TO say PAOLO DI CANIO has changed the outlook of the average Town fan would be something of an understatement.

A year and a half ago, Town had been relegated to League Two and were at their lowest ebb, only for Di Canio to take charge and steer them straight back up.

Off the back of the appearance in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final, the County Ground chief has continued that success this season, as well as bringing more publicity to the club than it has had in years.

Di Canio is loved all over Swindon for his outspoken remarks - from comparing his players to dogs and saying winning a game was the equal of spending the night with Madonna.

The story at Swindon Robins was a similar one. Having previously endured two miserable seasons, Swindon reappointed ALUN ROSSITER as team manager and it proved a masterstroke.

The ex-Coventry boss assembled a star-studded line-up which swiftly marked themselves out as the team to beat alongside Poole.

And in the grand final, Robins took apart the Pirates’ top-heavy septet and Rossiter had secured the club’s first top-flight title in 45 years.

NICKY HENDERSON has it in black-and-white now - he is the all-time leading Cheltenham trainer.

Last March the Lambourn handler achieved the prestigious mark when Barry Geraghty triumphed on Simonsig in the NIM Novices’ Hurdle.

That figure surpassed Fulke Walwyn’s previous record of 40 winners and it was increased when Bobs Worth and Finian’s Rainbow triumphed at the Festival.

Bobs Worth later gave Henderson a big win in the Hennessy Gold Cup.

In non-league football, no manager locally achieved more than Wootton Bassett boss DAVE TURNER.

The Rylands Way chief led his team to three straight victories in the FA Cup and the second qualifying round, the furthest the club had ever been in the competition.

They were defeated 4-0 at Conference South Dorchester and are now focusing on promotion to the Hellenic League Premier.

HOW TO VOTE

By phone: call 0901360 adding the four digits of the person of your choice

By text: send ‘sportsawards’, leave a space followed by the four digits of the person of your choice to 80360

Paolo Di Canio (football) 0899

Alun Rossiter (speedway) 0900

Nicky Henderson (horse racing) 0901

Dave Turner (football) 0902

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