Recent transfer talk at the County Ground has centred on potential incomings but in the lead-up to Bank Holiday Monday’s goalless draw with Southend United, it was confirmed that influential midfielder Michael Doughty and full-back Darnell Furlong would be playing for Town for the final time, having been recalled by Queens Park Rangers.

Doughty, 24, and Furlong, 21, had been on season-long loan spells at the County Ground but the pair have headed back to Loftus Road, leaving Swindon chairman Lee Power and director of football Tim Sherwood with two sets of boots to fill between now and January 31.

Town head coach Luke Williams said: “It’s a huge loss.

“I think, you expect, when you have players on loan, there is a chance that this will happen because, of course, their parent club are fighting in the Championship at the wrong end of the table a little bit and have probably seen the qualities and the desire and the effort made by these two lads, and are probably thinking: ‘maybe we can use that ourselves to turn our own fortunes around’.

“We’re grateful to have had them. We thank them for their efforts – they’ve been incredible – and we wish them well in the future.

“You don’t know until the paperwork comes through and the request is made, and then you have to react accordingly.

“I think Michael, in particular, in his second stint at the club, and (with) the amount of goals he’s been involved in and the influence he’s had; it’s going to be very difficult to fill that.

“And, of course, Darnell has just been so efficient. He’s never let us down. He’s always there, he’s always ready, he’s always 100 per cent committed, so again, anyone replacing Darnell has to live up to that standard.”

Doughty and Furlong both played 90 minutes as Swindon earned a point against the play-off chasing Shrimpers in their first outing of the year.

Williams said: “Southend didn’t look like an away team.

“They were, in the 92nd minute, still charging forward and putting so many players into our box, and they left us an opportunity to break on them – it went back and forth and I think, if you’re a neutral, (it was) very exciting.

“Both teams deserved something, for sure.”