DARREN Ward has suggested that he may well still be a Swindon Town player by the start of the new season, despite interest in him from other clubs around the Football League.

The centre-back, who skippered the Robins in the first half of their 2-0 friendly defeat at Banbury United on Friday night, is understood to have had the offer of a two-year contract at Brentford put in front of him recently and for a while a move to west London appeared imminent.

However, that switch seems to have hit a snag and now the 34-year-old has hinted that he may remain at the County Ground as he enters the final 12 months of an 18-month contract in Wiltshire.

When asked by the Advertiser if he would be playing for Swindon this season, Ward said: “Hopefully, we’re chatting at the minute. I’ve enjoyed my time here, it’s a great club but we’ve got to see how certain things go. Up to a certain point it’s not up to me. I’ve told them what I’d like to do and we’ll see what happens.

“There have been quite a few clubs interested but first and foremost I would like to see what happens at Swindon. I would like to play there, I’ve made that clear. I’m ambitious and I also made that clear last season.

“We’ll see what goes on over the next week and see where we are.

“It’s obviously a different situation and football can change so quickly it’s incredible. You look at last season and the differences and ins and outs were amazing.

“I’m just interested to see what happens here, but we’ve got to wait and see. It would be silly for me to say this or that.”

Ward stressed that the situation was not unsettling for him and that press speculation in his eyes is best left unread.

“It is what it is. People have got to do their jobs and I don’t understand it. It’s not to say I’m totally against the press, I do things in my time and focus on things which are more important – with all due respect,” he said.

“People are entitled to pick up papers and people want to pick up papers to read what people have to say. I’ve no issues with that whatsoever but if we sidetracked our thoughts as players into the wrong areas and thought about what you thought about me, or what rating you gave me, let’s be honest it doesn’t really matter.

“It’s what we do on the pitch because if we do well everyone is excited and it gives everyone more stories and keeps people happy.”