Swindon's leading goalscorer Simon Cox says the players can have no excuses as they get used to life without a manager for the second time in 12 months.
Maurice Malpas was sacked last week after an indifferent start to the campaign and his departure comes just a year after Paul Sturrock left the Country Ground to return to
Plymouth.
At that time, there was confusion at the club in the midst of financial problems and a proposed takeover and Cox admitted the players were affected by the off-field problems - although he insists there is no reason why they can't perform this time around.
Cox said: "When Paul Sturrock left we had a bit of a bad time because of what was going on off the field with the takeover and it was easy for us to say it was affecting us. But that shouldn't be an option for us this time.
"We should still apply ourselves in the right way and train the same way we would if we had a manager. So we'll do exactly that this time. We've probably learned from last year.
"Last year there was one chairman going out and we didn't know whether the club was going to fold or not. But this year we've got a stable club and now it's about whether the chairman appoints a manager from outside or within."
After scoring 15 goals in just 20 appearances this term, Cox has become one of the hottest properties in League One, with a number of clubs reported to be preparing a transfer bid in January. He added: "I'm just paid by the chairman and the board of directors to go out every Saturday and Tuesday and play football."
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