Football Season Guide

After their failure to secure promotion via the play-off last season, Swindon have had a quite difficult summer that saw them lose several important players. Apart from Louis Thompson, whose move to Norwich was agreed midway through the previous season, the Robins have also lost two more members of their impressive midfield in Massimo Luongo and Ben Gladwin, who were both poached by QPR. The list of disappointing departures does not stop there, as Swindon have also lost important striker Andy Williams, as well as keeper Wes Foderingham, who failed to agree a new contract with the club. It has been known for some time that Swindon's financial situation is less than stellar, and it is therefore hardly a surprise that the Robins have failed to replace their departed men with household League One names. Instead, they have taken hopeful punts in Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill, Kevin Stewart and Jordan Williams, who all join from Premier League clubs, while Drissa Traore is nothing more than a mediocre player by League One standard, if his disappointing stay at Notts County is anything to judge him on. Given the fact that they have lost no less than five key players, including three midfielders who were crucial to their ability to keep playing their preferred passing style of football, it is extremely difficult to see how the Robins could maintain the same level of football going into the new campaign and achieve anything close to what they have achieved last time around. They still have some decent players in their side, but their squad is now far less formidable and far more average-looking than it was last season.