No.17 | Louis Page | Manager 1945 to May 1953 | Score 250.4

Louis was Swindon’s fourth manager, appointed after the War to lead Town in Division Three South. With the club having been closed down and the County Ground turned into a POW camp, Town are at a disadvantage to our competitors, howver Louis steers Town to a 4th place finish in 1946/47.

This ‘success’ couldn’t be repeated the following season with a 16th place finish, two points clear of bottom side Brighton, however it was in the FA Cup that Town shone.

Early round victories over fellow Division Three South Ipswich and Aldershot, seting up a tie with former club and Division One Burnley who were the previous season’s runners up. A 2-0 win away at Turf Moor, followed by a home win against Notts County took Town to the 5th Round for the first time since 1929, however Southampton were just too strong, running out 3-0 victors.

Another 4th place finish in 1949 was as good as it would get for Town for another nine seasons.

Page guided Town to ever worsening League finishes of 14th, 17th, 16th and 18th in 1952/53. On the way picking up a club record 9-0 League defeat at Torquay of all places.

As ever Page was ultimately constrained by awful finances and forced player sales. One player who didn’t leave was legendary forward Maurice Owen, who refused a move to Norwich City after the Town Board had accepted a £14,000 bid.

At the end of the 1952/3 season, Louis Page was dismissed by a Board who were blind to the restrictions they had placed upon him. Of course, that didn’t change under Page’s sucessor Maurice Lindley.

Good, Bad or Ugly – Good – Working under the same tight financial and interfering constraints as his successor Maurice Lindley would do, Louis Page performed better in the League and also in his two FA Cup 5th Round appearances (1947/48 & 1951/52).

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Click here for a full list of the managers in the countdown so far and their scores, including an explanation of how the scoring works.