SWINDON Town caretaker manager Tommy Wright says each of his players has a duty to give their best even though the club’s fate has been sealed already this season.

Town head into this afternoon’s League One encounter with Ipswich Town knowing they will be playing in the division below next season following relegation being confirmed last weekend.

A 5-0 defeat away at Milton Keynes Dons capped off a miserable season for the club, and Wright has called on his squad to finish the campaign with something of a flourish in Town’s final home game.

The experienced coach said his players owe it to the fans, as well as themselves, to treat the dead rubber as if it is the first game of the new season and run that extra five yards as if their careers depend on it.

Wright said: “It’s for their own personal values, and playing for Swindon, that they have to produce something better than they did last week.

“It’s human nature that you want to do well whether it’s too late or the first game of the season. It’s your duty as a professional really that you try and do your best.

“Everyone has bad games, and some go through parts of their career where they lose confidence, but last week lacked courage. I don’t mean tackling people, I mean running those five extra yards to give someone an option. But what’s gone is gone, and we have to try and gain a bit or pride back.”

Town’s opponents will also be playing for new contracts and the chance to be included in the Tractor Boys’ 2021-22 squad under new manager Paul Cook.

The East-Anglian club has endured an underwhelming season in the third tier and cannot reach the play-offs, meaning they too also have nothing but pride to play for.

Asked what to expect from what could be considered a meaningless game, Wright said: “It’s a very intriguing prospect because you don’t know how we’re going to play, and it’s probably the same for Ipswich.

“Their new manager has gone in and he doesn’t seem to be happy with the players there. A clean slate, he says, and that’s his prerogative to say because he’s in charge, and I do think there needs to be a similar situation here.

“There needs to be a sweeping of everything and a look at how they go forward. If they want my advice, I’ll give my advice, but I haven’t spoken to anyone yet.”