Town are back in Wiltshire this evening as they host Accrington in their latest League Two fixture in the 2023/2024 season.
Accrington will be looking to respond to recent difficult results, with four defeats and one draw in their last five league games which saw the long-term management team of John Coleman and Jimmy Bell relieved of their duties earlier this month.
As Swindon come off the back of a spirited performance against Mansfield last weekend, they will be hoping a result this evening will see them go above their opponents for this evening's clash in the fourth-tier standings.
A lowdown on the visitors:
After a meeting at Bold Street Working Men’s Club, the current Accrington Stanley was formed in 1968.
Two years later, they entered the Lancashire Combination and a crowd of 620 watched the team beat Formby in their first game; as Terry Tighe became the only player to play for both the old and new Stanley.
In 1974, the Reds won the Combination Cup for a third year running and also finished as Lancashire Combination League champions, before a successful spell in the Cheshire League Second Division.
Stanley, who joined the newly-formed North West Counties League in 1983, clinched a 1991 promotion to the Northern Premier League Premier Division and also reached the FA Cup second round two years later.
A Paul Beck hat-trick secured victory for the Reds in the first round against Gateshead, watched by 2,270 at the Crown Ground, but sadly Stanley then lost 6-1 to Crewe Alexandra at Blackburn’s Ewood Park.
John Coleman and Jimmy Bell were appointed in 1999 and immediately took the club back up to the UniBond Premier Division as champions, not losing a game from the New Year until the end of the season.
Three years later, the Reds enjoyed their most successful campaign ever by clinching the UniBond title, attaining their highest-ever finish since reformation; finishing on 100 points and scoring 97 goals.
In 2006, Stanley won the Conference by eleven points and with it, earned Football League status.
The 2017/18 season was a historic one for the Reds as they won 18 of their remaining 22 league games to secure promotion to the third tier for the first time, before spending a period of five years at that level.
Head-to-head:
2017/18: Accrington Stanley 2-1 Swindon Town
2017/18: Swindon Town 3-0 Accrington Stanley
2020/21: Swindon Town 0-3 Accrington Stanley
2020/21: Accrington Stanley 2-1 Swindon Town
2023/24: Accrington Stanley 3-4 Swindon Town
Interim Manager: John Doolan
Doolan was appointed as Interim Manager of Accrington Stanley on Monday 4th March 2024.
The 55-year-old, who has been First Team Coach at the Wham Stadium since June 2017, was part of the management team that led Stanley to the League Two title in 2018.
He previously played for the club and captained the Reds to the 1999/00 UniBond First Division title.
Doolan spent four years of his playing career at Wigan Athletic between 1992 and 1996 and worked at both Liverpool’s and Everton’s academies after retiring.
He was then appointed as Wigan’s youth team coach, before moving into the first team role with The Latics in the Premier League.
A 2014 move to Hibernian as first team coach followed, where he celebrated Scottish Cup success with a victory over Rangers at Hampden Park.
One to watch: Jack Nolan
A forward who has excelled in his move up north to Accrington, Jack Nolan joined Stanley after a spell with Walsall in the 2020-21 season following his graduation from League One side Reading’s academy.
After also representing England U17s back in 2018, Nolan has very much adapted to life in League Two, scoring over 10 times and accumulating a handful of assists for Accrington this season.
