Check out all you need to know, as we visit Swindon Town on Saturday afternoon
Swindon Town vs Barrow
15th April 2023 3pm Kick Off
The County Ground
Sky Bet League Two
Opposition
Swindon Town Football Club was founded by Reverend William Pitt of Liddington in 1879. The team then turned professional in 1894 and joined the Southern League which was founded in the same year. Swindon reached the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in the 1909-10 season, losing to eventual winners Newcastle United. Swindon entered the Football League in 1920 as a founding member of Division Three and defeated Luton Town F.C. 9-1 in their first game of the season. This result stands as a record for the club in League matches. The club secured its first-ever promotion in 1962/63. Bert Head's young side finished second in Division Three and in 1969 would defeat Arsenal to win the league cup for the first and only time. In 1992-93 Swindon beat Leicester City 4-3 in the Division One play-off final to achieve promotion to the Premiership. Bringing top-division football to the club for the first time.
Swindon enjoyed a promotion to League One having been top of the Sky Bet League Two table when the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2019/20 season. Their time in the third division would only last one season.
Swindon currently finds themselves sat in 12th place in the Sky Bet League Two table although they have seen themselves hit a rough patch recently, with 2 draws and 3 losses from their last five matches.
The Venue
The County Ground has been home to Swindon Town since 1896 and the current capacity is 15,728 all-seater. A record attendance at the ground came in 1972 when 32,000 spectators watched their FA Cup third-round tie against Arsenal.
Head-Head
Earlier in the season, a seventh-minute penalty by Louis Reed sealed all three points for Swindon when they visited the SO Legal Stadium in December. Despite efforts from the Bluebirds to level the game with Richie Bennett coming close as his header varnished off the outside of the post before Patrick Brough’s shot went just wide, Barrow was unable to find a leveller going into the festive period.
Referee
The man with the whistle at the County Ground will be Paul Howard. He’ll be assisted by Christopher Husband and Richard Morris; Ravel Cheosiaua has been assigned to Fourth Official duties.
Over the last 12 months, Paul Howard has refereed 27 games, comprising 14 League Two games, 8 League One games, 2 Women Super League games, 1 FA Cup game, and 2 EFL Trophy games. In addition, he has been the Fourth Official 44 times.
Howard’s last refereeing appointment came in the fixture between Hartlepool United and Stevenage where he dished out 4 yellow cards. The match saw Rose strike first for Stevenage but his effort but cancelled out by Featherstone just past half time as both sides saw the share of the points
Tickets
Tickets are avaliable on the day, any tickets which have not been collected from the SO Legal Stadium are avaliable for collection at The County Ground