CARETAKER manager Tommy Wright says Swindon Town’s recruitment has not been good enough this season and criticised several players for failing to make the step up after re-signing from last season.

Wright was speaking after Town’s 5-0 defeat to MK Dons last Saturday in which he opted to take League Two title winner, Mathieu Baudry off after 26 minutes due to a poor performance upon his return from a long-term injury.

The caretaker boss accused a handful of other unnamed players of failing to live up to the standards of last season too, stating most had either not played as often as he would have liked or that their desire to compete was not at the required level.

Asked whether the club’s recruitment of new and existing players had been good enough this season, Wright said: “Recruitment is a massive thing for a football club – it’s 99 per cent of getting good players.

“We did that the year before, but this year we’ve not good enough good players. And the players that we kept on have struggled at a higher level.

“That’s been the biggest thing for us, those players have either been injured or they’ve not stood up to the next level. And you can see that’s why we’ve struggled.

“It’s been a surprise that they’ve struggled, not so much struggled, but some of them have hardly played. And when they have played, they’ve been miles off it.

“You’ve got to be honest – recruitment and re-signing players has not been the best.”

Town appear likely to end the season with as the division’s leakiest defence – highlighting a point Wright would later go on to make about not being at the required standard in either box.

The 55-year-old said the club should make the most of their chance to start again in order to ensure another disappointing campaign is not around the corner.

Wright said: “Games like Fleetwood and Lincoln at home, we were in those games. Then we give a bad goal away and we miss chances, so in both boxes we haven’t been good enough.

“The summer is massive for the club. There are a lot of players out of contract, so it’s a chance for them to start again.

“It’s disappointing because, after such a good season last season, it’s come to this.

“This is no way to get relegated. You should go down fighting and competing until the last minute. 5-0 was flattering for us, if we’re being honest.”