SWINDON Town defender Rollin Menayese says he offers a different option in defence to what was already at the club.

The 20-year-old, who made a loan switch to the Energy Check County Ground from Bristol Rovers on deadline day, made his debut for David Flitcroft’s side in their 2-2 draw with Lincoln City on Saturday.

After finding out about the move on Wednesday morning, the Bristol Rovers man says he was eager to arrive in Wiltshire.

“I found out on the morning of deadline day and once I got told I was very keen to come here, it is a great club to come to and it was a bit of a no brainer,” he said.

“I’d say I’m quite an athletic defender, I’m not afraid to get stuck in and if it’s on I will try and pick a pass.

“I know my job is first and foremost to defend and that is what I try and do. I am still learning the game so this is just a little marker to improve in the next game.

“There is no other team like them (Lincoln) in the league, they are quite direct and they know what they do so it was a different test to what I have faced before.

“For me and everyone in the camp wants promotion, together we are going to strive to get it at the end of the season.”

The central defender arrived at Rovers last summer after dipping into non-league football with Weston-super-Mare, following his release from Championship outfit Cardiff City.

Menayese says his brief stint in the Southern League may have looked like a step back on his CV, but he thinks it was an important part of his career so far.

“I was at Cardiff, in their youth system, then I went to non-league for a bit and then I went to Bristol Rovers.

“It’s hard, you always want to play at the highest level but sometimes things don’t happen the way you want them too, sometimes you have to take a step back to go forward.

“Weston-super-Mare did me a lot of good, their coaches, players and staff helped me a lot. I think I just needed games – I kept learning and improving.”

Menayese was thrust into the spotlight during his Town debut against the Imps, sent on to add defensive reinforcement after Matt Preston was shown an early red card and boss Flitcroft was impressed by what he saw from his new loan recruit.

“I thought he was excellent,” said Flitcroft.

“After the first goal, I had to get Rollin on and he acquitted himself very well. He looked strong, he was aggressive in his work against Matt Green, who is very quick.

“It was a baptism of fire as that is as direct a team you will play against in this league and to withstand what he did in the way he played, I thought it was an excellent debut.”