PAOLO Di Canio has stressed once again that any hopes of a top-six finish for Swindon Town in League One this season are “not realistic”.

The Robins won 2-0 at Walsall on Saturday to move back into the play-off places but, after spending two months under embargo working with a squad depleted by injuries, Di Canio has always maintained that it would be verging on the miraculous if his side were to keep their promotion challenge going strong through until May.

He moved once again to reinforce his views at the weekend just minutes after witnessing one of Swindon’s most complete performances of the campaign, revealing that the Town board are happy with consolidation in 2012/13.

“Now we have brought in a good habit but we have to be realistic and really think about the future. It’s not realistic,” he said.

“We will do everything as usual. I will work hard, I will go mad, I will drive myself crazy to get the best I can from my players but realistically it is not normal to think our team will be there.

“Imagine if we had received the help we should receive in a normal situation. Now it is too late. We are there, we will try to keep the position for as long as we can. Thinking realistically we have to plan only for a good season.

“This was the plan in the board meeting when I met them 10 days ago. They are happy to finish in the bottom five but not the bottom four – it is important that we maintain and prepare massively From January the investment, for next year to try to go up.

“I am happy because we’re in a much better position than we thought without any help, playing kids and I am proud. I am proud today because my players did fantastically.

“It’s clear that we will stay up, if we don’t it’s a disaster. We have to reach 47 points as soon as we can and then see what comes after.

“We want to make the fans who follow us happy and make honour the shirt with pride. If we can win it’s much better.

“If it happens this year it is something fantastic. The plan is three years. If we go up it is amazing but we are under no pressure because we must maintain the category and then we invest for next year.

“Once we are fixed in League One we will try to do our best. At this moment we are happy to stay there but if we finish 14th or 15th in the table it is not the end of the world because the plan is three years. They want to give everything for next year.”