Where are Swindon Town’s 2019-20 League Two-winning squad?

Three of that squad were still involved with Swindon at the end of the 2022-23 campaign, with the overwhelming majority moving on over the course of the next year or two.

Adver Sport takes a look at the key members of that title-winning set-up and shares where they are now.

STEVEN BENDA

Benda signed on a season-long loan from Championship side Swansea City in September 2019 but had to wait around a month until his league debut for Town – a 1-1 draw against title rivals, Plymouth Argyle.

Nicknamed ‘the BFG’, Benda played 24 times for Swindon and was a major factor in the club’s promotion.

Before suffering a major knee injury at the start of this year, Benda was a regular for Swansea and is expected to fight for the number one shirt again next season.

ZEKI FRYERS

Wellens managed to convince the former Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur man to sign a two-year deal, although injuries limited Fryers to just 25 appearances in his first year.

A classy operator at left-back, Fryers’ experience helped Swindon maintain their success on their way to finishing first.

After brief stints with Stockport County, Welling United, and Macclesfield in non-league, Fryers signed for Swedish second division outfit, AFC Eskilstuna in February 2023 where the 30-year-old has made four outings.

Swindon Advertiser:

MATHIEU BAUDRY

Baudry joined Town on a one-year deal after he was released by Milton Keynes Dons ahead of the 2019-20 season – another signing to have won promotion twice with two different clubs, Doncaster Rovers and MK Dons.

The Frenchman played 26 times throughout 19-20 as he partnered Fryers in the heart of Town’s championship-winning back line with Dion Conroy out.

Having managed 77 appearances in total in four seasons at the County Ground, Baudry announced his retirement this summer.

ROB HUNT

Almost certainly the most reliable and consistent player of the season, Hunt arrived having already played under Wellens at Oldham Athletic.

Hunt’s versatility all across the defensive line helped him reach 40 appearances in the season and helped Town win key matches against their promotion rivals.

The 27-year-old stuck around for a couple more years before signing for Wellens again at Leyton Orient last summer. His decision – and continued versatility – helped Hunt land another League Two winner’s medal.

ANTHONY GRANT

Signed on loan from Shrewsbury Town, initially, Grant quickly became a firm fans’ favourite for his tough-tackling style of play in centre midfield. His loan became a permanent switch in January 2020, and his consistently-high performances across 30 outings won him the Swindon Advertiser’s Swindon Town Player of the Season as Swindon won League Two.

‘The General’ stayed with the Robins for a couple more season before leaving for Crawley Town via a spell with Scunthorpe United. He is now a free agent again after being released by the Red Devils.

Swindon Advertiser:

JORDAN LYDEN

The Australian was completely out of luck when it came to injuries, but his 24 appearances in the 19-20 campaign snuck him into the starting XI for most outings.

Lyden arrived in Wiltshire after being released by Aston Villa and was an ever-present for the first month of the season. He only scored one Swindon goal, but it was a huge one against Northampton in a 1-0 success at Sixfields.

The 27-year-old recently signed for Leyton Orient and played five times as the O’s were crowned champions. Another to be released at the end of the year.

MICHAEL DOUGHTY

Apparently destined to play for Swindon no matter where else he tried to go, Doughty featured 36 times in 2019-20 in a midfield that oozed class.

His 107th Swindon appearance – a League Cup defeat to Charlton Athletic on the opening day of the subsequent campaign – would be his last, as Doughty announced his retirement with immediate effect.

‘The Wiltshire Pirlo’ is now Swindon Town’s Chief Sustainability Officer.

Swindon Advertiser:

LLOYD ISGROVE

Joining Fryers in signing for Swindon after his release from Barnsley, Isgrove made an electric start to his Town career, notching five assists in his first seven games.

After racking up 32 appearances in total that year, only six of which were the full 90 minutes, Isgrove moved onto Bolton Wanderers after the trophy lift where he had stayed until this summer. The Welshman is now a free agent.

KAIYNE WOOLERY

Behind Hunt, Woolery made the second-most appearances of anyone at Town in the 2019-20 season, although he took the title for most substitute introductions – 15 – half a dozen more than his closest challenger.

After claiming the most assists of anyone in the squad that season too, with seven, Town announced the player they had signed for £350,000 from Wigan Athletic three years earlier had been offered new terms.

Weeks later, Swindon claimed Woolery had not responded while Woolery insisted he had never been made an official offer. A few weeks after the season had finished, the now-28-year-old was somewhat surprisingly announced as a Tranmere Rovers player.

After leaving Merseyside, Woolery joined Scottish Premiership side Motherwell for a year prior to a spell with Sakaryaspor in Turkey. Woolery now plays for Greek club, Ionikos.

Swindon Advertiser:

JERRY YATES

‘The Yorkshire Pele’ scored 13 goals in 35 appearances, mostly from out wide, after agreeing a season-long loan move from Rotherham United.

Although briefly called back to South Yorkshire in January, Yates returned to Wiltshire nine days later and helped push Town over the line.

Despite several bids from the Robins that summer, Yates ended up joining Blackpool and went on to help the Tangerines reach the Championship before their relegation this year.

With a year left on his Blackpool contract and the ability to play in the second tier having been displayed, a bidding war is taking place from the likes of West Bromwich Albion, Bristol City, and Rangers for the 26-year-old’s services.

EOIN DOYLE

When Doyle arrived on loan from Bradford City in September 2019, no one could have predicted what was about to unfold.

25 goals in 29 games – also netting 11 games in a row – helped to break all kinds of club and EFL records while securing him the League Two Player of the Month three times in succession.

Bradford recalled Doyle in early January, but Town regained arguably the best loan signing in the club’s history on deadline day for an undisclosed fee.

The Irishman would not play many more times for Swindon though as Bolton offered him a lucrative three-year deal that Doyle could not turn down in the summer.

In 2022, Doyle signed for League of Ireland side, St Patrick’s Athletic and has gone on to score 18 times with nine assists in 57 appearances.

Swindon Advertiser: