Swindon Town are about to embark on a mass reshaping of their squad from last season – so, what from the current group can be taken forward?

We return to my role as the theoretical Jamie Russell in Building the Town to examine the current Swindon squad – all 13 of them since the arrival of Ollie Clarke last week.

Before we get into the fun stuff of looking at what Swindon need, we first must see what they have to know what holes must be filled, or in this case, which areas aren’t holes. The first-year pros are yet to be announced as are the potential extensions of Nnamdi Ofoborh and Sean McGurk, so this will just be looking at the current first-team squad.

Goalkeepers:

Jack Bycroft

The obvious option of triggering Bycroft’s extension was taken and Swindon will now look towards next season with the local lad as the number one. I think it would be useful to add in an experienced understudy (I wonder if Lewis Ward fancies another confusing six months), but the 22-year-old is the starter.

Defenders

Udoka Godwin-Malife

Godwin-Malife also had his option picked up having been Swindon’s undisputable best player to have played all of last season. How Mark Kennedy chooses to set up will be interesting for him as he likes his advanced full-backs, but there is no doubt he should be an ever-present once again.

Pharrell Johnson

Johnson had a strange first six months as injuries limited him to one brief cameo. He is somebody with everything you want in a defender, but must be looked at as a backup at most and is potentially a candidate to be loaned out to get regular game time.

Williams Kokolo

Kokolo is likely to fit how Kennedy wants to play, either as a left wing-back or attacking left-back. I still retain doubts over whether he has the capability to regularly deliver as the bad outweighed the good last season, so this is an area I would look to strengthen.

Harrison Minturn

Like Johnson, the end of his season was wiped out by injury, but he did a lot to show that he is capable of playing at League Two level last year. I would favour looking at him as a depth option who can develop with more experienced players arriving to help him do that.

Tariq Uwakwe

Much like Kokolo, he offers an option to Kennedy on the left but didn’t show enough when he was fit to put his towel down on the position for next year. His versatility makes him useful in the squad, but finding someone to properly fill the spot will be important and then you could look to move either Uwakwe or Kokolo on.

Midfielders

Ricky Aguiar

Despite a fabulous loan spell and one or two good performances upon return, we are still yet to see Aguiar make the step up to this level. There is some speculation of interest in him and with a year left on his deal, I would be inclined to let him start fresh and allow Town to find someone more ready for right now.

Jake Cain

Cain has been on the periphery of the team for 18 months now without ever finding the consistency to make a claim for a spot. This feels like a big pre-season for him to either step up or be a candidate to move on. I would be looking for a creative midfielder either way.

Ollie Clarke

The first signing of the summer is the presumed captain for next year as he was with Mansfield Town. He seems like a perfect fit by adding doggedness to a midfield that was more mouse-like last season and the hope will be that he can aid the others show more of what they can do.

Saidou Khan

Every manager that has had Khan has loved him, but none of them can figure out his best role. I would imagine he plays at the base of a midfield trio, with Clarke’s defensive skill giving him the freedom to maraud forward and impact the game with his ball-carrying.

Anton Dworzak

Unless he arrives at Beversbrook in July having made a big leap in the close season, I don’t see him being a part of the first team this year. The opportunity to play in the National League South again would be best for him to develop either in time for a new contract or to earn one elsewhere.

Forwards

Aaron Drinan

Four goals in 17 appearances doesn’t tell the entire story as he proved to be an effective player in all phases down the stretch. He is a very useful option to have, if playoffs is the aim then another reliable strike should be sought out, but his eye for goal and work rate make him a key squad member.

Paul Glatzel

Glatzel will be the player to build around this summer. He seems to fit nicely as an inside forward in Kennedy’s system although for now, he is the only one capable of playing that position. If he can stay fit then he can be a star next season, hopefully with a proper supporting cast.