By Nathan Jackson
March 19 2007

Ahead of Sunday lunchtime's promotion 6 popinter against Swindon Town, we interview season ticket holder, Nathan Norris. After appearing in one of the videos earlier in the season, Nathan returns to talk about Jan Ange Fjortoft, his sides chances in the playoffs, and how the game will go on Sunday.

You can see Mr Norris in the video from the Swindon game earlier in the season. Just click on the appropriate menu option to view the video.

How long have you supported Swindon?
This is my 11th full season, but I went to the odd game before that.

Who is your favourite all time Swindon player?
Probably Sam Parkin. Normally I'd say Jan Aage Fjortoft but I only vaguely remember him. Parkin is far more recent and was an excellent goal poacher who we still haven't replaced! He could score with his left, right and his head and his goals were always so vital for us. I'm gutted for Sam that his move to Ipswich never worked out for him because he deserved a good run in the Championship. I think his career is heading down the pan now with all the injuries he's had, but he'd be welcomed back here with open arms.

Who is your favourite current Swindon player?
Lee Peacock. A fantastic player in my opinion! Obviously he isn't a natural goalscorer which is what most would expect from a striker but his hold up play and his link up play are excellent. I've never seen a player work so hard for the team, wherever the ball is you can guarantee Peacock won't be far behind it. He can be played in midfield and defence aswell, and he doesn't do a bad job! I think it's his sheer passion and effort, and the fact that he plays through the pain, that makes him such a favourite here.

Swindon are one of the few sides to have both succeeded and failed in the playoffs, if you ended up in the playoffs this season, how do you think you would do?
I can't see us winning the play offs to be perfectly honest. If we don't finish in the top 3 (which is now looking likely) I will be extremely dissapointed and so will most other Swindon fans. It would be typical that after spending an entire season in the top 4 (this is the first time we've been out of it), we'd end up losing in the playoffs. As things currently stand we'd face Stockport anyway, and they thrashed us 3-0 a few weeks ago!

After your initial storming start to the season, Swindon have started to fade away in recent times, why do you reckon this is?
Behind the scenes there have been many problems, and I think this unrest off the pitch caused a bit of a bad run after the storming start you just mentioned. It didn't help losing Wise, and Sturrock has tried to do things his own way and hasn't really been that successful. We've been on a few
 good runs under Sturrock, but I think he's tried to change too much recently to be honest.

Fola Onibuje was the best player for you when we played each other at the County Ground, why did you get rid of him?
You'd have to ask Mr. Sturrock. I liked Fola, he added something different and defenders never knew what he was gonna do next. Then again, I don't think Fola knew either! He had a lot of pace and strength, but he missed a ridiculous amount of easy chances and I just don't think Sturrock rated him. He was never given a fair chance in my opinion, and I would have kept him, even if only for comedy value.

There are rumours you're signing some new players ahead of Sunday's game, who would you take out of the Swindon team to make way for these new players if the rumours are true?
Michael Pook - a young central midfielder who came up through the ranks. I just don't rate him, he has the odd half decent game but we have better and I just can't see him lasting long, he doesn't have a footballing brain. I think he gets away with a lot because of the fact he's a Swindon lad (went to my school actually). We don't need him.

Christian Roberts - On his day, a championship player. Most of the time he can't be bothered. He's our top scorer but I've really lost patience with Christian now. If he decides he's interested he can stay though, as he can be a match winner.

As for the new signings we've got Barry Corr, who is a big fella who holds up play as far as I know. Nothing to strike fear though! I'd expect us to have a few more before the game though, watch this space!

Going back to our game in October, City haven't been the same since that day, how have (if at all) Swindon changed in the same timeframe?

Well we got Sturrock in and we had two good runs under his guidance, and a bad one which we are currently undergoing. We're a different team now really, as Sturrock is getting the team to play his way. The game against Lincoln was an odd one, we'd just lost Wise but we actually played better under caretaker boss Ady Williams! I wouldn't expect a similar performance from us really, we have Ifil back for Sunday and he didn't play in the game between us at the County Ground. If he had played, I don't think Forrester would have got that goal.

Focusing on Sunday's game, how do you think the game will go?
Well, we usually raise our game against the teams around us and when we do I think we are superb. I can't see it though as we've been poor lately. We are struggling to score really, and we are missing our captain so I think I'm swinging towards a 2-0 home win.

What do you think the strengths and weaknesses of both sides are?
Well the reason we've done so well this season is our strong defence. The Ifil/Williams partnership at centre back has been superb for us and the reason our goals conceeded column was so low. Unfortunately, Williams is out for the rest of the season but we still have Ifil who is one of the best Centre Back's in the league. Our right back Jack Smith is a good player aswell. Definately defence for us.

Lincoln's has to be the strikeforce of Forrester and Stallard really doesn't it? If we had your strikeforce we'd have won the league already.

If anyone's going to win the game for Swindon, who will it be?
Jerel Ifil.

If anyone's going to win the game for Lincoln, who will it be?
Jamie Forrester.

Do you think the losers will be out of the automatic promotion race if MK Dons beat Walsall?
Well, I think we're out of the race already. We're only 3 points behind and we have a game in hand but the way we are playing and struggling to score I just can't see it. So yes I do.

Finally, who do you think will go up and down this season?
UP:
Hartlepool
Walsall
Stockport
Lincoln

DOWN:
Accrington Stanley
Torquay