Paul Barclay has stepped down as the chief financial officer at Swindon Town just a few months after taking the job. The club recorded his exit in the minutes from its Advisory Board meeting on 22 September.
Barclay joined the team at the County Ground in June 2026. He is a chartered management accountant with decades of experience working in finance, and Swindon brought him in to improve how the club watches over its finances. When he was hired, the club released a statement saying he would “play a key role in supporting our development off the pitch“. Despite those plans, his brief spell at the club came to an end in September, and independent Swindon Town outlet The Moonraker reported his departure on 27 October.
Remaining finance staff and backroom changes
Financial controller Annabela Da Costa stayed in her position when Barclay arrived in the summer. According to Swindon Advertiser, she is expected to carry on handling her financial duties at the club.
Barclay was one of two senior staff members whose exits were noted in the September meeting minutes. Operations manager Sotiris Caldelis also left the club and was reported to be moving back to Australia. There is no established evidence suggesting that the two departures are connected.
Unanswered questions over long term plans
Because Swindon hired Barclay specifically to strengthen their financial oversight, his quick departure brings up questions about the club’s plans for senior financial leadership. Public reporting has not established why he left, and there have been no reports of the club giving a full explanation for his exit. Even so, there is no verified evidence linking his departure to any financial trouble at Swindon Town, and it would be too early to jump to that conclusion based on a staff change alone.
Available reports as of October 2026 have not confirmed what steps Swindon will take next. The reviewed reporting also leaves it unclear whether the club plans to hire a new chief financial officer or how Barclay’s broader duties will be managed over the longer term.
