Swindon Town manager Gavin Gunning has confirmed defender Tom Clayton is likely to miss the remainder of the season after suffering another injury, as confirmed via a report from the Swindon Advertiser.

The defender has been rocked by injuries since an initial thigh issue during a pre-season friendly against Championship side Swansea City and now he’s likely to miss the remainder of the campaign.

Speaking to the Swindon Advertiser, manager Gavin Gunning stated…

 “Tom Clayton has had a setback, so he is going to be out again, which is very negative news.

“[Will he be out for the season?] It looks likely, yes.”

What injury has occurred?

There hasn’t been an official reason behind the injury setback, but the article confirmed a thigh injury in the summer has played a significant role, as well as directly mentioning his injury last season which saw him miss three months of action.

Following Reece Devine’s injury, Clayton has become the latest casualty for Swindon Town, as their defensive problems continue to increase.

Why is this bad for Swindon?

The 23-year-old may have been limited to just four first-team appearances so far this season, but it’s the defensive depth that will take the biggest hit as far as Gavin Gunning’s men are concerned.

Clayton spent the majority of his career with Liverpool and his qualities have certainly been a miss for the League Two side this season, especially given the nature of some of the goals that the club have conceded so far this season.

How could this news impact Clayton’s future?

The Scottish defender is out of contract at the end of the season and news that he isn’t expected to play before the campaign concludes will be a concern for Clayton that’s for sure.

This is because Clayton faces a strong possibility that he could be released from his contract at the end of the season and would be left as a free agent.

However, he managed 34 appearances last season for Swindon Town which proves he is reliable when fit, but deciding whether or not to extend his contract isn’t likely to be a straightforward decision.