HE MAY be the Swindon Wildcats’ eldest campaigner but Neil Liddiard wasted little time in committing to another season with his hometown club.

The 37-year-old D-man started his career at the Link Centre back in 1993 and after returning to the Wildcats last term, where he was named one of the club’s alternate captains, the former Guildford Flames man has put pen to paper on a new one-year contract for the 2016-2017 campaign.

Swindon-born Liddiard has won five English Premier League titles, as well as three play-off and three cup medals, across a career already spanning 23 years – one of his league and play-off wins came with the Swindon Ice Lords in 1997.

With 16 assists to his name, the Cats veteran enjoyed his most productive season in five years last term and says that his Swindon homecoming left him hankering for more of the same.

“I really enjoyed last season. There’s a great bunch of lads at the club and everyone is great there, from the owners right down to the players,” said Liddiard, who rejoined the Wildcats from Guildford and has also had spells with the Billingham Bombers, Basingstoke Bison and Adelaide Avalanche.

“It was nice to have a new challenge last season and without going in to too much detail, it was nice to be appreciated, so it was a really easy decision to say yes to staying for another year.

“I’m the oldest player and it was nice to be one of the captains. I’m not one of the most vocal in the dressing room but I like to think that I lead by example on the ice.

“I like the direction the club is going in and I think that it won’t be long until we’re winning silverware, so I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else.

“I started playing at Swindon and I grew up there, so that’s a big part of it too. My work and family are based in Guildford but it’s not a long commute.”

Wildcats chief Aaron Nell, who handed Liddiard the coach’s player of the year award at the club’s end-of-season presentation evening, said: “I’m delighted that Neil is coming back for the new season.

“He is a coach’s dream and a player that everyone in the roster looks up to.

“On the ice, you know exactly what you’re going to get from Neil and he’s the type of person that I want in Swindon and the type that we can build our team around.”

Liddiard becomes the seventh player to be confirmed for Swindon’s 2016-17 roster, joining netminder Stevie Lyle, utility man Lee Richardson, player-coach Nell, Jan Kostal, Jonas Hoog and Michael Stratford.