The npower League Two title having being secured last weekend, another piece of silverware will soon take residence in the club’s trophy cabinet. This week in May 1970, a journey began which would add a second European cup to their collection.

Swindon Town was one of six clubs invited to compete against six from Italy in an Anglo-Italian Cup competition. This followed a comfortable 5-2 victory over AS Roma earlier in the season in a two-legged contest set up by way of recompense for not being eligible for the European Fairs Cup as League Cup winners – due to their then Third Division status.

In Group Two, Town and Sheffield Wednesday were drawn to play Juventus and SS Napoli at home and away, with the usual two points awarded for a win and one for a draw, but a bonus point added for each goal scored. The top English club from the six would then meet the top Italian side in the Final.

On May 2, Swindon commenced in much the same vein as they had ended the Roma contest – with the same result, an emphatic 4-0 home victory. Juventus struggled to settle on a dry bumpy pitch and rarely threatened Peter Downsborough’s goal.

It took Town an hour to get off the mark, when a Peter Noble header from a John Trollope cross found the target and their lead was doubled within just seven minutes.

A free-kick from John Smith fell to Arthur Horsfield – who had hit a hat-trick against Roma – to swivel and fire home. Rod Thomas then saw an effort cleared off the line after his shot had crept under the body of keeper Roberto Anzolin.

But two goals in the final five minutes gave Town a six point start. Horsfield netted a second with a diving header before skipper Stan Harland blasted home an unstoppable 30 yard effort.

When Napoli came to the County Ground seven days later there was again no scoring during the opening hour, although both sides saw efforts hit the frame of the goal during the first half. Downsborough was absent, having sustained a broken bone in his right hand in a friendly at Yeovil, and his deputy Roy Jones was beaten twice in six minutes by Paolo Barison and Kurt Hamrin. Smith replied for Town four minutes from time, but they headed for their two fixtures in Italy as the only English side to suffer a home defeat.

That was soon forgotten, however, as Noble struck in Genoa for a 1-0 Town victory over Juventus and then Don Rogers repeated the feat in the return in Naples, sending his side through to the final by one point.

Napoli had also reached the final, but in front of 55,000 of their own fans they were always second best to a Swindon side that hit three goals without reply. Noble, twice, and Horsfield scored before the crowd had seen enough and rioting forced the game to be abandoned 10 minutes from time. - by Paul Plowman