"Absolute load of nonsense" - Ian Holloway speaks out on Swindon Town supporter protest | OneFootball

Following a crucial win, Swindon Town boss Ian Holloway was notably blunt in the face of questions regarding waning supporter-chairman relations.

Ian Holloway left strong words towards Swindon Town supporters on Saturday, after a vital second successive home win was over-shadowed by supporter protests.

Starting the weekend in 22nd in League Two, the Robins came out convincing 3-1 victors against promotion chasing Grimsby Town.

Securing a 100% home record for the month of December, the joyous full-time atmosphere at the County Ground was in stark contrast to moods pre-match, as fans of the Wiltshire club partook in the 'Spirit of 69' march, organised in protest of current owner Clem Morfuni.

Arranged to voice a unanimous desire for their Australian chairman to leave the club, supporters marched in their hundreds, identified by their symbolic bright orange hats.

However, with this eye-catching head-wear visible in the stands, a seemingly irked Robins manager was vocal in his skepticism regarding the volume of protestors within the ground, inferring anyone would take a free hat on a cold day.

'Absolute nonsense' says Holloway

Presumably wanting to discuss nothing but the on-pitch activity following an encouraging victory, speaking to BBC Radio Wiltshere, Ian Holloway was notably blunt in the face of questions regarding waning supporter-chairman relations.

"I'm asking anybody who enjoyed what they saw today to please come back. If you're not enjoying it then do me a favour. You've got a choice, and I think that's fair.

"If you don't like me, and you don't like the club, then don't come then, I believe I'll get thousands who will, and those are the ones I want.

"And if you're going to try and convince someone else by giving them a free hat then I think you're an absolute load of nonsense.

"It was cold today, how many are real? I wasn't going to mention it, but if you get a free hat and it's cold you're going to wear it, aren't you?

"I might buy my own hats for everybody and say 'put that on you're an Ian Holloway supporter, thanks ever so much'... absolute nonsense, I don't understand"

Ensuring his opinions regarding the protest were unambiguous, Holloway refuted the idea that the seemingly all-encompassing sea of bright orange in the ground was directly representative of supporter unrest en masse.

The 'Spirit of '69' movement was created earlier following the rapid decline of the former-Premier League club's fortunes under Clem Morfuni.

Having acquired the side in 2021, shortly after relegation to the fourth-tier, a steady regression has seen the club now become at severe risk of dropping out of the Football League entirely.

The peaceful protest group, named after the club's historical League Cup victory in 1969, represents the ethos of returning the club to better times, which begins with Morfuni selling the club for which he has become so unanimously disliked.

While fortunes have began to turn somewhat, Ian Holloway's response appears to show partisanship to those in control of his wages, rather than his supporters, which may further strain an already tumultuous relationship.