Fans audition for Swindon Town's Rockin' Robin mascot job

The managerless Reds have stepped up their hunt for the next man to take over outgoing Tom Hartley’s perch and four people have auditioned for the part, with an announcement expected later today.

After 12 years of entertaining fans with his infamous Haka, Tom announced in June he would be hanging up his beak as the Rockin’ Robin this summer, after helping in the search to find his replacement.

The entrants each sent a video in to the club featuring themselves dancing to a piece of music of their choice and during the live auditions, which were watched by members of the STFC office staff, they were filmed performing in the Robin suit.

The club’s marketing executive Adam Wainwright said he was impressed by some of the dance moves the auditionees managed to pull off in the suit.

He said: “The auditions have gone very well and the standard was probably as good, if not better, than we had hoped.They were all big Town fans and gave it a good go. One guy was doing the sprinkler and the worm in the suit, which was pretty impressive.

“They were all good but we managed to pick a clear favourite and we will be looking to make an announcement later today because time is getting short now.

“The successful applicant will need to be in place ready for the first home game of the season against Stevenage.

“Tom will need to be part of the handover process so it may be he works the Torquay game as his last one.

“If it was not for time constraints we could have invited more fans in to watch the auditions, but as it was we had myself and Mark Isaacs [STFC Operations Manager] assess them.”

In his full-time job as a coach with the FA, Tom recently started a role looking after skills coaches across the Midlands region, and will no longer have time to commit to the Robin suit.

The club are hoping the next man to don the famous outfit will be able to commit to more community-based events as well as matchdays.