VETERAN D-man Neil Liddiard only has his sights on success next season after extending his stay at the Swindon Wildcats.

Liddiard, who made 53 appearances for Aaron Nell’s troops last season, thinks it is about time the club picked up some silverware and thinks next season could be their year in NIHL South One.

“I’ve said it before I think Swindon are long overdue some silverware and this year I think there is a really good opportunity for that to happen, which I am excited about,” said the 39-year-old.

“You don’t want to go somewhere and settle, you want to be competing every night, everyone wants to win.”

Liddiard also said his future was never in doubt as he always intended to finish his playing career where it started.

After making his first appearance for the club more than 20 years ago in 1993, Liddiard returned to the Link Centre in 2015.

Liddiard, who spent 10 years with Guildford Flames before returning to his hometown club, was more than happy to extend his playing career with Nell’s side.

“It was nice for me to get it sorted fairly early on so I didn’t have to worry about it through the summer,” added Liddiard.

“To be honest leaving never crossed my mind. I’m not getting any younger now, I always said that I wanted to come back and finish playing where I started.

“The whole league restructuring didn’t really bother me because I knew that if they wanted me then I always wanted to come back.”

The Cats have also filled their two allocated import spots with captain Jan Kostal filling the first, and Max Birbraer occupying the second.

The decision signalled the end for previous imports such as Jonas Hoog, Robin Kovar and Tomasz Malasinski.

While Liddiard appreciates the club have lost some talented players, he thinks Swindon’s duo are more than up to the job.

“We have lost some highly skilled players in the shape of Hoog, Malasinski and Kovar, but the two we have got are pretty skilled too,” he added. “They’re hard workers, they bring it all every night and leave it all out there on the ice, which is what you need from your imports.

“It is quite a rare thing in imports, I’ve noticed over the years but everyone looks to the imports, I think they are two great people and they’re great hockey players as well.”