SWINDON Town chairman Lee Power believes that the old pals’ act has worked wonders to allow him to bring in former Norwich City team-mate Tim Sherwood to the club.

The ex-Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa manager was announced as Town’s new director of football yesterday and will head up all aspects of the club’s footballing operations.

The Swindon chairman revealed that Sherwood wouldn’t be under contract at the County Ground and would have the final say on transfers, tactics and picking teams.

Power also confirmed that the 47-year-old had been in the running for positions at two Championship clubs – he was heavily linked with the vacant managerial post at Queens Park Rangers – and sees his appointment as a major coup.

“This is one of the biggest appointments the club has ever made. We’re still a bit shocked that we’ve managed to persuade Tim to take it on,” said Power.

“Everyone knows Tim has been a friend of mine for 25 years.

“There won’t be a contract. It’s a special relationship that we have and have had for a long time. He definitely hasn’t come here for the money, that’s for sure.

“Tim’s had opportunities, which obviously, he maybe can’t elaborate on, to work for two Championship clubs this year that he’s turned down and that’s why it’s such a big thing for this football club, to have Tim heading up our football department.

“When I took over the club, I leant on Tim a lot. He was at Spurs at the time and we were very fortunate to loan a decent group of players (from) there, and we were 90 minutes away from the Championship on the lowest budget in the league.

“This season is the biggest budget we’ve had in the three years I’ve been here and we’re in the relegation zone.

“He will head up all aspects. That will be transfers, the way that we play, the formations and the picking of the team”

“We’re very mindful not to use the title ‘manager’ because it’s not a demotion for Luke Williams.

“I think everyone’s aware of how Luke’s thought of in the football world as a top, top coach and that will continue.”