History tells us that Swindon Town can still accomplish great things this season, even after losing a key man to injury so early on.

Devastating as the injury to Harry Smith in the match with Barnet was, it was not the first time that Swindon had been hit by a season-ending injury to a key member of the team. Looking back at these, some of them give considerable hope both for a complete recovery of the individual player and the success of the side deprived of his services.

Even his greatest fan would probably have to concede that Harold Fleming, an England international who had a better goal-scoring ratio for The Three Lions than Harry Kane, was a player whose individual ability was greater than Smith's. It was during March in a season that Fleming was brutally clogged in a cup semi-final by Barnsley, sustaining injuries which meant he was unable to play in the replay, which Town lost 1-0, having missed a penalty, and was out of action for ten months.

Read more:

OPINION: Salford proved there is one player Town cannot do without
'That's banned' - Holloway outlaws action to promote better football
Mabete 'looked leggy' before Salford but is Holloway's 'puppy'

It meant that although he travelled to Argentina with the Swindon team, he was unable to play. Despite........

© Swindon Advertiser