SWINDON Town tonight confirmed that Phil Brown will take over as manager.

Brown, 58, takes over from Taylor, who led the club for one game as player-manager in the 3-0 defeat by Cheltenham Town on Saturday, following the immediate departure of David Flitcroft on March 1.

The former Hull City and Southend boss, who joins Swindon on a deal until the end of the season, confirmed Taylor will remain part of his coaching set-up while at Town.

His first game in charge will take place on Saturday as Swindon travel east to face Cambridge United.

Brown, 58, was first linked with the hotseat last week after the Swindon Advertiser revealed that the 58 year old was interested in the role. Former Manchester City and Oxford United boss Brian Horton will be assisting him in Wiltshire.

He has been tasked with returning Town to League One, with 10 games of the current campaign remaining. Town slipped out of the play-off zone on Saturday after the Cheltenham defeat.

“It’s a great challenge,” he told the Swindon Town website. “It’s a short-term deal at the moment and the lure of the play-offs and possible promotion was a big attraction for me, as was the sales pitch from the chairman.

“Lee (Power) outlined what he wants for the club and the ambition and that really interested me.”

Brown, who will be officially unveiled to the media on Thursday, added: “We have a 10-game season now – it’s really a snapshot of what football is all about.

"This is an opportunity to get the club promoted and coming into a situation like this, at the right end of the division, is a rarity in some senses.

“Another aspect of this is the size of Swindon as a club, who in my opinion have been a sleeping giant for years now. They have a fantastic history with some great names to have played or managed here.

"Couple that with the ambition of the chairman, it was an easy decision to make.”

Taylor, who has made no secret of his coaching ambitions himself, will be part of the coaching set-up, Brown adding: “I met with the staff earlier today and they are young, eager and ticked a lot of boxes.

"Matty Taylor will be a part of the coaching set-up as a player-coach. We have ten games to work together and I am delighted to have the opportunity of working together, both in terms of coaching and utilising his ability on the field.”

He added: “I can’t wait. There is nothing better than getting back out there on the training ground and working with the players. I want to try to improve them, implement a bit of discipline and tactical awareness.

“The challenge now is to get as many wins as we can from now until the end of the season, starting at Cambridge United on Saturday.”