The 2013–14 season will be Swindon Town's second consecutive season in the League One since gaining promotion from League Two in 2012. Swindon will seek to better the 2012–13 season, a campaign that resulted in the Wiltshire club finishing 6th overall and losing in the Play-offs to Brentford at the semi-final stage. Alongside the league campaign, Swindon Town will also compete in the FA Cup, League Cup and the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. The 2013–14 campaign was scheduled to be Kevin MacDonald's first full season as manager of Swindon Town after replacing Paolo Di Canio in February 2012 but the Scotsman resigned during pre-season.
23 November 2013: A man is arrested as Wiltshire Police investigate an attack on Leyton Orient goalkeeper Jamie Jones during Swindon's loss to Orient at the County Ground.
29 November 2013: Rumours of a boardroom dispute emerge when an official statement suggesting that Lee Power has taken ownership of the club from Jed McCrory is later withdrawn.
3 December 2013: Steve Murrall, the club's former general manager, tells the Swindon Advertiser that he did not resign from his position on the club's board.
3 December 2013: Jed McCrory resigns as chairman. He also steps down from his position on the board.
4 December 2013: New Swindon Town owner, Lee Power, moves to allay financial fears surrounding the club.
12 December 2013: Swindon Town release the findings of a recent audit announcing that operating losses have fallen from £3.6m per annum to £1.2m.
19 December 2013: Steve Anderson is confirmed as the club's new general manager.
19 December 2013: Kidderminster Harriers defender, Cheyenne Dunkley, is linked with a move to Swindon Town.
27 December 2013: Town manager Mark Cooper admits that the club may look to offload Nile Ranger within the January transfer window after the forward failed to turn up for training.
Season news (2014)
1 January 2014: Swindon Town P–P Crawley Town '.
2 January 2014: Swindon Town's latest bid for AFC Bournemouth forward Wes Thomas is rejected.
8 January 2014: Chairman Lee Power opens talks with Liverpool centre-forward Michael Ngoo over a proposed loan transfer.
11 January 2014: The club announces that Nile Ranger had issued an apology to his teammates regarding his truant behaviour thus saving him from the sack.
13 January 2014: Lee Power bans the Swindon Advertiser from the club after reporter Sam Morshead made comments on Twitter regarding Nile Ranger's return to the squad.
24 January 2014: It is reported that Dany N'Guessan has been made available for loan by the club.
26 February 2014: Massimo Luongo is called up by the Australia senior side.
27 February 2014: Yaser Kasim is called up by the Iraq senior side.
18 April 2014: An ownership disputes emerges when former holding company Seebeck 87 Ltd attempt to place three new director on the club board claiming that they were still owners of Swindon Town Football Club. The current holding company Swinton Reds 20 Ltd unsuccessfully attempt to obtain an injunction and Seebeck get the three individuals on the board with 'advisory' roles.
27 April 2014: The club release a statement reiterating that Swindon Town F.C. deplore acts of violence after newspaper reports publish a video involving Nile Ranger.
28 April 2014: Nile Ranger is held for questioning regarding the alleged assault on a woman and criminal damage in Swindon.
30 April 2014: Swinton Reds 20 Ltd and Seebeck 87 Ltd are locked in deliberations for two hours at the Rolls Building before the ongoing ownership dispute was adjourned by Mr Justice Warren.
2 May 2014''': Nile Ranger is released by the club.
Tottenham Hotspur link up
Throughout 2013, Swindon Town seemingly built a close working relationship with Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur. Massimo Luongo, Nathan Byrne and Dean Parrett joined on loan deals during the closing stages of the 2012–13 season and the partnership grew during the 2013 close season. This included Spurs loaning and transferring players to Swindon, friendly fixtures being arranged between the two clubs and members of the Tottenham coaching staff being linked to the managerial position after Kevin MacDonald's exit from Swindon Town. In December 2013, owner Lee Power announced that there was no special relationship Spurs.
Spurs connections linked to playing/coaching roles
The 2013 manager search
On 13 July 2013 manager Kevin MacDonald resigned from his post as manager citing "personal reasons". This sparked a flurry of media interest as the Wiltshire club began their search for a new manager. A recent but significant link with Spurs results in several of their coaches being linked with the vacancy while the Swindon Advertiser reported that former player Martin Ling was interested in the role. The local media order linked Danish duo Peter Schmeichel and John Jensen along with Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale. The national media linked Kenny Shiels while Paul Hartley, Neil Warnock, Glenn Hoddle, Paul Trollope and Stuart Pearce were rated among the favourites on Bookmaker listings. After five and a half weeks without making an appointment, caretaker manager Mark Cooper is given the role on a permanent basis, signing a two-year contract.
Coaches linked
League One data
Result summary
Sponsors
Pre-season
Between 2006 and 2012, Swindon Town spent time during their pre-season schedule abroad in the Balearic Islands, Austria and Italy. The 2013/14 schedule started in England with friendlies arranged with Swindon Supermarine, Banbury United, Forest Green Rovers which were followed by home ties against Tottenham Hotspur and Birmingham City. An away trip against Cirencester Town completed the scheduled along with Development XI friendlies at Devizes Town and Fairford Town. It was later announced that Swindon would spend a week in Portugal from 21 July. Two friendlies would also be arranged. Pre-season began with a comfortable 3–1 victory at Swindon Supermarine. However, this was followed by a poor 2–0 defeat at Banbury United where Kevin MacDonald criticised the standard of the Oxfordshire outfit's pitch. Swindon Town got back to winning ways as a Development side beat Devizes Town 5–0 at Nursteed Road. Days later, Town faced Non-League side Forest Green Rovers who easily beat Swindon 2–0. Reports begin to circulate that manager Kevin MacDonald is set to resign from his post and this is confirmed 24 hours later citing "personal reasons" for his exit and assistant Mark Cooper is named Caretaker manager.
Pre-Season results and line-ups
League One
The fixture list for the 2013/14 campaign was announced on 19 June 2013. It was announced that the Wiltshire outfits first game of the season would take place against Darren Ferguson's Peterborough United at London Road on 3 August 2013.
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
The F.A. Cup
F.A. Cup results
The League Cup
On 12 June 2013 it was confirmed that Swindon Town had been seeded for the first round of the competition. It was later announced that Swindon would face Football League Two outfit Torquay United in the opening round of the competition.
In June 2011 it was announced that Swindon Town would not compete in a Reserve League for the 2011/12 season and would therefore arrange friendlies with other clubs and this continued during the 2012/13 and 2013/14 campaigns.
Jed McCrory
Lee Power
Kevin MacDonald '
Yaser Kasim