SIMON Cox believes it is time to start repaying the new owners' faith in Swindon Town Football Club as he looks to help fire them back towards their distant glory days.

Town's new striker insists leaving Premiership Reading for the League One outfit was not a step back in his career and is already eyeing up a return to the big time one day with the Robins.

Chairman Andrew Fitton and his consortium had already invested millions of pounds to secure the club's future and, having now raised the stakes for Cox's permanent signing, the young striker believes it is time for the team to show their gratitude.

Cox arrives at the County Ground on a performance and appearance-related pay deal but knows his progress will go hand-in-hand with the team's, starting with this afternoon's clash with Northampton.

He said: "We want to thank the board for what they have done. The players have been working hard and if we keep going on that run we can look at promotion and the rewards will come to the players.

"Within the amount of years the chairman is building for we have got very good times ahead. I am no different to any other player, I want to play as high as I can with Swindon or whoever.

"If I can play in the Premier League and establish myself then brilliant. I am one for going as far as I can and I am hoping in my time I can progress, the team can progress and one day we will all be there.

"In football you take baby steps. You can't do what Chelsea did. For Swindon it is a chance to make progress through baby steps, onwards and upwards."

During his time at the Madejski Stadium, Cox never got the chance to make a Premier League appearance so for him dropping down a couple of divisions was never a tough decision.

"Why can't Swindon get back in the Premier League one day? The new owners have come in with their wealth. They have shown they will back the manager and back the players.

"I am one for what they are doing at the moment. I heard their visions and want to be a part of that and hopefully we can both go forward as a club.

"I was always wanting to leave to play football. I don't know if I have to repay straightaway. If I can get X' amount of goals in X' amount of years and the club goes places then that is the important thing."

Town entertain Northampton tomorrow with Cox expecting some abuse from the travelling support, having turned down the cobblers for Swindon on deadline day.

He said: "Opposition players never boo a bad player," he said. "I want to help Swindon into the play-offs but also want to keep my form. I will always look for bigger and better. If I can improve what I first did I will do."