Harry Smith highlighted the importance of having a strong dressing room for Swindon Town to get the most out of a new-look group this season.

After a mass exodus this summer which has seen only six players who made more than 15 appearances last season remain and 11 players arrive, with more said to be on the way, Swindon will be looking at a very different group of players this season.

Mark Kennedy and Jamie Russell have both spoken this summer about recruiting the right people, as well as players, to create a positive dressing room atmosphere.

One of those new signings, Smith, said ahead of the start of the campaign that in his experience having a team that is together is a large part of the battle in being successful.

He said: “[Team spirit] is important, there have been a few new signings and I have been a part of teams before where there has been a big rebuild and I have always said the most important thing is taking care off the pitch.

“If you can get the changing room right, I genuinely think that 50 per cent of the job is done.

“In the teams that I have been a part of which were successful, the changing rooms have been amazing, just amazing and everyone gets on with everyone.

“I think that it is important where we have got a lot of new players here, we had a social last week together and there wasn’t a single person who wasn’t there and that alone shows that everyone is bought into this and we are going to be a team.”

Smith also backed one of his new striker partners Paul Glatzel to continue his strong form from last season and become a key player this campaign.

He said: “Paul is top. You see it in training every day; his finishing is clinical, he drops deep, he can run in behind.

“I think that he is a very good asset for the football club and he is a top forward and will be a big part of the team this season.

“He has done a job in the eight/ten in the last two games and you can see the work ethic he shows, then he was told to come up front [against Wycombe] and he showed it again with his willingness and running in behind.

“He will be massive for us wherever he plays this year.”