Matured Robin Cuthbert Flies The Nest

Arriving during the Summer rebuilding process overseen by Danny Wilson in 2009, Scott Cuthbert was a virtually uknown yet surprisingly welcome addition to a squad that had so majestically seen off the threat of relegation during the 2008/09 season.

Then manager Wilson exploited the club's useful link with Scottish giants Celtic to bring the versatile defender to the County Ground for a reported £100,000 - a move which, after 2009/10's success, looked to have paid dividends.

Born in Alexandria, Cuthbert came through the youth ranks at Celtic Park and captained both the Glasgow giants and Scotland at under-19 level. During five years at Parkhead, the defender was unable to make a breakthrough into the first team, and spent loan spells at Livingston and SPL rivals St Mirren, where he spent the entire 2008/09 season, playing 29 league matches.

With that taste of regular first team action whetting Cuthbert’s appetite for more and following a Summer of speculation, he opted to leave the SPL and move south of the border to join Swindon in July 2009. There he quickly proved he has the kind of pace, strength and presence required instil fear into opposition forwards, becoming an instant fans favourite, thanks to his rock-steady performances and effectiveness in both penalty boxes.

Cuthbert made his Town debut on the opening day of the 2009/10 season at Gillingham, but was then left out of the side until the Carling Cup game at Wolverhampton Wanderers, making an impressive contribution in a match Swindon narrowly lost, before scoring the opener against Southend United at the end of August.

He went on to become one of the first names on Wilson's team sheet throughout the season, forming an impressive central defensive partnership with former captain Gordon Greer - key during Town's successes that season, which included reaching the League One play-off final.

Despite the season's obvious successes, which inlcuded reaching the play-off final and progressing through to the third round of the FA Cup for the first time in two years, the campaign ended in disappointment for Cuthbert and his teammates, losing the aforementioned League One play-off final 1-0 to Millwall.

If Cuthbert's first season with the Robins was anything to go by, surely his (and indeed the club's) second bite of the League One cherry would be, if anything, more successful than the previous campaign's achievements? How wrong pundits and supporters alike were.

So often lost in the centre of defence without the experienced head of Gordon Greer, the Scottish youngster was handed the club's vice-captaincy in August of 2010 in a bit to settle an experienced back four. The move, however, did little to benefit Swindon's fastly sinking ship. By New Year, they were placed in 18th, just outside the relegation zone, with the third worst defensive record in the league.

A disappointing season for Cuthbert ended with relegation for the club; demotion to the Football League's basement division after a season that promised so much. A series of defensive mistakes, most notably at home to Notts County, in which Town saw a 1-0 lead overturned, only added to the Scottish defender's disgruntlement.

Having already played under three managers during his short stay at Swindon, Paolo Di Canio's arrival brought with it the opportunity to play under one of the most gifted footballers ever to grace the Premier League, providing the club took up the option to extend Cuthbert's expiring contract.

However, keen to assess each member of the squad individually and having analysed recordings of last season's matches, no contract offer ever materialised, and he last week joined League One side Leyton Orient on a free transfer.


Cuthbert in action against Leyton Orient,
who he has ironically joined



Cuthbert does, however, leave with the best wishes of the supporters and club alike. He did not, like so many do in the modern game, pioneer the move in the search of more money. He merely saw out the end of his Town deal, showing maturity beyond his years and, pairing this with the decision of Swindon's board not to take up the option to extend his current contract, and has joined the London side as they aim to improve on last season's seventh place finish.