SWINDON Town should be more like Tranmere if they are harbouring any serious aspirations of promotion from League One this season, according to manager Paolo Di Canio.

The Wirral side currently sit top of the third tier, eight points clear of Town in seventh despite losing their last two matches, and possess three of the division’s top goalscorers in the shape of Jake Cassidy, Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro and Andy Robinson.

When Akpa Akpro fell victim to a metatarsal injury recently, Rovers boss Ronnie Moore was allowed to dip immediately into the loan market to sign Jake Jervis on loan from Birmingham - and the man who spent a spell with Swindon last term netted on his debut against Doncaster in midweek.

In contrast, Swindon are still the subject of a transfer embargo after they breached the League One salary cap and Di Canio does not have the flexibility to bring in new faces to bolster a squad depleted by injuries.

In a fiery pre-match press conference on Thursday, the Robins chief slammed the constrictions, emphasising his opinion that while Town’s money men do nothing to lift the banning order they do not show the ambition for the club that he desires.

“We have to ask ourselves why Tranmere Rovers, top of the league with three top strikers with eight goals, one player gets an injury and after not 20 days but one hour there is another striker available, Jake Jervis,” he said.

“Forget the quality - we can discuss whether he was good or not good. After one hour there was another striker there. He scored straight away and they lost 3-1. He was there.

“This is the behaviour if you really want to believe you can stay there. This is normal.”

Di Canio appeared to have been riled by comments saying he should make do with the players he brought in over the summer, despite juggling four injuries in a 21-man squad.

“People say if you are a good manager you have to prove your quality,” he said. “(At Crewe on) Tuesday I proved it. I dominated the game without five players, I dominated the game, I created 17 clear chances, I was 45 minutes in the opponents’ box but you can’t go over that. You are not God.

“I know someone wants to give me God quality, I have to disappoint him. I am a very, very good manager - one of the best because in the last three games with many injuries I dominated three games.

“Individual action didn’t give me the chance not only to draw but to win and win well.

“For the reason, not intentionally and not because the people don’t have a heart, the fact we didn’t cancel the embargo means the people don’t care to push up straight away this year.

“Why is it strange after seven players have gone out that I ask for one player, not 10? It should be normal to have six, not just to go up but if we have the ambition to have a normal season.

“Now there is proof that not only was there not this desire but that after five injuries people are asking why Paolo Di Canio wants flexibility to hope to bring one or two inside.

“Tranmere, with three top goalscorers, brought in another striker in one hour. That is the way to behave.

“I want to call the attention of the people who comment. Mancini asked for Falcao for £45million. He’s got Dzeko, Balotelli, Tevez, Aguero - this is the way if you want to win.

“Mourinho took two months to get Modric and he played him for half an hour in 10 games. This is the way to win.

“Now we have players out and we are in trouble. Not in trouble for relegation because even if I have to sign Paolo Di Canio, Fabrizio Piccareta we are going to stay up. I will do everything to stay up.”