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THEY DIDN'T MAKE IT - AT SWINDON

A multitude of players have signed for Swindon Town but have not progressed to the first team.

This database - which was developed by fellow historian ALAN HARDING will hopefully list some 2,000 names of all those who have played at reserve team level for the club or as trialists for the first team. Thanks to MIKE SKINNER for providing many previously missing first names.

Do you have any additional info on a player listed here or any on a player not yet listed here?

If so, please e-mail me: paul@swindonfc1879.com.

FIND PLAYER BY SURNAME: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | V | W | Y | Z

FIND PLAYER BY YEARS:
Pre-WW1 | 1919-1939 | 1940s | 1950s | 1960-1965 | 1965-1970 | 1970-1975 | 1975-1980 | 1980-1985 | 1985-1990 | 1990-1995 | 1995-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 | 2010-2015 | 2015-Date

ABBEY Ben (Benjamin) Charles S F 
Born : Westminster, London 13 May 1977  
PLAYING CAREER
Osterley - Maidenhead United - Crawley Town (Oct 1997) - Brentford (trial ) -
Oxford United (Sep 1999) - Aldershot Town (loan Aug 2000) - Southend United (Oct 2000) -
SWINDON TOWN (trial 1 Oct 2001) - Stevenage Borough (Nov 2001) -
Woking (Aug 2002) - Macclesfield Town (Mar 2003) - Ebbsfleet United (Jul 2003) -
St Albans City (Sep 2004) - Hertford Town - Northwood - Farnborough Town - Hampton & Richmond Borough -
Metropolitan Police - Tooting & Mitcham United (Feb 2007) - Slough Town (cs 2012)

The 5'4" striker made a single reserve appearance against Norwich City on 3 October 2001.


ABBOTT Peter Ashley F 
Born : Rotherham 1 October 1953  
PLAYING CAREER
Manchester United (Oct 1970) - SWINDON TOWN (loan 12 Oct 1973) -
Swansea City (Feb 1974) - Hartford Bicentennials (US) (cs 1976) - Crewe Alexandra (Aug 1976) -
Southend United (Jul 1977)

Peter made just two Combination appearances while at the County Ground, prior to his loan being terminated ten days early.


ABDULAHI Denis M 
Born : Mitrovica, Kosovo 22 May 1980  
PLAYING CAREER
AC Vantaa Akatemia (Fin) (2001) - AC Allianssi (2005) - HJ Helsinki (2007) - Viikingit (May 2009) -
PK Keski-Uusimaa (loan 2009) - Orebro SK (Swe) (Jul 2010) - Vikingur (Lic) (loan Apr 2011) -
Vaasan Palloseura (Fin) (loan Feb 2012) - Viikingit (loan Mar 2013) -
SWINDON TOWN (trial 1 Jul 2013) - Myllykosken Pallo-47 (Fin) (Jan 2014) -
Vaasan Palloseura (Mar 2015) - FC Futura (Aug 2017)

A Finnish under-21 defensive midfielder, Denis played throughout the 0-2 defeat at Banbury but was not retained following a further week on trial at the County Ground.


AHMED Oluwafikayo Oladipupo Tom (Olutomi) M 
Born : Lambeth, London November 1989  
PLAYING CAREER
SWINDON TOWN (scs 14 Oct 2006) - Bedford Town - Barton Rovers -
Langford

Tom was one of three players to start a two-year scholarship on the same day. The other two - Jake Hyde and Mustapha Carayol - both went on to play in the Football League, though neither achieved it at Swindon. Tom was released in December 2006 - just two months in.


ALAWODE-WILLIAMS Jordan Oluwatobi D 
Born : Lambeth, London October 1997  
PLAYING CAREER
Arsenal (sb 2007) - Charlton Athletic (sb 2009) - Southend United (Jul 2015) -
Bristol Rovers (Aug 2017) - Poole Town (loan Jan 2018 & Mar 2018) - SWINDON TOWN (trial 2 Jul 2018) -
Poole Town (Jul 2018) - Salisbury (Feb 2019) - Farnborough (Nov 2019 & Dec 2021)

Jordan appeared for 45 minutes in each of Town's opening two friendlies of the season, at Cirencester and Melksham.


