusiastic support that is desired week in week out.

But maybe this is needed now more than ever. 

If you pay your admission fee then you’re entitled to cheer, boo, and get on the players back as much as you want. But is this really helping the team? There is a common agreement amongst fans of the beautiful game that players don’t care about the club as much as supporters do.

This is true. But if you were subject to negative taunts in your workplace do you think this would help your productivity or instead cause you to not perform at your best? 

Richie Wellens gave the example of Swindon’s recent loss to Crewe last weekend as to how he would like the STFC fans to make the County Ground a difficult place to come and get a result. And the Swindon fans have a real chance to do that this season. 

Away results have far outshone home performances and this is largely down to the amazing travelling support that Swindon fans take with them everywhere they go. So if the fans can replicate the same atmosphere at the County Ground as they do at away grounds then there will be an undoubtedly be an upturn in results. 

Swindon Town are still in a strong position to earn promotion this season and with 31 league games left to be played anything can happen. Richie Wellens isn’t criticising fans, he just wants more from them so get behind your team and you will see that positivity off the field creates positivity on it.