Swindon Town manager Phil Brown reveals why he released highly-rated youngster Tom Smith

Swindon Town manager Phil Brown has said he released popular youngster Tom Smith because the young midfielder did not appear to be his type of player following a few scouting missions.

Youth academy graduate Smith was one of five players released by the club in this season's retained list, which did not go down well with many Town fans, as they felt the 20-year-old deserved a proper chance in the first team.

Smith did not play a single league game for Swindon last season, as former manager David Flitcroft loaned the midfielder out to National League South outfit Bath City on no less than three occasions, although Smith did get some senior minutes against Norwich in the League Cup.

He made his Swindon debut in 2015 and scored his first professional goal the following season, in a 3-1 win at Crewe when Town were in League One. 

The season before last, when Swindon were relegated from the third tier, Smith got eight league games under Luke Williams, including a stellar 40-minute shift at left-back in a 1-0 home win at Bradford, but was loaned to Waterford in the second half of the season, helping the Irish club to promotion to the Premier League.

The midfielder, who scored 11 goals for the Romans last campaign, was never available for selection during Brown's opening two months as Swindon boss, but the gaffer did get to see Smith in training on a regular basis, due to Bath not being a professional club.

Speaking to the BBC on Tuesday night, manager Brown revealed why he thought it was time for Smith's Swindon stay to come to and end.

"Whilst Tom was out on loan, I invited him in to train on a regular basis, infact, every day he wasn't training at Bath City, I invited him in, and then I went to see him play in a regional final down in Weston-super-mare.

"Tom knew I was there and I had many conversations with Tom saying [he] looked like a player who needs to get a hold on the game and dictate the pace and dictate the play.

"I went to go and see him in this game and, unfortunately, he did the opposite, he didn't really grab ahold of the game. The opposition were a lot more alike the level I was expecting of a midfield player I've heard a lot about.

"I had him in the office and told him exactly that. I played him in the last reserve game against MK Dons for 45 minutes and watched him again.

"What I saw was a lad who could play, was technical, was getting about, but wasn't really demanding the ball, wasn't really dictating the play and that's what I want from my midfielders.

"I need people to understand you're playing for a big club here, you're playing for Swindon Town Football Club. When you cross that white line, you've got to show everybody that you're the man and if you're not doing that, you're not my type of player."