PAOLO Di Canio has urged Andrew Fitton to do his part in accelerating any potential takeover at Swindon Town.

The former chairman is believed to be owed around £3million of the club’s unsecured debt, and Di Canio suggested that what Fitton chooses to do with that outstanding amount could help in the process of finding a new owner.

The Italian was pleased by what he regards as the “positive” message aired by Fitton in a recent interview, in which he said he would welcome a return to the County Ground, and he remains hopeful a positive resolution can be reached.

“I heard Fitton’s words and I am more than happy and I hope he can make actions in this way and make facts and help if someone comes really strong and wants to buy the club,” he said. “He has to help in the right way he said. He knows how, because all the others - the three shareholders (Andrew Black, Sir Martyn Arbib and Jeremy Wray) - have made a good action to help the situation.

“He knows what he has to do to help but the words that he sent out are more than positive. I’m very happy that he let me know he will help the situation without putting a block.

“From the interview he said very good things and I’m very happy because he cares about the club. It depends what he wants to do. We know what the other three guys have done.”

“My only point is, he was very positive but in some way he criticised. He said they should have heard me because I didn’t want to go through this plan, it was too expensive, it put the club under risk.

“I know it is more important to have stability in a club, to have health and life for a long period than risk to win one league and then disappear forever. This is normal in life in general but this is not our case.

“Also, in life and in sport especially you live with hope that you can have satisfaction that you can achieve something.”