RICHIE Wellens says certain members of his Swindon Town squad will have to train with the club’s youth team in order to maximise efficiency – and hopefully results and performances – within the group.

Wellens oversaw a busy January during his first transfer window as Town manager, bringing in nine new players overall.

That has taken the number of players within Town’s first-team squad to a hefty 33, although four of those – Scott Twine, Sol Pryce, Joe Romanski and Chris Robertson – are currently out on loan.

Wellens says that is simply too many, and recent training sessions have had an over-crowded feel, leading to a detrimental impact on the Town boss’ plans.

Therefore, Wellens’ solution is to usher some of his fringe players out to work with the youth team in order to get the best out of those that remain at the forefront of his selection decisions.

Wellens, whose side have a rare weekend off after Saturday’s scheduled League Two game away at Newport County was postponed due the Exiles’ continued involvement in the FA Cup, said: “I have had a good look at everyone now and we have decided that the training group was too big.

“We have narrowed our training group to 20 outfield players and three goalkeepers. There will be bodies that will be training with the youth team every day.

“It is not ideal and I don’t want to do it, but we have been training with 25 or 26 outfield players and are having to put on certain sessions just to manage the players we have, rather than make the sessions about what we want to do at the weekend or what we want to get out of the week.

“We have trimmed the squad to 20, so it looks like two or three will not be training with the first-team squad.”

Wellens has held talks with those players who do not figure highly in his plans and has attempted to find them loan moves elsewhere.

That would benefit players should they potentially find themselves looking for a new club at the end of the season.

Wellens has therefore been left frustrated that his advice has so far gone unheeded.

“We have got players who are not in my plans and I have spoken to those players,” said Wellens.

“I would like them to further their careers and the only way they are going to further their careers elsewhere is by putting themselves in the shop window between now until the summer and try to get a move in the summer.

“There are two or three that I want here next season, but because of the amount of the bodies we have got in our squad, it’s stifling their development a little bit.

“I want them to go on loan and get better and keep improving, but they have refused to go on loan, so I am disappointed in that.”