FORMER Swindon manager Lou Macari is hopeful current boss Paolo Di Canio can replicate his Robins side and secure back-to-back promotions, but warned the Italian things may not be as easy this time around.

Macari was back at the County Ground last night managing a team of ex-Swindon players in a charity game in aid of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, nearly thirty years after he began his management career with Swindon in 1984.

The Scot had quick success as he won the old Fourth Division title in 1985/86, and a year later repeated the feat as he won the Third Division play off final.

Comparisons have quickly been made between the two managers, with fitness and discipline key features of their success at the County Ground, but Macari warned the current Town boss may not find it as easy as he did.

“We are similar I think, because Swindon has been both our first jobs in management and we did not know what to expect,” he said.

“I came in to Swindon and we got promoted from the old Fourth Division which was a bit of an achievement because we were struggling at the time.

“After having done it I thought we might struggle in the next league up, but with hard work from the players we were on a rollercoaster with the fans and we got promotion.

“It has started really well for Paolo and I hope it continues in the same way, but I think we need to take the pressure off him a little bit because people have already started talking about another promotion.

“Some fans might be thinking that because it happened in the 80s, but it is hard.

“I don’t care what division you are in, but when you move up things do get tougher because your opposition is better.

“But sometimes it can all fall into place, but I don’t think people should make that comparison because the game is completely different now.”

Macari believes the increased finances involved in modern day football provide the biggest stumbling block for another promotion.

“In my time here there was no money, and players didn’t get big wages so they wanted to win every game for the win bonuses, but that is not the case now,” he said.

“Players earn big money, even at Swindon, so that is the big difference because money has changed the game.

“There are some teams in the league with a lot of money, so Swindon will have to deal with that.”

Macari is impressed with the way Di Canio has gone about things with Swindon, and backed him to enjoy a good career as a manager.

“It was always going to be interesting when Paolo joined the club, and when he got the job at the beginning I was interested to see how he approached it because, like myself, he had never been there before,” he said.

“One thing you do is learn by your mistakes, and the more you make the quicker you learn.

“Paolo has done that and it has brought the club rewards and promotion, and all credit must go to Paolo for that.”