Aaron Drinan: Swindon Town go to man for goals
Swindon Town defender Will Wright joked in October after a 2-2 draw at home to Notts County that last season he could not hit a barn door. At that early stage of the season the goals were flying in for the striker nicknamed by us Swindon fans as “Drinaldo.”
After a PCL knee injury curtailed the last three months of the 2024/25 season and there was jeopardy that he could have played his last game for the club. Aaron Drinan was one of a few key Swindon Town players that were out of contract last season. In the summer Aaron Drinan signed a two-year contract to take his contract to the summer of 2027. After the PCL picked up in a 3-3 home draw against Port Vale in mid-February 2025, this season he has been a goal scoring machine.
After Harry Smith season ending ACL injury at home to Barnet on the 19th of August, it was matchday four and Swindon Town attacking options were put up in smoke. Aaron Drinan held his hands up to lead the line and had a wonderful first half of the season. He missed the game away at Newport in the first weekend in October.
Swindon Town won the game 1-0 thanks to a goal from Ollie Palmer. Palmer was brought in before the summer transfer deadline to strengthen the attack after Harry Smith injury. Between the opening game of the season which was a defeat at Walsall 2-1 and the Newport County game. Aaron Drinan had netted eight goals in ten games.
It was a hot streak start to the season for Aaron Drinan, goal to start the season against Cambridge United, the opener in a 2-1 win over Shrewsbury in which he would score in the next six games against Crewe Alesnadra, Barrow, a double against Harrogate Town. Salford City and Bromley. Drinan returned back to injury for the 4-0 defeat away at Accrington Stanley after the October international break. Three days later was the re-arranged home game against Notts County that was supposed to have been played of the weekend off 11th October.
The game finished 2-2, Drinan was the hero for Swindon Town with a late equaliser to salvage a point. A red card for violent conduct in the first round of the FA Cup away at Rotherham was a sour note. The game was heading to extra time; Drinan was sent off for a punch to the chest of Rotherham United Dan Gore. Swindon Town would win the tie in Extra time thanks to goal from Darren Oldaker.
Three days later in the Football league trophy, Swindon Town travelled to MK Dons in the final group game. Drinan was not involved in the first two games as being rested, he made up for his red card three days previously by netting the first hat-trick in the season in 4-0 away win for Swindon Town.
A second hat-trick of the season followed in round two of the FA Cup where Swindon Town was at home to league one side Bolton Wanderers and it was the perfect hat-trick. Joe Snowdon with the other Swindon Town goal to make it 2-0. First of Aaron Drinan goals was the penalty, which was the right foot.
His second was from a header from close range assisted by Billy Bodin. His hat-trick and Swindon Town fourth was the icing on top which was thirty-yard lob with his weaker foot. Swindon Town and Aaron Drinan were imperious form that Saturday afternoon in early December.
He managed to pick up a second red card of the season by picking up two yellow cards in Westcountry derby vs Bristol Rovers. Swindon Town won the game 3-0 with Drinan netting the third but the two yellow cards were soft. One for celebrating in front of the home supporters.
The second for simulation when on replays the Irish striker was fouled. That meant that Drinan would miss the next two games at home to Crawley and away at MK Dons on Boxing Day. Drinan came back and ended the year with a goal in a 2-0 away win at local rivals Cheltenham which start another streaky run for the striker.
Seven goals in the next eight games including the goal against Cheltenham town. Goals against Gillingham on New years day. A goal against Salford City, Brace against Barrow and goals against Harrogate Town and Oldham Athletic. In the middle of the goal scoring run, Swindon Town were kicked out of the EFL Trophy for fielding an ineligible player in Ollie Clarke against Luton Town. Clarke was suspended for eight games for an incident earlier in the season. It was for all games including the EFL Trophy.
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Aaron Drinan was also named on the substitute bench, came on for the last for the second half. But was not named on the team sheet handed into the referee. But was on the team sheet on social media. Swindon Town won the game 2-1 but was kicked out of the tournament. Luton Town was reinstated and won the tournament this on the 12th April beating Stockport County at Wembley.
In February, days after the Oldham Athletic home win, Aaron Drinan had signed a contract extension to the summer of 2028 a reward for his fine form. This was after on deadline day Salford City had two bids for Aaron Drinan rejected. First bid of £250,000 was rejected, second bid of £400,000 was rejected. Salford City did not follow up with a third bid.
You would hope that both the club and player would kick on and take a further step in the race for promotion. But with Swindon Town poor form which has seen them drop out of the top three and find themselves in the League Two play off position. Aaron Drinan form has dipped, since the goal at home to Oldham Athletic and the contract extension, three goals in the next thirteen games.
Swindon Town have changed the style from a footballing side to more of a long ball route one side in the last few months of the season. The team has struggled and massively and the form of key players including Drinan has suffered dearly. A five-game scoreless run was ended in the first weekend of March with a penalty away at Crawley Town which Swindon Town conceded a ninety-eight-minute equaliser from Kellan Gordon. Two games later as Swindon Town were under the cosh away at Gillingham, Drinan scored with the Robins first shot on target, a clinical finish.
On Easter Monday the game drifting away into a 1-1 draw at home to Walsall. Swindon Town January recruitment Fletcher Holman scored an eighty first minute equaliser. In stoppage time, Ollie Palmer played the ball to Aaron Drinan which was blocked by former Swindon Town defender Aden Flint. Fletcher Holman picked up the ball and played in the on-rushing Aaron Drinan to score into an empty net. Cue bedlam at SN1 at the Nigel Eady County Ground, Swindon Town snatched a late winner to propel themselves with an opportunity of automatic promotion.
For only it to slip away five days later in Essex as Colchester United put a sorry looking Swindon Town side to the sword in a 3-0 display which left us Swindon Town fans very disappointed. The optimism of five days previously when out the window. The season is not over but there could be more accolades for the player as Aaron Drinan has been shortlisted for EFL League Two Player of the Year.
He is one of the four players shortlisted along with two players from league leaders Bromley FC in Mitch Pinnock and defender Omar Sowumni and MK Dons attacker Callum Paterson. In the May edition of FourFourTwo, Drinan was in the top 50 EFL players, coming in at 37th position and the best League Two player in the list.
It has been a stellar season for Aaron Drinan, twenty-seven goals in all competitions and top goal scorer in league two with twenty-one. He has been the star player for Swindon Town and with three games remaining of the regular season Swindon fans are hoping the club and Drinan can find the form of earlier in the season to propel the club to promotion to League One.
By: Scot Munroe / @scot_munroe
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Izzy Poles – AMA / Getty Images