Sport · Swindon
Swindon Town face injury crisis ahead of Salford City clash
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
Manager Ian Holloway has confirmed a mounting injury list as Swindon Town travel to face Salford City this weekend.
Swindon Town head to Moor Lane this Saturday to take on Salford City while facing a significant list of squad absences. Manager Ian Holloway has provided an update on his side as the club looks to navigate a difficult start to the season plagued by fitness concerns.
While a number of players remain sidelined, Holloway confirmed that Connor Ripley, Stephen Negru, Lewis Ward, Kaelan Majekodunmi, Jaylan Pearman, Aaron Drinan, Jack Thomson, Dan Butler, Anthony Munda, Billy Kirkman, and Lucas Griffiths-Brown are all fit and available for selection. Ollie Clarke also returned to training on Thursday.
However, the manager will have to contend with a series of enforced absences. Joe Snowden and Antwoine Hackford are both confirmed out with groin injuries, while Ben Middlemas is unavailable due to a knee issue. These players join the long-term injury list which still includes Ollie Palmer, Joel McGregor, and Gavin Kilkenny.
Disciplinary issues further complicate the selection process, as Mitch Clark is suspended for the fixture following a red card received during the recent defeat to York City. On the injury recovery front, Matty Virtue has returned to training but is not yet ready for first-team action. Daniel Butterworth is also ruled out for the weekend, though there is a possibility he could feature in Tuesday's match against Newport.
Holloway noted that James Ball remains a doubt after reporting a recent niggle, and the status of Tom Nichols, Ryan Tafazolli, and James Debayo remains monitored after they missed training on Thursday. Joseph Hungbo and Sam Inwood will continue to have their playing minutes carefully managed in the coming fixtures.
Speaking on the broader situation, Holloway expressed confidence that the squad's availability will improve over time despite the current challenges. He highlighted the impact of a difficult pre-season and cautioned against rushing players back into action, focusing instead on moving forward for the test at Salford.
Source: Wiltshire Times — Sport · View original