MIDFIELDER John Goddard says spending time at non-league level has been nothing but beneficial for his career so far.

Goddard, who made 48 appearances in his first season with Swindon Town, joined the club on a three-year-deal from Woking in the summer of 2016.

After being released by Championship side club Reading, where he was a youth player, the 24-year-old had spells at both Hayes & Yeading United and Woking, making almost 100 outings for the latter in the National League.

While his entry into the professional ranks may have taken longer than he anticipated, he sees his non-league days as a vital for his development, especially as a younger player.

Manager David Flitcroft has a similar attitude to non-league football and has farmed out some of the squad’s younger players to get minutes under their belts.

Tom Smith became the latest player to be sent out on loan after he joined Bath City on a one-month deal this week.

Scott Twine, Tommy Ouldridge, James Brophy, Jake Evans who are all also learning their trade away from the County Ground, while goalkeeper Will Henry has just completed a short spell with Dunstable Town.

“Personally, I think any young player should go and play non-league games, it’s invaluable for them and their development,” said Goddard.

“I think a lot of players who get stuck at professional clubs go a little bit stale, so to go and play 30 or 40 games, however many you need to play in men’s football is massively important.

“I think it has done my game the world of good. Obviously I’ve only played a few games this season so far but I’m sure I’ll adapt well to the league.”

Goddard also believes he has benefitted from a different style of play this season, which has been implemented by Flitcroft and his team.

The former Woking man says he is continuously looking to improve, and feels he is doing just that under Flitcroft’s regime. “There are always parts of my game that I am looking to improve. We played a different style of football last year which I wasn’t particularly used to,” he said.

“Coming from non-league it was very possession based and expansive so that was a real learning curve for me.

“It’s a continual thing for me, to get better, so I’m always looking at what I can get better at.”