Swans - A Dirty Side?

Most of the ill feeling comes from a couple of Mansfield fans who are unable to move on from one defeat which came at the end of August. Four months so far to get over it but there is just a couple that are insistent on raking over old arguments instead of moving forward and the enjoying the reasonably successful season that they are undertaking.

They were joined on the weekend by a Darlington fan who decided that statistics proved that we were cheating as 8 opposing players had been sent off at the Vetch this season. Statistically proven that 8 opposition players have seen red yes but I fail to see where that has meant we are cheating.

Going back to the Mansfield game there can be little doubt that the two players that saw red on that day deserved to. One for biting and one for kicking an opponent while he lay on the floor. Mansfield faced an FA charge for the incident and were fined. They have a gripe that we did not face the same charge and believe it is because the Welsh FA are biased towards us. The Welsh FA have always been biased as far as we are concerned if someone sneezes on the pitch we usually get a fine from them so it's unlike them to miss a chance. The reason why they didn't take any action is because the referee did not make a report against us. Yes there was a brawl but in the referees eyes there was no need to include Swansea players in his report. Now if you want to put that down to intimidation, something else we were accused of, then fine but match officials have to face more hostile crowds then those at the Vetch. Using that logic Hull and their massive crowds must see more opposition players sent off each week and it makes you wonder how many men sides like Barcelona play against on that basis?

But the same Mansfield fans believe that we forced their players into the actions and we have also done it with the players from both Huddersfield and Southend. The Huddersfield game was a strange one as the first red card was unlucky for the player to be booked twice but that wasn't down to us they were both challenges that could have seen yellow cards, and on this occasion did. The second was borne out of frustration from Trundle's shoulder roll and again involved their player kicking the man when he was down. Red card offence without a doubt.

Saturday was an odd one. I take you through this quote made by a Mansfield fan on their board on Sunday morning. Under the heading of "Swansea brawling again" the post reads "So I've been informed. Sendings off and all that. Are the Welsh F.A. that blind they can't see what is happening. It's blatantly obvious that something needs to be done about it. If the Welsh F.A. can't do anything then surely the English one can. THey are playing in our league after all"

I would certainly get a new informant as I don't recall a brawl on Saturday unless you include the one between (Daft as a) Brush and the steward. It has been refreshing to read the comments of the Southend fans on the web site this week - all have taken the red cards with acceptance and a realisation that it was not down to us that the red cards were shown. But the bitterness rages on and congratulations to some Mansfield fans for continuing to stir bad feelings between the two clubs. But moving on is a better idea and less worrying about events elsewhere means you spend more time enjoying your own success.

We are due at Field Mill at the end of January - the end of a month that will prove a real test of our promotion ambitions. No doubt we will get a warm reception and maybe it is kind of flattering that they spend so much time discussing us? I'm reasonably certain that Mansfield will finish above us this season because they looked a good side at the Vetch back in August. They have had some superb results and are on a rich vein of form which makes it more mystifying why they spend so much time discussing one game and one team.

There have been the voices of reason on the Division 3 board that have defended our honour and of course they are right. We are not a dirty team but we have found ourselves the victims of some strange games this season. I wouldn't be surprised to see the second half of the season pass with nowhere near as many red cards at the Vetch as there have been in the first half and to the critics who want to blame us for the flurry of them - take a look at the incidents involved before you pass judgement on what has gone on and maybe take the time to read about what those that saw them live thought of them. You know the ones that get the same one glance that the referees do. Of the 8 sendings off I would say 1 against Huddersfield and the last 2 against Southend could have been avoided but for reasons known to the referee they weren't. And if a 5,000+ crowd can influence a referee that much then roll on White Rock where the capacity is bigger.

To Mansfield fans thanks for your interest in the football club that we support and I am sure that we are looking forward to our trip to Field Mill in January which for us is just another game.

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