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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

BELL Phil (Philip) M 
Born : Hexham, Northumb. Jul-Sep 1969  
PLAYING CAREER
Highworth Town (sb ) - SWINDON TOWN (sb 3 Apr 1985 pro 13 Jul 1988) -
Cirencester Town - Fairford Town - Forest Green Rovers - Swindon Supermarine

After moving to Wiltshire as a youngster, Phil spent three years at the County Ground before being awarded a pro contract despite only making only a handful of appearances in the Combination side.


BERRY Tony (Antony) M 
Born : Cirencester, Glos. Apr-Jun 1970  
PLAYING CAREER
West Bromwich Albion (sb ) - SWINDON TOWN (trn 16 Jul 1986)

Tony scored in Town's pre-season friendly at Brimscombe but was released just eight months into his time as a trainee.


BILEY Alan Paul F 
Born : Leighton Buzzard, Beds. 26 February 1957  
PLAYING CAREER
Luton Town (app May 1973) - Cambridge United (Jul 1975) - Derby County (Jan 1980) -
Everton (Jul 1981) - Stoke City (loan Mar 1982) - Portsmouth (Aug 1982) -
Brighton & Hove Albion (Mar 1985) - New York Express (US) ( Jul 1986) -
Cambridge United (nc Nov 1986) - Twente Enschede (Hol) (trial cs 1987) -
Brest (trial cs 1987) - Panionios (Gr) ( Jul 1987) - Waterford United (Jan 1989) -
SWINDON TOWN (trial 31 Jul 1989) - Huddersfield Town (trial cs 1989) -
Welton Rovers (Nov 1989) - Dulwich Hamlet - Whyteleafe - Fisher Athletic (cs 1990)

A striker who had netted over 150 goals in under 400 League games, Alan played in three pre-season friendlies - netting once.


CHURCHWARD Alan John G 
Born : Swindon 10 August 1968  
PLAYING CAREER
SWINDON TOWN (sb 25 Mar 1983 pro 23 Aug 1986) - Cheltenham Town (nc Jan 1987) -
Bath City (Sep 1990) - Gloucester City (cs 1992) - Cheltenham Town -
Trowbridge Town (cs 1993) - Cirencester Town - Clevedon Town - Highworth Town

Alan made his debut for the Combination side at 16 - only three months into his apprenticeship. But during the 'keeper crisis' a year later he was not deemed experienced enough to be given a first team outing by Lou Macari.


FLEMING Curtis Joseph S FB 
Born : Manchester 8 October 1968  
PLAYING CAREER
Belvedere - St Patricks Athletic (cs 1987) - SWINDON TOWN (27 Mar 1989) -
St Patricks Athletic (Jul 1989) - Middlesbrough (Aug 1991) - Birmingham City (loan Nov 2001) -
Crystal Palace (Dec 2001) - Darlington (Jul 2004) - Shelbourne (Jul 2005) -
Billingham Synthonia (cs 2006)

Arriving on a short-term contract, Curtis failed to get an outing with Lou Macari's first team squad. He went on to gain ten Republic of Ireland caps and play nearly 300 games for Middlesbrough.


FLOWER Nick (Nicholas) Stuart G 
Born : Sittingbourne, Kent 22 June 1963  
PLAYING CAREER
Highcliffe FC - SWINDON TOWN (trial 9 Feb 1987) - Bashley (cs 1987) -
Salisbury City (cs 1988) - Havant Town (cs 1990) - TSV Scheer (Ger) -
Bashley (cs 1992) - Havant Town (cs 1993) - Bashley (Feb 1994) -
Wimborne Town - Fareham Town (cs 1998) - Galway United (cs 1999 ) -
Newport IOW (cs 2002)

Nick was playing in Division 10 of the Bournemouth League when Lou Macari received a letter recommending him. And Lou duly gave Nick an outing in a home Combination fixture with Bristol Rovers.


FREEGARD Jon (Jonathan) P F 
Born : Bath 17 March 1961  
PLAYING CAREER
Bath City (cs 1979) - Chippenham Town (cs 1981) - SWINDON TOWN (trial 10 Dec 1985) -
Trowbridge Town (Feb 1986) - Bath City (Feb 1988) - Gloucester City (Jan 1991) -
Trowbridge Town (Oct 1991) - Mangotsfield United (cs 1994) - Yate Town (Oct 1995) -
Corsham Town (cs 2002) - Melksham Town (Oct 2003)

Jon was on trial at the County Ground for over a month, during which he appeared in three Combination games - and scored in all three !


GILLETT Gary M 
Born : Swindon 20 September 1968  
PLAYING CAREER
SWINDON TOWN (sb 28 Feb 1984 pro 24 Sep 1986) - Penhill YC (cs 1988) -
Swindon Athletic (cs 1989) - Swindon Supermarine (cs 1992)

Given a monthly pro contract for the 1986/87 after 14 months as an apprentice, Gary featured in thirty of Town's 38 reserve games. But he was not granted an extension by Lou Macari.


GRIMES Augustine Ashley FB 
Born : Dublin 2 August 1957  
PLAYING CAREER
Stella Maris - Bohemian - Manchester United (Mar 1977) - Coventry City (Aug 1983) -
Luton Town (Aug 1984) - SWINDON TOWN (guest 20 May 1986) -
CA Osasuna (Sp) (Nov 1989) - Stoke City (nc Jan 1992)

Ashley was playing in the top flight but had only made three starts for the Hatters in 1985/86 when Lou Macari borrowed him for the final match on Town's Irish tour, played in Limerick.


HAMMERSLEY Tony (Anthony) James D 
Born : Hyde, Cheshire Apr-Jun 1971  
PLAYING CAREER
SWINDON TOWN (sb 10 Dec 1986 trn 6 Jul 1987) - Fairford Town (cs 1989) -
Chippenham Town ( 1989) - Fairford Town ( ) - Calne Town (Dec 1996) -
Minety

Tony completed his two-year term as a trainee with Town but made just three substitute appearances for the reserve side during that time.


HOWELLS Gareth Jonathan G 
Born : Guildford, Surrey 13 June 1970  
PLAYING CAREER
Tottenham Hotspur (Jul 1988) - Farnborough Town (loan cs 1988) - FF Malmo (Swe) (loan cs 1989) -
SWINDON TOWN (loan 16 Jan 1990) - Leyton Orient (loan Mar 1990) -
Enfield (loan ) - Fulham (trial Jul 1990) - Torquay United (Aug 1990) -
Farnborough Town (cs 1992) - Kettering Town - Hellenic (SA) (1993) -
Dorking (Sep 1993) - St Albans City - Sutton United (cs 1997) - Aldershot Town (May 2001) -
Havant and Waterlooville (Jul 2003) - Eastleigh (plyr-co Oct 2007)

Ossie Ardiles signed the young keeper from his former club as cover for Fraser Digby. After Gareth had returned to White Hart Lane his clubmate Kevin Dearden made the same move.


IMPEY John Edward D 
Born : Exeter 11 August 1954  
PLAYING CAREER
Cardiff City (Aug 1972) - AFC Bournemouth (Jul 1975) - Seattle Sounders (US) (loan 1979) -
Torquay United (Aug 1983) - SWINDON TOWN (trial 27 Aug 1985) -
Exeter City (Aug 1985) - Torquay United (Jul 1986) - Dawlish Town - Weymouth (plyr-asst mgr 1988) -
Tiverton Town (1989)

Given a trial in a Tuesday night reserves fixture against Oxford, John had signed on at St James's Park by the end of the week.


LANGO Pete (Peter) Hugh Alexander D / M 
Born : Swindon 28 October 1968  
PLAYING CAREER
SWINDON TOWN (sb 25 Jan 1984 pro 8 Jan 1987) - Hungerford Town (cs 1991) -
Wollen Sports - Cirencester Town - Swindon Supermarine (cs 1994) - Highworth Town (cs 2001) -
Greyhound

Pete was set to sign a pro contract in November 1986 when he was ruled out for two months with glandular fever. He then left the County Ground in the 1987 close season after suffering a bad ankle injury which prevented him from playing for four years.


LEA Mark Justin FB 
Born : Swindon 21 June 1972  
PLAYING CAREER
SWINDON TOWN (sb 17 Sep 1986 trn 18 Jul 1988)

Mark made 17 appearances for the Combination side but was released on completion of his period as a trainee at the end of 1989/90.


MACARI Mike (Michael) F 
Born : Kilwinning, Ayrshire 4 February 1973  
PLAYING CAREER
Croft YC - SWINDON TOWN (sb 1988 trn 17 Mar 1989) - West Ham United (trn 10 Aug 1989) -
Stoke City (Jul 1991)

The oldest of Lou Macari's three sons, Mike made his debut for Town's reserve side at Tottenham in October 1988, aged 15. But before his career could progress at the County Ground, he followed his father to Upton Park.


MARSHALL Gary Paul M / D 
Born : Stroud, Glos. 9 August 1969  
PLAYING CAREER
Paganhill YC - Coventry City (trn Aug 1986) - SWINDON TOWN (trn 6 Jul 1987 pro 1 Jul 1988) -
Shortwood United - Cambridge United - Boston United (loan ) - Cheltenham Town (Feb 1990) -
Forest Green Rovers (cs 1990) - Shortwood United - Forest Green Rovers -
Evesham United (loan ) - Cinderford Town - Yate Town - Melksham Town -
Uplands United - Cirencester Town - AFC Newport - Cirencester Town - Gloucester City (cs 2000) -
Slimbridge (cs 2003) - Shortwood United (cs 2004)

Gary arrived at the County Ground just two months after gaining an F A Youth Cup winners medal at Highfield Road. But after making around thirty reserve appearances for Town he was released in the summer of 1989 and spent the majority of his career in and around his native Gloucestershire.


