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SWINDON TOWN: Bodin wants to make most of 'fresh start'

6:00am Friday 13th January 2012 in STFC By Gary Rose

BILLY Bodin is determined to fight for his place at Swindon Town with the Wales Under-21 international available for selection again for tomorrow’s trip to Rotherham.

The forward returned to the County Ground last week after his successful loan spell at Town’s League Two rivals Torquay came to an end.

Bodin was cup-tied for both the Robins’ FA Cup win against Wigan and Tuesday night’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy fixture at Barnet, but he has now returned to the first team reckoning ahead of the trip to South Yorkshire.

And Bodin, who feels he has come back to Wiltshire a much more mature player than the one who left, is determined to fight his way back into Town manager Paolo Di Canio’s plans.

The 19-year-old told the Advertiser: “I spoke to the manager recently and he told that we will see how things go and that it is a fresh start, and if I impress then I will be in the team or thereabouts.

“I feel I gained a lot of experience at Torquay, because playing every week helps you get stronger and fitter.

“My main aim now is to fight for my place at Swindon. I just want to be getting games and I want to do that at Swindon.”

Torquay boss Martin Ling will be watching Bodin’s progress closely, with the former Town midfielder desperate to bring the youngster back to Plainmoor.

And Bodin admitted that should things not be working out as planned at Swindon, he would be happy to head back out on loan and get more games under his belt.

“There is no timeframe as such for when a decision will be made on my future, but obviously if I am doing well then it will be quicker,” he added.

“At the moment it is for the next few weeks, we are still in January and if it doesn’t work out then I could probably go somewhere else, but I would prefer to stay at Swindon.

“If I am not playing then I would be okay with going out on loan anywhere just to get some games. I’ve played about 20 so far and I’d like to get to 40, so if it is not with Swindon then I’d look to go on loan elsewhere or back to Torquay.”

Bodin impressed on the either wing while at Torquay and with Swindon’s bid for Luke Rooney having stalled recently, he could prove to be the wide player Di Canio is looking for.

“I have been playing right or left wing at Torquay but as long as I am playing then I don’t really mind where I play,” he added.

“I think I did well when I went to Torquay and I think I can handle this level of football pretty well.

“This season has gone well on a personal level but with Swindon winning and being as high as they are it makes it even better.”

Comments(17)

grove red says...
6:20am Fri 13 Jan 12

give billy ago on saturday i think he will be a better option than di vita on the left and then use di vita as another striker

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louiscassius says...
6:39am Fri 13 Jan 12

grove red wrote:
give billy ago on saturday i think he will be a better option than di vita on the left and then use di vita as another striker
Thats a very good idea!!!

I agree.......

Louis :-)

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Last step says...
7:24am Fri 13 Jan 12

I'd really like to see Billy do well for us. Hope he is at least on the bench tomorrow and gets a run out.

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London Red says...
7:45am Fri 13 Jan 12

As long as this time Billy goes for the left wing spot he should be more likely to get game time than up top
.
Then on occasions when on the bench he could still come on up top if a different style is needed

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Rhs Boydy says...
8:01am Fri 13 Jan 12

I think we're going to need the defensive movement and tracking back De Vita provides tommorrow but i'd definately have Bodin on the bench to use against tired legs.

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jamesaltea says...
8:16am Fri 13 Jan 12

Bring him on for the last 15 and see how he goes, and then build on that.

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Red-in-exile says...
8:17am Fri 13 Jan 12

Looking forward to seeing how Billy has developed after the loan spell. I always think it's a shame how we never seem to hold onto our young players that we've developed - I hope Bodin will be an exception to that and get his run in the first team at last.

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TenerifeRed says...
8:24am Fri 13 Jan 12

Son of an STFC legend and STFC through and through. Everyone would like to see Billy get a good run in the team.

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steve. says...
8:52am Fri 13 Jan 12

TenerifeRed wrote:
Son of an STFC legend and STFC through and through. Everyone would like to see Billy get a good run in the team.
Spot on lads,i think we should give Billy a shout a head of Rooney or anyone else that can be shipped in,it will give encouragement to all our youngsters that they too would have a chance of furthering there career by staying put rather than sitting in the reserves of some big club.

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SAPFanSTFC says...
8:55am Fri 13 Jan 12

louiscassius wrote:
grove red wrote: give billy ago on saturday i think he will be a better option than di vita on the left and then use di vita as another striker
Thats a very good idea!!! I agree....... Louis :-)
3rd that..he does seem to be one who could grow with us as we rise through the leagues!
:-)
--
..but not sure we'll be rising through any leagues on Saturday - bad feeling about this one like Torquay.

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mrclick says...
11:00am Fri 13 Jan 12

can't see Paolo swapping De Vita for Bodin, different class imo, send him back to Torquay give him first team experience have another look at the end of the season. Bodin needs to play to prove himself and I don't think currently he gets into our 1st team.
Hope he does well there and comes back for us next year

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capott says...
11:30am Fri 13 Jan 12

mrclick, have you seen Billy play since he went to Torquay? If you haven't, how can you say that DeVita is a different class? Don't get me wrong, I think DeVita is good but to say that he is better than someone that we haven't seen recently is somewhat daft!

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billbst says...
11:47am Fri 13 Jan 12

At this stage of the season Billy must be a better bet than Rooney to contribute to a promotion push. Not on sentiment but on performance. Rooney might have good potential but that can wait until the summer. I doubt he will get a lot of game time in between.

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Bassett Hound says...
1:20pm Fri 13 Jan 12

Good luck Billy

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Jimmyeb says...
1:26pm Fri 13 Jan 12

I believe Billy did well for us at the start of the season and was unfortunate to be loaned out. From what I've heard and seen, he would be a good player for us on the left wing. I like De Vita to and Paolo could alternate the two depending on who we are playing. I say put him on the bench and bring him on with half hour to go and let him show us the magic :)

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Psychedelic Syd says...
5:43pm Fri 13 Jan 12

Start him every game. The next Ryan Giggs I seem to remember him being described as by the Welsh under 21's manager.

Billy the Kid out left and Connell and Benson in the middle and Ritchie out right would be such a strong line up.

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mancrobin says...
11:22pm Fri 13 Jan 12

I'd like to see Billy given a decent spell in the team wide on the left and also Miles Story as the second striker.

For all Paulo's great achievements, its time to see Skippy's labours recognised in the Town's future. They're still young but class players.

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