PRAGMATIC Paul Sturrock believes Town fans have been dealt a dose of reality in recent weeks and hopes the team's dip in form will quell the current tide of expectation at the County Ground.

With a fully-fit squad Sturrock maintains Swindon can be a genuine force in League One, but the Scot is keen to remind supporters of his primary objective.

He said: "I think every fan of this football club had it in their mind that staying up in this league was what we could achieve.

"Expectations over October all of a sudden went through the roof.

"I'm hoping that this wee run we're on has dampened the ardor and a realism has come about us, that we are appreciative of our situation now.

"I still feel that with competition for places - not our strongest team, because it is hard to do that at times - we could have a much better season than we expected.

"But staying healthy is key to that and not picking up suspensions at key times."

Sturrock has made no secret of his desire to utilise the loan market, but his plans were scuppered when Town were slapped with a transfer embargo last month.

The loan window has now closed until January 1, which means Sturrock and his injury-ravaged squad will be forced to soldier on.

The manager said: "We wanted to use the loan system, but that has been taken away from us.

"But I still feel we've been very competitive in all games. It's a real frustration for me that we've only taken one point from the last 12.

"We got back to a rhythm on Saturday and if we could get back-to-back wins it would send us on our way again."

Following the 2-1 defeat to Leeds United, Sturrock went cap in hand to Town's major shareholder Sir Seton Wills and prospective buyer Andrew Fitton in a bid to wipe out the club's £900,000 CVA bill.

After conceding defeat in his latest loan bid, Sturrock refused to blame the board for the financial crisis.

He said: "The politics of this football club and the timing of all this is nobody's fault.

"In the end all I did was ask if there was an opportunity for them (the club and Fitton) to sort something out, but that has been unable to come to fruition."