The latest recruit who continues Swindon's trend of signing ex-Portsmouth players

Kieron Freeman’s arrival at the County Ground represented the seventh player with Pompey roots to join the Robins in just two years.

That number could have been eight had Jordy Hiwula opted to leave Fratton Park rather than signing a new deal for the remainder of the season.

It’s likely to be one big coincidence that a significant number of Swindon’s signings have previously plied their trade at the Blues.

And, to their credit, the strategy did help them regain their League One status.

In January 2019, Danny Rose was granted a Pompey departure by mutual consent after struggling for minutes following his recovery from a broken leg.

The popular midfielder completed a switch to the County Ground – where he'd soon be joined by 2017 League Two title-winning team-mate Kyle Bennett.

The winger moved to the Robins on loan from Bristol Rovers, only a year after departing Fratton Park for the Memorial Stadium.

The following summer, Rose would be joined by another former Blues colleague in Wiltshire.

Adam May joined on a season-long loan in a bid for regular minutes, although he returned to the south coast in January having been confined to a bit-part role.

Lloyd Isgrove was very much a peripheral figure during his time at PO4, not making a single appearance on loan from Barnsley in the second half of the 2018-19 season.

However, the winger – along with Rose – would play pivotal parts as Swindon clinched the League Two title. Isgrove was even likened to Matt Ritchie.

They'd also be briefly joined by Dion Donohue, who shared a dressing room with both at Pompey.

After being sacked by Mansfield, he signed a short-term deal at the County Ground but didn’t play after January because of registration problems. The Welshman re-signed at the start of this term before leaving in December for personal reasons.

While Rose and Isgrove both departed after they were promoted to the third tier, joining Grimsby and Bolton respectively, Swindon would recruit their biggest name of them all when it comes to ex-Blues players.

After being released following three years at PO4, Brett Pitman put pen to paper on a two-year deal with the Robins.

The former skipper hasn't quite hit the expectations of the Swindon faithful so far, though, scoring only four times in 16 appearances.

So when Hiwula was linked with John Sheridan’s side in he extended his Pompey stay for the rest of the season, Jordy Hiwula was rumoured to be a target for John Sheridan.

The Robins boss had admitted he coveted a striker in the January transfer window but Hiwula opted to remain on the south coast.

But Freeman, who spent a period on loan in 2015-16 under Paul Cook, has signed for Sheridan's side for the remainder of the campaign.

He'd been a free agent since his release from Sheffield United in the summer - and now becomes the latest player who’s donned the star and crescent to join Swindon.