Ben Futcher named as David Flitcroft's assistant manager at Swindon Town

New Swindon Town manager David Flitcroft has confirmed that his assistant will be Ben Futcher.

Futcher, 36, had a 12-year long professional playing career and spent time at the likes of Lincoln City, Peterborough United and Bury after coming through the ranks at Oldham Athletic. 

He will be known to Swindon's arch rivals, Oxford United, given that he had a brief loan spell at the Yellows, where the centre back featured six times.

Since retiring in 2012, Futcher was briefly the joint-caretaker manager of Bury before becoming David Flitcroft's assistant at the Shakers in June of 2015.

Speaking at his press conference unveiling today (Wednesday), Flitcroft announced that Futcher will be his assistant and then said: "The reason he's not at the minute is he's on his pro license.

"I worked with him very closely at Bury and I was very close with Ben. Ben is six-foot-seven, centre half, from a football family, which is important to me - a real footballing background.

"Defensively he will look at this team out of possession and we will get that right. He's currently graduating for his pro license tonight, again he comes with that qualification, it's something I'm massively into. 

"If you're staff are qualified and they're good at what they do, and he's good with people, so I'm looking forward to Ben getting down here and start grafting."

Futcher is the son of ex-Manchester City defender Paul, and has uncles of Ron and Graham who both played for Chester. Danny Murphy of Liverpool and Stephen Futcher are also both cousins of his.