Life is never simple for Swindon Town fans! And remember, the club’s future matters way beyond the die-hard supporters. 8 to 10,000 fans typically turn up for a home match, and when we reached the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final at Wembley, over 30,000 people headed down the M4 to cheer the team on. The club itself employs hundreds of local people with many local businesses either supplying or supporting the club’s activities. Swindon Town FC is integral to our local sporting fabric, our free-time entertainment and local economy.
Now everyone loves a good roller coaster, but after years of reckless cowboys at the helm, we all welcomed the stability the former owners brought to the club. They had a clear game plan, embracing the potential of Swindon as a growing town to get the club into the Championship, with a redeveloped Country Ground capable of delivering a sustainable revenue stream. With Nick Watkins as Chief Executive, the match experience was transformed, and the club rebuilt bridges with fans, the business community and the Council. And under Di Canio we were racing forward, albeit with entertaining tantrums and fireworks! Then in true STFC fashion, the owners stepped aside and it was all aboard the roller coaster again.
The new owners arrived, ambitious claims set out at the press launch, business as usual – collective sigh of relief. But this is Swindon Town, things are never that simple.
Last night I attended the AGM of Trust STFC, the supporters’ group. It was initially set up to save the club during one of the many dark days of the past - and before anyone accuses me of jumping on the bandwagon now, I was there then! It’s just £5 to join, and I thoroughly recommend it. Last night, serious questions were raised: how much are the new owners putting in, how much are they paying themselves, when will the transfer embargo be lifted and what are the long-term plans? All questions that need answers.
Fans are the lifeblood of any club, they flock to support their team through thick and thin, and here in Swindon we have had plenty of thin! Trust STFC is rightly pressing for answers and, as part of the national Supporters Direct campaign, they want to see fans represented on the Board. This is a campaign I whole heartedly support. A football club is a community asset; with open and transparent access for supporters, everyone can work together for the collective good.
What we want is a clear, stable plan that actively involves the supporters. The roller coasters can be left to Alton Towers, and we can get on with focusing on the 90 minutes of football drama!
