The 2011–12 season was Swindon Town's first season in the League Two since 2006–07. Under the management of former AC Milan, Lazio, Celtic, Sheffield Wednesday and West Ham United footballer Paolo Di Canio, Swindon were successful in winning their first trophy since 1996 after securing the League Two championship. Town were also runners-up in the Football League Trophy, losing to Chesterfield at Wembley Stadium. The club also competed in the FA Cup, beating Premier League outfit Wigan Athletic and the League Cup.
League data
Kits and sponsors
Overview and results
Pre-season
The club's early pre-season was dominated by reports of who would replace Paul Hart as the new manager of Swindon Town. Hart had left the club before the end of the 2010–11 season after the club's relegation had been confirmed. Hart was replaced by youth team manager Paul Bodin had managed the club on a caretaker basis. Previously, chairman Andrew Fitton also resigned in April and was replaced by fellow board member Jeremy Wray who was immediately placed with the responsibility of appointing a new manager.
Names mentioned for the Town job included Bodin, George Burley, Paul Trollope, Dietmar Hamann, John Hughes, Gus McPherson and Paolo Di Canio. In early May the tabloid newspapers were linking Di Canio with an unlikely move to the club. Di Canio had enjoyed a popular but sometimes controversial career in England with Sheffield Wednesday and with West Ham United where he became a cult figure. On 20 May, the appointment was confirmed with fellow Italians Fabrizio Piccareta (assistant), Claudio Donatelli (fitness) and Domenico Doardo (goalkeeping) joining the club as Di Canio's coaching staff, caretaker manager Paul Bodin reverted to his position as youth team manager.
Before the arrival of Di Canio, interim chairman Jeremy Wray announced that he would be arranging one-to-one meetings with the entire playing squad to discuss their futures. The outcome was a mass clear-out but it began with players initially declaring an interest in remaining at the club. David Prutton talked of "putting things right" before leaving to join Sheffield Wednesday shortly afterwards. Meanwhile, Scott Cuthbert told the press that he would be "delighted" to remain at Swindon but the club decided against triggering a clause on his contract to extend his deal but were rumoured to be open in renegotiating a new deal but Cuthbert later joined Leyton Orient. Former Swindon Town Player of the Year Jonathan Douglas looked set to sign a new contract but eventually turned it down for a move to Brentford.
Swindon Town returned to pre-season on 29 June 2011. During the summer, Swindon spent 10 days in Italy at a training camp in Norcia, Umbria. During the course of the week Town played two friendlies against local select sides Norcia XI and Marche XI. Upon returning to England, Swindon visited local Non-League clubs Swindon Supermarine and Cirencester Town. Both fixtures concluded in 4–0 victories for Swindon Town. The club concluded their Pre-Season with a 1–2 loss to Football League Championship outfit Reading.
League Two
The fixtures for the 2011–12 season were announced on 17 June at 09:00 BST, and revealed that Swindon will begin their League Two campaign with a home fixture against Crewe Alexandra.
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
League Cup
Swindon's Carling Cup round 1 tie against Bristol City drawn to be played on 9 August 2011 was postponed on police advice. This was due to fears of safety issues following the riots throughout England, including Bristol.
Football League Trophy
F.A. Cup
As a member of League Two, Swindon Town will enter the FA Cup at the First Round stage.
