Clarke: Swindon Town deserve to be higher up the pyramid

New signing Ollie Clarke insists Swindon Town “deserves to be higher up the pyramid” as he targets a place in the upper echelons of League Two next season.

The 31-year-old was speaking after joining Mark Kennedy’s side as the club’s first arrival of the summer.

Clarke helped Mansfield achieve promotion to League One as recently as last season, having also reached the third tier with Bristol Rovers earlier in his career.

Asked what he was aiming to achieve at Swindon, he told the club’s official YouTube Channel: “I want to see us challenging at the top end. I want to be in the play-offs, I want to be fighting for the right things.

“Personally, I want to play as many games and get as many goals and assists and put wins on the board for the club. It’s a massive club and it deserves to be higher up the pyramid at the moment.

“As soon as I heard of the interest, I was really looking forward to getting it done and I’m glad it’s finally done.”

First signing of the summer ?

?? Welcome to #STFC, Ollie Clarke!

— Swindon Town Football Club (@Official_STFC) May 31, 2024

Clarke spent for seasons with the Stags before signing for Town for an undisclosed fee. He played more than 150 games for Mansfield in total.

And he is looking to use that knowhow in a bid to help Kennedy’s side in 2024-25.

“Experience is needed in teams to get promoted. You can’t just go out with an inexperienced group and expect to get what you want at the end of the season,” he said.

“Having an older head, someone who has been around it. I just like to raise standards with the way that I play and train and what I do.

“Hopefully I can just help the younger lads here and move us in the right direction.

“You can see the quality in the squad already with the lads that are still here. We will probably need to add a few more experienced heads into that group but I am happy to be here, I was excited to come and be a part of it to be a part of it and I want to help this club progress.”

(Picture: Rob Noyes)