FORMER Swindon Town chairman Andrew Fitton has claimed his most important relationship during his tenure at the County Ground was with the local press.

In the wake of the club’s new media arrangements, Fitton gave his take on the ‘symbiotic relationship’ between a football club and those reporting on their fortunes.

Town will channel their media activity through app Fanzai and their official website next season, only allowing players and management to speak to external media post-match, as per the Football League’s requirements.

The move has caused controversy about the club’s openness with its own fanbase but Fitton, who stepped down from his role as chairman in 2011, hopes that the bond he used to have with the media can be restored.

“It is very unfortunate what has happened,” said Fitton. “I always thought that one of the most important relationships we had was with the Advertiser.

“Not because that gives the Advertiser the right to slag you off, or anything like that.

“It is a very symbiotic relationship, because you fill a newspaper with stuff from the club and the club needs that publicity to draw people in.

“I was always willing to take a call, always willing to have a conversation and always willing to tell people, or to say 'I can’t tell you that', so there was a degree of honesty.”

Fitton enjoyed his relationship with the fans, so much so he would park in the car park and walk to his seat, often stopping to speak to them about the latest goings on.

And he believes that being honest with them won him a lot of favour.

“Fans are important to the club and fans are not stupid,” he added. “Fans do understand and they appreciate being told, even if it is bad news.

“People can cope with bad news well. What people can’t cope with, is not knowing.”