GIULIANO GRAZIOLI will put a nightmare 12 months behind him as he bids to fire Town's march to Division One.

The hotshot striker returned for pre-season training today with the sole aim of guiding Town to promotion.

Grazioli scored eight goals in just 13 starts, including five in his last six matches. But his season was ravaged with injury as he suffered two hamstring pulls and a stress-fracture of the foot.

Coupled with off-field financial woes, Grazioli says the 1999 season is one he would much rather forget.

I joined last summer with such great hopes of showing what I could do in a higher division, he said. But everything went wrong and I would say it was one of the worst season's in my career.

Personally, it was very disappointing to be out for so long through injury. But the worst thing was relegation and the financial problems. That cut really deep.

After a relaxing summer of rehabilitation Grazioli can't wait to get back in the fold. And he is single-minded in what he believes Swindon Town can achieve.

We have to believe that we can bounce straight back up, he said. The play-offs are the worst-case scenario in my mind. If we don't at least finish in the top six then I will be really disappointed.

Hopefully we can get off to a good start against Colchester and start on a roll. The fans will start to come back through the gates and there will be a buzz around the club.

The manager is very experienced, we have some very good players and everyone has the experience from playing in Division One. I am very confident that we can do well.

Grazioli admits every player will start pre-season training on a par.

The next month is very important to us, he said. We all have to impress the manager and make a bid to be in the team for the visit of Colchester.