Let the games commence – Brighton Rock

I’m off to Swindon tomorrow for the League One opener against Brighton and it’ll be interesting to see how the Robins bounce back after their play-off final defeat.


After struggling the previous season, Danny Wilson’s boys did incredibly well to make it to Wembley last term, but will they find this season a little tougher? There’s no doubt that they will have earned the respect of the rest of the division and – while a top two position might be tricky with the likes of Southampton and Charlton trying to get back into the Championship – Swindon have a canny boss at the helm and a decent squad.

One player who they might miss is Billy Paynter who weighed in with 29 goals on the way to the play-off final before joining Leeds in the summer. Then again, the County Ground faithful also worried when Simon Cox left for West Brom one year ago, before Robins' fan Charlie Austin started banging them in.

Swindon’s success might depend on whether Wilson can play a suitable foil up front for Austin. Togo striker Thomas Dossevi has just signed a one year deal and former Stoke City and Pompey hitman Vincent Péricard – who was also on the books of Juventus as a kid – is itching for a run in the side. Personally I think a fit Péricard could more than make up for Paynter, although only if he matches the Scouser’s work ethic.

This might also be the season when young Sean Morrison makes his mark and it wouldn’t surprise me if he isn’t being linked with a few bigger clubs by the end of the season if he knuckles down and plays to his potential. He’s only 19 years old and still learning his trade, but has all the attributes needed by a central defender. If he keeps focused, he gets the chances and the crowd cut him a little slack, he could quite easily fill the void left by former skipper Gordon Greer who – along with manager Gus Poyet and Slovak keeper Peter Brezovan - returns with his new employers tomorrow afternoon.

Simon Ferry has also signed from Celtic after spending last season on loan at the Robins and along with Jonathan Douglas and Jon Paul McGovern, was an outstanding and consistent performer on the way the Wembley.

In goal both David Lucas and Phil Smith can do a good job at this level and seem to have had the confidence of their defenders last season. There’s no reason why that shouldn’t continue.

Danny Wilson has brought in a few new faces during the summer and if anyone can get them to gel, it’s him. Wilson has been around the block and has earned the right to be backed by the fans and the board.

I’m tipping the Robins for a top six finish this season and wouldn’t be surprised if local neighbours Bristol Rovers join them. A play-off final meeting? What a great day out at Wembley that would be. Does North London stock enough cider to cope?