Ian Holloway can seal Swindon Town promotion to League One on one clear condition | OneFootball

Aaron Drinan is leading the League Two goalscoring charts with eight goals from ten appearances

Swindon Town manager Ian Holloway has the blueprint for promotion from League Two within his grasp, but his ambitions may rest on keeping Aaron Drinan fit and firing throughout the campaign.

With the Irish striker leading the League Two goalscoring charts with eight goals from ten appearances this season, the 27-year-old has emerged as a vital cog for Holloway's promotion push at the County Ground.

The thing is, Holloway has put together a squad that is fluid in attack, and there’s no excessive demand on any single forward. Having the likes of Harry Smith, Paul Glatzel, Daniel Butterworth and Ollie Palmer also available means the burden of goalscoring responsibility is shared.

But Drinan's importance to the Robins' promotion hopes becomes even clearer when taking a look at the former Ipswich Town man's injury-hit 24/25 season.

Ian Holloway full of praise for how Aaron Drinan has recovered at Swindon Town

The Irishman's previous campaign was cruelly cut short in February when he suffered a PCL tear - posterior cruciate ligament - during the 3-3 draw with Port Vale.

That injury, which sidelined him for the remainder of the season, was a downer on what had been a good turnaround by Holloway — the Wiltshire club found themselves in 17th at the time but had just won four of their last six matches.

Regarding Drinan's injury, Holloway told BBC Radio Wiltshire: "It's a shame, as he was playing really well."

Fast-forwarding to now, the manager has been full of praise for how the Cork-born striker has dealt with his recovery and current form. "The lad was exceptional when he got injured last year," he said after Drinan’s goal in the 2-0 win over Bromley.

"He's lived through hell, not knowing whether he was going to get kept on or not. And what he did day in, day out, he worked his socks off, and that's what I love about him," Holloway added.

Drinan signed a new two-year contract in June — and he's seemingly repaid the faith already by scoring more this season (8) than in his previous 51 appearances (7) since moving from Leyton Orient.

Drinan's best ever scoring season was with the O's in 21/22, when he managed 16 in all competitions — one year before they won the fourth-tier title.

The striker's impact extends beyond mere statistics though. His presence in the final third gives Holloway's side a focal point that allows other players like wing-backs Joseph Snowdon and Finley Munroe to flourish in supporting roles.

Snowdon has provided four assists this season from right wing-back, often benefiting from the space created by Drinan, while Munroe has three from playing on the opposite side.

Promotion number four on the cards for Ian Holloway at Swindon Town

Holloway's turnaround at Swindon began when he took over in October last year with the club three points off the relegation places — it was his first managerial job since resigning as Grimsby Town boss at the end of 2020.

The 62-year-old, who has achieved promotion on three occasions as a manager, with QPR, Blackpool and Crystal Palace, boasts an impressive 49% win rate at Swindon after 49 matches.

This percentage was probably boosted by the three-year contract extension he signed in March; players tend to perform with greater confidence when they believe in the long-term project.

In turn, Holloway's commitment to the County Ground sends a clear message about the club's ambitions.

So, even though no other player has scored more than two goals yet, any extended absence for the Irish striker would surely not impact on Swindon's attacking threat given the number of capable forwards at the club.

But, if Drinan can keep up his current form and avoid the injury problems that ended last season early, Swindon definitely possess the quality to secure automatic promotion to League One under Holloway without a lot of worry.