swindon town question

[stupalace]

when did swindon get relegated/denied promotion in the nineties for some sort of financial wrong doing ?

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The club's "rollercoaster years" started back in the late 80s when like a phoenix from the ashes the club, under Lou Macari, rose up the divisions.

In 1990, Ossie Ardiles guided them to victory in the play-offs and secured them a place in the top flight.

Several days later this was ripped from the side when the Football Association punished them for irregular payments to players.

They were relegated two divisions - which was reduced to one on appeal.


Last season Swindon lost out in the play-offs on penalties
It took them another three years, and another manager - Glenn Hoddle - to repeat the feat and gain entry to the Premiership.


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makes chelsea's fine a joke

[PhilD]

I think it was 89/90 when they won the play-offs and were then denied promotion.

They beat Sunderland in the final who were then promoted in their place and Sunderland were definately in the top flight the season we finished third.

[PhilD]

I don't think they were actually relegated, they just stayed in the old division 2 instead of being allowed to take up their place in the top flight.

[Fatman]

I thought they got thrown down to Div 3??

Maybe I'm wrong

[PhilD]

Originally posted by Fatman
I thought they got thrown down to Div 3??

Maybe I'm wrong

You may well be right. I was too young at the time to remember it so I'm only going on what I've heard.

[stupalace]

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 Ardiles 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.

In July 1989, Osvaldo Ardiles moved into football management with Second Division Swindon Town as successor to Lou Macari. His first season as manager looked to have been a success when he guided the club to victory in the playoff final - but promotion was withdrawn after the club admitted financial irregularities. Former manager Lou Macari and team captain Colin Calderwood were cleared of any involvement in the crisis, but accountant Vince Farrar and chairman Brian Hillier were both found guilty of fraud at Winchester Crown Court. Farrar was put on probation while Hillier was jailed for six months.



after two hours looking on the web thats all i can find

[west country boy]

Originally posted by Fatman
I thought they got thrown down to Div 3??

Maybe I'm wrong

No, you're right. They were relegated to division three, but this was reversed on appeal, meanin they had to stay in the second.

Uninteresting fact: my first ever football match was Swindon vs Scunthorpe in the fourth division - Chris "••••" Kamara was playing for Swindon.

[stupalace]

Not long afterwards, the Sunday People printed revelations that chairman Brian Hillier had bet on Swindon to lose in an FA Cup match against Newcastle. The Town were beaten 5-0. On 5th January 1989, both Macari and Hillier were charged with unauthorised betting. Hillier was suspended from football for six months (later increased to three years), the club were fined £7,500, and Macari £1,000, for what the FA described as a minor role in a "foolhardy misdemeanour".

The revelations didn't stop there - and on 1st May 1990, Macari, Hillier, Calderwood and former club accountant Vince Farrar were arrested, and questioned regarding a tax fraud conspiracy. Calderwood was released without charge, the others were bailed. More and more people became implicated - former secretary Dave King and Farrar received suspended sentences, director Gary Herbert and Hillier were jailed.