After a short spell on loan to Guisborough Town, he followed the Bridlington chairman Ken Richardson to Doncaster Rovers, then in the Third Division, for no fee (once again).

[3] Unfortunately, in his first Premier League game for them at home to Aston Villa on 1 April 1995,[6] he scored an own goal in stoppage time at the end of the match, to confirm a 1–0 defeat.

Ipswich finished in fourth spot and entered the First Division playoffs, but lost on the away goals rule[3] after extra time in the semi-final second leg at home to Sheffield United, Swailes being replaced by Kieron Dyer in the 91st minute.

[8] Although Swailes subsequently found it hard to maintain a run of appearances in the first team under Ternent, his fortunes looked up a little after Neil Warnock took over as manager in 1998, and he missed only three games through suspension during the 1998–99 season.

Swailes was quoted as saying: "[P]robably Stan cracked the whip more than Neil did which in the end may have been the difference of gaining the extra couple of points we needed, but as professionals we must all share the blame".

He was not fit enough to play for the reserves until mid-April, and did not taste first team football again until completing ninety minutes in the home Second Division fixture against Blackpool on 22 April 2000, which they won 3–2.

On 19 June 2001, Swailes signed a contract with newly promoted Rotherham, and looked forward to a new season playing in the Football League First Division.

[20] Arsenal won the penalty competition 9–8, after Swailes had missed his "sudden death" spot-kick, leaving Sylvain Wiltord to claim victory by converting his.

Swailes followed his Rotherham teammates Paul Warne and Rob Scott to Boundary Park in July 2005 on a free transfer, signing a two-year contract for Ronnie Moore.

[25] He struggled on, "taking pills just to get through games",[26] and played in only 15 matches that season,[27] between his debut and 15 April 2006, when he had to be substituted in the 51st minute in a 3–0 loss at home to Barnsley.

[26] Following the sacking of manager Moore and the club's appointment of John Sheridan to replace him, the new man "decided to pay up the remainder of the player's contract",[29] and Swailes was released.

Swailes made his recovery on schedule in February 2007, and then went on trial to Scottish First Division Hamilton Academical, registering in time to come on as a 23rd-minute substitute in their away match at Clyde on 10 March 2007.

"[31] In July 2007, he signed a further one-year deal, as a part-time player, allowing him to travel up for games from his base in the North East of England.

[32] Since then, he has been an integral part of the team, making regular appearances in defence, scoring the second goal in a 2–0 win at Partick Thistle in November 2007,[33] but getting sent off in a Scottish Cup tie away to Brechin in January 2008.

On 22 May 2016, Swailes won the FA Vase for the third time as Morpeth Town beat Hereford FC 4–1, with him also becoming the oldest-ever goalscorer in a Wembley final at the age of 45.