SWINDON Town coach Gavin Gunning hopes fans are “respectful” to former head coach Scott Lindsey when he returns to the County Ground for the first time since his January exit to Crawley Town on Monday.

Although the Robins were in the play-off race at the time, Lindsey departed Swindon under increasing pressure around the turn of the year and chose to take the Red Devils’ top job as they looked to stay in the Football League.

Having kept Crawley up already, Lindsey’s pre-match comments about the switch being “the best decision” he has ever made threatened to add spice to a game which has little riding on it.

Speaking before Crawley’s press conference, Gunning asked Swindon fans to not waste energy on the opposition and get behind his men in full force.

He said: “I’m hoping it’s going to be a big crowd which will be positive.

“Scott [Lindsey] coming back, I’m not sure what kind of reaction he’ll get. But he did a decent job here, so I’d hope the fans will be respectful.

“All we want to do is perform really well at a high tempo to make it an enjoyable game and get people off their seats. And win. That’s what football is about – winning games and doing well.”

Gunning admits Swindon Town contract news might have to come from him.

Ben Gladwin, Anthony Grant, and Dion Conroy will also return as familiar faces to many Swindon supporters.

Gunning said the interest in old players may stop at the fans, though, with most of this season’s squad having only played with Gladwin.

He said: “The old guys coming back doesn’t add anything extra for me or for the lads here, I hope.

“[Ben Gladwin] is a great guy, and the other boys I don’t really know, to be honest. I’ve come across [Anthony Grant], but I’ve never come across Dion [Conroy], so that won’t really bother me.

“And most of the lads weren’t here with them, so I doubt it will affect them. With Scott coming back, it puts a different picture on it.”

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Town’s interim boss revealed Charlie Austin and Tom Brewitt are likely to be involved once again, while Joe Tomlinson might make the squad.

Gunning stated that whoever is selected, they will be asked to play at a high intensity.

He said: “Playing at a high intensity is all you can ask for from your team, and hopefully the quality takes over.

“There are some fantastic players here who love to play front-foot football and be dominant. That’s all that I’m hoping for.

“But you’ve got to respect [Crawley]. They’re not a bad side. They’re languishing down the bottom, but Scott has actually got a decent amount of points since he’s gone in there. So they’re a lot better than they were before he went in.”