Ian Holloway cannot ignore Swindon Town hurt and must take action after Bradford outburst | OneFootball

Ian Holloway was seen clashing with fans after drab defeat at Bradford City in an act that highlights deeper issues at Swindon.

Maybe it was all just a flash in the pan for Swindon Town. For the briefest of moments last week, it seemed that the deep rot that had beleaguered Ian Holloway's men since the start of the season was beginning to recede, just a little.

Victories against Fleetwood Town in the league and Wycombe Wanderers in the Vertu Trophy ushered in a moment of respite for a club in a seemingly unending existential crisis.

Events after the drab defeat away at Bradford City in the league on Saturday promptly put an end to any positive feeling within the fanbase. The manager's actions after the game symbolised a real lack of unity and cohesion that served only to deepen the misery, to aggravate the mistrust.

Ian Holloway hits out at Swindon fan

Looking straight at the camera in his post-match interview, his indignation and exasperation plastered over his sagacious old face, Ollie spoke to the fan who seemingly let his thoughts be known after the game, no holds barred. "We're not going to get out of trouble if you do that, mate," he said, scratching his neck as if aware, somewhere deep down, that coming to blows with fans was perhaps less than astute in a time of crisis. "And even if you have come a long way, you know, any chance of encouraging us?" he added.

Just three shots and not one on target. That was all a pitiful Town side was able to muster against a Bradford City side pushing for a place in the play-offs (isn't that where Swindon Town should be?). And yes, fans travelled a long way to watch, and let their frustrations be known. It is an understandable reaction to shoddy, substandard football from a team (financially, at least) capable of so much more.

The manager has belied the 'blame game' though, calling for a culture of unity and togetherness that minimises the psychological impact on his players. His outburst was perhaps a reaction to that.

Holloway calls for end to 'blame culture' at Swindon

In his pre-match press conference, Holloway called for fans to play their part in getting rid of this endemic 'blame culture'.

He said: "Stop blaming people because it is all of us, I am not having it because it has been all of us struggling, the whole backline. I feel so passionately about this. We have to stop blaming people, and we have to take responsibility to build a team and make them feel right. We have to do that, Swindon supporters have to help, that is your job."

But is there only so much the travelling fan can endure?

Swindon Town fans are hurting

All this is representative of deeper issues that have beset the club for a while now. Town fans have let their ire be known both on the terraces and on social media, where the inherent problems facing the club and the resultant discontent seem to be the culmination of what is ultimately a perpetual existential crisis.

The truth is, the anger isn't really about the manager or the players, but about years of decline and false promises from a club that should be at least challenging near the top of League One, not scrapping to retain its football league status. The fans have been protesting the ownership for some weeks now. Clem Morfuni took over the club back in 2021 in what was supposed to have been a new dawn following the chaotic Lee Power era, during which behind-the-scenes disarray had understandably led to sportive stagnation. But it hasn't worked out that way, and the decline continued. The Spirit of '69 fan action group are demanding a sale.

Co-founder of the action group, Daniel Hunt, told Greatest Hits Radio that the protests are no surprise. He said: "It's been a dreadful season, on the pitch, a symptom of the problems of the field and the ownership who have shown themselves to be deeply incompetent at running a football business over the last two or three years, this is a case of their chickens coming home to roost, I'm afraid." The hurt within the fanbase is palpable.

But Holloway and his players are the face of said club, and are therefore the simplest conduit for dissent. Repairing this relationship is crucial is the club is to stand any chance of long-term survival. After this weekend's outburst, Ollie's got his work cut out. Results on the pitch will be the easiest way to calm everyone down.