WITH Swindon Town looking set to announce David Flitcroft as their next manager, AdverSport takes a look at his career to date:

Born in Bolton, the younger brother of former Blackburn Rovers player Garry Flitcroft began his footballing career with Preston North End in 1992 and after his time at Deepdale, the then 19-year-old moved to Chester City, where he amassed 187 appearances, the most at one club in his career, scoring 18 goals and gaining promotiion in 1994.

The midfielder joined Rochdale in 1999, having rejected a new contract at Chester, and went on to make 160 appearances as Dale made the Division Three play-offs in 2002 and reached the FA Cup fifth round the next season.

Flitcroft had a brief six-month spell at Macclesfield Town before moving back to Lancashire with Bury, where he made 122 appearances before ending his career with a brief stint at non-league outfit Hyde United.

At the age of 32, Flitcroft made the return to Spotland as assistant to Keith Hill midway through the 2006/07 season, where he even made a brief playing return as a substitute in the club’s last game of the 2008/09 season against Gillingham.

Flitcroft followed Hill to the Championship with Barnsley in 2011 and after Hill was sacked in December 2012 - a moment that Flitcroft has described as one of his lowest in football - he was promoted to the hotseat at Oakwell after a successful caretaker period, during which Sean O’Driscoll turned down the job.

Flitcroft was able to steer the Tykes away from relegation on the last day of the 2012/13 season with a 2-2 draw away to Huddersfield Town, a moment he has described as one of his biggest achievements, Having signed a rolling contract that summer, he was sacked from his role following a 3-0 defeat at home to Birmingham City, with a win percentage of 31.1 per cent from his 45 games in charge.

Flitcorft was only out of management for nine days, as he returned to Bury, then in League Two, on December 9, 2013.

Having guided the Shakers away from the drop and to a 12th place finish that season, he transferred that fine record into the following season as he guided the Gigg Lane side to League One with a third-placed finish behind Shrewsbury Town and Burton Albion.

Bury held their own in their first season in the third tier, with a 16th place finish, two places and two points below Swindon in that campaign.

The Shakers made a good start to last season, with Flitcroft being given the league’s manager of the month award for September, having won all of their five league games in the calendar month.

However, it proved to be a poisoned chalice as the 3-1 success away to M K Dons on Tuesday, September 27, proved to be his last as manager.

A subsequent 11-game winless streak culminated in a 5-0 defeat to AFC Wimbledon, which led to him being relieved of his duties, along with assistant manager Ben Futcher.

Since departing Gigg Lane, Flitcroft has revealed he made it to the last four of the interview process to find a new England U21s manager, with 165 applicants in total, but was told by Gareth Southgate that the only thing he lacked was international experience.