The Voice - Match preview #42: Swindon Town vs Bradford City Saturday 12th April 2025 12:30pm

Would you not expect our keeper to waste time winning away from home a man down, in such a big game? Tbh your lot wasted time from minute 1 at 0-0 at our place (as most do so nothing new there). It just happens in this league away from home.

 

And as I posted I believe we will win both our home games and at least one away game, I saw enough yesterday before the sending off to take heart that when we need to get a result we're capable of doing so even against Swindon the form team in the league, Smallwood's actions cost us 3 points yesterday IMO.

 

Great point, Cook knew what had happened and went to the touchline declaring he'd done his hamstring, ironically you usually see seriously injured players don't move as they dont want to cause more damage.

 

It's what players do when they are trying to get players sent off. It's exactly what kev alluded to earlier. You know exactly what I'm taking about.

 

I really don’t get the vitriol aimed at Ritchie Smallwood, he has his punishment in the ban for 3 games at an important stage of the season, he will be hurting from this.
He has been a very consistent player for us this season and we should be recognising the positives he has brought us.
Now is the time for the rest of the team to get us over the line, we move on to the next game.

 

That's cool. Shep wound up Smith.

So why were there 4 scratters in his face?

Terrible optics for your club, mate.

And you're staying down.

 

Smith has form for violent conduct. Elbow in face at corners ….Spotted by officials V Barrow..Red card….Hes a piece of work and it showed yesterday . Spoils his game .

 

Not forgetting the repeated fake head injuries suffered at Valley Parade for the last 5 years , yet we waste time ?

 

Yes same here - it's taken me 24 hours to come down - such an emotional game, and much of it self inflicted. So frustrating.

 

If we don't go up Smallwood has to go. He is already marmite. 4 months of festering with the fans and he will the boo boys all time target.

 

If fans can't see what he brings to the team by now then they never will. I'd rather we have a recruitment policy of bringing in and keeping the best players we can rather than worrying what a minority will think.
If we don't go up this season the team is to blame rather than just 1 player, for most of the season we've not been good enough away from home

 

Perhaps I am wrong but had understood Smallwood triggered a one year contract extension he had in his favour at the end of last season. Do the club ( or player) have a further option to extend?
For me Smallwood has hopefully played his final game for us. I wouldn’t wish for his return in either lg 1 or 2. He is not a “ leader” and I won’t miss his shocking free kicks or his stupid pointing or his “no look” aimless shovelling of the ball around the corner to no one.

 

Sorry mate I can't agree, as I posted the only way Smallwood will leave Bradford City is if he receives a better offer elsewhere, or he doesn't think he can play League One football, which I believe with better players around him he'd be fine.

 

Opinions are like people, everyone’s different. So sorry you can’t see what he has brought to the team this season

 

He cost us big time yesterday but he's been outstanding this season, especially since Christmas. Make no mistake, he will be a big loss.

 

It’s funny how Smallwood was pretty much unanimously regarded as a cert for player of the season at 12.40 pm on Saturday (Halliday probably his only close rival for that honour)

Then by 12.50 he should never play for the club ever again regardless of which division we are in.
Yes,100% it was a mindless decision to launch himself at their player but the massive over reaction is highly amusing.
I’ve been very critical of him over the last 2 seasons but with the right players around him he’s shown what he can offer and we would be nowhere near where we are in the league without him in the team.
He doesn’t miss many games and irrespective of his woeful set piece delivery is one of the first names on the team sheet.

I’m fairly certain that he’ll be wondering why he made that decision just like we all are but he doesn’t deserve the mass vitriol that being directed at him.

 

We were THAT close to an amazing away win against all the odds. It's that fact that hurts most for me. We only had to defend our box with 7 defenders for 10 mins or so but we just didn't. That's the frustration for me. We turned into a team I didn't recognise after Halliday scored.

IF we screw this up then this bizarre 10 minutes of defending or lack of will be the reason IMHO.

 

Only since Cooke got injured and the team had to find a new way to play. Up to then it was backwards or a hospital ball to the side.

 

Then you should be directing your criticism at GA and Hughes for taking 2 and a half years to work out how to get the best out of him.

 

You say "Make no mistake, he will be a big loss" what makes to say that, apparently he has a option of a further 12 months if he takes it up, I do agree since he had regular partners along side him he's certainly been outstanding, and very much in contention for POTS I'd think.