Sport · Swindon
Swindon Town duo sidelined following EFL squad registration
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
Swindon Town has confirmed that Gavin Kilkenny and Fletcher Holman will remain out of action after being omitted from the club's official EFL squad list, with Holman not expected to be fully fit until the turn of the year.
Swindon Town fans will have to wait to see Gavin Kilkenny and Fletcher Holman return to competitive action. The club has officially excluded both players from its registration list submitted to the EFL following the close of the recent transfer window.
Both players have been managing long-term recovery programmes since pre-season. Fletcher Holman suffered a significant Grade 3C hamstring tear during a sprint against Bristol City, which required surgical intervention. Meanwhile, Gavin Kilkenny sustained a broken ankle following a challenge by Leyton Orient’s Joseph Olowu during a pre-season friendly. The nature of these injuries has necessitated a prolonged period of rehabilitation. While Holman is not expected to be fully fit until the turn of the year, he remains sidelined from the current squad registration.
Manager Ian Holloway recently addressed the impact of these absences on his squad plans. Acknowledging the difficulty of replacing such key personnel, Holloway noted that the duo were considered a central part of his tactical vision for the current campaign. He emphasised that while managing a squad through the physical demands of League Two is challenging, the focus remains on their long-term recovery and eventual integration back into the side.
While Holman is 21 and technically does not occupy one of the 25 registered squad spots, his ongoing recovery timeline aligns with the broader group of sidelined players. Elsewhere in the squad, the club has opted to register Harry Smith, who continues to work his way back from an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained last August. Smith is currently expected to return to full training towards the end of October.
The club has also confirmed that Sonny Hart, who was not included on the retained list earlier this summer, has joined Enfield Town on a loan deal. Despite his temporary departure, his inclusion in the official squad list highlights the fluid nature of the roster as the manager looks to balance short-term fitness challenges with the long-term needs of the team.
Source: Wiltshire Times — Football · View original