THIS week the realisation of the re-building job ahead at Swindon Town this season really hit home, as more players moved onto new pastures.

Out of the 14 players who took to the field at Wembley in May, just three remain at the club after Nathan Byrne (Wolves) and Michael Smith (Barnsley) made their exits on transfer deadline day.

All fans at this level of the game are used to watching their club help and nurture young talent to then watch them help other clubs win promotion or trophies elsewhere. It’s the nature of the beast, but that doesn’t make it any easier to watch.

But with Jordan Stewart the ready-made replacement for Byrne, the club needed to find a new striker to replace Smith, and thankfully they got their man.

In recent years Wes Thomas and Town always seemed to be linked together but it came to nothing, but that changed on Tuesday as the 28-year-old signed for Mark Cooper’s side on loan until January.

Thomas has plenty of valuable experience and will be great competition for Jonathan Obika and Jermaine Hylton for a space up top, when they both return from injury.

Last Saturday Town were forced to learn a lesson in how to win away as Sheffield United left with all the points.

But despite the defeat, there were some positives to come from the game - one being Drissa Traore.

When Traore arrived on trial during the summer I wasn’t expecting a lot from a player who had been released by a relegated club who didn’t play him once in 2015.

But I have to admit I am a late convert after missing his pre-season games, but his performance on Saturday showed why Lee Power snapped up the former Notts County midfielder.

He didn’t stop working, was willing to make a tackle and was able to find a teammate when it mattered with the ball.