Wellens urges fans to show support and get behind the team

RICHIE WELLENS has urged Swindon Town fans to get behind the team following last night’s League Two victory over Stevenage. Total Sport Swindon’s Chief Of Sport Ryan Walker spoke to the Swindon manager following the result.

A difficult encounter saw Swindon Town needing a 90th-minute goal from the league's top goalscorer Eoin Doyle to break the deadlock at the County Ground as Swindon got back to winning ways. 

Up against difficult opposition, Wellens explained how he was happy with his side's performance. 

“I think it’s nothing more than we deserved,” said Wellens. 

“We had 73% possession, we could’ve had more shots and crosses.

“They played five at the back and we put some really good crosses in but they had three big centre-backs who dealt with things well. 

“I think the players feed off the crowd and it was a bit tentative,” he added. 

“I think the players played that extra little bit safer because they could sense the edginess in the stadium. 

“But credit to the players because we kept going remained positive and had players who started to look them old selves again.

“Isgrove was brilliant, put four or five balls into the box and got past his man nearly every time. I thought Doyle and Yates were outstanding and Doughty was back to the old Michael Doughty. 

“We had a spell from 75-80 minutes where we lost a bit of relief and we just got a bit too happy in the middle of the park. 

“If you come here as an opposition and play 5-4-1 then it’s difficult to break down,” said Wellens. 

Yesterday’s victory saw Swindon get back to winning ways after going five games without a win. Wellens, however, has urged fans to get behind the team more insisting that the current fluctuation in support isn’t helping the squad.

“We need more from the supporters. 100% we need more,” stated Wellens.

“The players have gone out there and kept going. We’re in a shocking situation aren’t we being just six points off the top of the table. 

“It’s all doom and gloom so may as well go home. I hear people saying this is rubbish.

“Stevenage’s keeper was like the bloke out the matrix at one stage with the triple save he made,” he said. 

“Then all I heard is this is rubbish. We were the ones doing all the attacking and we were trying so give us some support.

“I think we had the quality from Doyle tonight to get us over the line but Stevenage won’t go away thinking Swindon is a difficult place to come to in terms of the atmosphere. 

“It could be so much better and we will be a better club for it. 

“When we play really well we get too high and think we’re going to get promoted. We’re either brilliant or it’s doom and gloom. 

“If we want to achieve anything then we need more from the supporters. Something needs to change, we’re all doing our best, we’re only six points off the top and it’s all doom and gloom,” said Wellens.

A hatful of injury problems this season has seen Wellens struggle to find consistency amongst his starting line-up. 

But with the physio room starting to empty, the Swindon manager admitted that results will improve but pointed out the big role supporters have to play this season as the club strives for promotion. 

“It needs to disappear [this negativity],” said Wellens.

“Football isn’t rocket science if you’ve got your best players and your fittest players. 

“We’ve won seven out of nine matches when I’ve had my strongest team to pick. 

“You have seen it today and we managed to play through Stevenage. I think the players were brilliant tonight against difficult opposition,” he added. 

“We lost three games in four to the top three teams and we had factors that went against us.

“I’m begging the supporters to give the players their full support as we know we can because the players feed off of that support. 

“Let’s push this team on because we can achieve something this season. We need to be better as a club.

“Did the players give everything tonight? I think they did. 

“If the supporters are on your side then you believe that chances will come, but if they are negative then players start forcing things and you become broken. 

“If you want to be supportive of your club then we can achieve something this year, it’s not nice to hear people saying we are rubbish when we won the game,” said Wellens.