- Historic League Cup Victory: In 1969, Swindon Town achieved a remarkable triumph by winning the Football League Cup. They defeated Arsenal 3-1 in the final, a significant accomplishment for a Third Division team at the time. (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
- Record-Breaking Player Appearances: John Trollope holds the club record for the most first-team appearances, playing 889 matches between 1960 and 1980. His 770 league appearances for Swindon stood as a professional record in English football until 2023. (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
- First Top-Flight Promotion: Under the management of Glenn Hoddle, Swindon Town secured promotion to the Premier League for the first time in their history by winning the 1993 play-off final. (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
- Home Ground - The County Ground: Since 1896, Swindon Town has played their home matches at the County Ground, which currently has a capacity of 15,728 spectators. (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
- Recent Managerial Appointment: In October 2024, Ian Holloway made a surprising return to football management by taking over as Swindon Town's manager. (The Guardian)
Swindon Town Announce Retained List as Post-Season Planning Begins
Swindon Town have officially released their retained list following the conclusion of the 2025/26 League Two campaign, signalling the start of their preparations for the new season under manager Ian Holloway.
The Robins finished the season in a respectable ninth place with 75 points from 46 matches, recording 22 wins, nine draws and 15 defeats. While they fell short of the play-off places, the campaign showed signs of progress, particularly in the second half of the season, as the team recovered from a slow start to push into the top half of the table.
With the season now over, the club has confirmed the players who will be retained for the 2026/27 season and those who will depart. Several key first-team players have been offered new contracts, including experienced striker Harry Smith, who recently signed a one-year extension and is expected to lead the line once again after overcoming injury concerns.
Centre-back Ryan Tafazolli and goalkeeper Lewis Ward have also agreed fresh terms, providing stability at the back. Young defender Billy Kirkman has committed to another year at the County Ground, while midfielder Clarke has signed until 2027, reflecting the club’s desire to build around a core of reliable professionals.
Assistant Manager Marcus Bignot departed the club by mutual agreement earlier this month, prompting the search for a new addition to Holloway’s backroom staff. The club thanked Bignot for his contribution and wished him well for the future.
Swindon have been active in the early transfer window discussions, with reports suggesting a focus on defensive reinforcements after conceding 59 goals last season. The club is understood to be targeting experienced players capable of adding leadership and organisation to the backline.
Pre-season preparations are already underway, with a friendly against local rivals Forest Green Rovers confirmed as part of the summer schedule. The club will look to use these fixtures to integrate any new signings and assess the squad ahead of the 2026/27 League Two opener.
Chairman Andrew Black has indicated that the club will operate with a competitive but sustainable budget for the coming season. There is cautious optimism around the County Ground that with the right additions and continued development of the existing squad, Swindon can mount a more consistent promotion challenge next term.
Supporters have expressed mixed feelings about the ninth-place finish. While many appreciated the late surge in form and the emergence of younger players, there is a clear demand for greater consistency and ambition moving forward. The retained list provides a solid foundation, but fans will be eager to see quality additions in the coming weeks.
Holloway, who has steadily rebuilt the side since his appointment, is expected to prioritise strengthening the defensive unit while maintaining the attacking threat that saw the team score 70 goals last season. Key performers such as Tom Nichols and recent arrivals like Junior Hoilett are likely to play important roles again if they remain at the club.
As the transfer window heats up, all eyes will be on the County Ground to see how Swindon shape their squad for what promises to be another competitive League Two season. The club remains determined to climb the table and return to League One at the earliest opportunity.
Further updates on incoming transfers, pre-season friendlies and season ticket information are expected in the coming days.
The County Ground
Opened 1892
Capacity 15,728
History (from Wikipedia)
The War Department took over the ground in 1940, where for a while POWs were housed in huts placed on the pitch. For this the club received compensation of £4,570 in 1945.[2]
The addition of floodlights in 1951 at a cost of £350, gave Swindon the honour of being the first League club to do so. These were first tried out v Bristol City on 2 April 1951 beating Arsenal by six months. These original set of lights were supplemented by lights on both side stand roofs, which were sufficient for the County Ground to stage its first floodlit league match on 29 February 1956 v Millwall. (7 days after Fratton Park became the 1st ground to stage a floodlit league fixture). The present pylons date from 1960.[2] In 1963, the Italian architect Pier Luigi Nervi, who had been responsible for stadia in Florence and Rome, was commissioned to design a replacement for the North stand. However, his futuristic design was never realised due to the high construction cost and the club's on-field relegation.[3]
Additions included the building of the "new" all-seater Arkell's (or North) stand in 1971 (behind the original) and following the Hillsborough disaster; the County Ground was converted to an all-seater stadium beginning with the addition of extra seating in front of the North Stand and the building of a sponsored stand (originally the Intel Stand, then the Nationwide Stand, now the Don Rogers Stand) in the early 90s. The Nationwide Stand replaced the Shrivenham Road enclosure, a two-tiered terrace. In its last years, due to safety concerns, the upper tier was used by TV cameras and for crowd monitoring only.
A Rolex clock is located at the rear of the Stratton Bank stand, next to the scoreboard. Erected in 1963 following the club's promotion to the Second Division, it is the only Rolex clock to be found at any football stadium in the world.[4]
The ground itself is on land owned by Swindon Borough Council to whom the club pay rent. Swindon have in the past considered a move to a club owned stadium to generate more revenue, but have not had the financial backing to do so. In 2006 a redevelopment campaign for the County Ground began,[5] with the club and TrustSTFC (the supporters' trust) raising a petition to 'Save Our Home' urging the Borough Council to "facilitate the redevelopment of the stadium and do everything they can to keep the club within the Borough"[6] including the proposed upgrading of the adjacent Cricket Club to County standard and Athletic Club to Olympic standard.
Talks with the council resurrected again in 2021 when Clem Morfuni took control of the club and restarted plans to buy the County Ground in a joint venture with the supporters' trust. On 16 March 2022 Swindon Borough Council confirmed it would sell the stadium to the joint venture. Early plans included a £22.5m redevelopment project including a refurbished Stratton Bank, executive boxes in the Don Rogers stand and a new Town End with a conference centre and hotel. Work is expected to be completed by 2027.[8] On 21 March 2022 the council officially approved the sale of the stadium to the joint venture. Finalisation of legal documentation to complete the sale was expected to be completed in May/June 2022.[9] However, completion of the sale took several further months, through to the end of January 2023.[10]
Things to do in Swindon.
The Savoy
