PHIL Brown has admitted that several Swindon Town players have failed to fully apply themselves during the club’s play-off push, warning they will not feature in next season’s team should he remain in charge.

Hopes of Town reaching the end-of-season play-offs were dashed on Saturday after Lincoln City grabbed a late winner against Colchester, leaving Phil Brown’s men - who were beaten 1-0 at home by Grimsby - seven points adrift on seventh-placed Coventry City.

And Brown hit out at a number of unnamed individuals for not displaying sufficient levels of application since the former Hull City boss took charge of the club in mid-March.

“One hundred per cent some players haven’t shown the sufficient level of application,” said Brown.

“Names have to be kept in house, but if I’m still here at the end of the season you’ll know the answers.”

Brown also admitted he wouldn’t work with as many as 40 per cent of players currently in Town’s squad.

The 58-year-old, who spoke of his desire to remain at the club following Saturday’s loss, also believes having 10 games to mould his team into playing his style of football hasn't been enough.

He said: “It’s my basics and my way of playing football and the former manager’s way of playing football.

“There’s a massive contrast between the two of us and I don’t think I’ve had enough time to work with these players to turn them around.

“Would I have picked these players? Maybe 60, 70 or 80 per cent I could’ve worked with.

“But the ones I wouldn’t have worked with are the ones that won’t put their heads in or put their bodies on the line and won’t wear the club’s badge with pride.”

While Town fans must settle into the reality that another season in League Two awaits, Brown referred to clubs that have worked their way up the Football League ladder in his post-match comments.

Management, planning, preparation and investment are key if Swindon Town are to attempt to emulate the feats of teams including Bournemouth, Brighton and Southampton, according to Brown.

He said: “I spoke in my programme notes about this club being in the Premier League 25 years ago.

“There are examples that management, planning, preparation and investment work.

“But we have to have a culture at the football club that we all buy into.

“That includes the supporters, the media, the owner, the manager and the players.

“I think this club is a massive club.

“I spoke with John Gorman before the game, the way people talk about the club they have a likeness to it.

“Everybody is envious of us being in the position that we’re in – that sounds the wrong way around when we’re a big club in the second division.

“Until we get players that understand what it takes to play for Swindon Town Football Club then we will still be a second division club next year.”