On Tuesday night Swindon reached the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Area Final after a 3-1-penalty shootout win over Stevenage, the second time in three seasons Town have reached this stage of the competition.

Ty Belford picked up most of the headlines after a number of good saves in the shootout; the young keeper has made a solid start to life in Wiltshire, and looks to be a good piece of business by the club.

And with rumours of Wes Foderingham’s exit in January, the former Liverpool shot stopper might become an integral part of the club as we push for promotion.

Town’s newest recruit midfielder Ben Gladwin made his debut for the club after joining from Marlow in late November.

Gladwin started his career at Reading before being released in his mid-teens by the Royals, since that setback the midfielder has played at non-league level, most recently at Marlow.

After drawing attention from clubs such as Wycombe and Sheffield Wednesday, Town moved first and signed Ben onto his first professional contract.

He made a good impression on Tuesday night after coming on as a substitute with twenty minutes left in the game.

It will take time for him to get used to the change of ability around him, but all the signs are good that once again Town’s scouting network around the lower leagues have pulled off another good deal.

Town’s history with players making the successful jump up from non-league to the Football League has enjoyed mixed results.

In the past fifteen seasons, Swindon has signed fifteen players from non-league clubs - not including Samsung pro contract winners - with Raphael Rossi Branco and Ben Gladwin joining this season.

Starting with the signing of local prolific goalscorer Charlie Griffin from Chippenham Town for around £10K in January 1999.

He didn’t make a massive impression at Town, but built a successful career for himself, and is now plying his trade at Brackley Town.

Players such as Daren Dykes, Ben Martin, Chris Blackburn and Mark Marshall walked into SN1, but they found themselves being guided towards the exit pretty sharpish.

Town’s success in this market has come in recent years with Charlie Austin, Aden Flint, Alan Connell and Jonathan Smith all playing a part at the club.

With Town not being able to splash the cash on players, talent in the lower leagues is essential, I’m sure Gladwin won’t be the last non-league player to arrive at Town under Lee Power’s stewardship.

On Monday night, Town owner Lee Power addressed the fans in a phone in on local radio and did a great job in explaining his vision of the club, and clearing up any misconceptions people might have about himself.

A few key points stood out, one of which being another ‘big’ Premier League club has contacted him and is interested in sending Town some of their young talent.

Spurs value Alex Pritchard at around £1M, and unsurprisingly there has been lots of interest in the young winger, and with Town not having £1M handy, it looks very likely he will be leaving the club in January.

Peterborough have had interest and bids for Nicky Ajose, and with Posh looking to sell the striker instead of another loan move, he’s another player we will be losing in the January transfer window.

Losing Pritchard and Ajose will be a big blow to the club, but if Mr. Power can do some deals with other clubs and replace these important players with some more exciting young talent, then the damage will be limited.

This Saturday Town face Nigel Clough’s Sheffield United side at Bramall Lane.

Swindon’s record against the Blades in Sheffield isn’t a good one with Town picking up just two wins in their fourteen visits, those triumphs coming in 1908 and 1970.

Our last visit to Bramall Lane ended in a 2-0 defeat, but that scoreline flattered Town as they were battered from the first minute to the last.

It will of course be a tough game, but with the Blades squad a shadow of its former self, and the new manager buzz now fading away, Mark Cooper’s side have every chance of ending Town’s 43-year wait for a win at Bramall Lane.

Follow me on Twitter @danjohnson_stfc.