Glenn Hoddle joined Swindon Town from Monaco after the departure of Ossie Ardiles to Tottenham Hotspur
The Robins had been hit badly by a financial scandal at the club some years earlier which had seen them stripped of promotion to the First Division at the end of the 1989-90 season and had a negative impact on their league form.
Hoddle’s initial task was to save Swindon from slipping into the Third Division. He fulfilled this task and these improvement continued into the 1991-92 season, when they finished ninth and just missed out on a playoff place.
Swindon reached the new Division One playoffs in 1993 and secured a 4-3 victory over Leicester City in the final at Wembley, wiping out bad memories of the 1990 financial irregularities debacle.
The 36-year-old Hoddle was by now one of the most highly rated young managers in England and many bigger clubs were demanding his services. He eventually left for Chelsea after weeks of rumours, and was succeeded at Swindon by his assistant John Gorman.
Hoddle’s three-year reign at Chelsea came to an end in 1996 when he accepted the England manager’s job. The first time a former Swindon Town manager had held the top job in English football.
On the international stage, Hoddle guided England to qualification for the 1998 World Cup, securing the team’s entry with a memorable 0-0 draw in Rome against Italy. However, he caused controversy by omitting Paul Gascoigne from the squad and installing supposed faith healer Eileen Drewery as part of the England coaching staff, which led to the team being dubbed ‘The Hod Squad’ by the tabloid press.
England reached the Second Round of the 1998 tournament, losing on penalties to Argentina in a game noted for the ignominious sending off of David Beckham.
Hoddle came under fire after a disappointing start to the Euro 2000 qualifying campaign, and was sacked in February 1999 after he appeared in an interview with The Times newspaper where he suggested that disabled people were being punished for sins in a previous life.
There was
Glenn Hoddle’s Swindon Town Career
League Appearances: 66 (1)
League Goals: 2
FA Cup Appearances: 1
FA Cup Goals: 0
League Cup Appearances: 6
League Cup Goals: 1
Other Appearances: 0(1)
Other Goals: 0
