Supporting a Holloway-led club is an interesting assignment. Within weeks of taking the Swindon<\/a> job two years ago on Sunday, he began constructing a hostile wall towards fans by reminding them that they could \u201cgo bowling\u201d if they did not like his methods. Last December, he had to be restrained by his players during an altercation with a fan, while he has made a habit of telling them to \u201cjog on\u201d if overly vocal in their criticism.<\/p>\n When his side picked up a much-needed point against Walsall last week, the goalkeeping coach held him back from another confrontation with supporters. Asked about it, he goaded reporters into putting his address online so that disgruntled fans could have it out with him: \u201cI don\u2019t really care anymore.\u201d So, when season-ticket holders found their phones pinging with amused messages containing the same viral Holloway zombie clip, their lack of laughter could be forgiven.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you get these soundbites from Ian Holloway, outside the Swindon Town world it\u2019s all about what a great character he is, how he says it like it is, and how it must be great to have him as manager,\u201d says Rich Pullen, founder and co-host of the largest Swindon podcast, Loathed Strangers. \u201cBut, to a growing percentage of the Swindon community, it\u2019s exhausting and it takes away from any of the good.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Swindon win, post-match he often uses it as an opportunity to have a go at the fans. It\u2019s got to the stage where you can\u2019t even enjoy a win without Ian Holloway being unable to hold himself from criticising fans. The easy thing to do is ignore him, but it\u2019s almost impossible because he is everywhere. He goes viral and everyone always thinks: \u2018Oh, isn\u2019t that funny.\u2019 Well, no. People are tired of the excess noise.\u201d<\/p>\n This time last week, there was a thought that Saturday\u2019s M4 derby homecoming trip to Bristol Rovers<\/a> might hasten a possible end to Holloway\u2019s Swindon tenure. Winless in eight games in all competitions, the discontent was not expected to abate on the preceding midweek trip to high-flying Barnet. The 3-1 victory that followed \u2013 Barnet\u2019s first league defeat of the season \u2013 was a huge shock, thanks in no small part to the heroics of the goalkeeper, Connor Ripley, who recently declared the whole squad would \u201crun through a brick wall\u201d for Holloway.<\/p>\n Disheartened Swindon fans stand solemnly in the pouring rain at the Memorial Stadium. Photograph: Jeremy Landey\/Focus Images Ltd\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n Swindon might have followed it with another win, at Rovers\u2019 Memorial Stadium, only for Matty Virtue to miss an open goal 90 seconds into the match. The forgettable goalless draw that played out at least extended Swindon\u2019s unbeaten run to three games and kept them safely mid-table in League Two<\/a>. Holloway was right to savour the improved performances, but the malaise runs deeper.<\/p>\n
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