IAN Baraclough has admitted that he thought he was never in with a chance of becoming Swindon Town manager last October.

The 45-year-old, who is now assistant manager at Oldham Athletic, was in contention to replace departed Mark Cooper before the job was handed to Martin Ling.

Despite having meetings with chairman Lee Power, Baraclough does not believe that the role was ever his to lose and will now turn his attention to plotting Swindon’s demise this weekend.

“I don’t believe I was really close to taking the job,” Baraclough told the Adver.

“I had a couple of conversations regarding whether I was going to be manager or not.

“I know the chairman, having spoken to him on numerous occasions, I know other people in the club and it is a well-run club.

“Fans always want success, they always want to be in a higher division, they always want to be in the play-off positions and fighting for promotion but you look at where the club have been and where it wants to be again and it takes time.

“It needs to be built steadily and Lee Power and his coaching staff have got a philosophy of brining good footballers through, developing them and selling them on.

“That will allow the club to grow I’m sure.”

The Latics sit one place above Swindon in the League One table on goal difference, having had an equally shaky opening campaign after recruiting 18 players in the space of four weeks.

However, their defence has been a shining light, having kept five clean sheets already in the league. After having 19 shots on target against Coventry last weekend, scoring goals is now their top priority.

Oldham have beaten Town on their last three visits to Boundary Park and Baraclough is eager for that trend to continue.

“I haven’t looked into previous encounters, we just concentrate as a coaching staff on what is happening here and now but I love omens like that,” he added.

“It means nothing going into Saturday. Swindon will want to come up here and turn us over on that one and it could be an open and fast game of football.

“Both teams are looking for three points with the current table positions but it is still very early days and we’re trying to find our feet.

“I know we have been very tight in conceding goals but we have found trouble hitting the back of the net.

“We’ve worked a lot on that in training, concentrating on being solid and a good unit defensively and I think that allows you to go and build further up the pitch.

“We’re just looking for to hit the back of the net. Hopefully, that can start for us on Saturday against Swindon.”