Apathy, infamy, and blood in the boardroom - 11 years of decline at Swindon Town
On the anniversary of Di Canio's shock departure Sam Morshead reflects on the current state of play at STFC
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Every Monday is our new Ink Sports Focus led by STFC reporter Sam Morshead.
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More than a decade of steady decline in the wake of an era of excess and indulgence
By STFC writer Sam Morshead
February 19 is a day of extremes for 21st-century supporters of Swindon Town Football Club.
Today - February 19, 2024 - the club occupies 18th spot in the fourth tier of the English football pyramid, and seems on a collision course with its worst post-war finish: the so-called Beamish Line (17th place, 58 points) is ready to be passed 40 years on.
Ambiguity clouds boardroom operations, an interim manager is in charge, and promises about the future do not seem possible to be kept.
There are similarities to another February 19 – 2013 – when the club was riding the crest of a wave, albeit the ferocious, frothy sort which ends up consuming even the most seasoned surfer.
That February 19, 11 years ago, remains imprinted in the memory of this particular reporter, at the time trying to hold down what felt like a 24-hour operation at the Swindon Advertiser.
A day after breaking the news of Paolo di Canio’s departure, we were bound for the Wirral, unsuccessfully attempting to operate a live blog via a Cold War-era Newsquest laptop, and at once chasing leads on Di Canio’s resignation, Alan McCormack being stripped of the captaincy, and the impending takeover of the club. All while meandering at speed in the growling Ford Focus of photographer Dave Evans – about whom a whole future column could be written.
It was a mad night, made that much madder by Gary Roberts scoring from inside his own half and Swindon Town ending the evening without a manager but top of the third tier. Moments after celebrating the win, the temporary head coach Fabrizio Piccareta announced the rest of the staff would leave the following day.