Swindon Town: why do these clubs hate each other?

Carnage 6 goal thriller between Swindon and Gillingham with 4 goals scored in the first 13 minutes!

[@gabrielaarnold1103]

Thank you for another great video. Tense game. Looking forward to the the next one!

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@koifish9645]

Great video Matt, good to see what its like from the away fans perspective. Nearly always a lively atmosphere at the CG. Don't know anyone who hates the Gills nowadays - like us a traditional club with true supporters. BTW there are some nice areas of Swindon! :)

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Thanks Koi, Gills are desperate for a rival, I’m sure the rest of Swindon is much nicer 👍🏻

[@mich2355]

Great recording, I cant believe you commented on the state of Swindon where scaffolding is holding up one of yr stands lol (sorry couldnt resist). I think Gill fans hate us more, we dislike Oxford and Gas more, Ive been supporting them for 30 odd years & never felt that, so much so was routing for you in FA cup. Great game for the neutral, I did think what are we in for after 20 mins, thank god our “mad Gav” interim coach changed it at half time, boy did it work. Good luck for next season ❤

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Thanks Mich, the scaffold stand you talk about is going to be replaced hopefully in the summer, about time, a 20 year temporary stand is a joke. Gills were lucky to hold onto a point in the end. I enjoyed my trip to Swindon.

[@LouiseAnnHalliday]

I'm from Swindon and your first impressions are quite generous, thanks. Wasn't aware we did hate eachother though

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Thanks Craig, I think it stems back to the 1987 playoffs

[@neilnewton1986]

@@mattthegroundhopper9242 That was just added to it, the dislike goes right back to the late 70s when two gills players were arrested and charged for a fight in the tunnel at the county ground between the players. The home game saw the gills sent down to ten men, even the ref got attacked on the pitch by a supporter....Seindon have always upset our promotion chances over the years.

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Nice one, thanks Neil for the additional info 👍🏻

[@DrewZarczynski]

Apologies for your welcome to swindon. The town centre is a hell hole. It never used to be but that’s another story. Class vid. It was a brilliant game. The rivalry is similar to what happened in this latest fixture. Gills bottled a lead & got a player sent off followed by a tear up in the tunnel after. The walk from the station to the stadium would have been a lot cleaner back in those days too.

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Thanks Drew, I'm sure all of Swindon is not bad. I can point out places just as grotty in and around Gillingham.

[@stephenwatts3030]

As a Swindon fan, Gillingham hate us but it’s not really felt as strongly the other way. Not many town fans would call them a real rival like oxford or Bristol city/Rovers. Mainly stems from games in the 70s including one where a fight broke out in the tunnel and two Gills players were arrested.

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Thanks for your comments Stephen, interesting to hear an opinion from a Swindon fan, cheers

[@davidwilliamgay4821]

Stephen Watts not all Gills fans "hate" you. As you mentioned it goes back really to 1 game, when Kent Price was sent off regarding Ray MacHale( spelt wrong) Some fans always need some stupid reason to dislike a team even though most weren't even born 😂 I lived in Swindon whilst based at Brize, and went as a pure football fan, to a few game at the County Ground. Yes, am a Gills fan, but above all i am a football fan

[@davidwilliamgay4821]

Great video Matt, and the reason why the Gills and Swindon dont get on, goes back to the 80s when Kenny Price was sent off in a play off game at the County ground. I happened to be there, as i stationed at Brize, and lived in swindon. However, this so called hatred is no longer really apparent, and most of the Gills fans at Swindon on saturday wouldnt have remembered the past. I would go as far to say that Swindon are not liked by anyone. Ask any Bristol or Oxford fans lol. There is a rivalry between the 2 clubs, but we are 135 miles apart, so not exactly a local derby. Enjoyed your footage and will look out for your next vids. Thanks

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Thanks David, you are showing your age now stating you were at the game in 1987. Of course that was pre Wembley finals with this going to a 3rd leg replay! Thanks for your positive comments, Matt

[@davidwilliamgay4821]

@@mattthegroundhopper9242 yep i will soon be 68, but thats just a number lol 😂

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

@@davidwilliamgay4821 nice one 👍

[@markrichards636]

The hatred was before the 1987 play offs, maybe late 70s

[@danlipscombe9611]

another good vid mate,wont be going on holiday to swindon anytime soon.dosent the rivalry stem from a punch up between the mascots years ago lol

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

I had to watch where I stepped, was the rivalry from the 1987 playoffs?

[@markrichards636]

​@@mattthegroundhopper9242No, before that

[@peterburry2014]

@@mattthegroundhopper9242 Late 70s... Swindon is a dive, but it's at the heart of some stunning countryside. The Cotswolds, Marlborough Downs, Vale of the White Horse, The North Wessex Downs...

