FORMER Swindon striker Billy Bodin believes he could have made a bigger impression at the County Ground if he had enjoyed a better relationship with manager Paolo Di Canio.

The youngster left Swindon last week to join former loan side Torquay for a fee believed to be close to £70,000, after he rejected a new contract with the club he has been associated with since the age of seven.

As well as his time on loan at Plainmoor, Bodin was loaned out to Crewe during the last campaign in a bid to play regular football, and he believes his long spells away from Swindon meant he and the Italian did not get the chance to get to know each other.

“I don’t think I had a great relationship with him, and the last time we spoke was probably before I left Crewe, so I have not really spoken to him about my contract situation,” Bodin told the Advertiser.

“I don’t think I got to know him, because at the start of the year I only lasted three games before I was told to go out on loan.

“I think me not being around for the whole season was one of the main factors, but that is football.

“Going on loan was a good thing for me because I needed to play games, but if I had stayed I might have had a better chance to get to know him, but we will never know now.

“I have been at Swindon since I was seven, so it is hard to leave, and I never really said I wanted to leave, but the manager has brought in new strikers and I didn’t think I was going to get a good chance to play, so the main reason was at this stage of my career I need games and experience.”

Despite being disappointed to be leaving his boyhood club, Bodin holds no grudges, and is looking forward to seeing what Di Canio’s side can do in League One next season.

“Even when I was on loan I looked out for Swindon’s results as soon as I could, and I kept in touch with a lot of the lads so that won’t change,” he said.

“I have always followed Swindon and they are the team I have supported since I was six or seven years old and even when my dad played.

“I am a Swindon fan and a Swindon lad, and I really hope they do well, and looking at the players the manager has brought in I am sure they will.”

The 20-year-old is also hopeful of some success of his own with his new club.

“When I went down to Torquay to sign they had just finished a new stand, so they want to go places,” he said.

“They have been in the play-offs for the last two years and are a bit gutted not to be going up, but hopefully we can get promoted.

“The manager is one of my dad’s friends and they played together for many years, so hopefully he can help me progress and play as many games as I can.”