DAN THE FAN: New manager is holding a strong hand (From This Is Wiltshire)

I’M sure if you asked Kevin MacDonald his dream scenario for his first game in charge at Swindon, last Saturday would come pretty close to what he had in mind.

A great team performance, two late goals, beating a promotion rival, and doing it in front of 3,000 away fans is a pretty special way to start your time at Swindon Town.

The former Liverpool player and Aston Villa assistant manager has been on an incredible apprenticeship scheme before deciding to step out on his own in the world of management.

MacDonald brings with him more than 35 years of experience in the game, and people queuing around the block who have got positive things to say about him.

Jed McCrory’s first appointment since becoming club chairman looks to have been spot on.

Apart from all the obvious skills he brings with him into the job, there is one that fans will want to see used frequently in the next few weeks.

MacDonald’s contacts book must be jam-packed with names from all across the world of football, and his ability to get Town new faces will be vital as we enter the business end of the season.

After everything that has been going on at the club over the last few months it’s a real sign of quality in our squad that we are somehow sitting in third place in League One.

But they now need well-deserved help in certain areas, both wings, central midfield and up front needing the most attention.

Gary Roberts has come in to replace Matt Ritchie and overall has done a decent job, but with Raffa De Vita struggling Roberts needs to move back to his favoured position.

Danny Green is still only warming the bench at Charlton and if that loan deal could be brought back to life, he’d be ideal for the rest of the season.

With the new manager’s connections at Aston Villa he might go calling to his former club for some of their rising stars.

Strikers like Michael Drennan and Graham Burke played a lot for MacDonald at Villa and are now both starting to hit football maturity which needs to be developed in the Football League.

Drennan recently bagged himself a 12-minute hat trick, which has taken his tally to 12 goals in 14 games this season in the club’s U21 side.

It wouldn’t surprise me to see either player, or another from Villa Park, arriving at the County Ground in the near future.

Town welcome eighth-placed Walsall to the County Ground on Saturday and after not winning a single home game in February, the remaining five matches there take on extra importance.