Tate Shows His True Feelings

In an interview with the Evening Post, Alan Tate showed his true feelings on referees, the club's training facilities and the fans.

While club skipper Darren Pratley gave a typical Jackett-like interview earlier this week, saying that we're capable of going on a run, Tate took a slightly different approach.

Firstly regarding referees, he said:

''It seems as though we've been up against everyone this season. We've been up against referees and opposition fans when we go away.

We need everyone, the fans and the players, to come together between now and the end of the season.

''No matter where we've gone this season, we haven't had the rub of the green.

''Is it beacuse we're a Welsh club and we get unfairly treated by referees?''

''I've never played for an English club in this league, but it just seems that whenever we play away from home we get nothing and when we're at home its 50-50.''

We've been to Yorkshire a few times and had refs from Yorkshire doing the games.

Tate also criticised the training ground for being the cause of a lot of injuries at the club.

He said: ''There's the training ground for a start. For all we know, we could turn up one day and there'll be a pipe through the one we use now (Jersey Marine) beacuse it doesn't belong to the club.

As well as the referee's, fans have also been concerned and annoyed with the amount of injuries the club always get every season.

Many fans have considered whether its the training methods, training facilties or whether players return too quickly as to why we always get a long injury list.

Disclipine this season has also hindered our progress and has added to the long list of sidelined players. 6 Swansea players have been sent off this season.

Tate continued: ''Look at how many ankle injuries we've had this season. They've all come through having a poor training ground.

''Yes the club say they are looking to do something about it, but that's been said since I came down here.

Tate was also frustrated with some of the fans getting on their backs at Cheltenham. You can hardly blame our frustration though when we have a team capable of gaining promotion but are severely under-performing and under-achieving.

He added: ''The fans gave us some stick and obviously they are entitled to their opinion but I don't think it's right that they are doing that.

''As a supporter you go to support your team, not boo them. It doesn't help anyone.

''We need them to get behind us and not slag us off like they did at Cheltenham, where decisions didn't go our way.''

I would start looking for excuses Tate that referee's decisions are going against us. That's football for you and it happens to everyone.

We still should be beating teams like Cheltenham home and away if we want to be playing in the Championship next season.

We certainly have a squad capable of doing that but we rarely prove that with our performances on the pitch.

It's absolutely vital tomorrow that we prove that we can beat teams that are also competing at the top, otherwise we could find ourselves in 8th or 9th position come 5pm.

That's of course if the game goes ahead!