MERRIMAN Terry (Terence) R D 
Born : Oxford 10 July 1968  
PLAYING CAREER
Coventry City (7 Jul 1986) - SWINDON TOWN (1 Jul 1987) - Wimbledon (10 Oct 1988) -
Cambridge United (nc Aug 1989) - Windsor and Eton (Nov 1989) - Witney Town (Sep 1992)

After netting in Town's opening pre-season game at Melksham, Terry went on to make 27 Combination appearances.


MUNDEE Denny (Dennis) William John M 
Born : Swindon 10 October 1968  
PLAYING CAREER
Queens Park Rangers (app Apr 1985) - SWINDON TOWN (21 Aug 1986) -
Salisbury City (loan Nov 1986) - AFC Bournemouth (29 Mar 1988) - Weymouth (loan Sep 1988) -
Yeovil Town (loan Nov 1988) - Torquay United (loan Sep 1989) -
Brentford (Aug 1993) - Brighton & Hove Albion (Oct 1995) - Dorchester Town (Dec 1997) -
Salisbury City - Swindon Supermarine - Bath City (Feb 1998) - Clevedon Town (Mar 1998) -
Newport IOW (May 1998)

A former St Josephs and Swindon schoolboy, Denny made 25 reserve appearances in 1986/87. He went on to make over 250 League appearances elsewhere and was second top scorer for the Bees in 1993/94.


O'DRISCOLL Paul Michael D 
Born : Swindon Jan-Mar 1971  
PLAYING CAREER
Southampton (trn Jul 1987) - SWINDON TOWN (trial Apr 1989 pro 27 Jul 1989 to 5 Feb 1990) -
Wycombe Wanderers - Salisbury - Wollen Sports - Forest Green Rovers (cs 1993) -
Swindon Supermarine

A left-sided defender, Paul arrived from the Saints on a three-month trial before signing a monthly contract. This was not renewed on 5 February 1990. His younger brother Mark also signed for Town.


O'TOOLE Christopher Pat (Patrick) M 
Born : Dublin 2 January 1965  
PLAYING CAREER
Shamrock Rovers (cs 1983) - Drogheda United (cs 1985) - SWINDON TOWN (trial 16 May 1986) -
Galway United (cs 1986) - Shelbourne (cs 1988) - Leicester City (Jan 1990) -
Exeter City (loan Dec 1990) - Shrewsbury Town (Mar 1991) - Torquay United (nc Aug 1993) -
Bridgnorth Town (Sep 1993) - Cobh Rangers (Nov 1993) - Shamrock Rovers (Jan 1994) -
Halifax Town (Mar 1994) - Stafford Rangers (Jul 1994) - Welshpool Town (cs 1996) -
Bray Wanderers ( Nov 1997) - Crusaders ( Aug 1998) - Newry Town ( Aug 1999)

The 21 year old Dubliner was invited by Lou Macari to play against Longford in the second game of Town's Irish tour.


PETTERSON Andy (Andrew) Keith G 
Born : Fremantle, Australia 26 September 1969  
PLAYING CAREER
East Fremantle Tricolore (Aus) - Luton Town (Dec 1988) - SWINDON TOWN (loan 30 Dec 1988 & 20 Oct 1989) -
Ipswich Town (loan Mar 1992 & Mar 1993) - Charlton Athletic (Jul 1994) -
Bradford City (loan Dec 1994) - Ipswich Town (loan Sep 1995) -
Plymouth Argyle (loan Jan 1996) - Colchester United (loan Mar 1996) -
Portsmouth (loan Nov 1998 perm Jul 1999) - Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan Feb 2000) -
Torquay United (loan Mar 2001) - West Bromwich Albion (Mar 2002) - Brighton & Hove Albion (Aug 2002) -
AFC Bournemouth (Dec 2002) - Derry City (Apr 2003) - Rushton & Diamonds (nc Sep 2003) -
Southend United (Sep 2003) - Walsall (Jan 2004) - Notts County (Dec 2004) -
Farnborough Town (Mar 2005) - Newcastle United Jets (Aus) (Jul 2005) - ECU Joondalup -
Perth Glory (Aug 2006)

When Nicky Hammond suffered two leg fractures in successive seasons, Aussie keeper Andy came to the County Ground on loan - and twice played against his parent club !


