FORMER Premier League manager Phil Brown has displayed an interest in the vacant manager role at Swindon Town, the Advertiser understands.

Brown, 58, enjoyed an 18-year playing career and featured for Hartlepool United, Halifax Town, Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool.

Since retiring from the field, Brown has been in charge of several clubs.

His biggest managerial achievement came when he guided Hull City to the Premier League for the first time in the club’s history.

Bookmakers earlier this week suspended betting on Brown becoming new Swindon Town manager, but he has since be re-installed as odds-on favourite ahead of current player/manager Matt Taylor and Pat Fenlon. Brown’s possible arrival at Town follows David Flitcroft’s departure from the County Ground on Wednesday.

Flitcroft left Swindon after being ‘head hunted’ by Town’s fellow League Two promotion rivals Mansfield Town.

His arrival at Field Mill was confirmed by the club at a press conference on Thursday morning. Flitcroft’s assistant at Town, Ben Futcher, also made the switch.

At a press conference earlier this week, Matt Taylor said he still believes Town stand a chance to ‘do something special this season’.

He said: “We are in seventh position in the league. There seems to be a bit of doom and gloom but I am the eternal optimist.

“Our future is in our hands so therefore, it is about what we do as a group and how we go about trying to win football matches.

“Regardless of what level you play football at, to get promoted – and I have had that opportunity quite a few times in my career and been very lucky – that feeling of euphoria is indescribable.

“It is everything you have worked towards for a long period of time, all the hard graft you have put in, all the sacrifices you have made, these chances don’t come around that often so therefore for the next eight week, let’s put everything else on hold and give this everything we have got.”