Squad information
Club officials
Position NameChairman Jeremy Wray (interim)Directors Jeremy Wray, Russell Backhouse, Andrew Black, Nick WatkinsChief Executive Nick WatkinsManager Paolo Di CanioAssistant manager Fabrizio PiccaretaGoalkeeper coach Domenico DoardoFitness coach Claudio DonatelliYouth Team Manager Paul BodinCentre of Excellence Jeremy NewtonPhysio Paul Godfrey
Management record
As of 6 May 2012. Only competitive matches are counted NameNatRecordPWDLFAPaolo Di Canio58368The 2011–12 Football League Trophy game against AFC Wimbledon in which Swindon won on penalties under the management of Di Cabio has been marked as a draw149145
Captains Accounts for all competitions. Last updated on 6 May 2012. No.Pos.NameGames13DF/MF Oliver Risser36DF Paul Caddis4712DF/MF Alan McCormack8
Squad statistics
Appearances and goals
|colspan="14"|LOAN PLAYERS WHO HAVE SINCE LEFT SWINDON (Statistics shown are the appearances made and goals scored while at Swindon Town)
|colspan="14"|Players who left the club on a permanent basis during the season:
Goalscorers
Name League FA Cup League Cup JP Trophy Total11 1 0 1 1311 1 0 0 1210 1 0 0 116 1 1 0 84 1 1 0 64 0 0 1 53 0 0 2 53 0 0 1 43 0 0 1 43 0 0 0 31 1 0 1 33 0 0 0 32 0 0 0 21 1 0 0 22 0 0 0 22 0 0 0 21 0 0 0 11 0 0 0 11 0 0 0 11 0 0 0 1 OWN GOALS 1 0 0 0 1 Total 74 7 2 7 91
Penalties awarded Includes all competitive matches.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align: center;" |- !width=15| !width=15| !width=15| !width=15| !width=150|Name !width=150|Competition !width=200|Opposition !width=50|Success !width=150|Technique !width=150|Notes |- |1 |3 |DF | |Callum Kennedy |League Two |vs. Crewe Alexandra (6 August 2011) | |Bottom left corner
|2 |39 |FW | |Mehdi Kerrouche |League Two |vs. Port Vale (5 November 2011) | |Top left corner
|3 |17 |FW | |Alan Connell |Football League Trophy |vs. AFC Wimbledon (8 November 2011) | |Top left corner |Penalty Shoot-Out |- |4 |13 |MF | |Oliver Risser |Football League Trophy |vs. AFC Wimbledon (8 November 2011) | |Top left corner |Penalty Shoot-Out |- |5 |11 |MF | |Etiënne Esajas |Football League Trophy |vs. AFC Wimbledon (8 November 2011) | |Middle right |Penalty Shoot-Out |- |6 |10 |MF | |Matt Ritchie |League Two |vs. Macclesfield Town (21 January 2012) | |Missed target
|7 |2 |DF | |Paul Caddis |League Two |vs. Hereford United (18 February 2012)
|8 |2 |DF | |Paul Caddis |League Two |vs. Aldershot Town (17 April 2012)
Disciplinary record Name League Two FA Cup League Cup JP Trophy Total Ahmed Abdulla 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 Paul Benson 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 Paul Caddis 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 0 Alessandro Cibocchi 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Alberto Comazzi 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 Alan Connell 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 Raffaele De Vita 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Joe Devera 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Etiënne Esajas 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Simon Ferry 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Aden Flint 6 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 7 0 Wes Foderingham 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Jake Jervis 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Callum Kennedy 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 Mehdi Kerrouche 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 0 Mattia Lanzano 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Lukáš Magera 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 Alan McCormack 10 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 13 0 Jay McEveley 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Liam Ridehalgh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Oliver Risser 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 Matt Ritchie 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 6 0 Luke Rooney 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Jonathan Smith 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 Nathan Thompson 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 colspan=1 Total 66 2 3 0 3 0 8 0 81 2
