Swindon Town appoint Phil Brown as new manager

Swindon Town have named Phil Brown as their new manager.

The Robins will be Brown's fifth management job in football following spells at Derby County, Hull City, Preston North End and most recently Southend United. He was also briefly caretaker manager at Bolton at the beginning of his managerial career.

Brown was appointed Southend boss in March 2013, but lost the JPT final that former manager Paul Sturrock had guided them to.

Southend finished in the League Two play-off positions in Brown's first full season but lost 3-2 on aggregate to Burton Albion in the semi-finals. They would succeed on the second attempt though and were promoted at Wembley the following season, beating Wycombe on penalties in the final.

The Shrimpers finished 14th in League One the following year and 7th, one place and point off the play-offs, the season after that, but this season, Brown was placed on gardening leave after a 2-1 defeat at home to Fleetwood which left Souhend in in 18th after eight defeats in nine matches.

Brown's first management job came in 2005 with Championship side Derby, but he only managed the Rams for seven months and was sacked with the Rams 19th in the table.

He had much better success at Hull City, a club he initially joined as a first-team coach, but was named caretaker manager after Phil Parkinson was sacked, and he guided the Tigers to Championship safety.

The following season, Hull were promoted to the Premier League for the first time in their history, with a Dean Windass volley at Wembley being enough to beat Bristol City in the play-off final.

Hull survived by a point and beat both Arsenal and Tottenham away from home. Brown was sacked in 2010 though and Hull were relegated soon after. 

Brown was back in management in January 2011 and tasked with keeping Preston in the Championship, which he failed at, and was sacked the following season with Preston 10th in League One before improving his reputation at Southend.

He has signed a deal until the end of the season and will be assisted by Brian Horton.