Kennedy '100%' has financial support from Swindon
Mark Kennedy is Swindon's fifth permanent manager since July 2021
- Published
New Swindon Town head coach Mark Kennedy says he "100%" has enough financial support from the club ownership a day after taking the role.
The former Lincoln City and Macclesfield Town manager was appointed on Wednesday as the League Two club's fifth permanent boss since July 2021.
Swindon endured a difficult 2023-24 season, finishing 19th in the fourth tier, while off the field discontent has grown since with fans calling for the club owner Clem Morfuni to sell.
"There is no way I’d have come in if there wasn’t," Kennedy told BBC Radio Wiltshire of the financial support.
"It wasn't just a one-way [interview] process; it was important that I pressed them and was hard with my questioning of what they were going to do and what their vision was.
"What is the budget, how can you prove to me this is the budget, how can you prove to me that this is real and is going to live every day?
"Once we had those conversations and I was really comfortable with that, beyond that it was pretty straightforward."
Former Republic of Ireland midfielder Kennedy spent seven months as Macclesfield manager before an 18-month spell at Lincoln City ended last October.
He said he believed there was "light at the end of the tunnel" for Swindon and that he wanted to build a "brand and identity" at the club, which had an average home crowd of more than 8,000 per league game last term.
"I think they’ve got a really exciting project. I look at the fanbase, the support you get on a weekly basis, on your average attendances alone you’d be touching the top 10 of League One," Kennedy said.
"I just think with all those things in place, with the connection with the fans and reconnecting the fans back with the club, I think that starts with the head coach, building a brand and identity.
"The fans will still be here in 100 years and I think it’s so important that the club has an identity and a brand that it can be really proud of."
Swindon Town Supporters Trust called for club owner Clem Morfuni to sell up earlier this month
Kennedy retired from playing in 2012 after a career that included clubs such as Manchester City, Wolves, Ipswich, Cardiff City and Crystal Palace.
He began coaching in the academies of Ipswich and Manchester City and with Wolves' youth side.
Swindon director of football Jamie Russell pointed to that experience as being key to him landing the role.
"Mark's been and seen all of the levels of a football club and I think that's really important," Russell said.
While Kennedy, 48, said promotion to League One was the "ultimate goal", he urged fans to continue giving the club their support.
"I want to come in and make sure the trajectory curve is going upwards and onwards for the future, that’s the first and foremost," Kennedy added.