SWINDON Town coach Ross Embleton admits those out of contract at the club in the summer are fighting for their futures in the remaining weeks of the season.

Speaking after Tuesday’s development game, Embleton acknowledged that tough decisions must be made in the coming weeks, with 13 players out of contract in June.

Six of those played on Tuesday, although Bradley Barry and Ellis Iandolo have on-year options on their current deals.

With scouts from other clubs visible on the touchlines at the Webbswood Stadium, Embleton knows how important it is for the players to prove their worth.

“It is vital,” he said. “With so many people out of contract every season now, professionals who are not offered a new deal are out of work and have got to drop down a level or two and fight for a new deal.

“It’s important that when you’re in (contract), you’re constantly striving to make sure you extend that yourself or make it very difficult for anybody to not offer you a further contract.

“I don’t know how many people come to watch these games but I am sure there are agents and people from other clubs.

“You can prove your point and if you can show that you have got ability and you stand out and, in the summer, you’re out of contract, then it’s an opportunity for them.

“At the same time, there is nothing to stop them getting offered another contract here at the end of the season when that time comes.”

It has become the business model at Swindon, as at many other League One clubs, in recent seasons to have a high turnover in the summer months and Embleton concedes that hinders continuity.

However, he accepts that decisions need to be made and while development games are important for those on the fringes of those first team to prove themselves, Embleton says that the Town hierarchy are taking into consideration the wider picture of training, lifestyle and their whole period at the club.

“There comes a time when potential has to become a reality and you have to perform,” he added.

“If you’re not, the realism of this industry for everybody is that you don’t get the opportunity to continue. It’s a well-known thing that it is not always a decision for the manager or myself to make.

“Although we will make strong decisions on people’s futures over the coming weeks, it is a collective of what has happened across the season and however long a particular individual has been at the club as to whether or not they do things to the level that is going to benefit Swindon.”