Ian Holloway intends to bring a full-strength Swindon Town squad to their dead-rubber clash with Plymouth Argyle in the Jersey Mike’s Trophy.
Swindon will have their final opportunity to win a cup match this season on Tuesday night, having lost their previous four games across the Carabao Cup, FA Cup, and Jersey Mike’s Trophy, as they head to Home Park.
Having already lost to Crystal Palace under-21s and Newport County, Swindon cannot progress into the knock-out rounds, and Plymouth’s spot is already secured after results elsewhere; however, they will claim top spot with anything other than a defeat.
Despite there being nothing on the game, Holloway has decided to bring as much of the squad that went to Milton Keynes Dons at the weekend, with the exception of Stephan Negru, who has headed to Moldova for international duty.
Having lost so many players to injury this season, Swindon have lost a lot of time for players to create connections with each other, and understand the system that they are playing in.
So, handed the opportunity for his team to create some of that in a no-pressure environment, Holloway has decided to bring as much of his squad as he can.
Aaron Drinan and Jack Thomson are both going to be handed an evening off, and Dan Butler and James Ball will both be rested, but Holloway wants to give as many of his players the chance to play as he can.
Whilst this competition has often been used to give academy players a chance in the first team, as has been seen by Freddie Hoare and Briel Da Costa making their senior debuts this season, Town will be bringing a full group of first-team players, with only one or two youngsters stepping in to fill out the squad.
There are still likely to be changes to the starting line-up, with various players needing to be managed after returning from injury, or in need of more playing time, but it will be a senior group of players.
Holloway said that Town will likely see James Debayo, Mitch Clark, Joel McGregor, Joe Snowdon, Anthony Munda, Antwoine Hackford, and Louis Millard from the start.
Kaelan Majekodunmi is the only recognised centre-back who is fit to play, and so Holloway conceded that he may have to move some players around to make up for that hole, but he intends to stick with the same back three formation.
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