I want to fine my players! Di Canio fumes after Swindon crash to Macclesfield

Swindon manager Paolo Di Canio wants to dock the wages of his players after they slumped to a home defeat by Blue Square Bet Premier side Macclesfield.

Di Canio, furious at the way his team were defeated by second-half goals from Tony Diagne and Swindon substitute Louis Thompson, who put into his own net, will also have his squad in for Sunday morning training — starting at 7.30am.

Di Canio could hardly believe it was the same set of players who, four days before, had only just lost to Aston Villa in the Capital One Cup.

Fury: Swindon manager Paolo Di Canio was frustrated after his side's defeat

Swindon had defender Aden Flint sent off for a two-footed lunge in the 63rd minute soon after dogged Macclesfield had taken the lead.

Di Canio said: ‘I would like to fine my players, but it may not be possible because they have too much protection.

‘When I tell players they are average they get angry, but that was the case here. Now the club has to say sorry to everybody because they have damaged themselves.

‘For three days after Villa I was happy. Now I am angry. On Sunday at 7.30am we will be training at Liddington and Di Canio will be the first to arrive.

‘I know how to manage my players. Sometimes they think they are Barcelona players, but they are not.’

It is not the first time Di Canio has lost his cool during his colourful 18-month reign at the County Ground.

He had a bust-up with his own striker Leon Clarke on the pitch and in the tunnel after a League Cup defeat by Southampton last season. And this term he launched an astonishing rant at keeper Wes Foderingham after hauling him off just 21 minutes into a 4-1 defeat by Preston.

Swindon, who knocked Stoke out of the Capital One Cup, made six changes from the team beaten by Villa, but were hardly recognisable.

Off and running: Macclesfield's Tony Diagne scores his sides first goal

Macclesfield goalkeeper Lance Cronin made good saves from Raffa de Vita, Andy Williams and Gary Roberts, but Swindon paid for their wastefulness. Diagne put Macclesfield ahead with a 35-yard free-kick into the top corner after 63 minutes.

And victory was sealed when Swindon’s debutant substitute Thompson scored an own goal, his 30-yard back pass under pressure eluding goalkeeper Foderingham.

Macclesfield boss Steve King said: ‘This is massive for us and our fans. Look at the gulf between the clubs.

‘Last year we were in the same division but now they are looking to get into the Championship. Days like this you can only dream about and we will all savour it while we can. I am proud of the team and my players because they gave me everything.

‘We came under a lot of early pressure but held out and, once we went ahead, I felt we were the better team and I had no doubts we would go on and win.