Former BBC Wiltshire commentator Vic Morgan writes his latest blog for TheWashbag.com…

No question about the big news of the week… The announcement that Luke Williams has been given a five year contract as Head Coach, is a massive endorsement for the former Leyton Orient man.

There was no surprise about the appointment. I think most Town fans expected it. To be fair, since taking over from Martin Ling, Williams has hardly put a foot wrong. There appears to be a confidence about the squad which began to come back when Lingy was appointed and has continued under Luke Williams.

I suppose the big surprise was the length of the contract. It’s almost unheard of these days that deals this long are handed out. What it shows is that owner Lee Power has great faith in him and it also promises stability because it looks like the chairman is sticking around too.

I’ve seen comments asking why not manager, why head coach. Well it appears that the job is about coaching not the day to day minutiae of running a football club. Although players coming and going will have the say so of the coach, that’s got to be good for him and the squad.

All Swindon fans will wish Luke Williams well. After all if he succeeds, the team does too and we all want that. Over the course of half a decade though, there are bound to be bumps and potholes along the way. It’s how everyone deals with them will be the real test of the

agreement. It looks like Williams is committed to Swindon Town and vice versa. So it’s officially the start of a new era and in the week leading up to the anniversary of the club’s finest hour, it’s kind of appropriate. After all it was another man called Williams that master minded the League Cup win in 1969. So the surname has history.

It’s also appropriate that Millwall are this weekend’s visitors. After all it was at the New Den that change started in the Swindon managerial/head coach hot seat. A dismal display led to the dismissal of Mark Cooper, just a few months after he led the club to Wembley. Hopefully this new era will get off to the best possible start.

The postponement of the Oldham game left the Town a little further back in the play off race. While a win will guarantee safety this season, it’ll also keep alive our chances if extending the campaign. Should be a good game and here’s to no bobbles against the Lions at a crucial moment.

Keep it loud keep it proud keep it SWINDON!