Swindon Town’s chief executive has set out the club’s intention to address supporter concerns after an independent end-of-season survey by TrustSTFC revealed widespread doubts about the club’s leadership, communication and financial outlook.
Survey paints stark picture of supporter faith
Just under 1,200 supporters completed the TrustSTFC questionnaire in May. The independent supporter group reported that the lowest-scoring categories were “confidence in the leadership”, “communication frequency” and “financial stability”.
TrustSTFC published the written responses alongside the scores. Common phrases that appeared in the replies included “no confidence” (nine occurrences), “no trust” (four occurrences) and “no faith” (five occurrences).
“Two years ago, we stated that if the current leadership could not provide a demonstrable path forward, supporters would begin to look for change. The findings presented in this report suggest that many supporters now believe that point has been reached.”
Individual comments submitted to the survey made clear the impact on long-standing followers. One respondent wrote that they were "rapidly falling out of love and connection with Swindon Town" and said they no longer trusted the ownership group with their money — a factor that was affecting their willingness to travel to matches.
Club response and steps promised
When the results were first published on 9 June, the club declined to comment pending a meeting with TrustSTFC. That meeting has now taken place and the club has provided an initial response through chief executive Anthony Hall.
Hall said the off‑season is being used to reflect on the previous campaign and to identify areas where the club can make progress. He highlighted recent recruitment to the club’s backroom staff as part of that work and said the organisation was focused on delivering improvements.
The club did not provide a full action plan in its initial statement, and Hall’s comments noted that the summer period had been especially busy behind the scenes as the club made “a number of really positive additions to our staffing team”.
What the survey shows at a glance
- Respondents: just under 1,200 supporters
- Lowest-scoring areas: confidence in leadership; communication frequency; financial stability
- Common phrases in responses: “no confidence”, “no trust”, “no faith”
| Metric | Summary |
|---|---|
| Number of responses | ~1,200 |
| Key low scores | Leadership, communication, financial stability |
Supporter groups such as TrustSTFC have framed the survey as a marker. In their summary they warned that, unless a demonstrable path forward is presented, many supporters will seek change in how the club is led.
What happens next
At this stage the club has indicated internal staffing changes and a commitment to reflect on the season as immediate steps. Supporters will be watching for a detailed plan that addresses the specific concerns set out in the survey — particularly on how the club intends to rebuild trust, improve the frequency and quality of communication, and demonstrate financial stability.
TrustSTFC has made the survey results public to prompt transparency and to encourage constructive engagement between supporters and the club’s ownership. The meeting between the two parties marks the start of a dialogue rather than its conclusion; both sides will need to set out clear milestones if confidence is to be restored.
Readers seeking further information can consult TrustSTFC’s published report and the club’s public statements for updates as the club moves into the new season and the planned friendly fixtures due in late July.
