SWINDON Town fans will be able to make judgement of Phil Brown’s squad for the first time this evening at the Corinium Stadium in a pre-season friendly fixture against Cirencester (7.45pm).

Brown, who is preparing to take charge of his first full season at the County Ground after agreeing to a two-year contract with the club in May, has had his squad in full time training for over a week following a six-week summer break.

But preparations for Town’s first League Two fixture of the season at home to Macclesfield on Saturday, August 4, step up a gear tonight with the first of six scheduled pre-season friendlies.

And Brown has made no secret of his excitement ahead of Town’s first pre-season challenges in the public eye.

“I’m looking forward to Cirencester, I’ve been there already to watch the reserves play and it’s a wonderful set-up there,” said Brown.

“It’s a fantastic club with great facilities and I enjoy the connections that we have with local teams – that includes Melksham, Chippenham and Supermarine.

“We need to keep those connections going.

“Those smaller sides feed us exactly the same way in which we feed them.

“I always look forward to these little pre-season challenges.”

Another local test awaits Brown’s troops following tonight’s fixture as Kieran Baggs’ Melksham Town host Swindon on Saturday, July 7.

A week-long warm-weather training camp in Spain follows the day after Town’s fixture at Melksham before West Brom visit the County Ground on Saturday, July 14.

Mark Collier’s Chippenham Town host Brown’s side the following Tuesday before a home match against Portsmouth and one final away game at Swindon Supermarine rounds off the club’s busy pre-season schedule.

After earning just two wins from his first 10 games in charge at Swindon, it’s of little surprise to many that Brown has parted with 13 players during the off-season.

The former Hull City boss has welcomed back Matt Taylor and Joe Romanski after offering the pair fresh contracts while Jermaine McGlashan and Steven Alzate are Brown’s two additions to date.

Also in tonight’s squad will be Brown’s four trialists, Martin Smith, Lloyd Sam, Maxwell Oldham and Jordan Williams.

The quartet have linked up with Town since day one of pre-season training, but the Swindon boss will judge the Town hopefuls on their performances both tonight and against Melksham on Saturday afternoon.