PAOLO Di Canio dedicated Swindon Town’s promotion to League One at Gillingham on Saturday to his late mother and father.

The Italian has faced a tough year off the pitch in what has been a special campaign on it, first losing his father Ignazio in the lead-up to Town’s visit to Plymouth in October, before his mother Pierina passed away the night before Swindon’s game with the same opponents last weekend.

But a week on he felt able to celebrate after securing promotion despite a 3-1 defeat at Priestfield, with a defeat for Torquay and a draw for Crawley meaning his side now can’t be overhauled for one of three automatic promotion places.

Di Canio’s father played a key role in convincing him to take the job at the County Ground last summer, and the former West Ham striker believes both his parents would be very proud of his achievements in his debut season as a manager.

“I am happy because through my job, someone up there can be proud of what I have done in my first season as a manager,” Di Canio said.

“The fact that my dad in some way pushed me to come and sign here and was confident in me makes me even more happy because at the time he was looking well and positive. He inspired me.

“This is a special season, but obviously there is a bad taste for what I lost. But the fact that straight away we have gone up makes me very, and this is a special dedication to them.”