Swindon skipper eyes promotion

By Pete Oliver

Swindon Town skipper Jamie Vincent believes his side are knuckling down to play promotion football.

Vincent has stepped in as captain in place of the injured Adie Williams

The Robins have been among the League Two pace-setters all season and have regained an automatic promotion slot on the back of a run of seven games with only two defeats.

Vincent told BBC Sport: "I think we have been top four all season but I think we got a little bit complacent maybe a month or two ago.

"We weren't battling as much as the other teams were, but I think we have started to get more of an edge to our game.

"I think the football has gone a bit on the back-burner, because of the state of the pitches and the weather conditions, especially with the wind, but as long as we are prepared to fight - that's the most important thing."

Robins boss Paul Sturrock, who took charge at the County Ground last November following Dennis Wise's move to Leeds, has recently looked to adopt a more direct approach in a bid to get the results needed to go up.

He admits that the pendulum may have swung too far towards long ball in Tuesday night's goalless draw at Rochdale.

But with a difficult pitch dictating as much as tactics, Sturrock and Vincent were both happy to add a further point to their tally against an in-form home side and extend their advantage over major rivals MK Dons in fourth place.

I am delighted to have the captain's armband and and I hope I keep it until the end of the season Jamie Vincent

"We are two points ahead now on level games so it can go either way at the moment with us and MK Dons.

"But if we do well over the Easter period and maybe collect six points then who knows what can happen," Vincent said.

The experienced defender expects to have to scrap it out again over the holiday weekend against Hereford and then bottom club Torquay United.

Further clean sheets could be key, although Sturrock is now facing changes to his back line with suspensions looming for Jerel Ifil and Jack Smith.

Sturrock is weighing up his options but will hope that whoever steps into the breach can adapt as readily as Vincent since the 30-year-old took over a central berth a couple of months ago.

"I have played the majority of my career at left-back but I have had to adapt to playing inside on the left with Adie Williams getting a bad knee injury.

"But I am enjoying it. Everyone is doing well and with me slotting in there everyone has just gelled," added Vincent, who has led by example as captain in the absence of Williams.

"Nothing much has changed on my part. I just try to talk to the lads and try keep them organised as much as possible.

"But I am delighted to have the captain's armband. It's an honour and I hope I keep it until the end of the season."

VINCENT'S VARIED CAREER Crystal Palace 1993-1996 Bournemouth 1994-1999 Huddersfield 1999-2001 Portsmouth 2001-2004 Walsall Oct '03-Jan '04 (loan) Derby 2004-2005 Millwall 2005-2006 Yeovil Jan-July 2006 Millwall Mar-May '06 (loan) Swindon June 2006-

Honours have hitherto been thin on the ground for Vincent, despite an impressive 350-game career which saw Swindon become his eighth club when he joined last summer.

Promotion back to League One at the first attempt would therefore represent a major highlight for the Londoner, who has seen service at Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Huddersfield, Portsmouth, Derby and Millwall.

"It won't be me my first (promotion), but it will be where I have been playing," Vincent said.

"Crystal Palace were promoted to the Premiership and so were Portsmouth but unfortunately I didn't really get a game. I couldn't get in the team as the team was doing really well.

"This time round I've been playing most of the season, bar a few injuries, and I hope to keep going to the end and get promoted.

"It would be a great achievement. When we started out at the beginning of the season promotion was our aim. It will be a success if we achieve our aims."