SWINDON Wildcats have announced the re-signing of veteran defender Neil Liddiard on a one-year deal.

Liddiard, who recently celebrated his 41st birthday, iced in more than 50 games for the Aaron Nell’s side last season and formed a vital part of the D-line that helped bring a first league title to the club in their current guise.

Having started his career in Swindon at the beginning of the 1993-94 season, Liddiard went on to play for a variety of British teams – including Billingham Bombers, Peterborough Pirates and Basingstoke Bison – and represented Great Britain on 25 occasions.

After spending a little over a decade at Guildford Flames, the seasoned campaigner switched back to Swindon in 2015.

Liddiard’s contract extension will see him into a fifth consecutive season at the Link Centre, and Cats player-coach Nell says the club will keep the 41-year-old for as long as he wants to play.

“It’s always a very easy decision with Lids,” said player-coach, Nell.

“As long as he wants to keep on playing, we’re happy to have him.

“He’s in great shape, especially for his age, and he’s a really important part of our team.

“He’s still taking it year by year. We always have a chat about halfway through the season to see where he’s at and then we’ll confirm things at the end of the season.

“It’s a year-by-year basis for Lids and I know that as long as he’s enjoying it still and his body can take it, then he wants to keep on playing.”

Liddiard joins fellow defenders Tyler Plews and Stevie Whitfield in signing new deals to stay at the club for next season, and Nell admits keeping the majority of his title-winning squad together remains extremely important if they are to properly adapt to the new standard of the National League next term.

Nell said: “Neil is a great person and someone that everyone really likes.

“When we’ve won trophies over the last couple of years, it’s nice to win them with people like Lids. We’re very happy that he’s staying for another year.

“And with the new format, it’s been really important for us to try and keep as many of the same players as we can, especially the British players, and we’re working hard to do that.

“All the players have learned a lot over the past couple of years – I know I have as a coach – and that experience is vital for us.

“Hopefully, we can use those lessons next season to bring success.”