TOWN manager Mark Cooper admitted there has been no progress on potential deals for Jordan Turnbull, Brad Smith and Jack Stephens following Town’s 4-1 friendly victory over and Aston Villa XI this afternoon.

Southampton defender Turnbull was part of the Town side in their final pre-season friendly, but has yet to complete a potential loan move, while there is still work to be done if Town are to capture his Saints teammate Stephens and Liverpool full-back Smith.

Cooper is hopeful of adding to his squad ahead of next Saturday’s League One opener against Scunthorpe, but insisted there has been no movement yet.

“I’ve heard nothing more, that’s how it is,” he said.

“We’re not in serious need because we have some good players but we need some players because you can see the substitutes I’m putting on are 16 or 17.

“There’s nothing wrong with that and we love young players at this football club, we give them every opportunity, but are they ready to play league football week in week out? Probably not.”

However, Cooper is pleased to be able to involve the likes of Will Randall and Lee Marshall in his squad and believes being at the County Ground represents the youngsters’ best chance of playing in the Football League at a young age.

“They have a realistic pathway into the first team and they know that if they are playing well they are going to be involved in my training and involved with the squad.

“It’s the perfect opportunity for young players, being at Swindon Town.”

Another young player involved against Villa was defender Curtis Da Costa, with his only real moment of action coming with a poor tackle on Michael Drennan which Cooper was quick to blast the teenager for.

“It’s a ridiculous tackle and I’ve said to Curtis that if he does that in a league game it’s a red card and we’re down to 10 men,” Cooper said. “He’s not proved anything to me by doing that.

“He’s done it a couple of times now and we won’t tolerate that. I don’t know what it is but it won’t happen again.”