Swindon Town boss Ian Holloway has confirmed that George Cox was absent from the squad that travelled to Fleetwood Town due to illness.
The left-back’s non-involvement in Saturday’s 4-0 victory raised eyebrows among supporters, particularly with the Robins already missing a significant number of players through injury and sickness.
Sickness strikes Swindon camp
Speaking ahead of the League Two clash at Highbury Stadium, Holloway revealed that Cox had fallen victim to the same stomach bug that had previously ruled out goalkeeper Connor Ripley during the week.
“He was ill. It was the same illness that Connor Ripley has been dealing with. It is horrible, being violently sick at one end and doing some dodgy things at the other which you shouldn’t be talking about. I am not having anybody with any sort of stomach bug anywhere near us, and that is what I said to Connor. He had it on Wednesday night, but that is irrelevant; Jack [Bycroft] is training well, so I am going to play him.”
The club was already facing a growing absentee list ahead of the trip to the North West. Ollie Clarke, Joel McGregor, Ryan Delaney, Harrison Minturn, Grant Hall, and Aaron Drinan had all missed the previous match against AFC Wimbledon, and further issues arose later in the week.
Danny Butterworth suffered a hamstring strain, and Billy Kirkman was a doubt with a shoulder injury. While Kirkman did feature for 77 minutes, Cox’s late withdrawal due to illness added to the disruption.
Despite the adversity, Swindon produced an emphatic performance against Fleetwood, recording a commanding 4-0 win. The result was one of the brightest moments of a season in which the Robins are not battling for promotion or fearing relegation.
There is cautious optimism that both Cox and Ripley may return in time for the club’s next fixture, a home tie against Bradford City on Saturday lunchtime.
Holloway has stated he won’t take unnecessary risks with his players during the final weeks of the campaign, particularly with pre-season preparations in mind. Drinan has been ruled out for the rest of the season, and while Hall remains a few weeks from fitness, Minturn has resumed light running. The returns of Clarke, McGregor, Delaney and Butterworth remain uncertain.
Writer’s view
George Cox’s illness may have been untimely, but Holloway’s refusal to take chances is sensible management. With the season’s pressure off and the squad depleted, ensuring long-term health outweighs the benefits of short-term risk. Swindon’s convincing win at Fleetwood also gives confidence that the squad’s depth can handle further disruption, at least for now.
