A Guide to Swindon Town Football Club
Life is never dull if you are a Swindon Town fan. There have been immense highs – and plenty of lows – over the last few decades, as the club has attempted to climb back up the football pyramid. The Robins now feel as if things are beginning to look up for them and that better days are just around the corner.
It is rare that Swindon Town feature on the big sports networks these days but their continued place in the fourth tier of English football does mean that they are still a familiar name on the results services and on all the best sports betting sites. Whether you are a newcomer to the town, or just a football fan, here’s a quick guide to the club – and how the Robins might get on this season.
General Information
Formed in 1879 as Swindon AFC, the club took on the Town moniker in 1893 and were a founding member of the Southern League. They were elected to the Football League in 1920 and spent much of the early part of their history playing in the third tier. A highlight was the League Cup in 1969, beating Arsenal in the final.
Having dropped back down to the Fourth Division by the 1980s, the club then started to climb through the leagues before winning the old Second Division play-off final in 1990. A place in the top tier was denied after the club was found to have breached Football League regulations. But Glenn Hoddle won promotion three years later to give Swindon Premier League football for the first time in the club’s history.
The stay in the top tier was brief, with Swindon Town relegated after just one season. There has been a steady drop down the leagues since then, although there has been some promotion and relegation between Leagues One and Two in recent years.
Recent History
Swindon Town are currently playing in League Two. But it is off the pitch where most of the drama has been in recent years. Financial mismanagement has damaged the club and it is only very recently that there have been any signs of improvement for the club, its players and the fans.
The last few years have been particularly rough for Swindon. The COVID pandemic didn’t help, but wages were going unpaid and the then owners in 2021 warned that the club may even go out of business. This continued into 2021, with the council also claiming that rent on the County Ground had not been received either.
Before the start of the 2021/22 season Clem Morfuni was announced as the new owner and chairman and he appointed a new management structure that suggested that the bad days might soon be over.
The 2022/23 Season
There was further disruption this summer before the new season started, with a number of departures, including head coach Ben Garner leaving for Charlton Athletic. Scott Lindsey was appointed as the new man in charge and he has seemingly been able to steady the club.
At the time of writing, Swindon sit in mid-table in League Two having played over a quarter of the season. The Robins have already been knocked out of the EFL Cup and the EFL Trophy and await to discover the identity of their opponent in the FA Cup First Round.
Performances in the league have been good though. Swindon went unbeaten throughout August and September, although there were more draws than wins. But there does seem to be genuine hope of making the playoffs now, thanks largely to the displays of on-loan keeper Sol Brynn.
A Bright Future
With fans hoping that there will be another run to at least the playoffs this season, there has been even better news off the pitch in recent months. The financial situation of the club seems to be in a much better state, with owner Clem Morfuni now stating that all historic debts have been paid.
That leaves Swindon in a much better place to get back on track – and also to buy back the County Ground with the help of a supporters group. The recent news that Swindon Town Women have been fully integrated into the main club is a massive step forward and one that will hopefully help bring a passionate atmosphere back to the County Ground.