It can’t just be me. The arrival of Paolo Di Canio has signalled a total shift in my outlook and expectations for the season ahead. So much so that I’m throwing away caution and struggling to accept anything other than complete domination of League Two. Call me arrogant for believing this, particularly those outsiders of you reading this looking in, yet having
Read moreYou’ve heard it so many times before. Prior to the start of every season managers all over the country proclaim the importance of winning the opening League match. With only one potential winner per game there’s definitely someone going home disappointed and their manager’s well rehearsed plans now up in smoke by a defeat that wasn’t in the script. Already managers are
Read moreSwindon Town might just become an even more eclectic range of nationalities if this signing comes off. After being released by Lokomotiv Plovdiv of the Bulgarian top division, 6ft 5 in Uruguayan striker Nicolás Raimondi will today join Swindon Town on trial.
Read moreWith pre-season now drawing to a close, Alex Cooke looks back at past seasons to establish whether pre-season and form taken into the campaign make any difference for mounting a successful promotion push. Can anybody predict promotion from pre-season? What exactly does a crushing 11-0 win against a Norcia XI teach us? What can Paolo learn from a match as
Read moreA few weeks ago at the Supermarine friendly I had the opportunity to have a chat with Swindon Advertiser Chief Sports Writer Gary Rose and he kindly offered to answer a few questions for The Washbag. Tell us a bit about yourself, who you are, where you come from and who did you write for before? I was born in South Africa but my parents
Read moreSeeing that I’m currently asking you to vote for your greatest Swindon Town manager, Adam Johnson provides an insight into his top three Swindon managers of recent years. Even though Swindon Town have been one of the more inconsistent football league teams, we have been consistent in having big name managers. Glenn Hoddle, Lou Macari, Ossie Ardilles, Roy Evans and Dennis Wise have
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As the managers countdown draws to a close Alex Cooke delves behind my statistics to present his case for who is the worst Swindon Town manager. The numbers are clear: Paul Hart is Swindon Town’s worst manager. His managerial reign could be described as a car crash – except at least a car crash is compelling to watch. But the statistics couldn’t
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I’ve had my say over the past two months, now it’s your turn. I’ve ranked Swindon Town’s thirty managers according to their actual results in League, FA and League Cups, but do you agree with the countdown outcome and who is your greatest Swindon manager of all time? All 30 choices are here for you to choose, however I can’t
Read moreNo.1 | Danny Williams | Manager August 1965 to July 1969 | Score 423.2 Danny Williams’ first spell in charge at Swindon from 1965 to 1969 is, by my definition, the most successful spell by any Town manager in the Football League, FA Cup and League Cup. His overall record is second to none and provided an entire generation with lasting memories of the 1969 League
Read moreNo.2 | Fred Ford | Manager July 1969 to November 1971 | Score 409.6 After winning the League Cup and promotion from Division Three Danny Williams was enticed to Sheffield Wednesday in July 1969. With Swindon already in pre-season training the board turn to Fred Ford to steer the Town ship in Division Two. Ford previously coached at Swindon and had spent
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