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Danny Wilson has used the loan market very astutely since he joined Swindon Town at the end of December 2008. Inspired by this, and our happy history of having wonderful players on loan, I've put together my 'Dream Loan Signing Eleven' from 1994 onwards (when I started watching).

Hopefully this will spark a bit of a debate and anyone who's watched Town longer than me is likely to have a very different team. The only qualification is that the player has to have joined Swindon Town on loan- could be for one game or 40- doesn't matter. Here goes;

GK, Shay Given, 5 apps, 1995/1996

Very small but very talented, Given has gone on to have a glittering Premier League career with Newcastle and Manchester City as well as representing Ireland in the World Cup. In his five appearances, Swindon kept four clean sheets and remained unbeaten. 'Twas Grand Shay' (in bad irish accent!).

RB, Sean O'Hanlon, 19(+2) apps, 2 goals, 2003/2004

Controversial? Not for me. O'Hanlon was a very good player who went on to make over a hundred appearances for Town, scoring ten goals. Joined initially as a right-back before joining Swindon permenantly and plying his trade mostly through the centre.

LB, Alan Sheehan, 16 apps to date, 2009/2010

Very little competition in the left back berth so our man Sheehan takes the slot. He's been very steady since joining from Leeds and has some quality delivery from that left boot. The decision by Leeds to let him go seems more bizarre by the day!

CB, Marlon Broomes, 12 apps, 1 goal, 1996/1997

Like Given, signed on loan from Blackburn Rovers. Broomes' time at the County Ground was eventful; he scored an absolute belter against Birmingham City, was capped by England U21's against Switzerland at the County Ground (!) and played in a 0-7 defeat at Bolton.

CB, Gordon Greer, 19 apps, 1 goal, 2008/2009

I'd never heard of him when he signed on loan from Doncaster Rovers on the same day as Hal Robson-Kanu. Greer was instrumental, along with Jamie Vincent, in shoring up a wretched defence meaning that Swindon would eventually stay up. Signed permenantly in the summer just gone and has been just as influential in Swindon's rise to the play-off places this season.

RM, James Milner, 6 apps, 2 goals, 2003/2004

Really good player who stood out above the rest of League One. Has gone on to represent England and is a important cog in Martin O'Neil's Villa side. It's a shame we could only have Milner for a month but he signed off in style by scoring in his last two games against Peterborough and Luton Town.

LM, Lee Holmes, 14(+1) apps, 1 goal, 2004/2005

Holmes is a proper winger, attack and dribble and then dribble and attack some more: I really loved him! And he's done really well to pip Hal Robson-Kanu to the left wing spot. Holmes is currently no where to be seen at St. Marys despite his obvious talents. Hope he comes back one day...

CM, Jimmy Davis, 12(+3) apps, 3 goals, 2002/2003

Great little player. Dead or alive, Davis would be in this team, there's no sentiment involved. Would have gone on to have a very good career I'm sure. Rest in Peace Jimmy.

CM, Michael Carrick, 6 apps, 2 goals, 1999/2000

From a Manchester United youngster to a now Manchester United regular, Carrick carried himself very well in a losing Swindon team. He looked classy, netting against Charlton and Walsall, and must be classy being a regular for Alex Ferguson!

FOR, Simon Cox, 19(+2) apps, 9 goals, 2007/2008

No shocks here. Scored in his first game against Brentford in the JPT and in his last against Swansea on New Years Day. We knew he was good but Cox reached new heights when he signed on permenantly a month later. Went on to score 48 goals in 88 appearances which is magnificent.

FOR, Darius Henderson, 6 apps, 5 goals, 2004/2005

Will be mostly remembered for heading two in against Bristol City at Ashton Gate on his debut to win the game 2-1! I still regret the Henderson deal falling through- we might have gone on to make the playoffs that season with his goals, who knows?

Subs bench: Peter Brezovan (FC Brno), Jerel Ifil (Watford), David Thompson (Liverpool), Hal Robson-Kanu (Reading), Simon Ferry (Celtic) and Barry Corr (Sheffield Wednesday).

Over to you..

think you've said it all, no?

Tont Grant was mustard for us, too.

That is a pretty impressive line up.

Of the recent loanees I think I would rather see Danny Ward than Hal Robson-Kanu.

Juddie,

Tony Grant was very good and his chip against Hull City sticks in the mind. Hard to get into the midfield above though!

Wiggy,

How could I forget about Ward! I guess I just see him as part of the furniture now. Probably in above HRK yes.

In fact, we have had a few decent left sided players in on loan in recent years - Hameur Bouazza did ok for us and went on to better things.

Dave Bamber was a loan signing at first... he would be in my team!

No Roy Wegerle?

A few others worth a mention IMO.

Ian Culverhouse (Narwich)
Tim Flowers (Southampton)
Peter Eastoe (Wolves)
Mark Jones (Poxford)
David Kerslake (Spurs)
Nestor Lorenzo (Lazio)
Craig Maskell (Southampton)
David Preece (Luton)
Chris Ramsey (Brighton)
Gary Waddock (QPR)

Culverhouse wasnt ever on loan was he?

Ward is twice the player of HRK.

I think you're correct. Funny because until I looked into it I thought he'd initially joined on loan as well.

I was toying with having Ian Woan on the bench until it turned out that he actually joined on a free! Woan played a big part in helping us stay up. His experience was priceless.

Nicky Coleman (Millwall)
 
Fraser Digby (Man Utd)

Phil King (Torquay)

David Preece (Derby)

Scott Leitch (Hearts)

Michael Reddy was pretty decent while he was here in an otherwise pretty poor team.

Jon Beswetherick

paul thirwell and andrew williams? (from soton)  i remember getting them both in on loan around the same time.

Michael Carrick wasn't a Man utd youngster, we had him on loan from West Ham when he was 17.
For me, he was the best loan signing I've ever seen in a Town shirt, despite his limited appearences

He'd be in my team of players that rhyme with loan.
Along with Charlie Done (can't find any others though :) )

just to pick holes and potentially create one for myself to jump into - i don't ever remember leitch being at town on loan

then your memory is going.

i remember him playing for us, i just thought we bought him outright without any loan stuff

that'll help me sleep later!

According to www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/

9 DEC 1994 IN Norwich City (loan)
30 DEC 1994 IN Norwich City £250,000

There's a few being bandied about on this, who I don't remember coming to us on loan, I suppose they're the ones who we then sign....some like Dave Bamber Diggers etc