ALGAR Nev (Neville) Charles M 
Born : Kings Lynn, Norfolk December 1957  
PLAYING CAREER
SWINDON TOWN (sb 12 Dec 1972 app 29 Jul 1974) - Cambridge United -
Kings Lynn - Bromsgrove Rovers (cs 1978) - Redditch United

Within a few weeks of starting his apprenticeship, Nev opened the season in the Combination side. But he would struggle to reach double figures in appearances and after featuring in the opening three Midland Youth League fixtures of 1975/76 his contract was cancelled on 11 October.


ALLEN Keith D FB 
Born : Cheltenham 30 April 1952  
PLAYING CAREER
SWINDON TOWN (app 19 Aug 1967) - Hereford United (trial Sep 1971) -
Worcester City (Oct 1971) - Bromsgrove Rovers (May 1975) - Cheltenham Town -
Gloucester City (Feb 1976) - Clevedon Town (cs 1978)

Keith made his Combination debut at just 15 - in November 1967 - and was a regular in that side until being released in May 1971.


ALLISON Neil James CD 
Born : Kingston-upon-Hull 20 October 1973  
PLAYING CAREER
Hull City (Jul 1992) - SWINDON TOWN (1 Nov 1996) - Sligo Rovers (Dec 1996) -
North Ferriby United (Feb 1997) - Chesterfield (nc Mar 1997) - Guiseley (cs 1997) -
Woodlands Wellington (Sin) - Geylang United (cs 1997) - Gainsborough Trinity (Dec 1998) -
Ossett Town (cs 2005) - North Ferriby United (2006)

After making nearly 130 League appearances for his home town club, Neil came to Swindon on a 'free'. But he swiftly moved on to Ireland having managed just three reserve games.


ALLWRIGHT Charlie (Charles) Russell Spencer WF 
Born : Brentford 11 June 1888 Died : Wallingford, Oxon Apr-Jun 1966, aged 77
PLAYING CAREER
Hanwell Town - Brentford (am Aug 1910) - Uxbridge (Nov 1911) - Old Kingstonians (cs 1912) -
Brentford (pro Aug 1913) - Hendon (Jan 1919) - Bristol City (Jul 1919) -
SWINDON TOWN (20 May 1920) - Chatham Town (Aug 1921) - Dartford -
Hanwell Town (Aug 1922) - Margate (Aug 1924) - Lightalloys Sports (Dec 1929)

Almost 32 when he signed, Charlie found himself fourth choice winger behind the evergreen Bob Jefferson (then 38), Bertie Davies and Tommy Bolland. Charlie made 30 reserve appearances, netting five goals.


AMENKU Elikem M 
Born : Togo 29 July 1994  
PLAYING CAREER
West Bromwich Albion (scs 2010) - Redditch United (cs 2012) - SWINDON TOWN (trial 11 Jul 2014) -
Tamworth (Aug 2014) - Halesowen Town ( Jul 2015) - Hinckley Athletic (Sep 2015) -
Redditch United - Aston Rangers (Oct 2017) - RC Warwick (Nov 2019)

A former England under-16 international - where he played alongside Raheem Sterling - Elikem appeared for 45 minutes in each of the two opening pre-season friendlies, at Yate and Supermarine.


ANDERSON Paul M 
Born : Melton Mowbray, Leics. 23 July 1988  
PLAYING CAREER
Hull City (scs Jul 2004) - Liverpool (Jan 2006) - Swansea City (loan Jul 2007) -
Nottinghan Forest (Jul 2008) - Bristol City (Jul 2012) - Ipswich Town (Jul 2013) -
Bradford City (Aug 2015) - Northampton Town (Aug 2016) - Mansfield Town (Jul 2017) -
Plymouth Argyle (Feb 2019) - SWINDON TOWN (trial 22 Jul 2019)

Paul was given a 75-minute run-out in a home friendly against a Manchester United XI, operating largely down the left flank.


ANDERSON Tom M 
Born : Cyprus 7 January 1999  
PLAYING CAREER
Aston Villa (sb ) - Forest Green Rovers (scs Jul 2015) - Weston-Super-Mare (loan Nov 2016) -
Forest Green Rovers (pro Jul 2017) - Cirencester Town (loan Oct 2017) -
SWINDON TOWN (trial 1 Jul 2019)

Tom was a second-half substitute in Town's opening friendly at Brimscombe.