[@OuseEmpire]

Great video

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@johngould3769]

Great video.. what a save from morris at the end of the game.. air b n b at Swindon err nope..

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Lucky to get a draw in the end

[@roystoncropper7458]

Good video pal

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Thank you Royston

[@petermarsh8559]

Interim manager decided to effectively play one in midfield until three goals were shipped by H.T., formation change turned it around. In the late 70's, the "Old Bill" were called following a punch up in the County Ground tunnel immediately post-match as reported during BBC's Sports Report, this followed a Gills player being sent off if I recall correctly. I think after 45 years or so, it's time to let bygones be bygones and just have the usual banter. The Swindon area is delightful, in stark contrast to the walk between the rail station and the ground. The floodlights were the first to be installed in a football ground and the second to be used in a league match.

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Thanks Peter, i think the rivalry is more from the Gills as we don’t have an actual rival. The area I walked through in Swindon, there are areas just as bad in Gillingham, just me messing on the video 👍🏻⚽️

[@robhanks4068]

Cos the station is always in the best part on any city or town!!

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Yes very true, the station is normally in the arse end of town

[@SuperSwfc1867]

I didn’t realise you were a Gills fan. My godfather was from down there and maintained his support for Gillingham even when he moved up north many years ago. I used to go and watch a few away games with him when they were playing locally to us. Barnsley, Scunny, Doncaster, Sheff Utd, Notts County etc. I can also remember a brilliant night at Highfield Road when Coventry were beaten 1-0 in the League Cup. Was it Neil Smith who scored? My godfather, after that game said he was going to the next round no matter where it was. Gills ended up drawing Ipswich away and three of us made the trip down from North Lincolnshire on a Tuesday night. Another brilliant away following from the Gills, but I think it ended in a 1-0 defeat. Ps; when are you coming to Hillsborough?!!

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Thanks for your comments, I was at the Gills home game against Coventry, I think it was 1995/96/97ish, back in the day when there were 2 legs in the first 2 rounds of the league cup. Yes I am a Gills fan, the only time I am biased when Ground Hopping. Hoping to come to the Owls this season, if not then hopefully this calendar year.

[@SuperSwfc1867]

@@mattthegroundhopper9242 Nothing wrong with the Gills! I can just about remember some of the names of that time. Hessenthaler, Onoura, Pennock. You’ll love Hillsborough and despite it’s obvious history, it’s still got that magical feeling that we all had as kids when we’d walk towards the ground and slowly see it starting to appear amongst the industrial surroundings. To be fair both Sheffield clubs have grounds that will bring back memories to the first time visitor of days gone by.

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

@@SuperSwfc1867 nice one, I will look forward to my trip 👍🏻

[@adrianpope3182]

The rivalry started in 1979. I was at the home game

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Thanks Adrian, yes 1979 then 1987, i think the rivalry is more from the Gills side 👍🏻

[@adrianpope3182]

@@mattthegroundhopper9242 I think so

[@tedprice2952]

gillingham hat us much more because they have no rivalry’s necessarily in their area

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Thanks Ted for your comments, the Gills would love to have a natural rival so they have to manufacture one!

[@IssacLHunt]

3-1 up and we fucked it up

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Oh yes, roll on the new season 👍🏻

[@nashwan888]

Gillingham fan here from South Wales...we always have the edge on them. Will are better than them..the Swine.

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Thanks Daniel, looked so good after 13 minutes, check out my other Gills vids

[@andychilcott7245]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@peterburry2531]

I was there in 79 when this whole so-called rivalry started - We beat you... I was their at the playoff finals replay at Crystal Palace in 87 - We beat you

[@_boracic_atreus_23]

That is a one-way hatred, really. It goes back to a playoff game in 1979. There was a fight in the tunnel and two Gills players were arrested. But I would say that most Swindon fans dont feel as strongly about Gills as Gills fans do about them. I read somewhere that Gills see Swindon as their main rivals....thats really weird and definitely not reciprocal. Swindon have loads of local rivalries - Oxford, Reading (not so much anymore because they're at a higher level), Bristol City (again, no so much anymore), Bristol Rovers, Cheltenham, Forest Green, Newport...so most fans dont see that rivalry the same way Gillingham do.

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Thanks for your comments, the truth is the Gills don’t have any real rivals so we like to cling onto this one 👍🏻

[@pauldesmond3269]

I thought i read that there was some trouble at Gillingham one match where supposedly a disabled swindon fan got a dig????? dunno if it was true but i do seem to remember a bit of angst between them after that alleged incident....was a few years back........maybe a swindon fan can say wether or not the rivalry came from that??

[@mattthegroundhopper9242]

Thanks Paul for your comments, as a Gills fan we just don’t have a real rival or local derby so we have to create one 👍🏻