Goalkeeper Joe Fryer has become Swindon's ninth signing of the summer after joining on a contract until January.

The 24-year-old has been without a club since his contract with Middlesbrough expired in the summer.

Fryer joined The Boro at Under-15 level but never made a first-team appearance for Neil Warnock’s side.

After signing his deal with Swindon, he said: "I'm really excited to be here. I've trained here for a couple of days and the club said they want to sign me, so I said let's get something done.

"I spoke to Mildy, the goalie coach before I came here and straight away I liked the guy.

"I've played here before, I know the stature of the club, massive ground which is what drew me in.

"Training with the lads has been great, I've loved it and I've loved getting back into it.

"Hopefully we can have a good season and I'm really looking forward to it."

Fryer came on trial to the County Ground during pre-season and featured in a behind closed doors friendly against Brentford B, impressing manager Richie Wellens.

He will be hoping to be Town's first choice keeper, fighting off competition from loan-signing Matej Kovar who joined from Manchester United earlier in the summer.

The Englishman has spent the last three seasons out on loan to League Two clubs, the most successful came at Stevenage where he made 32 appearances in all competitions, keeping six clean sheets.

His latest loan, at Carlisle last season, was ended after just five games after Fryer suffered a broken leg.

Ahead of the season opener on Saturday against Rochdale, boss Richie Wellens called for some key players to step up.

"I always feel confident going into a game," he said. "I'll pick a team that I think will win the game but we've wanted to win the last two games but there have been certain scenarios that have changed the thinking in terms of picking the team. 

"When it comes to Saturday we'll pick our strongest team.

"We're stepping up a level so they need to. We've got people like Rob Hunt, Baudry, Fryers, Pitman who have played at this level so they know what the level is about."

But Wellens also believes the loss of key attackers in the summer could lead to problems. 

He added: "I just think it's difficult when, again, we've been promoted and it took time for us to really coach the front players on what we want to do, where we want to be and how we want to play, and we've lost the whole attacking unit. 

"It's going to take a little bit of time to make sure we're on the same fluency as we were before. 

"The whole team needs to be in sync. If a full-back has the ball he needs to know where the winger's going, where the striker's going, where the opposite winger's going."