ANTELL Calum John G 
Born : Abergavenny, Mon. 13 June 1992  
PLAYING CAREER
Swansea City (trial ) - Cardiff City (trial ) - SWINDON TOWN (scs Jul 2008) -
Motherwell (trial May 2010) - Hibernian ( 2 Jun 2010) - East Stirling (loan Jul 2011) -
East Fife (loan Oct 2012) - Queen of the South (Jul 2013) - Brechin City (loan Dec 2013) -
Nairn County (Jul 2014) - Edinburgh City (Jul 2016)

The Welsh keeper spent his entire career in Scotland after being released at the County Ground following the completion of his scholarship in May 2010.


ANTOINE-CURIER Mikael CF 
Born : Orsay, France 5 March 1983  
PLAYING CAREER
Paris St Germain (Fr) - OGC Nizza (Fr) - Preston North End (Nov 2000) - Nottinghan Forest (Jun 2001) -
Brentford (loan Mar 2003) - Burnley (trial Jul 2003) - SWINDON TOWN (trial 28 Jul 2003) -
Oldham Athletic (Aug 2003) - Kidderminster Harriers (Sep 2003) - Rochdale (Sep 2003) -
Sheffield Wednesday (Nov 2003) - Notts County (Feb 2004) - Grimsby Town (Mar 2004) -
Vard Haugesund (Nor) (2004) - FK Haugesund (Nor) (2006) - Hibernian (Aug 2007) -
Dundee (Jan 2008) - Hamilton Academical (Sep 2009) - Ermis Aradippou (Cyp) (Jul 2011) -
Ethnikos Achna (Cyp) (Aug 2011) - Felda United (Mly) (Jan 2012) - Atyrau (Kz) (Feb 2013) -
Hamilton Academical (Aug 2013) - Burton Albion (Feb 2015) - Dunfermline Athletic (Sep 2015) -
RU St Gilloise (Bel) (Jan 2016)

A 6'3" striker, Mikael was introduced as a second half substitute in a pre-season friendly against a young Manchester United XI, but was withdrawn afer just 25 minutes.


ANTONIO Josue CD 
Born : Merton, London 29 March 1996  
PLAYING CAREER
Staines Town - SWINDON TOWN (17 Apr 2014) - Swindon Supermarine (loan 19 Aug 2014) -
Farnborough (loan 23 Dec 2014) - Hayes and Yeading United (Jul 2015) -
Tooting & Mitcham United (Jul 2016) - Carshalton Athletic (Nov 2016) - Whyteleafe (Mar 2017) -
Kingstonian (Mar 2017) - VCD Athletic (Oct 2017) - Merstham (Jan 2018) - Eastbourne United (Feb 2019) -
Banbury United (Mar 2019)

The 2014 winner of the sponsored 'Win a Pro Contract' competition, Josue failed to get an extension to his initial one-year deal.


ANZITÉ TOUADÉRÉ Clovis Franklin M 
Born : Bangui, Central African Republic 2 November 1985  
PLAYING CAREER
Tigres Bangui (CAR) - AC Ajaccio (Fr) (2003) - SWINDON TOWN (31 Aug 2007) -
Weymouth (11 Feb 2008) - Libourne St Seurin (Fr) (Jul 2008) - Martigues (Oct 2009) -
Etoile (Sin) (Mar 2011) - Home United (Jan 2012) - Samutsongkhram (Th) (Jan 2013) -
Trat (Jul 2013) - Ayutthaya (Jan 2014) - Hoang Anh Gia Lai (Vn) (May 2015) -
Long An (Jan 2016)

Signed by prospective new owners BEST Holdings and given a one-year contract, Franklin lasted little more than five months at the County Ground. He travelled to Carlisle with the first team on 4 Dec but was not selected or on the bench, Ben Tozer being given his League debut.


APPLEGATE Walter Hayward FB 
Born : Trowbridge, Wilts. 26 January 1883 Died : Swindon 7 January 1951, aged 67
PLAYING CAREER
Trowbridge Town - SWINDON TOWN (am Dec 1902)

A right-back, Walter played in goal in his second outing for Town - a friendly against Reading. A railway clerk by profession, he played in around thirty reserve games, his last being in November 1903.


ARQUIN Yohan Axel Cyriac F 
Born : Le Havre, France 15 April 1988  
PLAYING CAREER
Nancy (Fr) (2005) - Nantes (2007) - Quimper (2008) - Paris St Germain (Fr) (Jul 2009) -
SWINDON TOWN (trial 12 Jul 2010) - Red Star 93 (Fr) (Nov 2010) -
Hereford United (Jul 2011) - Notts County (Jul 2012) - Ross County (Jan 2014) -
St Mirren (Jan 2015) - 1461 Trabzon (Tur) (Jul 2015) - Syrianska (Swe) (Jul 2016) -
Mansfield Town (Dec 2016) - FC Kaysar (Kaz) (Jan 2018) - Yeovil Town (Aug 2018) -
Heiljiang Lava Spring (Ch) (Jul 2019)

Scored just 17 minutes into his debut at Supermarine but lasted only five minutes two days later at Hereford. Yoann signed for the Bulls a year later, scoring for them in a 3-3 draw at the County Ground. A Martinique international.


ARTER Harry Nicholas M 
Born : Sidcup, Kent 28 December 1989  
PLAYING CAREER
Charlton Athletic (1 Jul 2007) - Staines Town (loan Nov 2008) - Welling United (loan Mar 2009) -
Woking (Jun 2009) - SWINDON TOWN (trial 7 Dec 2009) -
AFC Bournemouth (Jul 2010) - Carlisle United (loan Mar 2011) - Cardiff City (loan Aug 2018) -
Fulham (loan Aug 2019) - Nottinghan Forest (Sep 2020) - Charlton Athletic (loan Aug 2021) -
Notts County (loan Mar 2022)

The Republic of Ireland midfielder spent a week on trial at the County Ground after impressing in Woking's narrow F.A.Cup defeat.


ASHMAN Ernest Sid (Sidney) Montague WF 
Born : Wareham, Dorset 26 May 1919 Died : Swindon 23 June 1992, aged 73
PLAYING CAREER
Swindon Rangers - Swindon Victoria (cs 1934) - SWINDON TOWN (am 22 Aug 1936) -
Swindon Corinthians (cs 1937) - Trowbridge Town (cs 1938) - Oxford City (cs 1939) -
Swindon Victoria

A former Commonweal School winger, Sid grabbed 18 goals in just 22 reserve appearances but missed out on a pro contract. In 1968 he was appointed secretary of the Wiltshire League.


ATIKU Alhaji Ibrahim Mahama M 
Born : Accra, Ghana 20 May 1983  
PLAYING CAREER
Liberty Professionals (Gh) - Manchester United (trial Apr 2000) - Hapoel Petah Tikva (Is) (loan 2001) -
Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan (loan 2001) - Vasteras (Swe) (Jan 2003) - Friska Viljor (cs 2003) -
Assyriska FF (Jan 2005) - IF Sylvia (Apr 2007) - Vasalunds IF (Jan 2009) - Ethnikos Piraeus (Gr) (Jan 2010) -
SWINDON TOWN (21 Jul 2011) - Botkyrka IF (Swe) (29 Aug 2012)

Invited to take part in Town's pre-season trip to Italy by Paolo Di Canio, Ibrahim made sufficient an impression to be given a contract. But it was cancelled after three months, on 28 October. Some ten years earlier, he had been given a trial at Old Trafford together with his fellow countryman Michael Essien.


AYINA John-Christophe Klobavi F 
Born : Rouen, France 9 April 1991  
PLAYING CAREER
EA Guingamp (Fr) (2007) - Paris St Germain (Fr) (Jul 2009) - US Quevilly (Jan 2012) -
Cordoba (Sp) (Jul 2012) - Ecija Balompie (loan Jan 2013) - Racing de Santander (Sp) (1 Sep 2013) -
Getafe CF (Aug 2014) - SWINDON TOWN (trial 20 Jul 2015) -
Rochdale (Nov 2015) - Newport County (Jan 2016) - Virtus Francavilla (Ita) (Jan 2017) -
AS Bisceglie (Jan 2018) - Fidelis Andria (Sep 2018) - US Savoia (Dec 2018) -
ACD Nardò (Aug 2019) - Ellera (Jan 2020) - OFC Pirin Blagoevgrad (Bul) (Jun 2020)

Given just a 30-minute run out in the 4-1 home reverse against West Bromwich Albion, John was one of six trialists hopeful of being offered a deal by Mark Cooper.


AYLIFFE Jimmy (James) William Thomas  
Born : Bethnal Green, London 9 March 1886 Died : Highworth 28 February 1980, aged 93
PLAYING CAREER
Swindon St Johns - Whitehead Torpedo Works - SWINDON TOWN (Jan 1907) -
Hastings & St Leonards United (cs 1908)

Jimmy played in the same schools side as Harold Fleming - at Sanford Street before venturing south to Wyke Regis near Weymouth. He quit playing in 1909 to take up an engineering job for Panhard cars and was later landlord at The Trout PH in Lechlade.