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The club was founded in 1881 and went professional in 1894. Initially joining the Southern League it lost its professional status a number of times and had to apply for reentry to the League. The most notable early player was Harold Fleming who played through the 1920s. He scored 202 goals in 234 games for Swindon and was capped nine times for England. Today in Swindon there is statue of Fleming and a stretch of road named in his honour (Fleming Way). During World War II a number of players were enlisted into the army, and County Ground was used as a POW camp.
The post-war era saw Swindon competing in the lower divisions of the English League. However the club found shrewd managers in Ernie Hunt and Danny Williams. In 1969 Swindon beat Arsenal 3-1 to win the League Cup for the first and only time in the club's history. The scorer of two of the goals, Don Rogers, was also in form to help Swindon beat Roma 5-2 (over two legs) to win the Anglo-Italian Cup Winners Cup in 1970.
Under the management of Lou Macari in the 1980s Swindon Town surged up the Fourth and Third divisions and were expected to reach the top flight until Macari left to manage West Ham United. One of Macari's best players, Ossie ArdilesOsvaldo Cesar Ardiles Ossie (born August 3, 1952 in Cordoba, Argentina) was a football midfielder and is now a football coach for Tokyo Verdy 1969 of the J. A competitive and skilled midfielder, he became a cult hero, along with compatriot Ricky Villa and took the job of player manager and in the 1990-91 season Swindon won promotion to the old First Division. However discovery of financial irregularities committed by members of the board saw Swindon's promotion cancelled by the FA. Ardilles resigned soon afterwards.
The club managed a coup in 1991 when the former Tottenham and England player Glenn HoddleGlenn Hoddle (born 27 October 1957) is a football manager and former player for Tottenham Hotspur and England. Hoddle joined Tottenham as a schoolboy, making his debut as a 17 year old in 1975. Within two years, he was a regular in the centre of the Spurs agreed to become player manager. Hoddle put together a squad of flair and in 1993 Swindon won promotion to the Premier League. Hoddle resigned before the new season began and became manager of Chelsea F.C.Chelsea Football Club (also known as the Blues previously also known as the Pensioners , founded in 1905, is a Premier League football team that plays at Stamford Bridge football ground in west London. Despite the club's name, it is not based in the Chels. His assistant, John GormanJohn Gorman was a member of the band Grimms — the 'G' in Gorman providing the 'G' in Grimms — and also of The Scaffold. He also made regular appearances in the British children's television show Tiswas and was one of the Four Bucketeers who had a hit with, was promoted to manager.
In the Premier League Swindon fared badly conceding a record number of goals and staying firmly rooted to the bottom of the table. Only the team's attacking attitude and the goals of striker Jan Aage Fjortoft provided any comfort for the fans. Relegation was inevitable in 1994 and a year later Swindon were also relegated from the First Division. Gorman's sacking in favour of Steve MacMahon was too late to stop the rot.
MacMahon proved to be a capable manager and won promotion back to the First Division in 1996. A lacklustre season followed and with Swindon again facing the prospect of relegation MacMahon was sacked and replaced with former Swindon striker Jimmy Quinn. In 1997-98 Quinn staved off relegation but details of the club's precarious finances had reached the press. In 1998-99 Quinn's Swindon were fixed in the lower part of the First Division and the club faced administration - the cost of playing in the Premiership having proved too high.
Swindon dropped to the Second Division in 1999 and Quinn left the club. A consortium headed by publisher Terry Brady then bought the club and promised to return it to the Premiership. Ex-Bolton manager Colin Todd was called in to build a new team capable of winning instant promotion. However, Todd's signings were not effective, Swindon soon fell to the bottom of the Second Division and Colin Todd left after only a few months at the club. His assistant Andy King narrowly saved Swindon from falling to the Third Division. Terry Brady then left the club due to a dispute over plans for a new stadium and housing development scheme.
The new director Donnie Donegan sacked King at the start of the 2001/02Major events November 20 2001 Despite a managerial climate that has already seen more than 20 changes this season, Dario Gradi celebrates his 1,000th game in charge of Crewe Alexandra. 16 March 2002 In an ugly First Division match, Sheffield United has th season and appointed Roy Evans (formerly of Liverpool F.C.) to take charge of the team, assisted by Neil 'Razor' Ruddock. Evans' tactical style was attractive to watch but produced average results. When Donegan resigned as chairman in December 2001 Evans also departed the club. Andy King once again stepped into the dugout and steadied the team to a mid-table finish. At the same time Swindon Town was placed in administration but emerged to continue as a professional club.
The 2002/03 season saw Andy King oust Ruddock from the club (many people had considered Ruddock as a potential replacement for King). Early defeats saw calls for King's resignation and the board - even King himself - openly searched for a new manager, albeit with King staying at the club in some capacity. The discontent was soon silenced by King's most successful signing, Sam Parkin, who scored 26 goals in his debut season for Swindon. King's team finished a respectable tenth.
The 2003/04 season was an even greater improvement. Sam Parkin linked up with the former Watford and Birmingham striker Tommey Mooney in the Division's most prolific striking partnership. Together they scored over forty goals between them in all competitions. Swindon Town were able to claim a play-off spot, but lost on penalties to Brighton. Tommy Mooney left the club soon afterwards to sign for Oxford.