In 1957, Harold MacMillan said, “You have never had it so good.” Last season, far too many people were claiming Swindon Town FC had never had it so bad.

While I do not feel qualified to comment on the first statement, I can confidently say the second is wrong. Last season Swindon did not finish in the bottom two, something they have done on three occasions since the club joined the Football League.

In the 1932-33 Season, Swindon finished 22nd in Division Three South, which was last, as the regionally divided third tier was not expanded to 24 teams until the 1950-51 season when Colchester United and Gillingham were admitted. The main reason seems to have been the dip in goal scoring of Harry Morris who managed just 12 goals in 25 appearances whereas he had scored 35 and 29 goals in the preceding two seasons. Only nine games were won all season and a total of 105 goals conceded. The loss of form cost Secretary/Manager, Sam Allen, his double role, although he remained in an administrative capacity. He could not really complain he had not been given enough time as he had been in post since the turn of the century! On this occasion, a new manager seemed to do the trick, as Welshman, Ted Vizard, came in and secured a top-ten finish in three out of the six seasons he spent with the club before a £1,000-a-year salary tempted him to join Queens Park Rangers. Nor did Swindon have to seek re-election again during Ted Vizard’s time in office. I suppose, I should say in fairness, that the fear of finishing in the bottom two now is a more daunting prospect meaning automatic despatch to the National League. Then, the Old Boys Act guaranteed an almost certain re-election, especially for a centrally placed club with a good following like Swindon which meant no long distances to travel and a share in a decent gate. In their first application for re-election, Swindon secured votes 45 votes. They were well ahead of Newport County the other club asking for reelection who got 26 votes enough to retain their League status being six votes ahead of another Welsh Club Llanelli.

It was the early fifties which saw the real nadir of the Club’s fortunes in terms of on-field performances. In the 1953-54 Season they finished lower than last season being 19th. The directors gave manager Maurice Lindsey another shot at it but they did even worse the following season coming 21st, resulting in Lindsey losing his job. The following season 1955-56, the directors took the path of appointing a Player-Coach rather than a manager. This seems to have been something of a disaster with Geoff Fox, a wing half in the team, given the role from 1st October. Swindon finished bottom of a League now consisting of 24 teams managing to win just eight games all season. The loyalty of the fans in those days is shown by the fact that home gates averaged over 7,000, although only 18 goals were scored at home all season. The following season was a little better but although Bert Head, appointed in October, saw Swindon finish with twelve home wins, a poor away record, with seven goals conceded on three occasions, meant a 23rd-place finish and another application for re-election. Thankfully in 1956 and 1957, Swindon got the second re-election spot with 42 votes both times and this saw them well over 30 votes ahead of third place Peterborough. The ups and downs of football are shown by the teams applying for re-election those two seasons as Crystal Palace, Norwich City and Swindon have all made it to the Premiership.

It is worth noting that the 1956-57 season proved a case of the darkest hour being just before dawn. The following season was to see the regionalisation of the third tier for the last time. You would have got very good odds on Swindon finishing in the top half of the Third South but finish in the top half they did, in fact, they were fourth, earning manager Bert Head a £250 bonus.

I am the first to say that, although it may not seem like it at the time, league position is not everything. Swindon may have been late paying some bills last season but the one time when they were threatened with being wound up, the existing owner saved the day by selling a portion of his shareholding which in no way affected the control of the Club. Other clubs in the division may have had bigger budgets but John Trollope would have bitten your hand off for what the wage bill allowed was last season when he was manager. At least Gavin Gunning didn’t have to run a marathon to keep the club solvent!

Often it is off-field events that have far longer and more devastating effects than what happens on the pitch. Such was the case when the club were within 24 hours of facing a winding up order when Sir Seton Wills stepped in to save the club. Sir Seton Wills put an estimated £10 million into the club but his takeover and the stewardship of Michael Diamandis saw the end of AGMs controlling the running of the Club. Under Sir Seton Wills, AGMs were still held but it was not too long before they ceased to happen at all and the supporters were left in the dark as to what was going on.

Swindon were on the verge of bankruptcy again when the owners' backers were no longer willing to fund Paolo Di Canio’s costly purchasing of players. Only a last-minute deal which saw Matt Ritchie sold at a knockdown price (ramifications of this nearly brought the club down last season). The sale of Ritchie broke the manager, Di Canio’s contract stipulated that he would have sole control of transfers.

For me, these were far worse than anything that happened last season.