25 YEARS AGO: SWINDON TOWN 2 WREXHAM 1 25 August 1984 Town began their third campaign in the basement division with a new man at the helm.

After finishing just seven places off the bottom of the Football League in the previous May, the club now had new sponsors – Lowndes Lambert Group – who insisted that a ‘big name’ be appointed to the post previously held by Ken Beamish.

Lou Macari, 35, with over 300 appearances for Manchester United and 24 for Scotland, certainly fitted that billing. But another Scot, big Jim Steel, did his best to wreck Lou’s first day plans.

He gave the Town defence a torrid time all afternoon and opened the scoring on 32 minutes with a near post header from John Muldoon’s right-wing cross.

Just a minute later, Andy Edwards missed a tap in from a few yards out which would have given Town a mountain to climb at 0-2. But, as so often happens, within four minutes it was honours even. From a lofted pass by Paul Batty, Macari flicked a long range header past keeper Stuart Parker. As the second period opened, two further opportunities fell to the unfortunate Edwards, but he spurned both.

New signing Peter Coyne came on to liven up proceedings and on 76 minutes Alan Mayes went close to putting Town ahead, but was thwarted by the alert keeper.

But the little striker was in the right place at the right time to tap in a Town winner from a Dave Hockaday cross with just four minutes left. The teams: Swindon Town: Scott Endersby, Colin Bailie, Garry Nelson, Macari, Charlie Henry (sub.Coyne 57 mins), Mike Graham, Leigh Barnard, Batty, Andy Rowland, Mayes, Hockaday.

Wrexham: Parker, King, Cunnington, Salathiel, Keay, Wright, Muldoon, Horne, Steel, Edwards, Rogers (Williams 82). Att: 3,591.