Andrew Steele-Davis takes a look back on what has been a memorable season so far for Town fans.

It’s perhaps fair to say that there has been no better time to be a Swindon Town fan than now. Riding on the crest of a wave that a fifteen game unbeaten run brings, a lucrative home tie against Wigan Athletic of the Premier League in the FA Cup, not to mention a potential trip to Wembley on the horizon, you would be hard to find a time where Town fans have had it any better.

It is certainly a far cry from this time last season where performances were passionless, talk of dressing room splits were rife and the so called ‘big impact’ that summer signing David Prutton was meant to bring had us all scratching our heads in bemusement.

However, the arrival of Paolo Di Canio has signalled a new era at the County Ground, an era which has firmly brought back the good times to SN1. Sure, Di Canio’s regime didn’t get off to the most scintillating of starts, his new recruits slipping to four defeats from the first five league games, including an unlucky but still painful defeat to ‘them’ in the yellow and blue.

But the first half of the 2011/2012 campaign has been littered with moments we as Swindon fans will never forget; Raffaele De Vita’s first ever goal in Town colours gifting us victory at the expense of rivals Bristol City in the Carling Cup, the arrivals of Wesley Foderingham and Liam Ridehalgh and the extraordinary amount of wonder goals we have been treated to this season courtesy of Matt Ritchie, on more than one occasion, Jonathan Smith, Oliver Risser and Captain Paul Caddis.

For me though, the pivotal point of our season so far has been made in defence. Di Canio’s extremely clever decision to pair Alan McCormack and Aden Flint together at the heart of the defence has culminated in Town having the meanest defence in the league. The loan signings of Foderingham and Ridehalgh have only served to beef up what was previously a leaky and vulnerable defence.

The club, as a whole continues to go from strength to strength, having a board that has the best interests of the club at heart has also played a massive part in bringing the feel good factor back to the club. The choice to redevelop the County Ground as opposed to moving to a new site has gone down well with the majority of fans, many preferring to see the club continue to make history at its home for more than a century. The introduction of an official hall of fame has also heightened the excitement around the town, with us all eager to see who will join messers Trollope, Rogers and Bodin senior on the list.

Town are now only two games away from returning to Wembley, a golden opportunity to avenge THAT defeat by Millwall, providing we get past the hurdle that is Barnet over two legs. Fans are confident after that 4-0 drubbing over Laurie Sanchez’s men earlier in the season but an air of caution will have to be applied to make sure we don’t find ourselves on the end of a mini upset.

The year 2012 is one to look forward to for us all with a very attractive looking cup tie against Wigan taking place early on in the New Year, a chance for Paolo’s charges to pit their wits against a team plying their trade at the top table of English football.

With the January transfer window fast approaching, the season of goodwill looks set to benefit us beyond the Christmas period with both Wes Foderingham and Liam Ridehalgh set to put pen to paper on longer deals at the County Ground. Leon Clarke also looks set to finally leave the County Ground on a permanent deal, bringing to an end a chapter both club and player will like to forget. And with names like Luke Rooney, James Constable and Paul Benson being bandied about as potential transfer targets for Di Canio, January should be a fitting way to start what will hopefully be a memorable year for Swindon.

Follow @andrewsteele21
//

Follow @thewashbag
//