DAVID Flitcroft says any ill-discipline will not be tolerated under his watch at Swindon Town after revealing Lawrence Vigouroux and James Brophy will be excluded from the first-team squad for disobeying club rules over the Christmas period.
The pair were named on the bench for Town’s 1-0 home win over Notts County in League Two on Saturday but were then omitted from the matchday squad that triumphed 2-1 at Barnet on New Year’s Day.
Post-match at the Hive Stadium, Flitcroft revealed Vigouroux and Brophy had been dropped as a punishment for going on a night out in Swindon after the County match – actions the Town boss labelled “appalling” – and will not be involved with the first team “for the foreseeable future”.
The pair were previously fined by the club last March alongside former players Jordan Stewart and Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill after a similar incident ahead of an important home game against Sheffield United.
For Vigouroux, it is the second time he has caught the ire of Flitcroft this season. The goalkeeper received a four-match ban from the FA for comments made to match officials in the wake of the home loss to Coventry City on September 30 and did not return to the starting line-up for another eight games after that.
Despite the transfer window having re-opened this month, Flitcroft says it is much too soon to conclude whether or not the 24-year-old’s permanent future at the club is in jeopardy.
However, the Town boss made it clear he will stamp out further breaches in club rules at all costs.
“It is not something for me to go into after a victory at Barnet. It has given me some thinking time in this window,” said Flitcroft.
“This isn’t just this season, this is previous and previous and previous. The squad don’t deserve it, the supporters don’t deserve it, and I certainly don’t and our chairman doesn’t.
“We will deal with it and we will let you know as that goes on.
“They did a session on Monday morning at 8am before we set off. They will be training Tuesday and probably won’t be with the squad for the foreseeable future until we have ironed it out.
“You have got to stamp it out. I know in the past it has almost been accepted because they are talented people but you can’t have it in any organisation, that lack of discipline and lack of respect.
“Fans have paid a lot of money over Christmas, we have played four games so they have had to spend on four games.
“For them to think that a Swindon player is out and about in town two days before a game is absolutely appalling and I certainly want to do something about it.”
The rest of Town’s squad were expected for be given a day off yesterday before returning to training today.
Swindon are now without a match until they host local rivals Forest Green Rovers in League Two on January 13.
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