Martin aims to impress (From Swindon Advertiser)

SWINDON TOWN: Martin aims to impress

6:00am Friday 16th November 2012 in Sport By Andy Warren

Paolo Di Canio, pictured, has brought Chris Martin to the County Ground

CHRIS Martin believes his loan move to Swindon Town is the perfect chance for him to put himself in the shop window as his contract with Norwich runs down.

The striker’s current deal with his boyhood club expires in the summer, and the 24-year-old has struggled to earn playing time with the Canaries since their promotion to the Premier League at the start of last season.

Martin spent much of 2011/12 on loan at Crystal Palace, and believes a similar stint at Town could be exactly what he needs to earn a deal at a new club, be it with the Robins or elsewhere.

“It has been pretty tough because I have not been involved in many squads, and I have been not travelling away which is not great,” he said.

“It is hard getting your head around the fact you are not playing on a Saturday because that is what every footballer wants to do, and that is why I am here because I am at the stage of my career where I need to play.

“I am in the last six months of my contract now and it is even more important I start playing games, and that is what has driven me to a loan move.

“I need to look at this and thing I only have a contract until the end of the season, and if I am not playing games people are very unlikely to want to take me, but if I am playing and scoring goals the rest takes care of itself.”

While Martin’s first objective is to force his way into the Town side, he is very clear in what he wants to do when he gets there.

“I like to score goals, and I like to get the ball to feet because I am good on the ball,” he said.

“But the main thing you get judged on is your goals, and it doesn’t matter how well you play because you need to be on the end of things scoring goals, although obviously you want to put in the big performances too.

“I want to show enough in training and work hard enough for the manager to pick me in games, and when I have done that I want to score goals, and I want to help maintain what the team have been doing so far.

“I have seen the progress the club has made like their promotion from League Two and how they are coping in League One, and I thought it would be a good chance to come here and maintain that success.

“Looking at the setup here it is great and the lads have made me feel very welcome, and there are some very good players here, and hopefully we can do well.”