Suspensions served DateMatches MissedSuspended PlayerReasonMissed Opponents3 September 20111 Alberto Comazzi vs. Rotherham UnitedSouthend United (H)17 September 20111 Alan McCormack 5th Booking vs. Burton AlbionBarnet (H)7 December 20111 Matt Ritchie 5th Booking vs. Southend UnitedBristol Rovers (A)31 December 20113 Oliver Risser vs. Northampton TownAFC Wimbledon (H), Wigan Athletic (H), Barnet (A)10 January 20122 Alan McCormack 10th Booking vs. BarnetRotherham United (A), Macclesfield Town (H)
Transfers
Players transferred inNo.DatePos.NameFromFeeRef.117 June 2011DF Joe Devera BarnetFree221 June 2011MF Jonathan Smith York City£30,000323 June 2011FW Raffaele De Vita LivingstonFree428 June 2011DF Alberto Comazzi SpeziaFree54 July 2011GK Mattia Lanzano US GavorranoFree610 July 2011MF Oliver Risser KuPSFree710 July 2011MF Ibrahim Atiku Ethnikos PiraeusFree818 July 2011FW Alan Connell Grimsby TownUndisclosed918 July 2011FW Mehdi Kerrouche Al-OrubaFree1019 July 2011DF Alessandro Cibocchi PortoSummagaFree1125 July 2011MF Alan McCormack Charlton AthleticFree1226 July 2011MF Etiënne Esajas Helmond SportFree1319 August 2011FW Leon Clarke Queens Park RangersFree1419 August 2011MF Lander Gabilondo CA Osasuna B Free1522 August 2011FW Lukáš Magera Politehnica TimișoaraUndisclosed161 January 2012FW Paul Benson Charlton AthleticPart Exchange176 January 2012GK Wes Foderingham Crystal PalaceUndisclosed1817 January 2012MF Luke Rooney GillinghamUndisclosed1931 January 2012MF Lee Cox Inverness Caledonian ThistleUndisclosed2020 February 2012DF Chris Smith Stone DominoesFreePlayers transferred outNo.DatePos.NameToFeeRef.117 May 2011DF Michael Rose Colchester UnitedFree224 May 2011MF David Prutton Sheffield WednesdayFree331 May 2011FW Vincent Pericard Havant & WaterloovilleReleased431 May 2011GK Jakub Jesionkowski ReleasedFree53 June 2011DF Scott Cuthbert Leyton OrientFree63 June 2011DF Alan Sheehan Notts CountyFree720 June 2011MF Jon-Paul McGovern Carlisle UnitedFree820 June 2011DF Lescinel Jean-Francois Sheffield UnitedFree930 June 2011MF Jonathan Douglas BrentfordFree1031 August 2011MF Kevin Amankwaah Burton AlbionReleased1128 October 2011MF Ibrahim Atiku ReleasedReleased121 January 2012MF Matt Clark ReleasedReleased131 January 2012FW Leon Clarke Charlton AthleticPart Exchange141 January 2012DF Will Evans Hereford UnitedUndisclosed151 January 2012FW Elliot Benyon Southend UnitedUndisclosed165 January 2012MF Michael Timlin Southend UnitedUndisclosed1719 January 2012MF Alberto Comazzi ReleasedReleased1819 January 2012FW Jordan Pavett Bishop's StortfordReleasedPlayers loaned inNo.Date fromPos.NameFromDate toRef.130 August 2011MF Ahmed Abdulla West Ham United6 December 2011228 September 2011DF Liam Ridehalgh Huddersfield Town28 December 2011329 September 2011FW Jake Jervis Birmingham City30 December 2011413 October 2011FW Cristian Montano West Ham United8 November 2011514 October 2011FW Wes Foderingham Crystal Palace6 January 2012624 November 2011FW Ronan Murray Ipswich Town14 January 2012719 January 2012FW Ronan Murray Ipswich TownEnd of the Season820 January 2012DF Daniel Boateng Arsenal6 March 201297 March 2012FW Jonathan Téhoué Leyton OrientEnd of the Season1014 March 2012MF Lee Holmes SouthamptonEnd of the Season1122 March 2012MF John Bostock Tottenham HotspurEnd of the Season1122 March 2012DF Jay McEveley BarnsleyEnd of the SeasonPlayers loaned outNo.Date fromPos.NameToDate toRef.120 June 2011FW Elliot Benyon Wycombe Wanderers31 May 2012225 August 2011FW Billy Bodin Torquay United4 January 2012325 August 2011DF Will Evans Hereford United1 January 2012431 August 2011MF Michael Timlin Southend United5 January 201258 September 2011FW Leon Clarke Chesterfield1 January 2012622 September 2011MF Matt Clark Oxford City1 January 201277 October 2011GK Mark Scott Oxford City4 November 2011824 November 2011MF Abdul Said Fairford Town28 December 2011925 November 2011GK Mark Scott Salisbury City20 February 20121024 December 2011FW Jordan Pavett Heybridge Swifts19 January 2012119 February 2012FW Mehdi Kerrouche Oxford United10 March 20121220 February 2012GK Mark Scott Salisbury City4 April 20121321 February 2012FW Lukas Magera Banik OstravaEnd of the Season1422 March 2012FW Billy Bodin Crewe AlexandraEnd of the Season
Trial players
Di Canio brought in several players on a trial basis during the early weeks as manager of Swindon. There was minor controversy when trialist Leon Knight was released from training after only two days for fitness related reasons. Knight would later direct angry messages on the social networking website Twitter towards his agent and the club for his early exit.