STFC STAT ATTACK: BROWN v FLITCROFT

Saturday’s upcoming match presents Swindon Town with the unusual situation of facing off against one of their former managers as Phil Brown’s Robins take on David Flitcroft’s Mansfield Town. TotalSport Swindon’s Ryan Walker analyses the stats behind both manager’s reigns at the helm of SN1 ahead of the encounter.

David Flitcroft’s appointment at the start of June last year brought with it excitement and a sense of optimism as Swindon Town attempted to regain promotion back to League One at the first attempt. 

But after a successful start, Flitcroft’s decision to make the switch to playoff chasers Mansfield Town earlier this year makes for what is sure to be an unwelcome returning reception to The County Ground on Saturday.

Since making the cross-division move, the 44-year-old former midfielder has endured a difficult spell of results having won just 8 of the 27 matches he has been in charge of at Mansfield. 

But it’s the analysis of his Swindon Town tenure that makes for difficult reading for fans of the Wiltshire outfit. At the time of his departure, Flitcroft had comfortably guided STFC to seventh in the table and with the club looking on-track for a playoff finish. 

And when analysing the figures behind the 32 game stint he was in charge of at Swindon, it makes for glum reading for the Swindon faithful when compared to the recent results of current boss Phil Brown.

Having been in charge over a period of eight months, Flitcroft managed 21 wins, 3 draws, and only 8 losses, giving the manager a higher than average win percentage of 65.63%. 

However, in stark contrast, Brown has managed just 8 wins, 10 draws, and 8 losses spanning over a period of 26 matches with a win percentage of just 30.77%, the third lowest since Paolo Di Canio prowled the dugout of Swindon Town.

Phil Brown will claim that time is still needed to turn his current squad into promotion contenders. But on analysis of the statistics, it’s clear that the pressure is quickly mounting on the former Premier League coach.

The season has been difficult for both managers respectively with just one point separating the teams with Swindon sitting just one place above Saturday’s rivals in the League Two table. 

But with no league victory since Town’s three-nil away win against Yeovil at the end of September, it’s safe to say that this season isn’t going the way Brown planned, with the manager recently stating that “I didn’t plan for us to be mid-table.” 

Swindon fans will be eager to see their side take revenge on a manager who left them at a time when he was most needed, and a weekend victory against Mansfield would go some way in boosting fans confidence in Phil Brown as he looks to turn around a season of mediocrity.