A DAY at the races provided Swindon Town manager Phil Brown with the opportunity to greater understand his players in a light-hearted environment.

Members of management, players and staff at Swindon Town travelled to Lingfield Park on Wednesday afternoon to enjoy an eight-race card ahead of the club’s trip to Newport County.

The day out occurred amid Town’s push to secure the final League Two play-off spot, a position also being contested by Coventry City and Mansfield Town.

And Brown believes the day out will help him connect with the men of the pitch after building social links with the team.

He said: “It’s a key component of any manager's reign at any football club is to get to know the players a little bit better.

“It helps to understand what’s going on in their brains.

“After a couple of beers, you normally get what’s going on in their brains come out of their mouth. Which is exactly the reason for it.

“It was low-key, there were one or two - where kids are concerned - bits of social media interaction.

“It was a private function. We all got the benefit, what the chairman needs now is a return for it.

“And that return comes in performance and results between now and the end of the season.”

Midfielder Matt Taylor agreed with Brown’s comments and said it’s vital to socialise with people in a work environment – regardless of a person’s profession.

Taylor, who struck twice on Tuesday night against Yeovil, doubled up his form by picking a pair of winners on the course less than 24 hours later.

He said: “We had a good day.

“The manager wanted to get to know the players in a slightly different environment.

“I thought everybody really enjoyed themselves. It was nice everybody came, staff and players included, because we’re all in this together.

“It was an enjoyable day, but a sensible one. In any work environment, to socialise as a group of people – regardless of your profession – is vitally important.

“It can only help relations in the workplace.

“I’ve been on many, this one was very tame. The boys had good fun, but our focus was to relax the team a little bit and I thought it did so.”

Swindon Town return to League Two action against Newport County away from home tomorrow afternoon.

Join Owen Houlihan for Matchday Live from Rodney Parade tomorrow afternoon at swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport