Ex QPR, Millwall and Crystal Palace boss now using 'sage' in attempt to rid 'haunted' League Two club of curse

Former QPR, Crystal Palace and Millwall boss Ian Holloway fears a supernatural force could be targeting his current Swindon Town side as he looks to seek help to rid the club's training ground of ghosts.

The 61-year-old has been with the Robins since October 25 and has endured some rotten luck in his first job since 2020. Holloway believes that rumours of ghouls at the Beversbrook Sports and Community facility could be playing a part.

Swindon Town captain Ollie Clarke ruptured a tendon in his ankle last week in the latest blow for the side, who have been enduring a ghastly run of form this term. The club sits 22nd in League Two this season having managed just two wins in their opening 16 outings.

Mark Kennedy was sacked by the club at the end of October with Holloway immediately appointed for his first role since leaving Grimsby Town in 2020. Speaking to BBC Radio Wiltshire about recent goings on at Swindon Town, Holloway said: "I'm absolutely devastated so I'm going to try and cleanse the training ground area because people are telling me it's haunted.

"There's a graveyard somewhere near. Honestly, I'm not joking. I think our training ground is very close to an ancient burial site so I'm going to get my wife to come up and say sorry to all these people and hopefully we'll have a bit more luck."

Ian Holloway - ‘I’ll get my wife to come up with her sage’

Holloway was asked if he would go to the extremes that former Barry Fry reportedly did when on a similar mission at the club's St Andrew's ground when working to remove a 100-year-old curse, as he supposedly urinated on the corner flags.

The Swindon boss replied: "I don't want to do what he did. I think he had to urinate on the corners of his pitch but I'm going to get my wife to come up with her sage.

"I've done the Glastonbury stuff and the hail and welcome - great if you believe it. Do I? Really I'm not sure but I'm going to get it just to help because there's some strange things happening."

Holloway and his mannerisms are of course well known to several London clubs. The manager spent two separate stints at QPR between 2001 and 2006, as well as 2016-2018, winning promotion from the Second Division in 2004.

The coach was also at Millwall between 2014 and 2015 after a spell with Crystal Palace between 2012 and 2013. Holloway achieved promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs with Palace in 2013.