Multiple Swindon Town players have been able to play their way into contracts for next season, according to Gavin Gunning.

Only six members of the current Swindon squad have contracts which definitely include next season, meaning that the rest of the squad’s futures with the club remain uncertain beyond the end of next week.

When speaking about contract renewals for the current group, Gunning has consistently said that they were still having to earn their next deal with Swindon or another club given the disappointing nature of the season.

“I think we are getting close with the players” was Gunning’s response when asked in Thursday’s press conference ahead of the Grimsby Town match on the current state of play with regards to the contract negotiations with the players.

The Adver asked Gunning whether any players had managed to change the decision on them with their late-season performances.

He said: “There are a few that have really surprised me in the last four games, bar Sutton because that was obviously not great, that can happen when you have a blip and you stink the house out.

“There have been two or maybe three players [who have changed our minds].”

However, there still looks to be plenty of change coming with the squad this summer as Gunning said that he hoped that Town would target adding plenty of experience once the transfer window opens.

The interim head coach shared his thoughts on what he felt would need to happen over the summer in order to turn Swindon from a team languishing in the lower reaches of the fourth tier into a challenger at the sharp end of the table.

He said: “I don’t want to divulge into the recruitment strategy, but the dynamics usually of getting promoted out of this league is people coming back into it who have been promoted out of it.

“You bring in successful people who have done well because when you have been in a winning culture you know what it takes to get there.

“Also you get power, in midfield, you need one with legs and power, at the back you need a communicator around some good footballers, that will usually do it for you.

“What you have got to do is get experience down the spine and litter it with possibly some outstanding loans and some really good young players.

“I feel like the spine, you do need some experience, definitely.”