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Reliving 95/96: Digging In At Rotherham
Twenty years on from Swindon Town’s title-winning season in Division Two, David Wallis tells the tale of that 1995/96 campaign week by week – every week on Total Sport. The story continues with a hard-fought tie at Rotherham, and the curious case of Jason Drysdale...
After an indifferent November, Town returned to Division Two action with a trip to Rotherham on December 9, and they had to be patient for their win, forced to wait until the 70th minute before top scorer Steve Finney broke the deadlock.
Rotherham finished the afternoon just one place off the relegation zone but made Town work hard for their victory. Unusually shackled in the first half, Town still faced tough opposition from a side who had lost just once at home as the second period commenced.
But with their talismanic front man Shaun Goater out injured, the home side couldn’t capitalise on their superior possession.
Four minutes before half time Shaun Taylor produced the Robins’ first effort on goal. The big centre back then failed to find the target with his second header just prior to the break.
The second half continued in similar vein.
Fraser Digby denied United’s Mike Jeffery, future Oxford manager Chris Wilder whistled a 20-yard free kick just wide on the hour mark, and a series of Rotherham corners were successfully repelled.
Finally a Kevin Horlock corner troubled the home side’s defence. Keeper Carl Muggleton blocked Mark Seagraves looping header but fumbled the ball on the goal line, allowing Finney to stab home and give Town the lead.
The euphoria was short lived when Seagraves was stretchered off, but the suspected broken ankle turned out to be just twisted. Mark Robinson again deputised in the centre of defence to great effect with Paul Allen switching to right back.
And it was Allen who released Gooden in added time. Ty Gooden’s powerful effort was again parried by Muggleton, and the reliable Finney again pounced to grab his, and Town’s, second.
Featuring at left back in place of Paul Bodin was Jason Drysdale, a player whose spell at Swindon is not remembered fondly.
The son of Brian, also a left back, Jason was born in Bristol while his dad plied his trade at Ashton Gate, and his arrival at Swindon in March 1995 was under such circumstances that supporters would always be reluctant to take him to their hearts.
When McMahon decided to cash in on star striker and fans’ favourite Jan Aage Fjortoft, a fee of £1.3m was accepted from Middlesbrough just months after suggestions that it would take £4m to prise the Norwegian international from the County Ground.
With the money burning a hole in Town’s pocket and transfer deadline day about to draw to a close, McMahon ‘invested’ £340,000 in Newcastle United defender Jason Drysdale, a player who was so little regarded at St James’ Park he never made an appearance after joining from Watford.
Town fans were underwhelmed that such a large proportion of the disappointingly low fee for Fjortoft would be spent on a left back, a disillusionment that was soon compounded by the performances of Drysdale.
The fact that Drysdale’s purchase appeared to be being justified by dropping Town legend Paul Bodin did nothing to get supporters on his side.
Seemingly either always injured, recovering from injury or about to get injured, Drysdale made around a dozen appearances in each of his three full seasons in Wiltshire, making just 43 starts before he was released to join Forest Green Rovers in 1998.
Often mentioned when discussion turns to Town’s worst signings, he never returned to the Football League.
It was not Drysdale’s fault that he arrived at the expense of Fjortoft, and there can be little argument that supporters didn’t give him much of a chance to impress them, but equally that Drysdale did little to do so.
But of the win over Rotherham, top scorer Steve Finney, now on 15 goals for the season said: "We had a bit of a dip but we’ve made a great start to December and hopefully we can build it up right throughout Christmas. We’ve played the better sides and we’re still top and in the driving seat. To win away from home and see Crewe lose was the perfect start to December."
Finney continued: "The first one came about after the keeper should have cleared it but the second one really sealed it. I was just picking up the pieces in the penalty area after the keeper saved a shot from Ty Gooden."
The win was Town’s seventh away victory of the season and, as Finney eluded, Crewe, who started the afternoon immediately behind Town, slipped up at home to Blackpool. That left Notts County to grab second place on 38 points, with Town three points ahead.
Town boss McMahon said: "Steve is just an instinctive goal scorer who always seems to be there or thereabouts. He came alive with two great finishes, which is what he is all about. It was a tremendous battling performance. It is only their second home defeat of the season. They are a good team, make no mistake about that, but we believe we are the best team in the division and it’s up to us to prove it."
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