ANOTHER win and another three points closer to securing promotion.
Yesterday's performance against Morecambe, certainly in the first half, was far from one of the better ones this season but at this stage it is all about picking up those crucial points and crossing the finish line.
In typical Paolo Di Canio fashion, he was far from happy with a number of his players after the game, but his comments have usually provoked a positive response and undoubtedly that will happen against Northampton on Monday.
Sadly, I will be unable to witness that response, with yesterday's game my last as the Advertiser's chief sports writer.
As a reporter, Di Canio’s appointment was a dream one. Such an iconic and controversial person as player meant it was always going to be an eventful season, and so it has proved to be.
Relegation to the basement division aside, it has been a fantastic time to cover the club and I certainly take away with me many memorable experiences.
There was the official unveiling of Di Canio, when he gave the first of what was to become many highly quotable press conferences as he proclaimed that ‘a lion cannot stay in a cage.’ Then there was the plethora of summer signings and the pre-season tour of Italy. I can remember clearly turning up to training each day noticing that there was an extra player with the squad I had never seen before, prompting a bit of scrabble to try and work out who the new trialist was.
Then on to the season itself, which has been every bit the rollercoaster ride it was predicted to be with, thankfully, considerably more highs than lows.
There was the Leon Clarke saga, Di Canio’s mind games with Oxford over James Constable and his response to Steve Evans’ ‘circus’ comments.
On the pitch there was the cup runs and the steady climb up the League Two table culminating in 2012 largely having been a case of reporting win after win.
Di Canio himself has been a breath of fresh air. His press conferences are now famous for their length – one question alone can result in a 10 minute answer that may have started out explaining a squad rotation and end with Paolo talking about leading centurions from Ancient Rome into battle.
Seasons like this one are a rarity. To have seen Swindon transform from a club surrounded in despondency to the one that it is today has been an amazing experience.
To lift a quote from my first-ever Adver column back in May, ‘these are exciting times for Swindon’. Long may it continue.
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