DAVID Flitcroft believes casting an eye at events down the M4 this week provides the sort of example of the unity that will help to drag Swindon Town out of their current slump.

The County Ground chief admits his side’s inability to deliver consistently good form is driving them ‘mad’ at present, a run of five straight defeats, including three in League Two, throwing a spanner in the works of their promotion push.

Flitcroft though, has absolute faith in not only the staff and players at his disposal but how they are trying to go about their business and reckons the success of old rivals Bristol City demonstrate the benefits of sticking with it.

City boss Lee Johnson came under considerable external pressure last season as his side’s results nose-dived, but remained in post and has overseen a eye-opening revival that sees them lying third in the Championship and having knocked Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

“You have only got to look at Lee Johnson, what he has done and his achievements,’’ said the Town boss, who takes his side to Crewe tomorrow. “He lost 12 games out of 13, they stuck with him and the rest is history.

“Lee has come through it. I went to see him a few months ago and he was telling me how that happened. It’s consistency which has allowed them to achieve what they are achieving.

“I think they have beaten four Premier League sides to get to the quarter finals of the cup, so you see it all the time.

“I was lucky enough to spend three years at Bury and we managed to turn that around successfully and now it is a case of keep inspiring my players on the training pitch.

“They are doing everything we ask of them and they are as attentive as ever, they are hurting like I am and they want to turn this around.’’ Town’s tumble into mid-table in League Two means questions about the team, its methods and performances inevitably come under scrutiny but while the manager accepts changes will need to be made, he is determined to focus on the things they have done well.

“The concerning thing is that you want everyone at the football club to stay with it and have that confidence,’’ he added.

“I’ve got to be confident in the group and what they can achieve. It’s just the inconsistency, that is driving me mad at the minute and it is driving the group of players mad.

“They care and they want to win football matches for this club.

“The points total is probably four off of where I expected it to be.

“We are looking at the bigger picture. People are looking into the short term. If we had beaten Grimsby a few weeks ago we would only be a few points off of the top of the league.

“We want to get back on that. We have been showing the players the work they have done, the positive work.

“We could keep looking at the negatives and what we haven’t been doing right but I want to show them what they have done right against some of the top teams in the division.

“We’re hoping to solidify that. Whether that is bringing players in during January, which we are hoping to do, then it is changing the dynamic of what we are doing. Something has to change.”

“We are going into this fixture on Saturday with an impressive away form that we want to try and maintain.”