BRIAN Horton will not be part of Phil Brown’s backroom team at Swindon Town next season after the experienced former player decided to ‘take a different path’ ahead of the upcoming season, the Advertiser can reveal.

The former Manchester City boss also acted as Brown’s number two at Hull City, Preston North End and Southend United before the duo joined Town in March.

Horton’s departure ends an 11-year working relationship between the pair, during which time they earned promotion from the Championship to the Premier League with Hull in 2008.

The 69-year-old assisted Brown during his initial 10 games in charge at the Energy Check County Ground, during which time the club registered 11 points.

While Brown did offer Horton the assistant manager role for next season, Horton declined.

It means Brown must now search for a new assistant, and the Town boss suggested a decision could be made in the next week.

He said: “My assistant manager is going to be vitally important.

“I did offer Brian Horton his position but he’s decided to go down a different line, and I’m there wishing him good luck.

“He came in at short notice and we did everything we possibly could.

“We’ve been working together now for 12 or 13 years and we’ve had some really good success.

“It will be sad to see him go and move on, but that’s just life. It happens in football.

“He’s a good friend, our friendship will remain intact and I’ll be picking the phone up to him and picking his brains in the future.

“I wish him good luck.”

Brown’s search for new staff doesn’t end at the assistant manager role after his analyst is also set to join former Town boss David Flitcroft at Mansfield Town.

The 58-year-old, who first took charge at SN1 in March, added he’s hopeful that influential winger Matt Taylor will start next season as a player after being offered a new contract last week.

“Fingers crossed we get Matt (Taylor) back on side,” said Brown.

“I don’t want to jump the gun, I don’t want to start saying we’ve got things done.

“They’re just in the system at the moment. Fingers crossed it will be a positive outcome on both them fronts.

“His future is certainly in coaching, it’s certainly in the world of football.

“He’s very good on the media front, which I’ve listened to because of the quality of his education, diction and knowledge.

“All of those things, coupled with a very confident lad, will be very good for the media.

“He had ideas about the game, and I’ll be inviting him onboard.

“But, at the same time, I don’t want him to give it up too early because his playing side was something I admired last year.

“In those 10 games, I’d suggest in half of those he was our best player on the pitch.

“A lot of people talk to me about the goals and the assists leading up to me coming in, but that continued.

“I’ll be pushing on all fronts to get Matt onboard both as a player and a coach.”