PHIL Brown expects there to be plenty of activity in the loan transfer market over the next couple of days on his part amid Swindon Town’s ongoing pursuit of two centre-halves.

Clubs in the Football League have until 5pm on Friday to confirm loan signings and Brown has made no secret of his extensive work to capture at least one defender – an area he admits Town are light in.

The Town boss was attending tonight’s Carabao Cup tie between Bournemouth and Saturday’s League Two opponents Milton Keynes Dons, while continuing talks with Championship clubs regarding possible transfer activity before the Friday deadline.

He told the Swindon Advertiser this afternoon: “We’re very close to securing a couple of centre-halves. I can’t tell you how close and frustrating it is.

“But I think everybody is in the same boat. I think there’s going to be a lot of activity in the next couple of days.

“We’re on the end of a couple of players we’ve been targeting for the last month.

“We are jostling with other teams, though. No disrespect to Swindon, but they (the players) are playing for bigger teams.

“They’re playing for Championship clubs that can boast a bigger squad and strong U23 teams.

“We can hopefully pick up the pieces from the couple of centre-halves that we’ve been chasing.”

A youthful Town side slipped to a 3-1 defeat against Portsmouth in a behind-closed-doors friendly this afternoon.

Suspended players James Dunne and Toumani Diagouraga both featured, with fellow seniors Luke McCormick, Ellis Iandolo, Scott Twine and Jak McCourt - Town’s goalscorer - also in action.

Centre-half Dion Conroy also played, although he limped off the field after 30 minutes of play with a twinge to his knee, an area he also damaged when making his last first-team appearance against Lincoln City.

Brown said: “James Dunne and Toumani Diagouraga could play because it was behind closed doors, so that’s 90 minutes for both of them which will stand them in good stead for when their suspensions end.

“The unfortunate part of the whole day was that Dion Conroy limped out of the game 30 minutes in. He was feeling a twinge in his knee so we took him off and replaced him with a young lad.

“We had a very young and naïve back four, but the lads got a good fitness run out of it. None more so than Jak McCourt.

“He staked his claim towards featuring in the team next week, as did Ellis Iandolo and Scott Twine.

“There were a few decent performances, but because we had the young back four, the score was 3-1.”