Ben Middlemas

Ben Middlemas scored on his first start for Swindon Town, against Chesterfield on the final day of the 2025/26 season, as he was earning the trust of manager Ian Holloway.

The move followed a long stay at Sunderland. Middlemas joined the club's academy aged eight and came through the youth ranks, playing for the under-18 and under-21 sides in Premier League 2. He signed his first professional contract in 2023. He never played a senior competitive game for Sunderland, though he was named among the first-team substitutes twice: for an EFL Trophy tie against Manchester United and for an FA Cup match against Shrewsbury Town. He did not come on in either.

Senior football came on loan. In August 2024 he went to National League North side South Shields on a one-month deal, and he left them the following month.

In January 2026 he and Sunderland agreed by mutual consent to end his contract. Swindon then signed him on a two-and-a-half-year deal. The fee was not disclosed. Holloway's side were pushing for a return to League One at the time.

Middlemas is a right-footed central or defensive midfielder who can also play on the wing. That flexibility has helped him settle quickly into the Swindon squad. His career so far has been spent entirely in English football.