Swindon have confirmed that their chairman Lee Power will take temporary charge of the first team after Mark Cooper was sacked as manager on Saturday.
Cooper, who was in charge for 26 months, was relieved of his duties after a dismal run which has seen the League One side lose seven of their last eight matches.
“The chairman, Lee Power, thought it was time to make a change and informed Mark of his decision on Saturday night after the defeat at Millwall,” the club said in a statement. “Lee will take temporary charge of the team but will definitely not be the club’s next permanent manager.
“The club have already started drawing up a shortlist and plan to have a manager in place by the end of the month.”
Cooper worked with a limited budget since being appointed in 2013 following a brief spell as assistant manager and steered Swindon to the League One play-off final last season. Following the departure of key players such as Ben Gladwin and Massimo Luongo in the summer and a spate of injuries, the Wiltshire club are now only outside the relegation zone on goal difference.
“The football club would like to place on record their thanks to Mark for his outstanding work ethic and commitment to the job during his two-and-a-half-year tenure,” the statement added. “Mark did a fantastic job which culminated in the club reaching the League One play-off final last season.
“Unfortunately, performances and results this term have not been as good as the club had hoped for with the current squad.”
