THINKING back to all those occasions when Tim Sherwood occupied the seat next to his old friend Lee Power as the pair watched Swindon Town in action, perhaps it was proof there really is no smoke without fire?

On Wednesday evening, a cryptic invite to a Town press conference for a ‘significant announcement’, which was also extended to the Swindon Advertiser, signalled that changes could be afoot at the County Ground.

And sure enough, the two former Norwich City team-mates were sitting next to each other once again but this time to announce that ex-Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa manager Sherwood, a Premier League winner as a player with Blackburn Rovers, was the club’s new director of football.

Outlandish two-plus-two rumours that Swindon would be the latest bought by energy drinks giant Red Bull were stoked in tongue-in-cheek fashion before Thursday’s conference by a few cans of the Austrian giants’ primary product placed upon the desk in the sponsors’ suite.

Even the club’s press officer wasn’t informed of what was to be revealed until five minutes before Sherwood was introduced to the press but after the veil was lifted, it became clear that Power had shaken up his management structure in a big way.

One bookmaker quickly sent out a release offering odds on Swindon gaining promotion to the Championship and even the exalted domain of the Premier League under Sherwood’s direction.

Despite his experience at a higher level and his more recent links to managerial vacancies at higher stations than in League One, Sherwood is firstly concentrating on the finer details at the County Ground, hinting that he may set about tweaking the fabled ‘Swindon way’ while encouraging fans to lend their support on matchdays.

“I think it needs tweaking, possibly – the style of play – at times. They play some lovely stuff and they have done over the years but I think sometimes we might need to flip the page a little bit and show a different way of play, and I think I can give him a helping hand on that,” said Town’s new director of football.

“It’s okay developing individuals but I think it’s important to develop the football club and I said to Lee: ‘we need to try and move it on’.

“We need people to come back through those gates and help the boys out because, when I was coming when they were flying and winning games, it was a fantastic atmosphere here at the football club, and I think that if we can get back to that, it would only help out those players that need to play with confidence.

“It’s an interesting project, something I’ve had a close eye on for four years, since I started loaning players into this football club.

“Luke Williams is at this football club because of me. He was my recommendation. I came across him on the development phase of the game and I recommended him to Lee.

“I think he’s a very good coach and he’s got a lot more to come, and I’m just coming in here to help out where I can.

“I like this club. I’ve got a soft spot for it. This is a good opportunity for me to get back onto the training field.

“Let’s make sure we stay in the league and start climbing up the table.’’

Sherwood plans to begin his rein as the figurehead of Town’s footballing operations in the stands and from that lofty position, only time will tell if his appointment will give Swindon wings.