There were tensions between Swindon fans and Ian Holloway after the defeat to Crystal Palace U21s, with boos ringing around the county ground.
The Robins took the lead in the 23rd minute through Antwoine Hackford, but Caleb Kporha equalized just before half-time. Seb Williams put Palace ahead in the 55th minute as the Academy side held on to win.
He said, according to BBC Radio Wiltshire and swindon advert: “There were seven players who could only play 45 minutes tonight.
“I’ve never been in a situation like this in my life, the first team I picked yesterday was Salford, seven teams were starting, and I only got five substitutes, so for people to judge us tonight, I don’t think it’s fair. I didn’t like the goals we conceded, but I liked some of the other games.
“I thought the rest of it, I thought we were learning how to beat people. Our youngest kid came off the bench that we had, and we were booed. I just didn’t understand it.
“If you disagree with me, if you think you can do what you want, I have no problem with that. But that just, that hurts. It does. That’s what I’m saying.
“So… yeah, we could have done better with the goal. I think someone should have fouled him. How many people did he beat? And it was through Lewis. He usually saves. So it was a blow to the half.
“Then in the corner they rolled it to the edge, rolled it out, rolled it over and someone didn’t do their job and get there. He bent it to the end of the net. On the side of the net, so.
“That’s what it is. So, you know, for me, I see a lot of positives. Hackford scored his first goal. Those seven guys have finished the game. Hopefully they don’t get injured. Joe Snowden is going to miss the weekend because he has pain in his groin again. So I’ve got to stick with what we’re doing and try to get through this period. That’s not an excuse, it’s a fact.
Brief highlights:
Extended Highlights:
interviewer: “When you look at all the restrictions you have and the teams you have to play, how much do you see the players doing to push themselves forward for the idea of Salford?”
Holloway: “Man, they’re getting minutes so I can think about playing them and at least putting them on the bench. That’s what we have to do. I’ve never been through a period like this, you know? Never.
“What do we do, turn around and blame everyone? Or do we just try to carry on? I’m just trying to understand that very honestly, but I think it’s still a good game. I don’t care how old they are, they play for Crystal Palace. That kid who beat a lot of my players and scored goals, that’s probably why he’s there, you know what I mean?
“So I know it’s disappointing but it’s a good job and I don’t think it’s something that other people or other people do because life is about being encouraged and feeling like you’re a part of something and the last thing you want to do is go out there and be part of a game like this and people are booing. I think it’s pretty cruel.
“What do you think, everybody paid money, if they want to do this, man, I just don’t understand it after seeing this.”
“Don’t be on the fence, what do you think? Are we that poor? Aren’t we going to boo?”
The interviewer said it was not in his nature to boo, noting that it was probably frustration from losing to the Academy team, losing at York and not seeing a response.
On whether booing affects 16-year-old Freddie Hoare: “Freddie has been really good in the last few weeks. That’s why we brought him in, to make his debut. He’s done a great job.
“I don’t like it when people boo. He might walk away and think it might be personal.
“When he leaves his first game and hears the boos, don’t you think it’s important? What if he thinks that’s who he is?
“You don’t understand what it’s like as a player, wanting to play well for your team and then losing 2-1 to a Premier League Under-21 side.”
Speaking after the game, Holloway added: “It’s really disappointing. It’s great to see some guys back and playing but after 10 months getting 45 minutes, five players can only play 45 minutes. So, it makes it difficult but Freddy made his debut and the Hackers got his first goal but it was heartbreaking the goal we conceded.
“So… I don’t like this cup, right? What we’re going to do today is get people kicking their legs for a few minutes so hopefully we can pick a team on Saturday.”
interviewer: “Yeah. I mean, these kind of games are usually a good opportunity to get some players in that haven’t had playing time so far this season. Do you think any of those players will be able to play on Saturday?”
Holloway: They may compete for a bench spot and may even start. Yeah, it’s great to see them both on the pitch and the team has been picked for that and obviously we have six loan players so we can’t have Monda in that too.
“But, yeah, what can I say? We don’t like losing, but we’ve lost. So, we’ve got to learn. We’ve got to learn how to try to win games and try to be consistent. But, you know, you score goals like that, that’s not good enough.”
Interviewer: “Like you mentioned before, I mean, Hackford scored his first goal, he made his first start in midfield today, was that a good opportunity for you to see him in a forward role today?”
Holloway: “Yeah, it was good for him to come off in the 90 minutes, you know, because I took him off in the first game because he didn’t know how to press and how to get close. He’s just been here. He’s only been here two weeks. So, it’s always great for a striker to score a goal and he passed and their kid made a mistake and we forced him to make it and he passed and ended the game with a plum.
“So, it would have been great to be 1-0 up at half-time, unfortunately we didn’t and that goal was inexcusable to me. I don’t know how many people he beat, one of them should have knocked him out. There’s no way he’s going through these bits and pieces. But that’s why they’re at Crystal Palace and if you want to be realistic, we’re here too. But so be it.”
interviewer: “As you mentioned, young Freddy is making his debut and is the youngest player ever to appear in the first team at Swindon. What have you seen in him so far to give him that chance?”
Holloway: “Yeah, I saw him play a game the other week and he made the best block I’ve ever seen. Literally fell down. If it was a grenade, it would have exploded and blown to pieces, but he didn’t care, you know. I think that’s what our guys gave us. I think we miss Louis right now. Louis Millard, he did that.
interviewer: “Finally, Lucas Griffith Brown also makes his first first-team start…”
Holloway: “I thought he was playing the exact opposite the week before.”
interviewer: “The first time begins.”
Holloway: “Ah, let’s start first.”
interviewer: “But yeah, how great would it be to be able to give him that opportunity and see him fully come into his own?”
Holloway: “Yeah, it’s embarrassing for him. He came into the first team in pre-season but now he hasn’t played any first team games other than this one and it’s a learning curve for him to go back and they have a gap in the under-21s and we only have an under-18s so there’s a big gap so he has to face himself and he hasn’t played as well as he has in the curve lately so he’s been playing well lately but hasn’t been himself and he’s been playing so well lately so tonight
Before the game, he looked ahead to the Crystal Palace Under-21 game by reading his thoughts on the York defeat in his diary during a press conference…
One fan @horizon47 wrote: “I was right next to the dugout tonight and being that close gave me a completely different perspective on the tension between some fans and Ian at the final whistle. Look, I was disappointed with the second half and I know everyone is frustrated after a tough defeat away from home. But to yell at the manager now to take him off is complete. Completely out of character. In a day when people are starting to lose 21222U22S: FL221242432, the squad is full of elite players who are fast, sharp and skilled and the endless injury list is now as long as your arms, which completely ties the hands of the manager.
