Michael Flynn said that he plans to give a host of players the chance to impress as Swindon Town take on Reading in the EFL Trophy this Tuesday.

Town have a packed schedule during October, having to play seven matches during the month, with a squad that has been dealing with injuries and illness in recent weeks.

Flynn made ten changes for Swindon’s EFL Trophy opener against Arsenal Under-21s in August, with only Brooklyn Genesini starting against Wrexham and against Arsenal Under-21s and Benn Ward and Liam Kinsella also featuring across both fixtures.

Flynn revealed that he was set to heavily rotate his squad for the clash with local rivals Reading at the Select Car Leasing Stadium and provide opportunities for those who have seen less of the field this season.

He said: “I will be making changes [for the game against Reading]. 100 per cent. The league is the important bit for us.

“Obviously I respect the competition and you have to play a certain amount [of first-team players] so we will have to look.

“We will have a look at how we are doing on Monday, and we will make a decision on who plays.

“There will be some academy boys who will be given opportunities, and some fringe players will be given opportunities.”

The Swindon squad has been stretched this season, as injuries to Tom Clayton, Reece Devine, Benn Ward, and Jake Cain have all put pressure on a squad of 21 senior players. Flynn has fielded a bench of just six players for each of the last three fixtures.

Town have been struggling with illness in recent weeks, with George McEachran and Jake Young both being impacted in the last two weeks, and those difficulties continued against Bradford City on Saturday.

He said: “Rush [Rusdian Hepburn-Murphy] was ill all last night and Miles [Obodo] nearly had his debut, as in making his first start.

“He [Rushian] came down this morning and had been sick all night, he managed to eat, and he wanted to play. He got through the 94, 95 minutes or whatever it was.

“Miles was the one [substitution] we thought we would do. Saidou [Khan] had been booked, and he has had a bit of an illness as well.

“It [illness] is hitting everyone at the same time at the minute and it is something that I can’t wait for it to be gone.”