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Swindon Town appoint Alan McLoughlin as Under 18's manager
Swindon Town have today officially announced former midfielder Alan McLoughlin will be taking charge of the Under 18 team for the 2016/17 season.
The former Town midfielder, who made 136 appearances in SN1 between 1986 and 1990 and scored against Sunderland in the 1990 Division One Play-Off final at Wembley, has stepped into the shoes of Scott Lindsey, who departed the County Ground over the summer.
McLoughlin will now be charged with the responsibility of cultivating the next crop of Swindon Town youngsters to progress in potential first team positions.
Speaking to the club's official website, McLoughlin said: "I’m absolutely delighted with being offered the opportunity to take on what I think are an exciting group of players and follow in the footsteps of some very good coaches," he said.We are delighted to confirm the appointment of @4AFMac as the club's new Under-18s manager - https://t.co/4yw2NDSmLE pic.twitter.com/BuehxYWn4e
— Swindon Town FC (@Official_STFC) August 4, 2016
“Certainly from the time when I first came to Swindon back in the 1980s when John Trollope was the coach right through to Scott Lindsey who has just left the boys in a very good place technically so it’s been an easy transition.
"Obviously being a former Swindon player with over 100 games under my belt, to still be in the building, working in football and hopefully passing on the knowledge that I have to the players is great," McLoughlin added.
The new boss is now looking forward to creating a fresh platform from which the Town youngsters can thrive upon and push forward in their football careers.
“Hopefully I can make it an environment they enjoy to come into and train but there has to be hard work put in too. You don’t get anywhere in life without working hard and grafting for it so things are slightly different under myself compared to Scott – it always is when there is a changeover of coach," McLoughlin said.
"The players have got to get used to the way I think, the way I work and that will come in time particularly with the second year scholars who have had a year working with Scott. I already know the first years from the Under-16s group.
"I’m looking forward to it, I’m excited about the role and thankful to the club for giving me the opportunity. I’ve spoken at length with Luke (Williams), Seamus (Brady), Ross (Embleton) and all the staff on what the expectations are and what they want from the scholars.
"I’m excited to work with a really good group staff too – it’s important we’re all singing off the same hymn sheet," he added.
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