BRADLEY Barry believes that he and his Swindon Town team-mates could do a whole lot worse than take inspiration from the example set by captain Nathan Thompson as their League One survival battle rumbles on.

After missing three matches at the turn of the year with a foot injury, Thompson has started Town’s last six games and fellow defender Barry says that he and his younger colleagues are constantly feeding off the impression the 26-year-old creates both on and off the pitch.

Swindon currently find themselves four points from safety ahead of crucial clashes with Coventry City, Gillingham, Chesterfield and Port Vale within the next 16 days and full-back Barry believes that the necessary ‘leaders’ – such as skipper Thompson – are in place at the County Ground to guide Town through a defining period of their season.

“There are definitely leaders in the changing room,” said Barry, 22.

“I’ve learnt from Nathan since day one.

"I've known that he is a dominant player and I’ve learnt a lot from him.

“Not just on the pitch – off it. He is very professional, which helps us youngsters.

“When I first came here and made my debut, I knew I had to look after myself because I’m not in a youth team any more. I think it has benefitted me and a lot of players, like James Brophy – you’ve seen him come out of his shell now.

“Especially Nathan, as the skipper; he is leading us through it, as per usual, shown in his dominant performances, and we can learn from him, like I do every week.”

Town travel to the Ricoh Arena to take on bottom-of-the-table Coventry on Saturday and they are set to do so with Tim Sherwood still in his role as the club’s director of football.

The 48-year-old ex-Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa chief was linked with a return to management at former club Blackburn Rovers – he captained the Lancashire outfit to the Premier League title in the 1994-95 season – after Owen Coyle was relieved of his duties on Tuesday.

Sherwood also worked with Rovers’ recently-appointed director of football operations, Paul Senior, at Spurs but on Wednesday morning, former Coventry and West Bromwich Albion boss Tony Mowbray was appointed head coach at Ewood Park.