“Last two days I’ve told him…”: Club boss fires blunt warning to United starlet as loan spell takes troubling turn

Swindon Town boss Ian Holloway has sent a blunt public warning to Manchester United loanee James Scanlon as his time with the side hits a rough patch. First taste of senior football Scanlon sealed a deadline-day loan switch to Swindon during the January transfer window. The move marked Scanlon’s first loan spell and his first experience of senior club football, despite his regular appearances for Gibraltar. Though only 19, he has amassed 20 caps for his country, scoring two goals in that period. Scanlon got off to a dream start to life at Swindon, scoring a superb goal in his first start. However, things have taken a worrying turn in recent weeks. He has been left out of the club’s last three matchday squads and has only played in one of the last five games. Since joining Swindon, Scanlon has made just four appearances, totalling a meagre 192 minutes of action. His lack of game time is particularly alarming for United, who have grown increasingly concerned by young loanees struggling for minutes, a situation that often hinders their development. Holloway spoke to the media and explained why he has been overlooking Scanlon. Scanlon receives warning The 63-year-old coach said when asked about dropping Scanlon [as quoted by the Daily Mail], “We haven’t won, and we didn’t play well, so he’s come out.” “He has to show me why he’s here, which is the stuff that he’s got in his locker. And is he too young? Who knows? I have no idea.” “But I’m not seeing what I want to see from him in a way that I want to.” Holloway added, “The last two days I’ve told him this and he’s looked a lot better.” “It’s his first-ever sojourn out into the real world of football from the nightmare of a situation where the Under-23s and Under-21s games don’t matter.” Scanlon will miss Swindon’s upcoming games against Tranmere Rovers and Cambridge United while on international duty with Gibraltar. Featured image Ben Roberts photo via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!