Football League 2012/13, We can all vent and moan in here.

New season, less than a week away, for some teams Saturday saw the first round of Milk (League) Cup games. We have our first game on Tuesday against Bournemouth.

This season, i'm anticipating, along with most other supporters nothing less than top 7, and really feel we should be pressing top 3, as we should of last year, were it not for injuries, naiveity and a late season collapse reminiscent of last year's Red Sox team, we may have been playing at a higher level this year.

Over the summer we've brought in Port Vale winger Sean Rigg, double digit goals lastyear, and desroyed us up at there place last year, he'll no doubt slot into the midfield nicely with 'The Wizard' Alfie Potter, the Scottish Zidane Peter Leven and Jake Forster-Caskey, the highly rated youngster we've loaned from Brighton.

For all my optmism, there's a real worry the negativity of our fans, who a minority seem to be intent on complaining, and sabotaging the season, with constant whinging, appealing for the manager to be sacked and almost giddy when we lose with the chance of being proven right has sort of split the fan base. A good start could be vital.

All in all, buzzing for the new season, whch starts away to Bristol Rovers in 6 days time.

Everyone else optmistic for the new season? What are you expecting?

No, although it does seem likely we'll be around to start the season, that's still not guaranteed.

Relegation, what else can we expect when two days before our first game we have just two players on our first team squad, and they are both virtually untried youth team players with a total of eight (8) first team appearances between them.

On Tuesday we take on Plymouth Argyle, and we have no choice but to field our youth team. I'll be there, cheering them on, the kids deserve all the support we can give them, but anything better than a 3-0 defeat will be a good result.

I guess the only thing I can confidently predict about this season for Swindon is that it wont be dull. Paolo will obviously be the centre of attention again as the press clamber for press bites and a minority of opposition fans continue to bait him all season long for his views on aspects of life that have nothing to do with his job.

On the pitch we seem to have made a few good signings (doesn’t everyone think there pre-season signings are great though!). Amongst our signings we have brought in 2 midfielders who were regulars in Huddersfield promotion winning lineup last season in Gary Roberts and Tommy Miller. Championship regular Alan Navarro and 2 proven strikers in Andy Williams and James Collins. I like the fact we have brought in players who seem to be Championship/top end League 1 players.

I think/expect to be top 6 but the good thing about league 1 is that don’t seem to be any standout teams. The 3 relegated from the Championship don’t look strong, Sheff Utd have money issues, Franchise and B’mouth should be there or thereabouts but don’t scare anyone.

We are rumoured to have the 2nd biggest playing budget and being in a very comfortable financial position our backers wont be afraid to put their hands in their pockets come January should we be towards the upper echelons of the table.

Could be a very good season and I cant wait.

The news about Pompey in last weeks has certainly been more encouraging.

I did see a few names that you had on trial and presumably have a contract waiting for them to sign whenever that is possible. Few good names on that list I thought who could do a job in this league, of course the sooner everything gets sorted and Appleton can fill out the squad the better.

Certainly looking forward to going to Fratton Park in about a months time, great ground.

Looking forward to the new season back in the championship and slightly optimistic about our chances of at least finishing mid table in our 1st season back which is the aim.

some good signings in former England internationals Chris Kirkland and Anthony Gardener (both injury prone I know), we signed Antonio on a permanent basis after he was a real hit on loan towards the end of last year and was a real inspirational player in our great form to end the season.

Signed Chris Maguire and Slovenian Pecnik who played in the world cup back in 02.

Terrible 1st half last night had me rethinking my optimism but the 2nd half showing was great.

I'd stick my neck out and say this is probably our best squad we've had since we dropped out the premiership 12 years ago, so I'm looking forward to what that brings.

No doubt being Sheffield Wednesday we'll be rock bottom come January then.

Well todays game with Argyle didn't go as badly as feared, in fact until the kids ran out of steam in the last 20 minutes we matched them pretty well. The first goal just before half time was due to a mistake by our right back who lunged into an interception in mid-field, won the ball but then immediately gave it away again, leaving their left winger in acres of space to pick his spot and fire home. He did it very well, rifling a vollye just inside the far post.

Most of us were dreading a 5-0 or worse thrashing, but the kids did very well considering. Of course Argyle aren't very good, and on this performance will likely be struggling against relegation again this season.

Strange game for me, I never thought I'd ever applaud our team when they lost 3-0, but I had no hesitation in standing to applaud the kids after this game, along with all the other Pompey fans present.

So now we're down to just one possible buyer and that's the supporter's trust, and I'm very sceptical of their ability to sustain the club. I guess the league will eventually get round to the laughable 'Fit and proper person' test, and it wouldn't surprise me if they decided that the fans can't be trusted to run a football club whereas fraudsters, non-existent fake Sheiks, disreputable arms dealers etc. can be!

That's assuming the administrator, who has been reluctant to sell to the trust doesn't just wind the club up first. The fact that evidently we are now aloud to sign players on monthly deals means that Birch may be willing at last to sell to the trust, but don't hold your breath.

I know this is a little off topic, but I can't believe what's going on at QPR. Do their owners know what they're doing? They've got a massive squad of players, all on huge money, all closer to the end of their careers than begin and then still bringing in players like Dawson and Carvalho. If they're not very careful/lucky QPR are going to go the same way as Portsmouth. Both clubs are of a similar size, and it's just not sustainable to do this.

I know this is a little off topic, but I can't believe what's going on at QPR. Do their owners know what they're doing? They've got a massive squad of players, all on huge money, all closer to the end of their careers than begin and then still bringing in players like Dawson and Carvalho. If they're not very careful/lucky QPR are going to go the same way as Portsmouth. Both clubs are of a similar size, and it's just not sustainable to do this.

True but the difference with QPR is that Fernandes has the money, whereas as it turned out the Pompey owners didn't.

Of course once Fernandes decides football isn't his thing or F1 is more important to him then they will be in Portsmouth situation but that fate also awaits the other rich mans play things once they get bored.

Actually, I don't think Fernandes is worth all that much (relatively speaking, of course) it's Mittal who's the big money. It's certainly not beyond the realms of possibility that he gets fed up forking out this money when he's not even the head of everything. Their wage bill for just players alone, not staff, was supposed to be at £46m per year at the end of the winter transfer window, god knows what it is now.

I can't see this ending well for QPR. And I'm also rather glad Fernandes didn't buy West Ham in the end.

Foreign owner spending loads of money, and doubtless paying out the equivalent in wages, for a club with a capacity around 19K! As Yogi Berra would say, it's deja vu all over again!

The QPR fans don't have to look far south to see where that's likely to end, and they could look further afield towards Malaga! Although they do have a capacity of almost 30K, they are also looking into the abyss.

And there's been a few Redknapp to replace Hughes rumours floating about too. That'd be the icing on the cake! Although, Redknapp's supposedly after the West Ham job, and Big Sam's 5/4 to be the next manager getting the boot on William Hill. I think I may give up watching all Sport entirely if this happens.

I'd be delighted if Harry got the Hammers job when Big Sam gets the boot (only a matter of time)

I assume so we don't try nick PDC?
I'm not sure it's a matter of time, we did just break our transfer record.

The spectre of Harry campaigning for the job if Sam gets fired is likely to guarantee him the job until Redknap finds another managing job or some Hampshire denizens get their wishes granted!