Thetownend.com

"Paolo Di Canio has resigned as manager of Swindon Town #stfc"

[url width=271 height=169]http://gifs.gifbin.com/092009/1253885876_suicide.gif[/url]

http://t.co/NRKlyYuU


Reason being Football League haven't confirmed takeover by 5pm today.

http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/sport/10235980.Di_Canio_resigns/

Confirmed.


Can honestly say tomorow could be my last match.

Fucking joke of a club at times.

A professional manager deserves a professional club.

Fucking joke.

Couldn't, or didn't want to, hack it when going got tough.

Thanks PDC but most could of got us up with the resources you had.

We'll miss him, but not as much as some of you think we will.

Will he come back?...

"Di Canio first resigned last Tuesday and missed training on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday last week."

Fuckity Fuck Fuck.

Watch the FL ratify the sale at 9am tomorrow morning.

Fuck sake, bye bye promotion.

With the words of Adele on the Skyfall song

This is the end

Will be back by Saturday then

 :popcorn:

Well this should be interesting.

I've a funny feeling he may have hung around if the new guys coming in we're able to match his immediate ambitions.

Be interesting to see who comes in to replace him then. Odds on it being ratified by FL at 9am tomoz morning?

Still think he should have stuck around and not jumped ship when things weren't going his way mind.

That begs the question, why did he take charge on Saturday?

He'll be in charge at a championship club at least this time next week, it wouldn't surprise me if he already has something in the pipeline.

It's disappointing but that's lower league football for you. Roll on Mike Newell & a board that promises plan x y z and more money than you can shake a stick at....

We didn't have a game on Saturday.

:D

at least, for the time being, we still have a football club.

Think his departure is the least of our worries, hold on tight we're in for a rough ride

Sam Morshead ‏@SamMorshead_SA
The Advertiser understands the sale of Swindon Town WILL be rubber-stamped by the Football League TOMORROW #stfc
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Now most of us wouldn't expect the earth.....but Mike Newell :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Oh deary me!

Very gutted but we will move on as a club.

*cliche alert*

The club is bigger than any one manager or player

alan navarro ‏@alannavarro31
Looks like the sh*t has hit the fan, crazy scenes, big game 4 us tomorrow night as well, #wedontneedthis.

conspiracy theorists at the ready

THIS HURTS A LOT.

So, PDC set a deadline for the new board that was in the hands of the Football League rather than the new board themselves, with that deadline just over 24 hours ahead of a massive game for the club.  Not impressed with his timing at all, irrespective of any other factors.

Cant wait an extra day? Surely there is something else going on here.

Bodin in charge tomorrow night then?

 :yay: :yay: :wotjump: :jumpy: :flex: :fear: :drive: :banging: :banging: :wotjump:

These are my thoughts

If a football club could be a film, Swindon would resemble One flew over the cuckoos nest.

Lunacy

I suspect he wasn't impressed with the timing of many things either.

We are Bodins red and white army.

Get the orange hats ready !!

So he resigns because the FL were being slow.

That's going to look great on your CV Paolo

There you have it. Football League fuck us over yet again.

oh dear the wheels are starting to come off now!

but we need to keep calm there's still a good chance for promotion

hold tight its going to be a rollercoaster

Chris Wilder is joining from pox.  With Sheena Easton as assistant.  And neither of them like cheese.

MIKE NEWELLS BARMY ARMY!

The key is who is going to replace him? We can't lose the discipline.

Is it possible for paul fart to come in and get us relegated :suicide:

The "something else" may be Matt Ritchie

I cant see him ever managing at the top level because if things don't go his way he moans like fuck and then jumps ship.

I'm sure other managers have suffered much much worse and just got on with it.

Steve 'fecking' Lomas.

Now I've said it, we don't have to have a whole thread joking about his pending appointment.

:)

I'd like to agree with you, but the key is who the new owners are and what they want.

Fucking joke of a club. That is all.

Sam Allardyce's contract runs out at the end of the season.

What a stupid, stupid, stupid reason to resign.

I guess Bodin will take charge tomorrow assuming Paolo's mates have gone as well.

Who do we want then as the next manager then?

Inclined to agree.

Hopefully the new guys will counter with a decent appointment.

Onwards

Wes Foderingham ‏@wes_foderingham
everyone needs to stick together. The main thing is to secure promotion which is still very do-able starting with 3 points tomorrow night!

Recently retired big name ex-pro.

Brian stein will do me.

Happy fucking birthday

What the fuck?

Oh well. We need another foreign nutter.

Cantona or Ketsbaia please.

He's leaving before Jed and co. take over, obviously...!

In all seriousness though, this is fucking ridiculous.

Absolutely

Sadly we probably knew one day he would leave in a "throw your toys out of the pram" fashion

Agreed. Think its fucking stupid.

Wes for Player Manager!!!

So i have heard.

Mikhail Gorbachev, just to balance things out?

Loved him, really brought the sppark back and helped galvanise the club at a time when we needed a boost. I'll always have great memories of his time here.

But... being a fan of Swindon isn't about a manager, or a player, or a chairman, or even an owner. So thanks Paolo,  now let's move on. Exciting/worrying times ahead...

David Pleat

Fucking this

I think Paolo owed it to us to stay until the end of the season. Selfish decision.

Gutted he's left but also feel a bit let down by him jumping ship.

We'll go on. Bodin managing away at Tranmere for the 2nd time in 2 years.

I do love the new manager search process...

Unless it goes on like Danny Wilson's appointment!

....and the official site remains silent!

Well, that was a fun few months.  At least supporting Swindon is an interesting affair, even our mediocre periods are worth keeping an eye out for.
He's left the first team in a pretty good state for anyne coming in, it makes it more appealing than it has been for a long time - a fair chance of a promotion or near miss on your CV with little effort required.  New owners will help as well, regardless of who they are.  Just check out the trainf of people going for the Notts F job in recent months - managers hardly ever give a shit whether the owners are good intentioned, a little dodgy or anything really.  So long as it's a pay day and the CV can take some improving (either for someone on the up, or coming down).

Meltdown Monday is in full force now! Terrible Tuesday tomorrow....

We could get back Paul Hart, surely even he couldn't get us relegated from this position :)

He'll be at Leeds next week.

Happy Birthday Fred.

Please football gods  can our next manager not be a facist with a personality disorder but get the same results. Thanks.

There's nobody there to order it's update!

Hitler has died in case you hadn't heard......stop being ridiculous.

I wonder if McCrory has let out a Banbury roar of happiness. A not unexpected shambles.

Changed for you

Top Of The Table Tuesday ( a bit of good news please)

That's not quite what he's said though is it..?

What a joke thats our promotion hopes fucked then.

And today of all fucking days Im in oxford.

Plenty of people on here who are Cross ;)

Just hope whoever takes over keeps the discipline PDC installed.

Don't want to go back to the Wilson/Hart era of players taking the piss.

Not at all, we still have the same players who have dealt with all the shit over the past few weeks so dont see why that would change now. We are in a fantastic position to gain promotion with or without PDC.

Disappointing yes, end of the world? I think not.

whats the quickest that 100 pages have been racked up

fucking gutted but not surprised in the slightest and was pretty much waiting for this announcement all day . Just hope things dont get worse as this takeover is taking the piss now.

Sky Sports just said "shock resignation" - how mmore sign posted did they need it after he sort of served notice a few weeks ago?

Wonder if Adkins could be tempted.  Surely with new unknown owners all we would need is for someone to mock up a ground development and he'll be sold, at least for another 18 months.

and with that £25,000 a week is saved.

Agreed.

I bet his technical staff are like "Yeah, cheers mate".

FABRIZIO PICCARETA'S RED & WHITE ARMY!

Fingers crossed, and we can only hope!  :D

Could be a good idea, limit the upheaval to just di Canio.

Thanks for everything Paolo, but the way you have gone about this leaves a very verry bitter taste.
Bottled it before the going got tough.

the big news on the official site is that the hospitality has sold out....

Number 2's.  not good.

It was always going to be when he leaves not IF just think the timing is wrong has PDC let us down, NO, it has always been a rollercoaster ride with him just thought he would have waited until the end of the season, unless he knows something we do not !!!!!!

I think he had become disillusioned with football management. I reckon he'll go back to Italy.

 
 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

He has resigned - we will have to sever the contracts of the technical staff and pay them up unless we offer to keep them on - which we won't. That's one large lump sum for McCrory to pay in week 1.

It just gets worse...

You could be right

Presumably he needs to pay up his contract if he wants another job?

form an orderly queue in the refund line please

So, my initial thoughts are:

1. If the Adver know that the deal will be ratified tomorrow then so must PDC. Was this just an excuse for PDC to leave?

2. I wonder whether there will be a Macari-esqu backlash and call for PDC to come back? Only difference is that Macari was sacked and PDC wasn't

3. I don't like change. But maybe this is a positive? Maybe someone else can get something better out of the players?

4. I wonder what that will mean with Caddis?

5. I wonder whether PDC has something else lined up?

6. Will all the backroom Italians disappear too?

7. I quite liked all this high profile stuff. Are we now heading for L1 obscurity again?

What a fucking mess.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Kyi0WNg40

That actually made me smile at a time when it was most definitely needed - good work :clap:

He's obviously been lined up else where. Toys out of pram tbh

And still nothing official from the club, what a joke.

I would have paid good money to be a fly on the wall at the Allardyce residence this evening when Sky Sports flashed it up and the fat oaf spat his tea out with a "oh fuck".

Will PDC be taking you with him, as part of his back room staff, to summarise his interviews? Or are you now out of a job?

Disappointed with Paolo's announcement, it has to be said, but it's a bit weird.

His announcement (and previous one of a couple of weeks ago) gives the impression that he wanted to leave and was just waiting for the opportunity to do so and to appear justified in doing so. However, the fact that he went to the new owners and offered his services at more attractive terms to the club indicates that he didn't want to leave. But, then again, why impose a date when it is clearly not in the hands of the new or old owners but in the hands of the Football League? Unless, of course, the new owners have withheld some information that has held up the FL ratification.....who knows?

Clutching at straws a bit maybe, but I can see him back by Saturday IF the FL really do ratify the takeover tomorrow morning.........maybe Paolo just wants a bit more limelight hogging tomorrow night because it's odds on that his name will be chanted throughout the game, win, lose or draw. Wonder if he'll be at the game.......

One thing's for sure - it's fucked up any lingering possibility of the 3 loan deals happening.

Football may become solely about beer again. We'll always have solid, dependable beer.

Mind games. ;)

Possibly the only good thing that could come out of all this....

I saw a 'Have your say' article on there and thought maybe a fans forum with the new guys...then saw it was about kiosk services around the ground! Bastards!

Don't forget this has all started by Black's fuck up to sell up in a very short period in time.

This is another sad day in the history of following this Club.

So many great times and memories, Northampton away will NEVER be forgotten.

Fucking Newell and Stein as replacements...............Oh Fuck Off.

See you lot tomorrow night. If you see a sad old middle aged man looking depressed come and introduce yourself.

Wish I was going fishing instead............fucking hate football.

Di Canio to Leeds.

Did you know that if you had invested a £1000 in AIG shares a year ago they would be worth £33 today.....
A £1000 pounds worth of Tesco tinnies would be worth around £150 quid...........in scrap aluminium....nice investment i reckon.

In the meantime crawley are beating doncaster cementing our chance to go top tomorrow.  Its a bloody soap opera at STFC.  I quite like soap operas, but its a bit eastenders at the moment.  Lots of depression not a lot of humour.

The fucking deal is always going to be ratified tomorrow.......... but it still isn't ratiffied. This is one fucking great big clusterfuck and i want someone's head on a fucking spike - not sure who's head though.
I don't believe he's got another job lined up but I do think he'll find one easy enough. As for the deadline - how long does he wait in limbo. He's had his best player sold behind his back for half price. He's seen loan players go and none in. He probably hasn;t got a fucking clue who's in charge. He probably hasn't got a fucking clue what the new owners want.
I don;t blame him for going. This whole episode has been a fuck up beyond belief.  

Does this mean we don't have our own washing machine and use a launderette, as well as having the highest per capita murder and suicide rate in the country?

That about sums it up for me

Spot on my view too.

It is fucking astonishing that no one from the new owners thought he should be kept informed of progress with the takeover. Why haven't they been speaking to him every day? Maybe they really did want him to fuck off so they can bring in Newell and Stein. At the moment it's as likely as any other theory.

We will not find anyone as good to come in. What a shambles.

The statement suggests they spoke on Friday to confirm the offer PDC put forward, he has not heard today which seems to be the issue, not that they haven't been keeping in touch - just today.  If he gave them a deadline, then fair enough for him I suppose.

the more i think about this i am angry with no Senior Management inlace who calls the shots on the next manager or will PDC be back? :hmmm:

It all makes sense now, the Pope retires, then Paolo resigns.............knew he would go on to do better things   :D

Haven't read any further than this post (another 6 pages to go after this one)...but fucking right, Wes.  That's the spirit.  Very impressed with that.

People seem to have accepted this as final,maybe with a bit of ego massaging he might come back if the takeovers sorted tomorrow?

Been gutted so many times over the years being a Town supporter but this one seems to hurt a damn sight more.

It has been a total and utter shambles for the last few weeks now with supposedly top businessmen and their "advisors" showing all the abilities of how not to run a company!

It could be worse, just hope whoever is in charge tomorrow night (and back-up staff) can keep the players focussed on our position.

Very, very old pissed off supporter.

 :no:

having read the statement now, i think he may come back....

Pah, never go back.  Too much water under the bridge.  Second stints never live up the the hype of the first.

If they wanted him to stay, they would have been in constant contact, and as you say would certainly have got in touch this afternoon once it became apparent the deal wasn't going to be approved today. Personally I take the announcement it will be cleared tomorrow with a pinch of salt as well, how many times have we heard that these last few weeks? And if the reason for the delay has anything to do with those former Port Vale vultures circling then the future looks bleak indeed.

Either way, we have let the best manager we have had in the last 20 years go without a fight.

Can't help but feel this myself.

PDC does love to cause a scene and distract attention from his players. Though admittedly this is a very extreme way to do it!

That's because no one is in charge at the moment.  For the time being, we are rudderless.  Not ideal really.

If he did come back we'd be a laughing stock - I'd rather he didnt

You already are a laughing stock.

Heard he has had a better offer . . . from The Vatican.

The next few days are going to be really interesting.

Spot On.

Heh heh.

Mugged off by a self righteous Shrew.

Good lord.

The day that anyone cares about being laughed at by Shrewsbury supporters will be a sad one indeed.

Run along, Alex.  There's a good chap.

Yeh........top of the league and laughing at the rest including your lot you muppet.

Nah .... think he's too left wing for that job   ;)

Mine too.  However, imo the blame lies mainly with Black for the reasons Duke of Banbury gave and the sale of Ritchie which was the catalyst for Paolo's unhappiness.  I'm sick of hearing how he saved us to be honest, it's now that concerns me and he's completely dropped us in it as far as I'm concerned.

The old board, new board and Football League can all fuck off, but also really disappointed in Di Canio after the level of support he's been shown by the supporters in the last few weeks.  Feel for the players as well, wonderful preparation for a big game tomorrow.

Shrewsbury Town still have that clip art badge?

Not that I'm blaming the new consortium (at this point anyway without knowing the facts) but McCory and co are on a serious hiding to nothing based on the past 4 weeks. I think this was brought up in the sale of the club thread a few weeks back! Whoever comes in after Paolo has a massive pair of fucking shoes to fill!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEwH4ILfv1U

 :D

think so

[url width=250 height=188]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2c/The_Mickey_Mouse_Club_title_screen.jpg/250px-The_Mickey_Mouse_Club_title_screen.jpg[/url]

18months of Paolo is worth 10 years of your ageing old fool

Well the new gaffer has to get us promote to stand a chance and even if he did, we'd still claim he did it with Paolo's team anyway

Can we not focus on PDC? Let Shrews, Crawley, Preston, Oxford, whoever have their fun elsewhere.

Jed is online via twitter and has said he is also "Gutted"and plans to speak to PDC "ASAP" if takeover goes through tomorrow.

Don't blame PdC in the least in resigning. If only a fan could resign - but we are clamped tightly to the club we choose to support.

He obviously sees the new incoming board as a bunch of tossers

Which is where we as fans come in to play.  Whoever comes in wont deserve to be judged against Paolo's achievements/style

Wishful thinking I suspect.

IF  ?, FFS . But maybe some hope he'll stay

Why only if the takeover goes through tomorrow? He should be speaking to him now and should have spoken to him earlier today when it became clear that the takeover wasn't going to happen.

Firstly i'd like to say im gutted Paolo left and that he was good for our club, however..

He's really left the fans/players/club in the shit by walking out like this. He talked a lot about loyality and passion and commitment and just when the fans (if no-one else) needed to see all those things from him... he walks.

All this broken promise talk is a little hard to take. He requested the budget for this year and spent it, granted the tribunal outcome skewed it and maybe lessend it by 100k or so, however we still had the 2nd highest budget in the league.

Yes there has been disruption, but he's been paid handsomely, after holding out for an improved contract over the summer, lives in a very nice house at the expense of the club and gets his car from the club too all on top of getting a great playing budget. Is that hardship as a manager?

He has a great squad, he had a great budget (which he spent) and he's well paid. Ok so there may have been amateurish goings on with regards to ownership and communication but given the support he has been given by fans and club (previously) why couldn't he have seen it out until the end of the season?

Jed can eat shit and die.

He/they are probably dancing a jig at getting of a high wage earner out without compensation.

Don't believe a fucking word that comes out of these fuckwits mouths

Says he hasn't been officially informed yet either!

Please delete this wanker

Any fool can do a decent job with a big budget. Our ageing old fool is managing our budget and keeping us in the league. Now you poor wankers will be sliding down the league and we will all laugh at the fact you blew all your money to stay in league one.

Sorry did I touch a nerve?

You are a very sad little boy to be on this site

sure thing sparky

not too bothered about 3 halfwits sucking each other off , TBH

You obviously accept Div 1 is the height of your ambitions and are obviously happy to languish at its nether regions - must be so boring following your lot you need to get your jollies with the real STFC

Not much of a response is it? Doesn't do his credibility any favours.....

Legit question, not a dig - but how many of our fans would be on your board if your gaffer went tomorrow?

It's only cause we're top of the table, and a good story, that you're here. Soon we'll be back to being as mundane as you, I agree, but don't deny you're not a) interested and b) a little bit jel...

Why do Shrews fans give a fuck what goes on at our club?  honest question, because Shrewsbury is a club that I'm completely ambivelant towards, like Port Vale, or Barnsley.  I can't think of a situation where I'd feel the need to comment of a Shrewsbury forum about managerial changes.

Maybe its a cunning ploy.  Preston get in a new manager, bound to have a bounce to them, PDC goes, we get a bounce from a new / caretaker manager.  Its a genius move.  Just maybe should have happened after tomorrow.

Here, here. Bloody loved having Paolo in charge, been a great time to support this club. But the guy has also gone on to prove what fans of a lot of other clubs said. It's all ended in tears and he's thrown his toys out of the pram. Ah well

This.  I find it incredible odd.

Haha.

Focus on your own club you cunt.

Why the fuck do we give a fuck what anyone supporting a glorified non league side has got to say go find a sheep to shag

This. 'Jed' and his band of merry men look more tinpot by the minute.

Just don;t fucking reply to the cunt, innit.

7/1 to get the west ham job. Fair play to him for walking.  

Keep the cunt on here.

Hows your season going cunt?

How did last season go fuck wit?

I wonder if any Town fans would go on your site if Turner decided to fuck off!? None...Nil...no one...nobody gives a fuck!

This is bollocks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEwH4ILfv1U

Still not a fucking dickie bird from the club officially WTF is going on ?

Weak. He's been paid handsomely to run a football team. Anyone would think the poor soul has given up his life to rescue tsunami victims the way he bleats on. He has done a great job in many very important respects, but if life is so difficult for him, its probably best we got someone in with bigger balls who can handle adversity. Because if there is one thing this club can guaran damn tee, it's a little adversity every so often

No, it isn't

Yes it is.

Does this mean that we get Mex back?

He has never left really.

The more I think about this, and as I watch certain things unfold, the more I think yeo may be right.

What did Yeo say? Actually it doesn't fucking matter. I've said it before and I've set it again, if he's right then we really are fucked!

What did Yeo say?  I've read so many comments tonight on the different threads, I've lost track of who said what.

If I had the powers I would fella. Hurting badly right now, the people who can't see the effect this will have on the rest of the season are deluded as far as I am concerned. Not a chance we'll finish in the top 6 now imho.  

Yeo said this may not be the last of it.

Oh wait, found it. I don't think he's right, hope I'm wrong ( :) )

Im waiting for fB to reappear full of white ace and crystal meth saying i told you so

There's quite a lot of people saying similar on fb etc.  If we win tomorrow night and go top he might regret his hastiness. 

Personally I can't see PDC backtracking.

Well this has thrown a spanner in the matchday thread, was proud as fuck when I had it all done by 6pm  :(

Gone before the going got tough, typical Italian surrender monkey. Name me a war they or the French have ever won?

This cheered me up a little.

Weak?  Id say the opposite more like. Strong and a man who is honest and upfront.

Get a grip!
We've still got one of the best squads in the league and are one amongst 7 teams that are clear of the pack.
There are other competent managers other than PdC, and not only those employed by our 6 promotion rivals.
Maybe it's dented our chances a bit but it must still be more likely than not that we'll finish top 6.

I think the more significant thing is we could probably do with a new face or two in the squad to see us through with momentum. But managerless that might take a bit of a back seat while a new man is sought.

I'm also a bit apprehensive of how the fans will react- gel in adversity or poised to turn if things don't go well in a match? Not sure.

Are you honestly telling me to get a grip? I can't imagine the effect this is going to have on the threadbare squad that is left. Judging by comments I've read tonight PDC missed 3 days of training last week so preperations for tomorrow are already far behind where they would normally be for a game of that magnitude. I genuinely hope I'm wrong but I can only foresee a slide down the table based on what's happened tonight. & to pick bones with your second statement we HAD one of the best squads in the league, we can't even field a full cunting bench atm!!

I don't think no-one knows who's going to be taking charge tomorrow yet.

I would guess it will be the person who took charge of training for 3 days last week whilst Paolo mulled over his position?

Who makes the call? Jed or Black ?

Maybe Ant & Dec could start a game show called that ?

Knowing our luck it would land on fucking green!!!

Or Orange !!!

NW will be the preson who arranges someone to cover on a temporary basis. Probably FP, if he's gone as well then it'll be PB.

Paolo sacked Piccareta in the summer before re-instating him a week later after an approach for a new number two fell down. Perhaps FP will want the chance to lead the team?

What? I missed this, are you just lying?

No.

1st I've heard of this! Source or just more conjecture to add to the pile??

You have a link then?

Well that caught me off my guard a little, go out for a pre-natal class and come back to this.

Have to admit my first emotion was dismay but after thinking about it frankly just plain angry!

Sorry but at any stage a manager starts dictating to the club or issuing bloody ultimatums is the time for him to go, he obviously thinks he is much bigger than the club and we don't need that, we may be up shit creek financially but just think how much further we would have been if Black hadn't reined things in, and remember that Paolo's relationship with the board went down the shitter when they stopped playing to his whims, that never boded well for long term sustainability.

Thanks for the ride Paolo it was fun, and all the best for the future. As our now ex manager I don't really care where you go. West Ham would be interesting to watch with the higher pressure, higher prices and just danger that his £100k mistakes here potentially being £10m there, if the potential here was for a car crash, theres potential for pile ups there!

Nothing Di Canio has ever done since being at Swindon, suggests to me that he will change his mind, particuarly now he has gone public with it. The statement says 'my temporary arrangement (resignation) has ended and my resignation stands'. I don't think he wanted to go for one moment. I don't think that he would walk away without due cause in the first instance and he is definately not a quitter - just look at his career or read his book. My worry without wishing to sound unecessarily negative about it, is that he is in possession of facts that, in addition to what has already happened with the sale of Ritchie and chaos of the past month which either lead him to believe that staying wouldn't help his career and now is a good time to get out, or because perhaps other factors made it abundantly clear that he needs to leave now (further sales of players, new management don't want him, etc, etc, I don't know) but I genuinely think he has some affection for Swindon and wouldn't walk because of a trivial tantrum or on a matter of principle that he won't back down from - he's emotional but he's not dumb!

It takes strength and balls to stay in a job where you stack shelves and put up with being bullied by your boss despite being paid a pittance because you want to put a roof over your children's heads and set them a good example, rather than go on the dole. It doesn't take any gonads to walk away from a very well paid job managing a football team whose vast majority of supporters shower you with love and praise. That takes literally no balls. And honesty should be a given

By the person they (FP and his wife) rent their house from in Marlborough, as it meant they would be returning to Italy.

Another Season with 'buisness as usual' at Swindon Town.

Not disputing u for a minute, just wanted u 2 back it up with something. Fair enough if it's true. Any idea y he & PDC fell out??

No fair enough. No idea mate.

Speak fucking English not text speak.

Not seen this posted (probably has). Gary Rose had a few words with Wray:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21499926

Please would B nice. I'm sure it wasn't 2 difficult 4 U 2 understand  :D

I don't understand this whole temporary arrangement business?  He either resigned last week or he didn't?

SSN going to look back at a 'turbulent 2 years' after the break!

I think he wanted to resign after the Ritchie saga but was willing to speak to the new owners. Didn't want I jeopardise the takeover, but he's obviously heard nothing from anyone and had enough.

Of course he did. I reckon he knew what date things would go through and wanted the final curtain call. I actually think roller coasters are great, but at some point it's time to get off, now might be the best for all.

Statement up on Official site soon

Picarreta in charge tomorrow night

Had to be really, but I wonder who made the call?

Looks like the club chooses Twitter to make its statements nowadays

Jeremy Wray, former Swindon chairman who appointed Paolo Di Canio as manager in May 2011, told BBC Sport:

"When we first got to know each other it was like boxers sparring. Then you find you trust each other and that is what he relied on and expected from everyone he met.

"He expects a certain standard from others and gives the same standard in return. He is loyal and he expects loyalty in return. It is a two-way street and from everything i have read and heard you can understand he feels let down.

"I think he would definitely have seen this season through, taken stock in the summer and seen what the plans were going forward. He is a very loyal individual and if he still felt he had the backing of the club why would he want to leave?"


Not much loyalty to the fans or players then, was there ? That should count for more than 'loyalty' from the board  :no:

THE Board are disappointed that Paolo Di Canio has made the decision to resign at such a critical time for Swindon Town Football Club. 

We are also disappointed that the sale of the Club has yet to be approved, but we hope the outstanding issues with the Football League will be resolved within a short period of time. 

It is worth noting that Matt Ritchie was sold due to the tremendous financial pressure the Club is facing and in order to continue operating whilst the sale of the Club went through. We understand the prospective new owners had reached agreement with Paolo Di Canio on bringing in loan players to strengthen the squad for a final push for the Championship.

Until the situation has been resolved, Fabrizio Piccareta will be in temporary charge of the team as we travel to Tranmere Rovers tomorrow, where a win would see Swindon become leaders of League One. The Board shares the fans' tremendous frustration at the events of the last few weeks and is determined to resolve these issues to ensure the best outcome for the Club.

 :hmmm: something isn't right somewhere still...

I thought resignations had to be accepted, and if so who accepted it? Black, SWP or someone else...I stand to be corrected on whether or not you resign and walk or whether you resign and wait for it to be accepted by someone?

Well, I do kind of agree that the eve of the Tranmere game was a shitty time to resign that's for sure.

I enjoyed that statement. It's probably the last one we'll see for a while written in full sentences.

I feel for those employed at the club at the moment, it must be fucking stressful for the day to dayers behind the scenes.

Given what's going on it was probably rock, paper, scissors best of 3 with Zippy but we're not allowed to know that as its covered under a fucking great big NDA that appears to have a Twitter exclusion clause

We are also disappointed that the sale of the Club has yet to be approved, but we hope the outstanding issues with the Football League will be resolved within a short period of time.

So, probably not tomorrow then

To be honest, the only reason to wish for the approval of the sale to be rushed through was to try to keep Di Canio.

If he's gone anyway, I hope the Football League takes a fucking microscope into every corner of these prospective new owners previous business dealings, their plans for STFC and the deal they're doing with the current owners and if they're not up to scratch tells them to do one.

If that takes another week, fine. If it means Patey has to get his hat back on and find someone else to buy the club, fine. If Black wants to go through with his mad idea of taking the club into administration, well, not fine, but probably preferable to us getting landed with another bunch of chancers out for what they can get at Swindon Town's expense.

Well that, and the fact we were going bust/possibly into admin without it . And the fact we are in embargo until its resolved.

The board expresses its disappointment at a number of matters while saying roughly fuck all about what it's going to do about them.

They probably dont know... it's all ifs buts and maybe's until the FL make a judgement either way.

It's a shame he's gone, as I really would love the bloke in charge of us one day, and thought he was proving himself to anyone who doubted him for his ego etc. I don't think it has anything to do with Allardyce though, can't see our Chairmen wanting to lose him (though fans are mixed) or employing Di Canio just yet. As some of you say, he may come back yet, and I wouldn't see it as a laughing stock. Many clubs have gone through worse situations, especially during takeovers. We had half of our best players sold and replaced with Savio and Walter Lopez. Now that's more of something to laugh at.


Whatever happens, good luck anyway. I've kept an eye out on your progress as many of us have, and hope myself that he does end up back with you, and not at some Northern mug club like Leeds. Would like to see him lead you to the Championship and upwards after.

When I saw it was your 1st post I jumped to the conclusion you were here to gloat, fair play though and thanks for your moral support.

 :dito:

So I guess I'm the only one that can see the funny side of all this?

Odd timing. As others have said, 5pm deadline seems a bit daft when it's supposedly being approved tomorrow morning (although I accept that deadline has slipped a few times). Reckon there's more to come here.

Either way, keep the red flag flying high. It's been a great run, but now it's a great chance for someone else to finish the job.

I was angry, then ambivalent and now mildly amused and indifferent.

The calming influence of Picaretta will mellow all.

I am a little pissed off Paolo ran away after accusing Black of running away. But I have been expecting it every day since Crawley so was a bit more prepared.

We all knew it was going to end in tears with Paolo throwing his toys out of the pram.

Reckon he talked himself in to it. You can only be outraged, issue ultimatums and demands so many times before you have to fall on your sword or you'll end up looking a right prick. He boxed himself in to a corner and quitting was the only way out.

Like Pecorino in a way.

The unrealistic side of me has us winning the league, with PdC coming back as manager and at the end of season party singing this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfFjb3B9RRw  ....no chance of all 3 of those happening? Surely not?!

you can't compare stacking beans in asda to football. We all know football is like nothing else. It stands alone. Its full of liars who say what people want them to. Di canio is different. I would say the bullied supermarket worker would be strong to say fuck your job, I'll find something else. Weak to stay and take flack for 6quid an hour.

This, this and this again.

And to those thinking Paolo may come back:

 :deadhorse:

But in all seriousness, I just hope there is some ambition about the next manager appointed, even if that just means an exciting rookie ex-player.  I couldn't stand it if we get someone in the Malpas mould.

Sam's reported that Paolo didn't take training on Wes, Thu or Fri. Is that news to people or common knowledge? It's the first I'd heard of that so was a little surprised.

Also reported that Town have yet to accept his resignation although imagine that will happen as the incoming lot won't want to carry on paying his wages

Ho-hum.

Not sure about all this "hasn't been accepted" talk

As I understand it, resignation is breach of contract so whilst it must be accepted by the other party to bring an end to the contract, how long do we suppose they keep paying him?  It would be a bit silly to just pretend he is still manager and go on paying him when he isn't even turning up for work...

Saw this on the bbc site comments bit:


62 players signed? Yeah right

I have neither the time nor inclination to look into this, but I would not be suprised if it was correct when you take account of the Sunday league team he bought at the start, the fallings out and the various loans that never played!

I reckon 62 is about right!

I wouldn't be even slightly surprised if that was correct - or even a little on the low side!

Statement from the club:

"The board are disappointed that Paolo Di Canio has made the decision to resign at such a critical time for Swindon Town Football Club.
 
"We are also disappointed that the sale of the club has yet to be approved, but we hope the outstanding issues with the Football League will be resolved within a short period of time.
 
"It is worth noting that Matt Ritchie was sold due to the tremendous financial pressure the club is facing and in order to continue operating whilst the sale of the club went through.
 
"We understand the prospective new owners had reached agreement with Paolo Di Canio on bringing in loan players to strengthen the squad for a final push for the Championship.
 
"The Board shares the fans' tremendous frustration at the events of the last few weeks and is determined to resolve these issues to ensure the best outcome for the Club."

Saddletramp is a prolific poster on the Pox forum if it is the same guy and as we know they know more about STFC than we do due to there complete and utter obsession.

Selling a player behind the managers back is also a breach of contract....

We'd better hope this doesnt end up in a legal wrangle over compensation because you can be sure Paolo will be able to afford more expensive lawyers than the club can!

So you know what PDC's contract was? No you dont, so how can you say that? The bollocks quota is really pushing 100% on here last few weeks.

Paolo has already said it was stated in his contract no player was to be sold without his say so. so therefore it us a breech of contract.

but to me this whole PDC resigning is a complete toys out of pram moment. IMO.
He is frustrated by a delayed take-over so he can't sign the players he wants so just throws in the towel. Personally he needs to grow up slightly if this is to be the case.

The new board have no say so over the club until it is officially sanctioned by the FL so what is going on behind the scenes isn't there doing. The sale of Ritchie, whilst was shit timing, was required otherwise administration would happen.

But what is also more concerning is two weeks ago when Paolo was being interviewed about meeting the new owners and signing new players he was all smiles and pretending he knew nothing about the new owners. Basically he was happy cos he could sign yet another bunch of players. then this doesn't go through he throws his toys out of the pram. i'm sorry but that is extremely petulant for a 44 year old man to do.

It's petulant even for a 15 yo girl.

I don't understand why this has come as such a shock to people, the writing has been on the wall for more than a fortnight. The statement earlier this month was a threat to create leverage for himself with the new owners, he's clearly become tired of this lack of movement - which is not the fault of either the current or new owners - and decided he's had enough. I'm disappointed that he has gone but not surprised, though a little confused that he would walk away so easily given his supposed debt to the fans and the level of commitment he's shown up to this point. I note that some people are hoping that he comes back but personally I think it's time to move on. We knew the time would come.

The character assassination of the new board, particularly Jed, based solely on his supposed unprofessional character on Twitter is absolutely pathetic. The endless speculation, panic and downright doom mongering on here that the new board are crooks, they have no money, they've engineered this situation, they're all worse than Hitler - we don't even know exactly who they are. The FL ratification has become a long process but we'd only complain and blame the FL if it was a quick process and the new owners turned out to be a disaster. At this moment in time, Black will not fund us any further and without new owners we won't have a club to support. I'd rather take my chances with Jed & Co, give them a chance to show what they can do and get back to supporting the team, focusing on the promotion push and enjoying the football. The group of players we have are excellent and will not forget how to pass a football over night just because Di Canio has left.

IF Jed and Co. are dodgy, the FL would surely have some explaining to do, seeing as they are taking their time supposedly doing a thorough check. That'll be interesting should the oft rumoured worst happen...

I know Black and his mob saved us before but what was the point?

He has written off millions to what end? Just got us back to where we were.

Seems like he wasted his dosh and all of our time.

Just can't get my head around what the fuck he thinks he has achieved.

Carcrash doesn't even come close.

If you want a carcrash, look at the club under Wills and Diamandis.

We've not gone forward on the pitch in terms of league positions but we're immeasurably more secure as a result of his tenure.

Wash Bag has written a good article
http://thewashbag.com/2013/02/19/paolo-di-canio-and-now-the-end-is-here/

Agreed, worth reading. The paragraph that resonates with me is :-

And what of Paolo? Ask Leon Clarke, Mehdi Kerrouche and Paul Caddis for a job reference and he’ll be lucky to find employment again. Look at the list of failed signings who he predominantly plucked from across Europe as if he’d used a map of the continent as a dartboard. Alberto Comazzi, Lukas Magera and Lander Gabilondo are just three examples of so-called “footballers” from three different countries who Paolo thought would cut it in the fourth tier of English football. How wrong he was. To say he can cut it at a higher level than League One is a massive risk.

The man who was funding PDC to make these mistakes, and doubtless filling the pockets of his agent mate, is now receiving filthy abuse from 'fans'. Is it really so surprising that he eventually closed his wallet and, faced with the possibility of opening it yet again or selling Ritchie, chose to keep it shut ?

GK - Foderingham, Lanzano (2)

Def - Commazi, Cibocci, McEvelely, Ward, Devera, McCormack, Bessone, TAH, D Baoteng, Ridehalgh,

Mid - Risser, Abdullah, Holmes, Atiku, J Smith, Collins, Hollands, Navarro, Miller, Gabilondo, L Rooney, De Vita, Esajas, G Roberts, Coke, Bostock, Cox

Strikers - Clarke, Collins, Williams, Benson, A Rooney, Connell, Kerrouche, Martin, Magera, Tehoue, Murray, Jervis,

Theres 41 off the top of my head

Struggles to find a decent striker! Can caddis come back now?!

Like most fans I am gutted by this, it was a breath of fresh air and I loved the attention and the success that he brought. But I always felt that we were living on a knife edge and anything that happened no matter how big or trivial (Wray, MBargo, The Boooing, Ritchie) may tip him over the edge. I expected him to last 2 years and he almost did.

In a way I feel almost a sense of relief and that we can now focus on the most important thing which is the long term survivial of the club.

There are better managers out there, less flamboyant maybe, but better. I think I was more gutted when Hoddle left tbh.

Bear in mind when he joined us that summer in 2011 most of our first team squad had walked out on us - I think he inherited a squad of about 7 first team players.. He was under pressure to make a significant number of signings and quickly.

I'm really not so sure that there are, not for us anyway. Of course there are other men who have finished top of their class at Coverciano, but I don't think they'll be lining up to manage Swindon Town.

thats 44 players in total.

7 signed for transfer fees, 15 on loan, 1 loan to perm, 20 on free transfers.

Thats a lot on 10k a week

only the reserve players would be on 10k a week.

Hoddle had just taken us to the promised land and went on to manage Chelsea, Tottenham and England. Di Canio got us up from league 2 in style and brought a lot of profile to the club but at great expense. Not the same ballpark.

As gutting as it feels to be dumped like this, we'll move on and meet someone else, and who knows, they could be the one ;)

Ted, is that you?

[url width=180 height=240]http://www.thedailytouch.com/media/2012/10/TED1.jpg[/url]

Not sure who that is but no, I am not Ted

Alleged breach of contract, if you take everything Paolo says as being fact. Obviously it would depend on the wording, but I think you'd be hard pressed to prove the claim that selling one player to balance the books and avoid administration constitutes a breach of contract in a court of law. On the other hand you could come up with plenty of things Paolo has done and said that would be disciplinary matters if you wanted them to be.

If he goes in to another job within the next week or two there are questions that should be asked.

Only slight issue with that is that he's saying that they effectively renegotiated a contract with him last Friday. I assume it was short term one. Why on earth they'd renegotiate a contract with him I'm don't know but I suspect it would have allowed him to leave more easily. It's very strange and we'll eventually get to know more, looking forward to getting back to singing the players names rather than the managers tonight

More importantly, is there going to be a big rush for members to change avatars/sigs and usernames?

I took it that it was on a lesser wage freeing up more money for new players

Selling a player is one thing, doing it without the managers knowledge could well be argued to be constructive dismissal in the hands of a decent lawyer.

The point is that regardless of what is / isnt in his contract, the club going after Paolo to try to enforce the fine print of his contract isnt going to benefit anyone other than the lawyers, and Paolo will probably be able to afford more expensive ones than the club if he wants to.

Paolo would never do that to the club, he loves us too much, what with the £30k to buy us players and the tatto he had done!

He said it meant they had a lesser contractual liability to him, which I took as meaning a shorter term deal. He's clearly been trying to get out of this for a little while i'd say

He didnt get the tattoo done. Another thing bottled ;)

My thoughts to. Probably got advice from Spencer regarding the contract(ual liability). Who knows though?

I make it 2 on loan to perm maybe even 3, Ward, Fodringham & Then McEverley who was on loan then signed as a free agent.

I'm not disagreeing. Just making the point you could argue the contract breach both ways, but it's pointless unless you know all the facts and that the facts aren't necessarily relevant once lawyers and courts get involved.

didn't count Foderingham as i counted him as someone we paid a fee for.

McEveley departed the club and returned, so not loan to perm in the same way as Ward

Sad that he has gone but hopefully we can attract a manager who knows the leagues and knows the players a bit better. We are in a good position which should be attractive to any new potential manager. No need for meltdown the wheels ain't come off yet. Got a good chance to go top tonight. I don't care who manages us if we get into the championship, surely that's the aim. The squad is still there.

16/1 to be the next Oldham manager. Seems a good bet that..

I assume you're being ironic? They haven't got a pot to p*ss in, get 4k attendances and can't even paint over their old sponsorship on the roof of one of their 3 stands. Doesn't sound like Paolo's kinda place

They've got all their FA Cup money, that should last him a few weeks at least.

A bit better - what a load of Bo****ks - One championship winning team suggest he knew what was required in that league and from the players.

Piccaretta seems more like a track suit manager.

Doubtful we'll see him on TV arriving at Huish Park wearing fancy shades (indoors Paolo, take the fucking things off you ponce) and adjusting his tie in an over-obvious way.

"#STFC caretaker manager Fabrizio Piccareta pictured leaving the County Ground for tonight's game at Tranmere. pic.twitter.com/PTWAIICC"


I'll be gutted if he doesn't suit up.

looks as if he's got his laptop with him, guess he's gonna get some FM in on the coach

Everyone knows that the Fifa coaching badges are just proof that you've won the top league in your country on FM. 

According to Linkedin his software of choice is Wyscout, Scout 7, Kinovea and Dartfish. Whatever the fuck they are.

At least you all get to see me again :)

I'm surprised Dorset Red hasn't said hello.

Not relevant in any way, but Fabrizzio is a buddhist.

i'm warming to the idea of him as manager.

Reckon He'll set himself on fire if the ref doesn't give us any decisions?

I reckon Picarretta will be pleased Paolo isn't there, so he doesn't get 90 minutes of an ear bashing from him!

Who does FP turn to in this situation?

I did research on dartfish - amazing bit of kit - analyses every movement and allows you to plot better techniques - used by many of the top olympians...

Corrected for you x

Buddhist? I fucking hate Buddhists.  Until he's replaced I won't be going to any games.

Buddha apparently.

:)

but just because he's a buddhist doesn't mean he's going to turn the squad into a bunch of hippies or refuse to sign...erm, who do buddhists hate?

Taoists ??  :hmmm:

People who step on insects.

Presumably we also lose our state of the art medical facility

Is that a requirement of Buddhist theology that we can repair ant injuries?

Thought this was an interesting read. I'm inclined to agree with most of it, although I think Di Canio would also at this point, perhaps his strategy was designed for this level... I like the 'higher maintenance than the Sistine Chapel' bit.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2281313/Paolo-Di-Canio-high-maintenance-Premier-League--Martin-Samuel.html

While he was our manager no other club made a move for him.

What does that tell you?

Interesting to see where he pitches up next.

A sensible, fact based, well written article from the Daily Mail - I've seen it all now.

Sums up the facts as to why a Premier League club would be mad to give him a job.

Agreed, except smaller than Franchise. Really?

Yeah Samuel we are so insignificant,no one outside Swindon cares-thats why you've written a 1500 word essay on it-mug!

My money would be on Leeds. Big enough club and mental enough chairman to have a punt on him.

Isn't Bates leaving?

Ah fair play then, didn't know that. Although looking it up it does seem he'll still be around there as President after the end of the season.

That is an excellent article. And there won't be that many clubs queueing up for his services as he is very, very high maintenence as we well know. Leeds maybe, as has been suggested. Bates and Di Canio - that's a media wet dream!

Edit: Bates may be leaving....whatever....

Decent article, but with one major flaw

If PdC and Swindon are so insignificant, why does Samuel make the story a huge centrepiece of his national newspaper's sports coverage

Caught my eye as well.  I'm sure they give most of their tickets away to school children anyway.  They certainly used to...and even if they don't any more, it's an urban myth that I'm happy to perpetuate.

Congratulations on the end of your self-imposed exile, by the way.   :)

They all start coming back when we're top of the league...

Well yes, assuming we only remain on the verge of literal rather than moral bankruptcy from now on.

Much as I was disappointed when Paolo announced his decision to quit, the more I think about it, and especially since the announcement that the rest of his management team are following him, the more I think Paolo has come out of this whole saga very poorly and I don't think it will do his future career prospects very much good at all. He has quit, blaming The Board for not keeping promises to him – the old Board that is – and the new Board for not managing to acquire Football League approval of the takeover within the time limit set by him.  Oh, and because they sold Ritchie behind his back.

As far as I can see the only one of those that he can possibly blame with any justification at all on the new Board is the selling of Ritchie and even that is questionable – we don't know what went on and who actually made the decision but it is quite probable that the new lot didn't really have much of a say in it. In any case it's not their fault that Di Canio wasn't informed and it wasn't their responsibility to do so – that was and is until the takeover is complete the responsibility of the old Board. So, basically, he's left because of events that the new Board had no control over. My only gripe with the new owners is that they could have made more of an effort to persuade him to stay……but then again we don't know what discussions have taken place either.

Actually, he's acted like a spoilt brat that couldn't get his own way. My guess is that he suspected that the new lot would not allow him to have the same amount of spending power that Jeremy Wray gave him and he decided to jump ship while he had the opportunity to do so – knowing that he could cite the broken promises of the outgoing owners as justification. What annoys me is the way he went about things though – throwing a hissy fit just before one game and then letting it go on for a couple of weeks before finally quitting the day before another game. I just get the impression he wants to be permanently in the limelight and was pissed off because the takeover was getting all the headlines rather than him. And then to strip McCormack of the captaincy before announcing his resignation just stinks. He talks a lot of professionalism and respect…….he hasn't shown much over the last couple of weeks. He basically quit because he was frustrated that the takeover was taking so long and that he missed out a few loan signings – like the overspending wife that has had her credit cards taken away from her.

He and his management team have left the club in the shit – they can't do anything about a new manager until the takeover is finalised and who knows when that's going to happen…..and what annoys me the most is that he's going to be spouting off now about leaving the club at the top of League 1 to highlight what a fantastic manager he is (which, of course, is true but only because he was given a free reign for 18 months to do what he wanted – something that very few clubs can afford to do).

I just find it incredible that Paolo has quit now without giving the new Board a chance. Ok, the old Board let him down. We get it. The new ones had nothing to do with it and I struggle do see what it is that he thinks they have done to justify his decision. My respect for Paolo has gone in the last few days.

Anyway, we move on without him.......we've done it before and we'll do it again.

Great post.

The Martin Samuel is simply a message from an influential West Ham fan that he doesn't want PDC managing his beloved team, nothing else.

As far as our relationship with Paolo is concerned, it was a great ride but time to move on.
And I loved last night!

Well said Exiled Bob.

Loved Paolo when he was here, gutted he left the way he did but we move on.

insightful post, Bob, but we do know for a fact that the decision to sell Ritchie was Black's.

'the old Board let him down' ?! He's a child who got his own way too easily for too long. The board are to blame for being too indulgent for too long and then having to deal with later tantrums as a result but how PDC comes out of this as a hero defeats me.

I don't want to start slating him, because what he has done for this club has been brilliant, taking a club that has just been relegated to League 2, to the top of League 1 takes some work regardless of the circumstances.
But, the club has wasted a a lot of money on his signings, a lower league club cant afford to buy players for 6 figure fees and then just freeze them out, a lower league club can't keep paying up players contracts because their manager has decided they aren't good enough after giving them a 2 year contract.
We knew what we were going to get with Di Canio, he hasn't disappointed, he has been superb and his professionalism is second to none, but what he still didn't learn while with us was how to accept being told no.

Now is the perfect opportunity for an experienced manager to come in, take on a squad of quality players, and continue where Paolo left off, his resignation is not the be all and end all and some would have you believe.

Do we? I haven't seen anything contradiction the "mutual sale" statement. May have missed it.

He said so on twitter

thanks. Missed that.

Andrew Black ‏@bertthebold
I did sanction the sale of Ritchie. I blocked it the first time it came up but agreed to it later believing it had to happen.
https://twitter.com/bertthebold/status/297858086314577920

Which, if really true, means that he's got absolutely nothing to reproach the new Board for.

Thanks for everything Paolo but, like so many others in the past, you've pissed off when it suited you and left a nasty taste in the mouths of the fans.

Like someone said above I don't get how Paolo can come out as the hero in all this either.

:nod:

Oh that one, I though Flash meant McC(r)o(r)y.

This doesn't say he didn't have new board approval, the PR said it did. Black would have to approve it, the new board weren't in power.

why would have need approval from the new board? Black runs the club.

Because they are buying it, as before you can't just sell the assets someone is agreeing to buy. Its a small point anyway.

if my memory serves correctly, Ritchie was sold prior to any contracts being exchanged.

I believe your memory does indeed serve you correctly.

It is understood that SY's memory serves him correctly.

i understand that it's confirmed that it is understood

Even if contracts hadn't been formally exchanged they were well into negotiations and selling one of the best players would have materially affected the value of the assets. There's no way Black would have sanctioned it without at least informing the new guys, or he'd have risked derailing the whole deal

This doesn't mean the new lot agreed with it. It may have been a 'This is happening' type scenario which the new lot wouldn't allow to derail the deal

Or it may have been the new lot saying we will need to do this to raise x until we take over

Exactly, or it provided us N months grace in case the deal failed.

Either way I can see no reason why Black would do it without talking to the buyers, and even less reason to release a public statement saying that this is what happened.

But it really doesn't matter much now.

Yeah, sure. My point was rather that whether the contracts had actually been exchanged didn't mean there wasn't an obligation to at least inform the new lot and obtain their consent, grudging or otherwise

In case anyone was wondering how much PDC was earning with us, we now have the definitive answer here.

Swindon Can't Afford Di Canio's £850k Salary (http://www.lifesapitch.co.uk/laptv/podcast/fl-extra/swindon-cant-afford-di-canios-850k-basic-salary/)

And we know this because David Walker from the Daily Mirror is quoted as saying: 'I’m told that Di Canio is on £850,000 a year basic, with an £850,000 promotion bonus.'

'I am told'.  Really?  Who 'told' you this info then?  I'm told that you picked those figures out of your arse.  Fool.

He might have been told that but does he "understand" it? Whole different ball game

Add on Paolo's entourage and the Italian wage bill alone must be £2m.

Has anybody considered he may have quit to save the club

Which demonstrates a) that your source is more reliable than his and b) that you'll never work for a national rag.

I understand that you may not be in possession of a full set of marbles. Allegedly.

I don't think he's selfless enough to have done that (what happened to the money he was offering to put in the pot ??) but it may well have saved the new administration from going broke in the coming months.

Yes because on the back of some "plucked out of mid air I've been told this by the voices in my head" pile of crap in a paper that's been consistently wrong throughout all this and then some additional figures you just surmised on the back of fuck all, that's definitely going to be a £2m+ pa saving. Probably more I'd have thought, once you add in the unicorn stabling fees.

Twas in jest

I've got a theory that Paolo preferred another consortium but this one was the winner and he didn't like it.

EDIT: Though it's probably been mentioned before.

He's going on one again.

Paolo's statement ends with matter in the hands of my legal team ... This has some way to run ...

It's as though he hasn't even gone yet.

I wish he'd pack his bags and fuck off back to Italy - for his sake and ours.

What a shame it has come to this.

Is ANYTHING ever Paolo's fault?

Thumbs up to that

I'd be surprised if his version of events is more believable than Black's

Is there a new statement? Can somebody point it out, please.

Fans will either back PDC to the hilt or just tell him to go away now...

PDC has gone, the board he was working under have gone. I say let them work it out somewhere else.

[url width=864 height=486]http://brooksbell.com/sites/default/files/blog_images/Anchorman_Wallpaper_1920x1080_-_009.jpg[/url]

It's nothing to do with stfc anymore. It's to do with himself and black.

I'd have him back in a shot.

I'm loving it. The ongoing drama was one of my favourite things about his tenure here.

I'm hoping next he might try to sue the TEF.

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/10247882.Di_Canio_hits_back_at_recent_accusations/

Thank you

I know he's a complete loon but I absolutely loved him being our manager. Now he's hanging around like a psychotic ex girlfriend and it's going to turn ugly. I'd rather see the back of him for good.

I just read the Black tweets again and I really can't see anything that is overly critical of Paolo, let alone blaming him for anything. Seems to be more about saying how Paolo is without passing judgment on him.

On the other hand, I hope Paolo has got some evidence to back up his claim that people working or associated with the club have been making deliberately false allegations in an attempt to damage his reputation. If not, this could come back on him.

Though I'm sure everyone wish he would just do one and move on. No one is going to come out of this looking good and I'm not sure anyone really gives a toss whose fault it was as everyone else is trying to move on.

He is a bit of a bunny boiler but despite all his rantings I reckon he's harmless. Just a loon.

Paolo's probably got legals all over everything, doubt he's just making statements for a laugh. He's not the total idiot we sometimes make out. He has a reputation to uphold if he wants to get a new job. God knows if he intends to pursue anything like constructive dismissal.

We sort of have two sides of an argument, god knows which is right, probably both and neither to some degree.

surely the Adver can just tell him that they won't print it? after all, it's got nothing to do with STFC at this point if he's contesting the events depicted in an article by the Daily Mail and Andrew Black's personal tweets.

Haha, the Adver will be loving this. They have to sell papers, this ain't going to harm that (IMHO).

i thought i'd feel worse about us being a total laughing stock. instead i'm kind of enjoying it.

I would like us to move on but I think I'm in the same place at the moment. In a week or so? Probably not.

I love our club.  I love its ridiculous colourful fucked up history.  Mental Paolo is just another part of it.  Im also enjoying it. 

We'll look back in 3 weeks time when Mike Newell or some dull twat is in charge and wish for the old days.  We do swing wildly between wanting a razzle dazzle celeb manager like Paolo or the dwarf Wise and a boring workman like duffer like sturrock.

Grass is always greener an all that.

I'm not sure he's helped himself by entering the County Ground at 1 in the morning...

Unfortunately for him, the last two weeks are likely to have more bearing on Paolo's employment prospects than the last two years. Sometimes, he really needs to see beyond the the last perceived insult to his honour.

Poppycock, PDC would easily be able to get a job from Championship level and below, no problem at all.

Most people prefer to meet and interview people before offering jobs, not take second hand opinions and media views on them as fact.

I didn't say he won't get another job, but "easily" I'm not so sure. I would venture that only a small minority of chairmen will put him on a shortlist. And to be fair, there are plenty of facts available for them to consider.

For someone who believes he has the talent to be one of the best in the world, I suspect his next job won't move him as fast up the ladder as he will expect.

I'm going to start using the word 'poppycock' on a regular basis - at least 3 times a day 8)

It's not a bad word to embrace OST.

I get your point Red Frog, but feel for all his ego, he's worth getting in as he is one of those managers that can change the mentality of a club from top to bottom, and when he took over here, we all know we needed that.

.

Sadly I agree. His genius management credentials will be challenged by the high maintenance unknown "what next" outbursts.

I for one think it will be a sadder place without him.

A very successful period on the pitch for sure.

Well, you know I never bought into the Dux revolution. I won't deny the shock treatment rebuilt the club, but for all he dynamised and drove us forward, he also divided and ruled, spent someone else's money wildly and risked some costly legal actions.

Like Black says, he saw no need to manage upwards, and he'll have trouble finding many boards that will accept to be subordinate to him.

Anyway, I'm not looking to rekindle an old argument - just idly pondering what comes next for PdC.

I think the new board should just give him his fucking job back and write this all off to experience.

And TBh this is what we have come to expect from Paolo, its how he is.

Lets give him the job back and get back to winning promotion again, this is tedious and bringing ridicule to him and the club.

I wouldn't read too much into things, since when has logic been associated with appointing managers, get a chairman who is desperate to be popular with fans and imagine Paolo would be high up list.

To those who say fans have turned against him quickly is I think over simplifying things, I loved what he did last season taking a shambles of a club, kicking it up the arse and making us proud again, but this season he just seems to have disappeared up his own arse a little and got a bit tedious. Not sure if winning championship at first attempt ( great achievement but not convinced that many other managers could't have done also with budget and support he got) didn't help as he seemed to think that he was bigger than the club.

The outbursts against the board, the whining about money when he knew what the budget was but had spent anyway just began to bore me, as did the interviews which were all 'I achieved this, Paolo achieved this, this is all down to PiC! Don't know if anyone listened to the interview with Phil Parkinson about Bradford getting to the final, he was talking about getting the club back on feet etc and discussing how this was about all the club pulling together to achieve this and it just made me think if that had been Paolo it would have been entirely about how he got the club there!

And then the departure this week, after all the talk of loyalty to do it like that just makes me feel duped and that it was all for him and not us, seemed desperate to remain the story and bugger all else.

Would I have him back, probably but fear it won't be the same again. It has made me look closely at how I feel about him.. The falling out with McCormack has been brushed under the carpet, but if the other events hadn't happened this week many who are saying he must stay would be saying he has lost the dressing room - do the players want him back? If he comes back I remain gravely concerned about an Agent having so much control over our transfer policy and how much that costs us.

Paolo it was great but you let us down.

Each to their own. I just think this is apessimistic view.

They've tried JJ.

Either that or Jed is lying on twitter

I just want it all sorted now mate, its just damaging the club the longer this goes on.

In many ways I wish Paolo would accept he has gone and we can all move on, but a part of me still wishes he would reconsider his position and get back to the job he started.

Whatever your own personal opinions on the last few weeks and indeed the last year and a half, the crux of it all is Paolo has gone. In life as most of you know the general rule of thumb is you don't go back. To a job, a relationship etc, etc. It very, very rarely works out.

Pretty much to a man or woman we have all cried or been anguished over something that was so, so good yet ended so badly,however, PDC's exit, could and should have been so different, has come to pass. He's not coming back and the new board should waste no time, effort or energy in seeking to do so. That time, effort and energy should be used to find a quality and worthy successor.

Having like everyone given considerable thought as to how this car crash happened and who was to blame, I draw a blank every time because all the main protagonists ought to stand up and take responsibility in some shape or form. That said I keep coming back to the same conclusion that he went because he had NO CONTROL over the events unfolding before him. You'd not be surprised if Paolo was afflicted with OCD, was or is a megalomaniac, had dictatorial tendencies and so on. All fits the bigger picture.

No control, that is my view. Otherwise I'd end up like him over analysing things and tying myself up in knots trying to unravel the events leading up to his demise.

Time to move on, look forward and gain promotion. Then and only then afford if you like some reflection on what might have been. Three points today matters more than Paolo. He got paid did his job and left we are where we are and it is what it is now.

I really can't see him coming back. In my opinion we wouldn't have hired interim coaches if we thought there was a chance he could return. The owners would have probably just gone without for a few days knowing he and his staff would be back on Monday. To me it suggests they are going to go through a proper application/interview process which will last a week or 2.

Rehire him, sit back and enjoy back-to-back league wins, watch him depart in the summer to West Ham covered in glory and this little spat all forgotten and then we can appoint Solskjær.

Now thats something i can agree with

With all trace of his time at Swindon now removed (all pictures removed) there is no chance he will be coming back... He burnt his bridges and proved that he puts himself before the club and the fans and is incapable of standing by the rules he expects everyone else to follow....

Good bye and good riddance you self centred egotistical narsissist... I would have backed all the way if you had just kept your gob shut, managed your players and let the new board deal with the situation.

EEEK. Quite a statement.

Did PDC take one of the rollers with him?

Nice contrast to all the hero worshiping going on.

I like this a lot.

I was gutted when he left, now he should stay away.

While I'd love him back I can see why a lot wouldn't, and as Rosco said, he has only got himself to blame.

There's a worrying little divide forming at the moment with the supporters. I hopefully everyone will reach common ground and support the club.

1. PAOLO IS GONE THE WORLD IS OVER - I WILL DEFEND EVERYTHING HE DOES
2. Thanks for the memories Paolo, but please let us all move on...
3. PAOLO IS 'ORRIBLE - GOOD RIDDANCE

4. Paolo is gone, I'm pissed off he left us in the lurch, but would take him back provided the players still want him.

The situation needs resolving one way or the other. To be honest its in Jeds court. The "we tried to contact him/didn't want him to leave/will talk to his agent' could be heartfelt straight talk, or keep the fan happy BS, but until its closed off then its going to continue to cause unrest.

I do think the fans will be united in support today though regardless.

Option 4 for me.

Option 2.

4 for me

Well seeing as you suggested it.... :hmmm:

I've no problems with that mentality Batch/JJ and you're quite entitled to feel that way.

I just think that any return (which isn't happening) would end in tears and a blaze of glory further controversy.

Oh I can fully understand your point of view Rich, I think I just want Paolo to finish the job he started even though I know inside it won't happen.

2 and 4, depending on how things pan out  :D

In an ideal world, we all would.

Was pre-empting 4D!

Also Costanza it is a risk, and with the ongoing mud slinging a very credible one.

If he came back he'd need to keep his head down and not play that "I'm going to leave" shit ever again. Whilst I voted 4, I'm not sure he could manage it.

Fair enough. PDC did wonders for Swindon Town on the pitch and that's the most important thing when it comes to supporting a football club!

However when PDC first arrived I felt, like many did, uneasy about the fascist/general controversy stuff. He proved that it was nothing to do with football and eventually I relaxed appreciating that he is entitled to his own personal views.

This is now about our club and if there is even an ounce of truth of what he is like behind-the-scenes then as long as he has resigned then I don't really want him to come back.

If there is a dramatic return, I won't be a boo-boy but I won't feel at all comfortable

Option 4 is basically option 2, you darned nitpickers!

Option 2 for me

No it isn't, option 2 says move on - new manager. Option 4 says lets take him back if he wants it?

I thought the point was that we move on past this period of uncertainty, bickering, speculation and burglary. In my mind that doesn't necessarily require a new manager.

Reading back, I probably misinterpreted it!

Option 2... option 4 is fraught with the difficulty in my view that Paolo's authority (and any fear factor he had), with the players, has been fundamentally undermined if he returned. It's no longer a case of continuing where he left off.

This is it in a nutshell.

Probably. What bothers me most is it would be a case of do as I say, not as I do. He talked about other people running away, and ditched anyone not 100% committed but seems to have done the same.

I'd still go 4, but I can see 2 perhaps could be the right thing to do.

As I assume you know somewhat more than most of us regarding what was and is happening in the past this makes interesting reading.

Totally agreed.

There was a lot of mocking that we were being referred to by the media as Paolo Di Canio's Swindon Town, but I fear that to many fans we actually had become that.

3.

Bottling lying cunt.

Totally agree with @Macflea. He couldn't even keep to the rules he set. All his big talk of loyalty and professionalism were just talk. Thanks for getting us up last year, and in a good position this year but fuck off, you're not welcome in SN1 any more.

+1. And 3.

None of the options for me. We don't know the full facts. We have known for ages that di canio is a difficult individual and upset people behind the scenes from the day he arrived. People didn't mind at the time. Now he's gone its changed.

What he did before was for the greater good of the club and part of his principles. Leaving like he did is not.

Ok, it's a huge clusterfuck of a situation and we don't know all of the facts - but it seems to me that Paolo didn't like a taste of his own medicine when he had to take it.

Getting sick and tired of hearing his name, he fucked off and left us so bollocks to him. He thinks he's bigger than the club and wants all the attention.

I think that all the events at the club just pushed Paolo past the point of no return.

You only have to look at last season and the death of his parents yet he still put the club first. Then his determination to get the snow off the pitch and the buying of pizzas etc.

Like most I disapointed that he has gone in the manner he has, particularly going back on his own principles which lead me to believe that either :

- Something massive happened that we don't know about (i.e. with the new owners)
- He has something else lined up
- He really didn't have the principles he said he did.

True Ralphy, but I did enjoy singing our version of Alice Deejay on Saturday.

or others have said he was calling the newowners bluff and it all backfired on him

And that

3 years ago!

A lot more exciting back then too

Feels like longer than three years.

We were going up as Champions...

Its great to see Bournemouth and Brentford doing so well though. 

 PdC's management career didn't get very far after us  :)

Matt Ritchie did alright though.

Tranmere showed what can happen quickly if you go into a tail spin.

Coming into this thread like
(http://i.imgur.com/LubWnDf.jpg)

Seriously, its a fairytale.

Even with a three year old girl I am not that genned up on fairytales to know the one about the football club doped up on borrowed foreign money?

And it was Tranmere that we played the day after PDC walked away. One of my favourite away trips, capped by this from Gary Roberts:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Kpczy5ls6-4&autoplay=1
Can still see their keeper tangled up in the net for a couple of minutes in the aftermath. Also recall like yesterday James Collins' effort trickling over the line to put us 1 up, Roberts scoring with a thunderous shot from the edge of the area. Went top that night. We are Swindon, we were top of the league......bitter sweet memories I guess