Swindon Town Season Preview: lessons learnt?

The phrase ‘every cloud’ is particularly apt at the County Ground right now. Although Swindon Town suffered relegation back to the fourth tier, that failure diminished chairman Lee Power’s mandate to persist with the same, flawed, ultra youth-centred philosophy. Can this fresh approach help the Robins get back on the up? Supporter Ben Nicholls has his say.

You were relegated from League One last season. Was the team’s lack of experience in high-pressure situations the main factor behind the club’s downfall?

One of many, the season tumbled in to a farce. Poor prep pre season, bad transfers, Tim Sherwood appointment, Keeping Williams on to long, bad January transfers, lack of experience and investment, no flexibility in tactics which made us very easy to play against. That’s all off the top of my head. All these factors contributed in a nasty forgettable and predictable relegation.

Swindon Town tend to bring in unproven managers, but David Flitcroft has won promotion from this division before with Bury. Are you encouraged by this appointment?

Lee Power had to change direction in approach the clubs model had fallen flat on its face. DF appointment has been like a breath of fresh air to Swindon supporters. ‘The Swindon Way’ has been scraped and Lee Power has promised to let him do his Job and promised him a ‘Healthy budget’ to get us out this league.

In the three years before Flitcroft took over, you’d brought in 18 defenders and only two were older than 22. Does the signing of experienced centre-backs in Chris Robertson and Olly Lancashire suggest lessons have been learnt?

YES. Since Paolo Di Canio left we’ve always shipped goals. Over playing the ball in dangerous areas with inexperienced players is asking for trouble, and we got caught out far to many times. You won’t get promoted out this league with ‘tippy tappy’ and DF knows this. The squad needed major surgery at the back and thankfully he’s addressed that with players he trusts brought in.

A centre-back leaving the County Ground this summer is Nathan Thompson, who spent nine years at the club. Are you sad to see him go?

Very. The mans Swindon through & through at one time it was looking like he’d play his whole career at town. Unfortunately it was his time, his form had been up and down and his last couple of years had been plagued by injury. He’s to good for league 2 and every fan wish him all the best at Portsmouth.

You’ve signed two new full-backs in Ben Purkiss and Chris Hussey. Do you expect the latter to be afforded more attacking freedom?

Both very experienced players Purkiss having captained Vale last season. A popular player in his 1st season at Vale, however got criticism for being off the pace in his second year. Hussey has a reputation as a deal ball specialist and and a fantastic crosser of the ball. Played a lot of games and won promotion with Flitcroft. However had a tough time at Sheffield United playing only 11 times.

James Dunne and Amine Linganzi were both reasonably well liked at Portsmouth. Could they be the types of combative midfielders you’ve missed over the last couple of seasons?

Defiantly. We started last season with these type of players we’d of given ourselves a chance of staying up. Both Dunne and Linganzi were both liked at former clubs and were unlucky not to get deals. To win the right to play football 1st you need to win your battles we neglected this last season trying to pass the ball around the opposition from minute one. These players will do the dirty stuff that win games at this level.

At the time of writing your two senior strikers, Luke Norris and new signing Paul Mullin, are under six foot. If you don’t sign a powerful front man, do you fear there may not be a Plan B?

With the signing of players like Hussey I’m expecting a lot of crosses in to the box. Norris is used as a target man but was always 2nd choice to Jonathan Obika. Mullin is skilful and pacey who loves to run and defenders who can also play out wide. We are defiantly short of options up front and expect to see a couple for faces in that area way before the window ends.

In fact, Mullin is the only attacking player signed, though Donal McDermott is reportedly on trial. Do you need to add creativity, as well as firepower?

I think DF has been very sensible and built the squad from the back and created a solid base to work from. The creativity will come but tends to be a little more expensive so will probably come in the form of loans with the odd permanent deal. McDermott played in the friendly against Swindon Supermarine and looked a very tricky winger. However the opposition was poor so DF will need more time to have a look at the player before making a decision.

Ellis Iandolo has extended his deal while John Goddard got 17 goals in the National League for Woking. How do you see them doing in League Two?

Progression with both are technically but with Goddard very lightweight. DF can beef him up both will become very much a threat at this level.

Goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux had a good season last year. Are you pleased he’s staying?

Still some window left for him to go. If he stays for me the best keeper in the league. He had a erratic start to his Swindon career and that earned a reputation that has stuck. Which is fine by me as I feel he’s out grown that. Voted top 50 football league players in 442 magazine he’s proven to be a very, very good goalkeeper. He has a big future ahead of him.

What are your thoughts ahead of the League Two season as a whole? Any potential dark horses for you?

For me Mansfield and Luton to scrap for top 2 both have had very good summers both stronger than last season. Coventry & Swindon I expect to be up there also. (hopefully). My dark horse is Lincoln.

Where will you finish? We have to be annoying and remind you that you said top half last summer…

We’ve not finished shopping yet and expect to see 5/6 more still to come in. So sticking my neck out for 4th or 5th with and outside chance of top 3 (probably wrong of course).

The Football Lab’s Verdict

Swindon have appointed a proven manager in Flitcroft while the likes of Robertson and Dunne add much-needed experience in defensive areas. One or two quality attacking players are required, but this revised outlook gives the Robins the base for a sustained promotion push. 4th