SWINDON Town chairman Lee Power hopes the club’s supporters will follow his lead and put their money where their mouth is as he tries to hand David Flitcroft the tools to complete a successful League Two mission.

The County Ground supremo has signalled that a line has been drawn under his previously much-discussed policy of uncovering and nurturing young talent to be sold on for the benefit of the club’s finances, admitting that approach is not fit for purpose when it comes to backing new boss Flitcroft’s plans to revitalise Town’s fortunes.

Power insists the budget for the new campaign on the bottom league rung will be “healthy”, revealing he had dipped into his own pocket to negate the effects of relegation and ensure the manager would have the support to make the club competitive next season.

The chairman hopes that will be enough to convince long-suffering supporters that Town are serious about launching an assault on an immediate return to League One and prompt them to play their part.

“It will be one of the healthiest (budgets),” said Power.

“It’s got to be, otherwise there is no point in us saying we’re going to do this or do that and not having a healthy budget.

“What other teams are spending, nobody knows, but we’ll be one of the healthiest.

“We’re a well-supported club and now people can see we’re going to back David. We’ve attracted someone like David to the football club and, like everything, we need their help.

“If the supporters come through the gates, it makes more funds available.”

Despite the need for fans’ backing, Power concedes he has also had to review his own contribution in the wake of last season’s disappointments.

“If it (the budget) was just related to gate receipts, we’d be in trouble,” he added.

“There’s a lot of additional funding that’s had to go in personally from me and I understand that.

“That’s what I’m willing to do, to back David.

“The budget’s not a problem. It will be one of the healthiest, but I’m sure there are others.

“A club like Forest Green, the chairman there has got more money than God, so if he wants to go and spend those fortunes, he can.

“There are a lot of wealthy owners, but we’ll definitely be competitive.”

Power hopes Town’s likely status as one of the bigger fish in League Two can be used to their advantage.

“You can’t have a football club this size in League Two (but) it ain’t going to be easy,” he added.

“It’s great everyone saying you’re one of the biggest, if not the biggest clubs in League Two next season (but) that don’t win you anything.

“It could be a plus if everyone gets together, (if) the supporters come out and back David (and) back the team, we could make this place a fortress.

“But on the other side, if things don’t go well, it could work against you.

“We’re optimistic. We know what we’ve got and what we’re going to get.

“We know the budget and what we’re going to do and we’ve got every confidence that David is going to do everything he can to get us out of there.”