11 Key Moments of 2011: No.11 – Fitton Departs
Today we start our look back over the past twelve months with our eleven key moments that have shaped and defined 2011. It’s been a year of two halves, one half to forget the other rebuilding under Paolo Di Canio in League Two…the countdown commences with no.11…
No.11 – Andrew Fitton departs
Just over 3 years after announcing a 5 year plan to turn Swindon Town into a Championship mainstay, consortium figurehead Andrew Fitton resigned as Chairman after Town slipped out of League One the wrong way in late April.
Despite ultimately failing in meeting his not unrealistic objectives, Fitton did leave on good terms with many supporters; unusual for a chairman presiding over a relegated team.
So how will he be remembered at the County Ground?
Fitton steadied a sinking ship, financially at least. The consortium he led secured the financial future of our club, so I’m grateful because I’d rather have a club to support, regardless of our division.
Unfortunately the tangible improvements off the pitch were not matched on the pitch. The two must come hand in hand, however there was a decline in results as he tried to apply his business attitudes on the pitch through appointments and transfer strategy.
Had it not been for Charlie Austin’s miss and of course a much stronger Millwall side, he very nearly realised his objective for Championship football less than 12 months before his departure.
In the end, I never called for Fitton’s resignation and to be honest I would’ve been happy if he stayed to guide us to promotion from League Two. But as part of a wider consortium it never really mattered if someone else took over the reins, so long as the consortium remained firm and committed to the club and their investment.
Later in 2011 on 29th September Fitton stepped down from the Board of directors, but keeps his fingers in the STFC pie as a director of our holding company Swindon Town F.C. Limited (“Holdings”).
photo from swindonweb.com
The countdown continues tomorrow
The Washbag 
Fitton will always have our gratitude, for obvious reasons.
However, never in a million years would he have had the balls to appoint Paolo di Canio.
Jeremy Wray took a massive gamble, which at the moment is certainly paying dividends.
Had Fitton still been at the helm, we’d have opted for Buckle, Bodin or Trollope.
Which may have been fine, who knows, but personally di Canio has had a huge effect on the players and breathed some life back into our club and has got the fans excited and feeling positive.
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Re whether Fitton would have had the balls to appoint Paolo Di Canio…. he did as at the time of PDC’s appointment Andrew Fitton was a full member of the club’s board who agreed the appointment.
At the time Jeremy Wray said:
“We were very lucky we had a strong shortlist and the board were unanimous that this was the way to go”.
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