Former Salford City full-back Declan John has made a return to League Two after it was revealed he was trialling with a fellow fourth-tier side.
The 29-year-old was a regular feature for The Ammies last season, making 33 appearances whilst on loan from Bolton Wanderers. Ian Evatt’s side released John alongside Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and ex-Luton Town forward Cameron Jerome this summer.
A member of the team that won promotion from the fourth tier with The Trotters, John made a switch to City after struggling for game time the season prior. He did feature for nearly an hour in a pre-season friendly between the two sides a month before he arrived at Moor Lane on deadline day of last summer.
Swindon Town boss Mark Kennedy confirmed that the defender was on trial in Wiltshire, with the Welsh international having trained at The County Ground for the past month. He is one of two players vying for a move to The Robins, with former Cheltenham Town man James Olayinka also with the squad.
Kennedy said in an interview with the Swindon Advertiser about John: “All of it is true apart from trialist of the week because he has been with us for about a month.
“He is a really good player and I don’t know how he has not got a club, I don’t know the why because I have not gotten into that.
“Dec has been with us for about a month now and has done really well. He is a really good player, we really like him, he lives locally, and we have given him an opportunity for him to train and get fit.
“If something presents itself going forward then he is somebody that we would like to talk to and I know that we are a club that he wants to play for, hence why he has been here for so long.
“He is here on merit, he is here because we like him, he likes coming here, will we get something done? I don’t know.”
Having initially rose through the ranks at both Cardiff City and Swansea City, the full-back has a wealth of EFL experience through loan spells with Chesterfield and Barnsley in League One. Rangers also brought him to Scotland for a season where they finished third in the Premiership.
Writer’s View
Declan John is a player that should be an enticing prospect for any side in need of reinforcements over the season. He is at a good level for League Two and if not for a late spending spree would be a full-time player at Swindon Town this season. Presumably, when the January window opens we will see Kennedy offer him a deal in Wiltshire, giving him greater depth in both full-back positions should they switch to a back four or five.
Salford City opted not to make a permanent move for their loanee this window and secured Luke Garbutt’s place as the first-choice left-back in Karl Robinson’s squad. Youth player Kevin Berkoe has also started to emerge as a prospect over the past few years, enjoying a very fruitful spell whilst at National League Woking. Between them and the strength at centre-back through Oxford United‘s Stephan Negru, The Ammies have a very solid backline.
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