Wilson: 'We are still in the process of talking'
Robins boss Danny Wilson is in a similar position that Tilly's been in in the past, with half his team on loan and having to make decisions who to try and keep his team in the play-off positions!
One, of course, is Shrimpers striker Alex Revell, along with Simon Ferry and Ben Hutchinson, both from Celtic, Alan Sheehan from Leeds and Danny Ward from Bolton.
Wilson explained to BBC Sport: "We are still in the process of talking. But we have just got to get these two games out of the way first. There's still a lot of football between now and the 3 January when quite a few of the loan deals end. I don't want to distract the players by saying now that we're having them or we're not having them. We've just got to make sure we get the best out of them during the next two games. Then we'll say what our plans are."
The view at the time was that Alex was sent packing to save money to pay the wages of a loanee of our own to score goals, something that hasn't been a success with Roy O' Donovan and Jason Ibehre scoring a goal between them, and that a tap-in on the line!
There was a strong belief that the deal was as good as being made permanent when the January transfer window reopened but Wilson is maybe having second thoughts as he, and their fans, get the Alex we did. Plenty of effort but no finish, goals being something the Shrimpers need desperately themselves from other sources to ease the pressure on top scorer Lee Barnard. 
Is Alex in his final days at the County Ground?
In the meantime Revell, after scoring a brace at Brentford to see his new team win 3-2, has found himself on the subs bench after 10 full appearances, as the Wiltshire club have a new hero in five goals in five games Charlie Austin, a signing from Wessex league team Poole Town.
Alex spoke to www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk: "I kind of know what Charlie's going through from when I went to Brighton (from Braintree). It's the best feeling in the world to get taken on as a footballer, especially from non-league because you know how hard it is. He's come in and worked really hard since he's been here to get up to the standard of the pro game."
The former Brighton man went on to talk about Swindon's chances in League One, and if he does get sent back to Roots Hall it might come as a bit off a shock, as he's not talking like a man who expects to wear the Blue of Southend again!
Alex concluded: "As long as we can stay around where we are, if not higher, then it is a massive boost and we can push on again after Christmas. There are some big teams up there fighting for the top six, and we've got to be among that. With the way we've been playing and the squad that we've got, we are well capable of that."