Were Timi Elsnik's absences a definitive blow to Swindon Town missing out on promotion?

Loanee Timi Elsnik has become a bit of a fans' favourite during his loan spell from Championship side Derby County, but did his two spells out injured and Phil Brown's reluctance to play him cost Swindon dearly?

The teenage Slovenian did not arrive in Wiltshire until the summer deadline day, on August 31, and Swindon had started the season brightly, prior to the Derby man joining the club.

An opening day win at Carlisle was followed by a draw at home to Exeter and a win at Morecambe before a home defeat to Crawley, with losses coming against Norwich in the League Cup and West Ham under-23s in the EFL Trophy also coming in the month of August.

Elsnik's debut for Swindon was a baptism of fire, a 4-1 home defeat to Barnet, but things picked up in his next game - a 3-0 win at now-promoted Luton Town.

Swindon then won two of their next three games with Elsnik in the side, before he was ruled out of the Coventry match, which Town lost, due to a groin injury.

The club's form was hit-and-miss during his first absence, as they won three and lost two before his return for an away match at Port Vale, which Swindon won 3-0.

It was FA Cup first-round time next, and Elsnik scored twice in a 5-1 win at National League South outfit Dartford but was replaced after just 38 as his injury problems returned.

This injury, a hamstring problem, kept him out for two months and Swindon won just six from 14 matches in all competitions.

Elsnik made an immediate impact on his return. With Swindon 3-1 down at home to Crewe at half-time, he came on as a sub and scored twice to pull it back to 3-3 prior to Marc Richards' stoppage-time winner for a memorable comeback by the Robins at the County Ground.

Despite the return, Swindon's form continued to be higgeldy piggeldy and won three of their next seven and, on March 1, manager David Flitcroft was announced as the new boss of Mansfield Town.

Player Matt Taylor was named as interim manager and oversaw a 3-0 defeat at Cheltenham, which Elsnik played in and new boss Phil Brown played Elsnik twice - in a 3-1 win at Cambridge and a 3-1 reverse at Exeter.

Elsnik has not played since though, and Swindon have not won since, with four-straight draws following Brown's decision to drop the 19-year-old and then back-to-back defeats, which officially ended Swindon's hopes of making the play-offs. 

Speaking after last weekend's loss at home to Grimsby, Brown accused some of his players of not being fully committed to the cause and, although no names were mentioned, it might go some way to explaining why creative force Elsnik has been an unused sub on many occasions when Town needed a goal to get a point or all three from matches in recent weeks. 

Overall, Swindon's record with Elsnik in all competions reads: Played 20, Won 12, Drawn one, Lost seven while without him Swindon have played 30, won 10, drawn six and lost 14.

Elsnik has scored five goals and assisted two in all competions this season for Swindon. 

Picture via Swindon Town FC