Can Swindon make the playoffs this season?

SWINDON TOWN closed the gap on the League Two playoff positions to just four points with a fantastic 2-1 away victory over Tranmere Rovers at the weekend. But are the Robins now serious contenders for the playoffs? Total Sport Swindon’s Ryan Walker gives his analysis.

A season of inconsistency has led to Swindon Town struggling to find the form associated with promotion candidates. But after Saturdays hard-fought win away at Tranmere pushing Swindon up to 9^thin the League Two table, there is a sense of cautious optimism building within the STFC camp.

Arriving at SN1 with Swindon positioned 17^thin the league standings and faced with the realistic possibility of relegation, Richie Wellens has managed to turn Town’s season around, albeit in an unconventional fashion.

Amassing a total of 23 points since taking over the managerial hot seat in mid-November, Wellens has instilled a high intensity and attractive playing style at the County Ground that has seen an upturn in results. 

However, after a mixed festive period in which Swindon drifted further away from the playoff chasing pack, a busy winter transfer window has seen Wellens bring in fresh faces that are helping Town make up for lost time.

Similar circumstance this time last season saw Swindon positioned 10^thin the league standings having acquired forty-four points before going on to fall seven points short of the playoffs. 

But following a strong start to 2019, can Swindon now go better than last season, or are the club destined to miss the cut once again?

Seventy-five points was the requirement for current league leaders Lincoln City to make the top seven last season, and if we are basing this years promotion battle off of the same statistics then Swindon are going to need to average 1.82 points from their remaining seventeen league fixtures to equal that tally. A difficult task nonetheless. 

Even when you remove the unfavourable statistics, a jam packed League table see’s just six points separate 7^thplaced Forest Green Rovers from 14^thplaced Crewe Alexandra, demonstrating that if Swindon are to earn themselves a trip to Wembley this league campaign, then a strong run of winning results combined with a fair bit of luck will be required. 

Three teams currently separate Swindon from Forest Green who occupies the remaining playoff spot, and with Town still to face four of the current top seven, the squad’s promotion hopes lie entirely in their own hands.

STFC fans are justifiably critical of performances this season after Swindon began the current campaign highlighted as one of the teams favourite for promotion.

But despite underperforming for the majority of the season, fans of the Wiltshire outfit finally have something to cling to and cheer for.

Yes the football has been poor, yes there is a divide between certain sections of supporters, but now their must be a united push behind the team if Swindon are to have any chance of escaping fourth division football this season. 

The stats are against Swindon Town and they are by no means favourites to make the playoffs, but some positive recent results intertwined with strong January signings that boost the team mean that the playoffs is still an achievable aim this season.