In the summer of 1984 Swindon Town made a managerial appointment which would herald the start of an unprecedented period of success.

Manchester United legend and Scottish international Lou Macari was installed at the helm of the Fourth Division outfit where he replaced Ken Beamish, the boss who had just overseen a season which saw his charges finish in 85th place in the Football League.

What followed was five seasons of progression which took Swindon to the very brink of the top division, during which club and Football League records were set and the club’s status in the pecking order of football was constantly redefined.

Wallis' forthcoming book about Macari at Swindon details the rise and fall of one of the club's finest periods

Sacked and reinstated after nine months, Macari needed some time and patience to implement the overhaul that was necessary to turn around the juggernaut that was Swindon Town, but by the time he left to manage West Ham United in July 1989, he had taken Town from 85th in the Football League to 26th.

Macari’s reign as Town manager embraced successive promotions, play-off success and near misses, cup semi-final defeats and the sort of attendance figures that subsequent Swindon Town leaders could only dream of.

A season of consolidation in 1984/85 saw Town finish eighth in Division Four, the level which is now known as League Two. 12 months later, and after a horrendous start which saw the club 21st in the table after eight games, the divisional title was claimed by an incredible 18-point margin with a record 102-point haul.

Next came promotion again, this time via the play-offs, and Town were in Division Two, now known as the Championship.

Semi-final defeat denied Town a place at Wembley in the Simod Cup in 1988, then a play-off semi-final loss twelve months later prevented Town from making Division One in these pre-Premier League days.

There was excitement, sometimes disappointment, drama but rarely boredom. Macari shaped the future careers of his Swindon players, changed the expectations of supporters and took the County Ground club from footballing nonentities to the back pages of the national press.

The pride that Macari instilled in his players to pull on the shirt of Swindon Town and that of the Town supporters as they followed their club, was paramount in bringing much longed-for success.

Ten games into the season 40 years ago, Town lost at Crewe Alexandra. It was the club’s fourth defeat that term and left Town 16th in the Division Four table on 12 points. There was little indication of what was to come.

Today, Swindon Town find themselves in an almost identical position as they were in 1984 before Macari’s arrival. Last season’s 19th-place finish in League Two left the club two places lower in the Football League than they had finished 40 years previously under Ken Beamish.

If ever there was a need for a messiah to arrive and turn around Swindon Town’s fortunes again, this is it.