SANDREY Gavin Vivian CD 
Born : Weymouth 6 September 1970  
PLAYING CAREER
Weymouth (sb ) - SWINDON TOWN (trn 24 Nov 1987) - Weymouth (cs 1989) -
Fareham Town (Dec 1994) - Salisbury City (cs 1996)

The tall centre-back returned to his home town club after completing his time as a Town trainee.


SEACOLE Jason Paul F 
Born : Oxford 11 April 1960  
PLAYING CAREER
Oxford United (Apr 1977) - Witney Town (cs 1983) - SWINDON TOWN (trial Aug 1986) -
Wycombe Wanderers (Sep 1986) - Witney Town (Dec 1987)

Played a part in a heavy pre-season schedule prior to the 1986/87 campaign and scored a couple of goals - at Calne and Shortwood. His trial was ended on 22 August. Three weeks later, Town signed his former teammate Mark Jones.


SEALY Tony (Anthony) John F 
Born : Hackney, London 7 May 1959  
PLAYING CAREER
Southampton (May 1977) - Crystal Palace (Mar 1979) - Port Vale (loan Mar 1980) -
Queens Park Rangers (Mar 1981) - Port Vale (loan Feb 1982) - Fulham (loan Dec 1983 perm Aug 1984) -
Leicester City (Sep 1985) - AFC Bournemouth (loan Mar 1987) - Sporting Lisbon (Por) (Jul 1987) -
SC Braga (Dec 1988) - Brentford (nc Mar 1989) - Fulham (trial Jul 1989) -
SWINDON TOWN (1 Sep 1989) - Bristol Rovers (11 Sep 1989) -
Myllykosken Pallo 47 (Fin) (Feb 1991) - Brentford (Oct 1991) - Michelotti (HK) (plyr-co Jul 1992) -
Eastern Athletic (plyr-co Jul 1993) - Hong Kong FC (plyr-mgr 1995)

Tony came to the County Ground on trial during the last week of August, impressing sufficiently enough to be handed a contract. But, after just three Combination appearences and a single goal, the deal was terminated five days later and within another week he had signed for Rovers.


SHAW Gary Robert F 
Born : Castle Bromwich, W Mids. 21 January 1961  
PLAYING CAREER
Coleshill Town - Aston Villa ( Jan 1979) - Blackpool (loan Feb 1988) -
Kidderminster Harriers (loan Mar 1988) - KB København (Den) (loan Jul 1988) -
SK Klagenfurt (Aut) (Jan 1989) - SWINDON TOWN (trial 2 Oct 1989) -
Sheffield Wednesday (trial ) - Walsall (Feb 1990) - Kilmarnock (Aug 1990) -
Shrewsbury Town (Sep 1990) - Ernest Borel FC (HK) (cs 1991)

Gary netted twice on his reserves debut against Millwall and then another two at QPR in a 4-2 win. But despite those four strikes in five appearances, his trial was terminated at the end of November.


THOMPSON Paul Stephen G 
Born : Eastleigh, Hants. 21 June 1972  
PLAYING CAREER
SWINDON TOWN (trn 18 Jul 1988) - Farnborough Town (cs 1990) -
Devizes Town - Chippenham Town - Salisbury

Paul made just a dozen Combination appearances in his two seasons at the County Ground, before being released on 17 July 1990.


TOBIN Steve (Stephen) Antony F 
Born : Swindon 3 October 1964  
PLAYING CAREER
SWINDON TOWN (nc 1 Dec 1986) - Walcot ( ) - Penhill (cs 1987) -
Swindon Supermarine

The 22 year old Swindonian netted nine goals in just 17 Combination appearances but could not persuade Lou Macari to give him a contract.


TOMLINSON Neil Richard M 
Born : Birmingham 14 October 1969  
PLAYING CAREER
Shrewsbury Town (nc Aug 1987) - SWINDON TOWN (1 Jul 1988) -
Worcester City (loan Mar 1990 perm 14 Jan 1991) - Dudley Town (cs 1992) -
Atherstone United (cs 1995)

The winger made around 75 reserve appearances for Town before his contract was cancelled midway through a third year as a professional.


TROLLOPE Paul Jonathan M 
Born : Swindon 3 June 1972  
PLAYING CAREER
SWINDON TOWN (asb 21 Oct 1987 trn 18 Jul 1988, pro 23 Dec 1989) -
Torquay United (26 Mar 1992) - Derby County (Dec 1994) - Grimsby Town (loan Aug 1996) -
Crystal Palace (loan Oct 1996) - Fulham (Nov 1997) - Coventry City (Mar 2002) -
Northampton Town (Jul 2002) - Bristol Rovers (Jun 2004)

The son of former manager John, Paul failed to break into Town's League side but went on to make almost 400 appearances elsewhere - including 24 in the Premiership.