"Party time! Scissor kicks and five-a-sides every day" Simon Ferry talks about Di Canio's time at Swindon Town

For his Youtube channel, Open Goal, ex-Swindon Town midfielder Simon Ferry reminisced about his time playing under Paolo Di Canio at the County Ground.

On his YouTube channel, Open Goal, Ferry is usually the interviewer talking to ex-professionals, predominantly Scottish ones, about their time as a player, but for a Christmas special, Ferry became the interviewee.

Ferry had already been a Swindon player for a number of seasons, prior to the appointment of Di Canio in the summer of 2011. 

The Scottish midfielder had been a part of the Town side that reached the 2010 League One play-off as a loanee and that deal was made permanent at the end of the season, although Swindon got relegated that campaign and Di Canio replaced Paul Hart as Robins boss.

"Like a tonne of bricks, Paolo Di Canio gets appointed manager," Ferry began.

"I remember sitting in my room in Dundee, a boy from down south text us: "Di Canio's got the job, mate.

"I remember texting him back, saying: "Party time! Scissor kicks and five-a-side every day! I could not have been more wrong."

Although not the best trainer in his playing days, it quickly became apparent that Di Canio would be a no-nonsense manager with strict philosophies, both on and off the pitch.

He was infamous for casting out those he disagreed with, such as Leon Clarke, who he had a scuffle with after a League Cup tie defeat at home to Southampton, and captain Paul Caddis would later have a public falling out with the Italian as well.

On the other end of the spectrum, other high-profile players from that tenure, such as Matt Ritchie, only have positive things to say about Di Canio and that applies to Ferry.

"I loved him, his enthusiasm, his character, his patter was brilliant.

"First day he comes in, everyone's getting weighed and I know how good a summer I'd had, I think I was like 80 kilo.

"He's like: 80 kilo? No, no, no! You don't play for me until you're 72, 73. Fat boy, fat boy!"

After only getting two minutes in a pre-season friendly and being told by Di Canio he had been bumped down to fourth-choice centre midfielder Ferry revealed he wanted and tried to leave Swindon, but his agent told him no-one was going to be interested in him.

"I just kept my head down, kept working hard, and fortunately for me, we had a terrible start to the year."

Swindon smashed Crewe 3-0 on the opening day but lost their next four in the league, including a home defeat to arch rivals Oxford.

"He pulled us into the office and said: "Ok, fat boy, tomorrow, you play."

Ferry made cameo substitute appearances in the first two games of the season, was an unused sub in the third and got his first start under Di Canio in the derby and never looked back.

The Scot became an integral part of the Swindon team again as the Wiltshire outfit romped to the League Two title.

Ferry continued: "I'll never forget it, the following summer he phoned us: 'just want to thank you for everything you've done. I respect how you were at the start and I respect that you stood up for your beliefs and I respect that you stuck at it when I was horrible to you. As long as I'm here, you'll be here."

Di Canio left Swindon in February 2013 and Ferry departed the County Ground that summer, for Portsmouth. 

Simon Ferry's full interview for Open Goal can be seen below: