Wilson on a mission to outwit an old friend

ROCKING ROBIN . . . Simon Cox celebrates one of his 18 goals for Swindon this season.

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DANNY Wilson will be doubly motivated to achieve a positive result when Swindon visit Boundary Park tomorrow.

Not only will recently-appointed Robins manager Wilson be aiming to impress his new employers, but he will go head to head with Athletic boss John Sheridan, the player he used to partner in the centre of the Sheffield Wednesday midfield.

Wilson was appointed Swindon boss last month when Maurice Malpas was sacked following a series of disappointing results which plunged the Robins into a relegation crisis.

He recorded his first victory as Swindon manager at the fourth attempt in midweek when his side defeated Walsall 3-2 at the County Ground.

And Wilson will be keen for his team to achieve a measure of consistency by grabbing at least a draw against Athletic.

It is sobering to note the demise of the Wiltshire club in recent times.

Along with Athletic, Swindon were relegated from the Premiership in 1994.

And 12 years later they find themselves in League Two, their decline being even more dramatic than that of Athletic, with whom they used to rub shoulders in the top flight.

Having dropped into the Football League’s basement division, Swindon won promotion back to League One in 2007 but, after a mid-table finish last season, are again threatened by relegation.

Athletic, on the other hand, are desperate for points in their bid for promotion.

Their hopes took a downturn with another disappointing display on the road in Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat at Scunthorpe.

So it is all the more important for Sheridan’s men to deliver at Boundary Park . . . starting tomorrow.

With only three points separating second-placed MK Dons and themselves, the battle for the second automatic promotion place behind runaway leaders Leicester is hotting up.

Athletic are also at home to mid-table Bristol Rovers on Tuesday and Sheridan said: “These are two massive games and if we can win both of them it will put us in a great position.

“I said before the Stockport game that I was looking to take nine points from a possible 12 from the next four games and we need to beat Swindon and Bristol Rovers to achieve that.

“It won’t be easy, though. Since I have become Athletic manager, we have not done well against either of these teams.”

Athletic lost at the grounds of both clubs in the space of four days in October and Sheridan is acutely aware that, as a manager, he has failed to beat Swindon in three attempts.

He has lost on both visits to the County Ground, while Swindon drew 2-2 at Boundary Park last season.

Although Swindon are on the edge of the relegation places, they are no pushovers on the road.

They have won at MK Dons and Leyton Orient and have drawn at Hereford, Stockport, Hartlepool, Scunthorpe and Bristol Rovers.

Wilson, who was manager of Hartlepool United earlier this season when they drew 3-3 against Athletic, handed debuts on Tuesday to new loan signings Gordon Greer, a central defender from Doncaster, and winger Hal Robson-Kanu, who has been recruited from Reading.

Both players impressed on a night when Swindon raced into a 3-0 lead before Walsall provided a scare by scoring twice in the last 15 minutes.

Sought-after striker Simon Cox was on target against the Sadlers for his 18th goal of the season.

Just as Athletic are trying to hold on to the likes of 15-goal Lee Hughes and star winger Chris Taylor, Swindon are battling to keep Cox, a £200,000 capture from Reading 12 months ago following a successful loan spell.

Cox has scored 33 goals in 68 appearances for Swindon – the sort of goals-per-game ratio which has attracted the attention of other clubs.


FIXTURES

Tomorrow - Brighton v Hartlepool, Carlisle v Colchester, Cheltenham v MK Dons, Crewe v Tranmere, Huddersfield v Peterborough, Leyton Orient v Yeovil, Millwall v Scunthorpe, Northampton v Leicester, Athletic v Swindon, Southend v Bristol Rovers, Stockport v Hereford, Walsall v Leeds.